Module java.desktop
Package java.awt

Class TextArea

All Implemented Interfaces:
ImageObserver, MenuContainer, Serializable, Accessible

public class TextArea extends TextComponent
A TextArea object is a multi-line region that displays text. It can be set to allow editing or to be read-only.

The following image shows the appearance of a text area:

A TextArea showing the word
 'Hello!'

This text area could be created by the following line of code:


 new TextArea("Hello", 5, 40);
 

Since:
1.0
See Also:
Serialized Form
  • Field Details

    • SCROLLBARS_BOTH

      public static final int SCROLLBARS_BOTH
      Create and display both vertical and horizontal scrollbars.
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Constant Field Values
    • SCROLLBARS_VERTICAL_ONLY

      public static final int SCROLLBARS_VERTICAL_ONLY
      Create and display vertical scrollbar only.
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Constant Field Values
    • SCROLLBARS_HORIZONTAL_ONLY

      public static final int SCROLLBARS_HORIZONTAL_ONLY
      Create and display horizontal scrollbar only.
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Constant Field Values
    • SCROLLBARS_NONE

      public static final int SCROLLBARS_NONE
      Do not create or display any scrollbars for the text area.
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Constant Field Values
  • Constructor Details

    • TextArea

      public TextArea() throws HeadlessException
      Constructs a new text area with the empty string as text. This text area is created with scrollbar visibility equal to SCROLLBARS_BOTH, so both vertical and horizontal scrollbars will be visible for this text area.
      Throws:
      HeadlessException - if GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless returns true
      See Also:
      GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()
    • TextArea

      public TextArea(String text) throws HeadlessException
      Constructs a new text area with the specified text. This text area is created with scrollbar visibility equal to SCROLLBARS_BOTH, so both vertical and horizontal scrollbars will be visible for this text area.
      Parameters:
      text - the text to be displayed; if text is null, the empty string "" will be displayed
      Throws:
      HeadlessException - if GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless returns true
      See Also:
      GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()
    • TextArea

      public TextArea(int rows, int columns) throws HeadlessException
      Constructs a new text area with the specified number of rows and columns and the empty string as text. A column is an approximate average character width that is platform-dependent. The text area is created with scrollbar visibility equal to SCROLLBARS_BOTH, so both vertical and horizontal scrollbars will be visible for this text area.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Throws:
      HeadlessException - if GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless returns true
      See Also:
      GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()
    • TextArea

      public TextArea(String text, int rows, int columns) throws HeadlessException
      Constructs a new text area with the specified text, and with the specified number of rows and columns. A column is an approximate average character width that is platform-dependent. The text area is created with scrollbar visibility equal to SCROLLBARS_BOTH, so both vertical and horizontal scrollbars will be visible for this text area.
      Parameters:
      text - the text to be displayed; if text is null, the empty string "" will be displayed
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Throws:
      HeadlessException - if GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless returns true
      See Also:
      GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()
    • TextArea

      public TextArea(String text, int rows, int columns, int scrollbars) throws HeadlessException
      Constructs a new text area with the specified text, and with the rows, columns, and scroll bar visibility as specified. All TextArea constructors defer to this one.

      The TextArea class defines several constants that can be supplied as values for the scrollbars argument:

      • SCROLLBARS_BOTH,
      • SCROLLBARS_VERTICAL_ONLY,
      • SCROLLBARS_HORIZONTAL_ONLY,
      • SCROLLBARS_NONE.
      Any other value for the scrollbars argument is invalid and will result in this text area being created with scrollbar visibility equal to the default value of SCROLLBARS_BOTH.
      Parameters:
      text - the text to be displayed; if text is null, the empty string "" will be displayed
      rows - the number of rows; if rows is less than 0, rows is set to 0
      columns - the number of columns; if columns is less than 0, columns is set to 0
      scrollbars - a constant that determines what scrollbars are created to view the text area
      Throws:
      HeadlessException - if GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless returns true
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      GraphicsEnvironment.isHeadless()
  • Method Details

    • addNotify

      public void addNotify()
      Creates the TextArea's peer. The peer allows us to modify the appearance of the TextArea without changing any of its functionality.
      Overrides:
      addNotify in class TextComponent
      See Also:
      TextComponent.removeNotify()
    • insert

      public void insert(String str, int pos)
      Inserts the specified text at the specified position in this text area.

      Note that passing null or inconsistent parameters is invalid and will result in unspecified behavior.

      Parameters:
      str - the non-null text to insert
      pos - the position at which to insert
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      TextComponent.setText(java.lang.String), replaceRange(java.lang.String, int, int), append(java.lang.String)
    • insertText

      @Deprecated public void insertText(String str, int pos)
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by insert(String, int).
      Inserts the specified text at the specified position in this text area.
      Parameters:
      str - the non-null text to insert
      pos - the position at which to insert
    • append

      public void append(String str)
      Appends the given text to the text area's current text.

      Note that passing null or inconsistent parameters is invalid and will result in unspecified behavior.

