Using tables on a JTextArea

Question

Am I not allowed to use an html table to print to a JTextArea? When I use the following code it prints the html code and doesn't format the tables. What do I do? This is probably a simple fix but since the question is so specific it would take me forever to google this.

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.io.*;

public class Index2 extends JPanel{

    private JLabel searchLabel;
    private JTextArea searchField;
    private JButton resultButton;
    private JTextArea resultField;

    public Index2(){

        GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
        GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NORTH;
        setBackground(Color.WHITE);

        super.setLayout(gridbag);

        searchLabel = new JLabel("Enter some text:");
        searchField = new JTextArea("", 5, 20);
        JScrollPane scrollSearch = new JScrollPane(searchField);
        searchField.setLineWrap(true);
        searchField.setWrapStyleWord(true);
        searchField.setOpaque(true);    

        searchField.setLineWrap(true);
        searchField.setWrapStyleWord(true);
        searchField.setOpaque(true);
        resultButton = new JButton("Count Occurences of Each Letter");
        resultField = new JTextArea("", 13, 15);
        JScrollPane scrollResult = new JScrollPane(resultField);
        resultField.setLineWrap(true);
        resultField.setWrapStyleWord(true);
        resultField.setOpaque(true);
        resultField.setEditable(false);

        c.insets = new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10);

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 0;    
        add(searchLabel, c);

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 1;        
        add(scrollSearch, c);       

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 2;
        add(resultButton, c);

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 3;
        add(scrollResult, c);

        ResultButtonHandler rbhandler = new ResultButtonHandler();
        resultButton.addActionListener(rbhandler);      
    }

    class ResultButtonHandler implements ActionListener{        

        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){ 
            String str = "<html><table>";
            int count[] = new int[26];
            char letter[] = {'a','b','c','d','e','f','g','h','i','j','k','l','m','n','o','p','q','r','s','t','u','v','w','x','y','z'};
            for (int i = 0; i < letter.length; i++ ){
                int upper, lower= 0;
                letter[i] = Character.toUpperCase(letter[i]);
                upper = helpers.StringUtilities.numberCharacter(letter[i], searchField.getText());
                letter[i] = Character.toLowerCase(letter[i]);
                lower = helpers.StringUtilities.numberCharacter(letter[i], searchField.getText());
                count[i] = upper + lower;
                if ((i+1) % 2 == 0){
                    int h = i-1;
                    str += "<tr><td>" + letter[h] + ": " + count[h] +"</td><td>" + letter[i] + ": " + count[i] +"</td></tr>";
                }
            }
            str += "</table>";
            resultField.setText(str);
            str = "";
        }   
    }
}

Try either a `JTextPane` or `JEditorPane`, think you'll have more luck with a `JEditorPane`... — MadProgrammer, Aug 22 '14 at 05:57
I tried the JEditorPane. It prints the same. Im going to try the JLabel next. — helloWorldIsAlliKnow, Aug 22 '14 at 06:03
I just went with this: if ((i+1) % 2 == 0){ int h = i-1; str += letter[h] + ": " + count[h] + "\t" + letter[i] + ": " + count[i] + "\n"; } — helloWorldIsAlliKnow, Aug 22 '14 at 06:13

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 22 '14 at 06:15

I tried the JEditorPane. It prints the same

Then you're using it wrong...

Make sure you set the content type before you set the text...

resultField.setContentType("text/html");

enter image description here

import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.Insets;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.util.Random;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JEditorPane;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
import javax.swing.UIManager;
import javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException;

public class Index2 extends JPanel {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
                } catch (ClassNotFoundException | InstantiationException | IllegalAccessException | UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
                    ex.printStackTrace();
                }

                JFrame frame = new JFrame("Testing");
                frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
                frame.add(new Index2());
                frame.pack();
                frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
                frame.setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }

    private JLabel searchLabel;
    private JTextArea searchField;
    private JButton resultButton;
    private JEditorPane resultField;

    public Index2() {

        GridBagLayout gridbag = new GridBagLayout();
        GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.NORTH;
        setBackground(Color.WHITE);

        super.setLayout(gridbag);

        searchLabel = new JLabel("Enter some text:");
        searchField = new JTextArea("", 1, 20);
        JScrollPane scrollSearch = new JScrollPane(searchField);
        searchField.setLineWrap(true);
        searchField.setWrapStyleWord(true);
        searchField.setOpaque(true);

        searchField.setLineWrap(true);
        searchField.setWrapStyleWord(true);
        searchField.setOpaque(true);
        resultButton = new JButton("Count Occurences of Each Letter");
        resultField = new JEditorPane();
        JScrollPane scrollResult = new JScrollPane(resultField);
        resultField.setOpaque(true);
        resultField.setEditable(false);

        c.insets = new Insets(10, 10, 10, 10);


        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 0;
        add(searchLabel, c);

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 2;
        add(resultButton, c);

        c.weightx = 1;
        c.weighty = 0.5;
        c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 1;
        add(scrollSearch, c);

        c.gridx = 0;
        c.gridy = 3;
        add(scrollResult, c);

        ResultButtonHandler rbhandler = new ResultButtonHandler();
        resultButton.addActionListener(rbhandler);
    }

    class ResultButtonHandler implements ActionListener {

        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
            String str = "<html><table border=1>";
            int count[] = new int[26];
            char letter[] = {'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g', 'h', 'i', 'j', 'k', 'l', 'm', 'n', 'o', 'p', 'q', 'r', 's', 't', 'u', 'v', 'w', 'x', 'y', 'z'};
            Random rnd = new Random();
            for (int i = 0; i < letter.length; i++) {
                if ((i + 1) % 2 == 0) {
                    int h = i - 1;
                    str += "<tr><td>" + letter[rnd.nextInt(letter.length)] + ": " + count[rnd.nextInt(letter.length)] + "</td><td>" + letter[rnd.nextInt(letter.length)] + ": " + count[rnd.nextInt(letter.length)] + "</td></tr>";
                }
            }
            str += "</table>";
            resultField.setContentType("text/html");
            resultField.setText(str);
            str = "";
        }
    }
}

You could also use a JLabel which will format the HTML automatically, but you'll need to decide which is more suitable for your needs...

Have a look at How to Use Editor Panes and Text Panes for more details

Once again you are correct sir. Sorry, my knowledge is limited. Thanks again! — helloWorldIsAlliKnow, Aug 22 '14 at 06:19
Don't worry, I don't use `JEditorPane` that often either...and unless you've done it before, it's less the obvious trick ;) — MadProgrammer, Aug 22 '14 at 06:20

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 22 '14 at 06:14

0

I just went with this

if ((i+1) % 2 == 0){
    int h = i-1;
    str +=  letter[h] + ": " + count[h] + "\t" + letter[i] + ": " + count[i] + "\n";
}

It eliminated the need for tables and I accomplished what I intended to do

answered Aug 22 '14 at 06:14

helloWorldIsAlliKnow

77
10

but must be monospaced font used for – mKorbel Aug 22 '14 at 06:25

Using tables on a JTextArea

2 Answers2