This example achieves what you're describing;
package com.bornander.imagetest;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Container;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JMenuBar;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
public class MainWindow extends JFrame {
private JMenuBar menuBar = new JMenuBar();
private JPanel mainPanel = new JPanel();
public MainWindow(String filename) throws IOException {
Container contentPane = getContentPane();
contentPane.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
contentPane.add(menuBar, BorderLayout.NORTH);
contentPane.add(mainPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
menuBar.setBackground(Color.RED);
menuBar.add(new JButton("Foo"));
mainPanel.setBackground(Color.GREEN);
mainPanel.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
JLabel picLabel = new JLabel(new ImageIcon(ImageIO.read(new File(filename))));
mainPanel.add(picLabel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
setSize(320, 240);
setVisible(true);
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
}
}
Hope this helps,
Fredrik