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javaswinguser-interfacejtextarea

Adding buttons below JTextArea


I am trying to add two buttons below the JTextArea using the Eclipse WindowBuilder, but I can't. I tried to change the layout, but I couldn't find a way to add buttons where I want and to re-size the JTextArea in an easy way.

public TestScrollPane03() {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea(100, 50);
                JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(textArea);
                JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
                frame.add(scrollPane);
                frame.setSize(200, 200);
                frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                frame.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    } 

How would I go about adding buttons below my original textArea?


Solution

  • You need to have two panels, one for your textArea, and one for your input (in this case buttons). I think something like this is what you are looking for:

    enter image description here

    public class Test
    {
        public static void createFrame()
        {
            EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable()
            {
                @Override
                public void run()
                {
                    JFrame frame = new JFrame("Test");
                    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
                    JPanel panel = new JPanel();
                    panel.setLayout(new BoxLayout(panel, BoxLayout.Y_AXIS));
                    panel.setOpaque(true);
                    JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea(15, 50);
                    textArea.setWrapStyleWord(true);
                    textArea.setEditable(false);
                    textArea.setFont(Font.getFont(Font.SANS_SERIF));
                    JScrollPane scroller = new JScrollPane(textArea);
                    scroller.setVerticalScrollBarPolicy(ScrollPaneConstants.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_ALWAYS);
                    scroller.setHorizontalScrollBarPolicy(ScrollPaneConstants.HORIZONTAL_SCROLLBAR_NEVER);
                    JPanel inputpanel = new JPanel();
                    inputpanel.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
                    JTextField input = new JTextField(20);
                    JButton button = new JButton("Enter");
                    DefaultCaret caret = (DefaultCaret) textArea.getCaret();
                    caret.setUpdatePolicy(DefaultCaret.ALWAYS_UPDATE);
                    panel.add(scroller);
                    inputpanel.add(input);
                    inputpanel.add(button);
                    panel.add(inputpanel);
                    frame.getContentPane().add(BorderLayout.CENTER, panel);
                    frame.pack();
                    frame.setLocationByPlatform(true);
                    frame.setVisible(true);
                    frame.setResizable(false);
                    input.requestFocus();
                }
            });
        }
    
        public static void main(String... args)
        {
            createFrame();
        }
    }
    

    If you want your frame to look more like those of the OS you are running on, you can add .setLookAndFeel() before you make the frame visible:

    try 
    {
        UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    

    What adding the UIManager looks like (notably a bit smaller):

    enter image description here