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What is the difference between JTextField.setEnabled() and JTextField.setEditable()? In my code I have an Instance of a class inherited from JTextField. But when I set its property setEnabled(false) I can still edit and process its contents in my program. However when I set its property setEditable(false) I can no longer edit its text. If it is so. Then what is the purpose of setEnabled() property here?

My Code for inherited class is:

 private static class CCField extends JTextField{
      private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
      public CCField() {
        this( DEFAULT_COLUMN_COUNT );
      }

      public CCField(final int cols) {
        super( cols );
 }

Added INFO When I call the setEnabled() property of this class it does not show any effect on the text field and it still remains enabled. I have a container Jcomponent in my code which have this CCField as a child component. So when I try to disable it using setEnabled(false) it still editable. Whereas when I try to disable it using setEditable(false) then it is disabled. This is how I am accessing this textField in my container:

 JComponent jComp = DDEUtil.getComponent(icTableLayout,icDS);
 ((JTextField)jComp.getComponent(1)).setEditable(false);

And what is going on in DDEUtil.getComponent is too complex as it involve a number of classes and not possible to post here.

I wonder I have not overridden any method of this component so why is it showing this behavior.

Tariq
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    Post a complete program demonstrating the problem. `setEnabled(false)` disables a text field completely. `setEditable(false)` still allows selecting and copying its content, but doesn't allow modifying its value. – JB Nizet Feb 11 '14 at 07:00
  • @JBNizet I think that qualifies to be an answer... – Jim Garrison Feb 11 '14 at 07:05
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    @JimGarrison: I think that the actual question is: why setEnabled(false) doesn't disable my text field. But the OP needs to post more code to have an answer to this question. – JB Nizet Feb 11 '14 at 07:10
  • _When I call the setEnabled() property of this class it does not show any effect on the text field and it still remains enabled._ Something wrong in the code you are not showing ;-) So either post a SSCCE or solve it without help, nobody can guess which invisible line is wrong ... – kleopatra Feb 11 '14 at 10:28
  • I have show every thing except `DDEUtil.getComponent` which is too large, complex and generic, as it is generating a lot of components using reflection. – Tariq Feb 11 '14 at 10:55

2 Answers2

28

In my case setEditable(false) is graying the field and setEnabled(false) not graying the field.

TextField are editable by default. The code setEditable(false) makes the TextField uneditable. It is still selectable and the user can copy data from it, but the user cannot change the TextField's contents directly.

The code setEnabled(false), disables this TextField. It is not selectable and the user can not copy data from it and the user cannot change the TextField's contents directly.

Useful Links

  1. How to Use Text Fields
  2. Component#setEnabled()
ravibagul91
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  • Very strange this is, IMHO the "official" is that disabled are totally grayed out. Editable simply lock the field but "only" change its background grayed while the text keeps readable. Can you confirm and probably improve your answer? Tested with Java 1.8. – Thomas Nov 23 '16 at 15:16
  • In my case, there's definitely no greying with `setEditable(false)` – Sergey Zolotarev Aug 23 '23 at 23:00
3

While setEnabled(false) grays out the field comletely, setEditable(false) just prevents it from beeing edited, but it will still look the same.

das_j
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