How to create formatted text to show in a Java Swing Component (JTextPane, JEditorPane...)

Question

I've searched and researched in everywhere I could to find an answer with no result. So I ask for help once more.

I want to show formatted text in a desktop java swing application. This text would be programactly generated in base of some variable objects and wouldn't be editable.

I don't know if is best to use JTextPane, or JEditorPane, or what. The matter is that I don't find anywhere some manual or tutorial that explain how to use them. Do I have to create an HTMLDocument to insert the text? How do I create it?...

Is is the right way to show text in this case?, or may I go using tables or labels or something like that.

I need some advice from you please, if there is some where I could learn how to do it, tell me please.

Answer 1

Here have a look at this code example, if you want to modify this a bit more, add Font too as an argument and use that appropriate argument at the specified location. Write something in the JTextField and press ENTER several times.

import java.awt.*;    
import java.awt.event.*;    
import javax.swing.*;    
import javax.swing.border.*;    
import javax.swing.text.AttributeSet;
import javax.swing.text.SimpleAttributeSet;
import javax.swing.text.StyleConstants;
import javax.swing.text.StyleContext;

public class TextPaneTest extends JFrame {

    private JPanel topPanel;
    private JTextPane tPane;
    private JTextField tfield;
    private int counter;
    private Color[] colours = {
                                Color.RED,
                                Color.BLUE,
                                Color.DARK_GRAY,
                                Color.PINK,
                                Color.BLACK,
                                Color.MAGENTA,
                                Color.YELLOW,
                                Color.ORANGE
                              };

    public TextPaneTest() {
        counter = 0;   
    }

    private void createAndDisplayGUI() {    
        setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);         

        EmptyBorder eb = new EmptyBorder(new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10));

        tPane = new JTextPane();                
        tPane.setBorder(eb);
        tPane.setMargin(new Insets(5, 5, 5, 5));
        JScrollPane scroller = new JScrollPane();
        scroller.setViewportView(tPane);

        tfield = new JTextField();
        tfield.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                counter++;
                if (counter == 8)
                    counter = 0;
                String text = tfield.getText() + "\n";
                appendToPane(tPane, text, colours[counter]);    
                tfield.selectAll();
            }
        });     

        getContentPane().add(scroller, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        getContentPane().add(tfield, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);

        setSize(200, 100);
        setVisible(true);
        tfield.requestFocusInWindow();
    }

    private void appendToPane(JTextPane tp, String msg, Color c) {
        StyleContext sc = StyleContext.getDefaultStyleContext();
        AttributeSet aset = sc.addAttribute(SimpleAttributeSet.EMPTY, StyleConstants.Foreground, c);

        aset = sc.addAttribute(aset, StyleConstants.FontFamily, "Lucida Console");
        aset = sc.addAttribute(aset, StyleConstants.Alignment, StyleConstants.ALIGN_JUSTIFIED);

        int len = tp.getDocument().getLength();
        tp.setCaretPosition(len);
        tp.setCharacterAttributes(aset, false);
        tp.replaceSelection(msg);
    }

    public static void main(String... args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                new TextPaneTest().createAndDisplayGUI();
            }
        });
    }
}