      Parameters:
      str - the non-null text to append
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      insert(java.lang.String, int)
    • appendText

      @Deprecated public void appendText(String str)
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by append(String).
      Appends the given text to the text area's current text.
      Parameters:
      str - the text to append
    • replaceRange

      public void replaceRange(String str, int start, int end)
      Replaces text between the indicated start and end positions with the specified replacement text. The text at the end position will not be replaced. The text at the start position will be replaced (unless the start position is the same as the end position). The text position is zero-based. The inserted substring may be of a different length than the text it replaces.

      Note that passing null or inconsistent parameters is invalid and will result in unspecified behavior.

      Parameters:
      str - the non-null text to use as the replacement
      start - the start position
      end - the end position
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      insert(java.lang.String, int)
    • replaceText

      @Deprecated public void replaceText(String str, int start, int end)
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by replaceRange(String, int, int).
      Replaces a range of characters between the indicated start and end positions with the specified replacement text (the text at the end position will not be replaced).
      Parameters:
      str - the non-null text to use as the replacement
      start - the start position
      end - the end position
    • getRows

      public int getRows()
      Returns the number of rows in the text area.
      Returns:
      the number of rows in the text area
      Since:
      1.0
      See Also:
      setRows(int), getColumns()
    • setRows

      public void setRows(int rows)
      Sets the number of rows for this text area.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if the value supplied for rows is less than 0
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      getRows(), setColumns(int)
    • getColumns

      public int getColumns()
      Returns the number of columns in this text area.
      Returns:
      the number of columns in the text area
      See Also:
      setColumns(int), getRows()
    • setColumns

      public void setColumns(int columns)
      Sets the number of columns for this text area.
      Parameters:
      columns - the number of columns
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if the value supplied for columns is less than 0
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      getColumns(), setRows(int)
    • getScrollbarVisibility

      public int getScrollbarVisibility()
      Returns an enumerated value that indicates which scroll bars the text area uses.

      The TextArea class defines four integer constants that are used to specify which scroll bars are available. TextArea has one constructor that gives the application discretion over scroll bars.

      Returns:
      an integer that indicates which scroll bars are used
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      SCROLLBARS_BOTH, SCROLLBARS_VERTICAL_ONLY, SCROLLBARS_HORIZONTAL_ONLY, SCROLLBARS_NONE, TextArea(java.lang.String, int, int, int)
    • getPreferredSize

      public Dimension getPreferredSize(int rows, int columns)
      Determines the preferred size of a text area with the specified number of rows and columns.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Returns:
      the preferred dimensions required to display the text area with the specified number of rows and columns
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Component.getPreferredSize()
    • preferredSize

      @Deprecated public Dimension preferredSize(int rows, int columns)
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by getPreferredSize(int, int).
      Determines the preferred size of the text area with the specified number of rows and columns.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Returns:
      the preferred dimensions needed for the text area
    • getPreferredSize

      public Dimension getPreferredSize()
      Determines the preferred size of this text area.
      Overrides:
      getPreferredSize in class Component
      Returns:
      the preferred dimensions needed for this text area
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Component.getPreferredSize()
    • preferredSize

      @Deprecated public Dimension preferredSize()
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by getPreferredSize().
      Description copied from class: Component
      Returns the component's preferred size.
      Overrides:
      preferredSize in class Component
      Returns:
      the component's preferred size
    • getMinimumSize

      public Dimension getMinimumSize(int rows, int columns)
      Determines the minimum size of a text area with the specified number of rows and columns.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Returns:
      the minimum dimensions required to display the text area with the specified number of rows and columns
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Component.getMinimumSize()
    • minimumSize

      @Deprecated public Dimension minimumSize(int rows, int columns)
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by getMinimumSize(int, int).
      Determines the minimum size of the text area with the specified number of rows and columns.
      Parameters:
      rows - the number of rows
      columns - the number of columns
      Returns:
      the minimum size for the text area
    • getMinimumSize

      public Dimension getMinimumSize()
      Determines the minimum size of this text area.
      Overrides:
      getMinimumSize in class Component
      Returns:
      the preferred dimensions needed for this text area
      Since:
      1.1
      See Also:
      Component.getPreferredSize()
    • minimumSize

      @Deprecated public Dimension minimumSize()
      Deprecated.
      As of JDK version 1.1, replaced by getMinimumSize().
      Description copied from class: Component
      Returns the minimum size of this component.
      Overrides:
      minimumSize in class Component
      Returns:
      the minimum size of this component
    • paramString

      protected String paramString()
      Returns a string representing the state of this TextArea. This method is intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The returned string may be empty but may not be null.
      Overrides:
      paramString in class TextComponent
      Returns:
      the parameter string of this text area
    • getAccessibleContext

      public AccessibleContext getAccessibleContext()
      Returns the AccessibleContext associated with this TextArea. For text areas, the AccessibleContext takes the form of an AccessibleAWTTextArea. A new AccessibleAWTTextArea instance is created if necessary.
      Specified by:
      getAccessibleContext in interface Accessible
      Overrides:
      getAccessibleContext in class TextComponent
      Returns:
      an AccessibleAWTTextArea that serves as the AccessibleContext of this TextArea
      Since:
      1.3