AWT TextArea Class

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Introduction

The TextArea control in AWT provide us multiline editor area. The user can type here as much as he wants. When the text in the text area become larger than the viewable area the scroll bar is automatically appears which help us to scroll the text up & down and right & left.

Class declaration

Following is the declaration for java.awt.TextArea class:

public class TextArea
   extends TextComponent

Field

Following are the fields for java.awt.TextArea class:

• static int SCROLLBARS_BOTH -- Create and display both vertical and horizontal scrollbars.

• static int SCROLLBARS_HORIZONTAL_ONLY -- Create and display horizontal scrollbar only.

• static int SCROLLBARS_NONE -- Do not create or display any scrollbars for the text area.

• static int SCROLLBARS_VERTICAL_ONLY -- Create and display vertical scrollbar only.

Class constructors

Class methods

Methods inherited

This class inherits methods from the following classes:

• java.awt.TextComponent

• java.awt.Component

• java.lang.Object

TextArea Example

Create the following java program using any editor of your choice in say D:/ > AWT > com > tutorialspoint > gui >

AwtControlDemo.java

package com.tutorialspoint.gui;

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class AwtControlDemo {

   private Frame mainFrame;
   private Label headerLabel;
   private Label statusLabel;
   private Panel controlPanel;

   public AwtControlDemo(){
      prepareGUI();
   }

   public static void main(String[] args){
      AwtControlDemo  awtControlDemo = new AwtControlDemo();
      awtControlDemo.showTextAreaDemo();
   }

   private void prepareGUI(){
      mainFrame = new Frame("Java AWT Examples");
      mainFrame.setSize(400,400);
      mainFrame.setLayout(new GridLayout(3, 1));
      mainFrame.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
         public void windowClosing(WindowEvent windowEvent){
            System.exit(0);
         }        
      });    
      headerLabel = new Label();
      headerLabel.setAlignment(Label.CENTER);
      statusLabel = new Label();        
      statusLabel.setAlignment(Label.CENTER);
      statusLabel.setSize(350,100);

      controlPanel = new Panel();
      controlPanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());

      mainFrame.add(headerLabel);
      mainFrame.add(controlPanel);
      mainFrame.add(statusLabel);
      mainFrame.setVisible(true);  
   }

   private void showTextAreaDemo(){
      headerLabel.setText("Control in action: TextArea"); 

      Label  commentlabel= new Label("Comments: ", Label.RIGHT);

      final TextArea commentTextArea = new TextArea("This is a AWT tutorial "
      +"to make GUI application in Java.",5,30);

      Button showButton = new Button("Show");

      showButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
         public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {     
            statusLabel.setText( commentTextArea.getText());        
         }
      }); 

      controlPanel.add(commentlabel);
      controlPanel.add(commentTextArea);        
      controlPanel.add(showButton);
      mainFrame.setVisible(true);  
   }
}

Compile the program using command prompt. Go to D:/ > AWT and type the following command.

D:\AWT>javac com\tutorialspoint\gui\AwtControlDemo.java

If no error comes that means compilation is successful. Run the program using following command.

D:\AWT>java com.tutorialspoint.gui.AwtControlDemo

Verify the following output