I want to load up a window using the java swing, something like this
However I want to be able to use it for text input also not just to dump data into it..
any idea how to do it?
JTextAreas are editable by default, so input is trivial. Just put one into a test UI and see for yourself.
From a design perspective, using the same JTextArea for both input and output strikes me as unwise. The only example I can think of is a shell interface, and that imposes stronger limits on how input and output works than a JTextArea will provide out of the box.
I'm not sure if I got the point of your question, but you can get the text the user has typed in using the getText() method:
JTextArea ta = new JTextArea();
String input = ta.getText();
Check out this Sun toturial:
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/components/textarea.html
In particular, scroll down to the "TextAreaDemo" example.
Related
So far, I have a JTextArea and below the box, there is text (Character count:) using BorderFactory. I am retrieving String.length() from the textbox to display character count but it's not dynamic.
Could someone please provide advice or code example as to how to implement addListeners in this situation?
So far, I have a JTextBox
There is no such component. I assume you mean JTextField. Be explicit when you ask a question. We should not have to guess what you are talking about.
but it's not dynamic.
Use a DocumentListener. Check out the section from the Swing tutorial on How to Write a DocumentListener for more information and working examples.
I'm working on one of my first java applets and I want to start of fairly simple (though I have a good understanding of how code works I dont know much in terms of what methods I all have at my disposal when using java)
I have created a Jframe window that has a JTextarea in it. I would like to execute certain lines of code when certain things are typed into this box. In essence, its a simple text input system. How would I go about doing this or is there a better component to use for this?
in addition to getText(), for JTextField some prefer the getDocument() method. In Java, Listeners are used to capture events, such as "what was typed to the text area". This tutorial will get you started, if you have trouble implementing you can come back with a more specfic question and some code :)
At the moment I try to find a method to create a TextArea that I can edit and simply (without cheating) apply syntax highlighting to. Is that possible without the need of a custom Component? I already managed to format a text using a JEditorPane, but I am not sure how to implement that the text is dynamicly highlighted... And that efficiently. Is that possibly without an enormous amount of coding?
You can't use a JTextArea since it does not support text attributes.
Instead you can use a JTextPane. Read the section from the Swing tutorial on Text Component Features for more information and examples.
So im creating a server, and that works great, however I am a bit stuck on the GUI. You see, I would like it to look just like Command Prompt, where only the next line is editable, and it does not let you delete any other text. So right now I have:
JTextArea ta = new JTextArea();
JScrollPane sp = new JScrollPane(ta);
Then the frame stuff...
f.setTitle("Server");
f.setBounds(ss.width - 600, 50, 550, 350);
f.setResizable(false);
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DO_NOTHING_ON_CLOSE);//added window listener so closes socket connection first
f.setAlwaysOnTop(true);
Then adding it:
f.add(sc);
jt.setBackground(Color.BLACK);
jt.setForeground(Color.WHITE);
//jt.setEditable(false);
Finally, the method I use to output to the TextArea:
public static void append(String text) {
jt.append(text);
jt.append("\n\n"+System.getProperty("user.name")+" / "+getIp()+" > ");
jt.setCaretPosition(jt.getDocument().getLength());
}
Now I need to assign a String to what the user types into the JTextArea after they press enter:>?
jt.addActionListener(...{
public void ActioEvent(ActionEvent e){
String text = JTextArea.getLines().getLastLine().getText().replace(System.getProperty("user.name")+" / "+getIp()+" > ", "");
}
});
Maybe something like that?
Then I need to have it so that only the part after the ">" is editable?
The way to do this is with a DocumentFilter. This is a fairly obscure and little-used part of Java, and is far from easy to use. However it allows you to insert a DocumentFilter between the UI (where rich text content is edited) and the underlying model (the content). You pass all the 'insert' and 'remove' operations through the filter, which can either accept, refuse or modify them. You can code the filter to only permit modifications to the command line, and not to the prompt.
As I say, this is a pretty hard piece of coding, and the Document/DocumentFilter structure has a lot of complexity that your particular application doesn't need. However it does provide you with the facilities you need.
There is a tutorial in the standard Java doc pages, but not an advanced one, and very few examples that I know of are out there on the web.
ProtectedTextComponent (thanks camickr) provides an example of how to do something similar.
Use a Collection a JTextField.
Let the user type on a JTextField, and once he presses enter, move the control to the next JTextField while making the above JTextField uneditable and also remove the JScrollPane from it.
Hope this helps.
I also agree that the JTextArea/JTextField approach is the common and simpler approach.
However if you want to complicate your life a little then you can check out Protected Text Component which will do most of the logic for you.
The current implemtation of the ProtectedDocument only allows you to add protection to the Document, not remove it so the first thing you will need to do is add a method to "Clear" all the protect pieces of text. This is easy enough, you just clear the entries in the Map used by the class.
Next you will need to replace the default "Enter" Action used by the JTextPane. You do this by playing with the Key Bindings of the text area. See Key Bindings for some basic information. In your custom Action you would first need to invoke the newly created "clear(...)" method. Then you would add you text to the text area. Finally you would protect all the text but the last "x" number of characters.
I have a console application that uses System.out.println's to output text. What I want to do is turn it into an applet, where instead of System.out.println's, it displays the text in a text box. Is there a relatively easy way to convert this?
Message Console is a simple class that will allow you to redirect ouput to a JTextArea or JTextPane.
Is there a relatively easy way to convert this?
Sure, all you need to do is create an applet1 and add a single JTextArea2 to it. And then instead of your System.out.println(str)'s, you do textArea.setText(str) (or textArea.setText(textArea.getText() + "\n" + str) to append text)
http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/deployment/applet/
http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/components/textarea.html
EDIT
And to get user input, checkout the showInputDialog method from the JOptionPane class. Examples can be found here:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/components/dialog.html