JavaFX comboBox not selecting all text when comboBox gets focus

Question

I am writing a javaFx application that uses some editable ComboBox controls. I want that when such a ComboBox gains focus, then the text that is there in the ComboBox gets highlighted. So I have this code below:

@FXML
ComboBox box;

box.focusedProperty().addListener(new ChangeListener<Boolean>(){
    @Override
    public void changed(ObservableValue<?extends Boolean> observable, Boolean oldValue, Boolean newValue){
        box.getEditor().selectAll();
    }
});

I even tried the following code:

@FXML
ComboBox box;

box.getEditor().focusedProperty().addListener(new ChangeListener<Boolean>(){
    @Override
    public void changed(ObservableValue<?extends Boolean> observable, Boolean oldValue, Boolean newValue){
        box.getEditor().selectAll();
    }
});

But both are not working. It would be very helpful if somebody could help me out.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 14 '16 at 17:13

There is a bug open for this issue: https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8129400

You should be able to work around it with the below, which will select the text when you select a new item within the combo box, or whenever you re-focus the combo box

    box.focusedProperty().addListener((observable, oldValue, newValue) -> {
        selectTextIfFocused(box);
    });
    box.getSelectionModel().selectedItemProperty().addListener((observable, oldValue, newValue) -> {
        selectTextIfFocused(box);
    });

Method to select text:

private void selectTextIfFocused(ComboBox box){
    Platform.runLater(() -> {
        if ((box.getEditor().isFocused() || box.isFocused()) && !box.getEditor().getText().isEmpty()) {
            box.getEditor().selectAll();
        }
    });
}

JavaFX comboBox not selecting all text when comboBox gets focus

1 Answers1