java swing JTextField set PlaceHolder [duplicate]

Question

I created a JTextField and now I want to set the placeholder on that JTextField, but I don't know how? Please help. Here is my code:

JTextField database=new JTextField("Enter Data Base Name");
database.setPreferredSize(database.getPreferredSize());
database.setText("");

Cornew

to avoiding (my probably) missinterpetations placeholder is "please input text" or Icon in the case that JTextField is empty ??? – Lingonberry

What do you mean exactly by placeholder? Maybe this answer can help you? – Meso

I wrote my own component. See here: github.com/CollinAlpert/APIs/blob/master/javax/swing/… – Gala

Answer 1

Try this class:

package playground;

import java.awt.*;

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.Document;

@SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class PlaceholderTextField extends JTextField {

    public static void main(final String[] args) {
        final PlaceholderTextField tf = new PlaceholderTextField("");
        tf.setColumns(20);
        tf.setPlaceholder("All your base are belong to us!");
        final Font f = tf.getFont();
        tf.setFont(new Font(f.getName(), f.getStyle(), 30));
        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, tf);
    }

    private String placeholder;

    public PlaceholderTextField() {
    }

    public PlaceholderTextField(
        final Document pDoc,
        final String pText,
        final int pColumns)
    {
        super(pDoc, pText, pColumns);
    }

    public PlaceholderTextField(final int pColumns) {
        super(pColumns);
    }

    public PlaceholderTextField(final String pText) {
        super(pText);
    }

    public PlaceholderTextField(final String pText, final int pColumns) {
        super(pText, pColumns);
    }

    public String getPlaceholder() {
        return placeholder;
    }

    @Override
    protected void paintComponent(final Graphics pG) {
        super.paintComponent(pG);

        if (placeholder == null || placeholder.length() == 0 || getText().length() > 0) {
            return;
        }

        final Graphics2D g = (Graphics2D) pG;
        g.setRenderingHint(
            RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING,
            RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);
        g.setColor(getDisabledTextColor());
        g.drawString(placeholder, getInsets().left, pG.getFontMetrics()
            .getMaxAscent() + getInsets().top);
    }

    public void setPlaceholder(final String s) {
        placeholder = s;
    }

}

Danzig

Thank's for a quick replay dear – Cornew

I found the rendering of the placeholder text looked less than ideal. Based on this SO answer about text rendering, I added the static field: private static Map<?, ?> hints = (Map<?, ?>) Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getDesktopProperty("awt.font.desktophints"); Then changed the line that sets the rendering hints to if (hints != null) g.setRenderingHints(hints); else // set them directly as shown in the answer – Dekeles

Answer 2

JTextField searchText;

...

In constructor:

searchText = new JTextField("Search");
searchText.setForeground(Color.GRAY);
searchText.addFocusListener(new FocusListener() {
    @Override
    public void focusGained(FocusEvent e) {
        if (searchText.getText().equals("Search")) {
            searchText.setText("");
            searchText.setForeground(Color.BLACK);
        }
    }
    @Override
    public void focusLost(FocusEvent e) {
        if (searchText.getText().isEmpty()) {
            searchText.setForeground(Color.GRAY);
            searchText.setText("Search");
        }
    }
    });

Sirajuddaula

Welcome to Stack Overflow! This answer can become much more useful by providing some context surrounding your code. – Sulfonate

Of course, if you type in the text "Search" and then click back on the field that text will disappear. – Ikeikebana

i love this code , but the text is visible only after clicking the box, i have set the text before also to tackle this issue. Is there a better way ? – Sheets

We just need to add searchText.setText("..."); under searchText = new JTextField("Search"); searchText.setForeground(Color.GRAY); – Etoile

Answer 3

So simple use a swingx jar then like this

JTextArea txtMSISDNList = new JTextArea();  
PromptSupport.setPrompt("01197585960,01197585961", txtMSISDNList);

Planoconcave

You are most welcome friend. – Planoconcave

Your link is broken. Do you have an update for it? – Quash

Download the jar file here: java2s.com/Code/Jar/s/Downloadswingx161jar.htm – Unexpressed

Unfortunately swingx isn't in development anymore, so use at your own risk (not sure if it's even compatible with Java 8). Important: No matter how trustworthy java2s.com seems, do NOT download jar files from anywhere except the original homepage EVER (you never know what's inside otherwise!)! You can still get the jar through maven (see "Download" column on the right). – Tremolant

If I am using above solution, the background of my Textfield goes grey in Mac. – Catenary

Answer 4

If I understand the question, Text Prompt shows one way you can do this.

Mande

Thank's for a quick replay dear camickr – Cornew