I'll take a look at that then, thanks

Any ideas as to why this doesn't work for me?  I can select a file but
it doesn't display anything.

import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.io.File;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JMenu;
import javax.swing.JMenuBar;
import javax.swing.JMenuItem;

Public class ImageViewer extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
 public ImageViewer() {
   setTitle("ImageViewer");
   setSize(400, 600);

   JMenuBar mbar = new JMenuBar();
   JMenu m = new JMenu("File");
   openItem = new JMenuItem("Open");
   openItem.addActionListener(this);
   m.add(openItem);
   exitItem = new JMenuItem("Exit");
   exitItem.addActionListener(this);
   m.add(exitItem);
   mbar.add(m);
   setJMenuBar(mbar);

   label = new JLabel();
   Container contentPane = getContentPane();
   contentPane.add(label, "Center");
   label.setText("What the hell");
 }

 public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
   Object source = evt.getSource();
   if (source == openItem) {
     JFileChooser chooser = new JFileChooser();
     chooser.setCurrentDirectory(new File("."));

     chooser.setFileFilter(new javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter() {
       public boolean accept(File f) {
         return f.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith(".gif")
             || f.isDirectory();
       }

       public String getDescription() {
         return "GIF Images";
       }
     });

     int r = chooser.showOpenDialog(this);
     if (r == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
       String name = chooser.getSelectedFile().getName();
       label.setIcon(new ImageIcon(name));
     }
   } else if (source == exitItem)
     System.exit(0);
 }

 public static void main(String[] args) {
   JFrame frame = new ImageViewer();
   frame.show();
 }

 private JLabel label;

 private JMenuItem openItem;

 private JMenuItem exitItem;
}