Question

How to control the behavior of setCaretPosition( getDocument().getLength() ) in keylistener method?

Asked by: SarahDeng


Hi Experts,

   This is a strange behavior of setCaretPosition( getDocument().getLength() ). This line locates in keylistener method "public void keyTyped( KeyEvent event )" of file AgentTextPane.java.

   The codes attached below are to demo my problem. In order to get a feel quickly what the problem is. Follow the steps please:

1. Compile AgentTextPane.java and TextPaneDisplay.java and run TextPaneDisplay.
2. Type "teh" once and type some thing else after it, you will see the words after "teh"(which has been changed to "the") are in "red". (It should be in default style, gray in color)
3.  Type "teh" again, then the words after second "teh" are back to default style(which is agent style, gray in color).

    What I need is after a word comes out from spell-checking, its style should be changed(in this case, red in color). The rest of words typed  after it stay with the default style( agent style, which is gray in color).

    Currently, the problem is that the default style was not changed back when the spell checker was used for the first time. The default style was changed back when the checkSpelling was called the second time. It follows the pattern. The default style is only changed back on the even number calls.

   If I comment out the line in keyTyped method, the problem is gone. But I do need this line of code to stay there.
   Could you explain me why it behaves like this? What is the better way  to replace the same feature? (which to keep caret at the end of document all the time). Thanks!

[1] AgentTextPane.java

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;


public class AgentTextPane extends JTextPane implements KeyListener{

      /** The stopping point of the last word break */
      private int stop = -1;

      /** The style for agent */
      private Style agentStyle = getTextStyle("AgentStyle", Color.gray); // default style

      /** The styled document agent uses */
    private StyledDocument agentDoc;

    public AgentTextPane( StyledDocument doc ){
        super(doc);

            //Get the document from text pane
            agentDoc = (StyledDocument)getDocument();

            //Sets the logical style for agent to use from the beginning position
            agentDoc.setLogicalStyle(0, agentStyle);
        addKeyListener( this );

    }

    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    // METHODS FOR THE KEYLISTENER INTERFACE
    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    public void keyPressed( KeyEvent event ){
        switch( event.getKeyCode() )
        {

            case KeyEvent.VK_END:
                setCaretPosition( getDocument().getLength() );
                break;

            case KeyEvent.VK_HOME:
                setCaretPosition( 0 );
                break;

            default:
                // Update stop point after hitting whitespace...
                if( Character.isWhitespace(event.getKeyChar()) )
                    checkSpelling();
                break;
        }

        return;
    }

    public void keyTyped( KeyEvent event ){
            if( event.getKeyChar() == '\b'  &&  (getCaretPosition() - stop) <= 1 )
                  event.consume();

            // If the caret isn't already at the end of the document, I need to
            // put it there, because I do not want users to insert text into the
            // middle of my document...
 setCaretPosition( getDocument().getLength() ); //<----------this is the line causing the problem, take it  out problem gone
            return;
    }
    public void keyReleased( KeyEvent event ){
        // EMPTY
    }

    /**
     * Checks the spelling of the last inserted word.
     *
     */

    private void checkSpelling()
    {
       StyledDocument doc = (StyledDocument)getDocument();

               // See if my stop value is out of sync with the document...
               if( stop < 0  ||  stop >= doc.getLength() )
                   stop = 0;

        // Retrieve the text to check and send it to the spell checker...
        try{
                   String text     = doc.getText(stop, doc.getLength() - stop).trim();
                   String replace  = checkWord( text.trim() );

            Style theStyle = getTextStyle("MyStyle", Color.red);

                     if(!replace.equals(text.trim())){
                       if( stop > 0 )
                           ++stop;

                // Remove the misspelled word and add in the replacement...
                 doc.remove( stop, doc.getLength() - stop );
                       doc.insertString( stop, replace, null );

                //  Change the color of the replacement text so it is
                //  clear that the word came from the spell-checker...
                       doc.setCharacterAttributes(stop, replace.length(), theStyle, true);

            }
        }
        catch( Exception ignored ){
        }
         stop = doc.getLength();
        return;
    }

  // Set the style for the styled document in a JTextArea
  private Style getTextStyle(String styleName, Color foregroundColor){
        StyledDocument styleDoc = (StyledDocument)getDocument();
        Style style;

        // Set the style attributes for the doc
        style = styleDoc.addStyle("AgentStyle", null);
        // Bold
        StyleConstants.setBold(style, true);
        // Font family
        StyleConstants.setFontFamily(style, "SansSerif");
        // Font size
        StyleConstants.setFontSize(style, 30);
        // Foreground color
        StyleConstants.setForeground(style, foregroundColor);
            return style;
  }

  // Fake one for simulation
    public String checkWord ( String word) {
          String replacedWord;
          String wrongStr1 = "teh";
          String wrongStr2 = "experter";
          String wrongStr3 = "exp";

          if (word.equals(wrongStr1)){
             replacedWord = "the";
            }
            else {
                       if (word.equals(wrongStr2))
                      replacedWord = "EXPERT";
                              else {
                                       if(word.equals(wrongStr3))
                                          replacedWord = "EXPERT";
                                          else
                                          replacedWord = word;
                                  }
                     }
          return replacedWord;
 }
}

[2] TextPaneDisplay.java
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;

public class TextPaneDisplay extends JFrame {

      StyledDocument doc = new DefaultStyledDocument();


    AgentTextPane agentArea = new AgentTextPane(doc);

    public TextPaneDisplay() {

        JScrollPane scrollingArea = new JScrollPane(agentArea);
        scrollingArea.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(10,5,10,5));

        // Get the content pane, set layout, add to center
        Container content = this.getContentPane();
        content.setLayout(new BorderLayout());
        content.add(scrollingArea, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        this.pack();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        JFrame win = new TextPaneDisplay();
        win.setTitle("AgentTextPane");
        win.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        win.setSize( 500, 400 );
        win.setVisible(true);
    }
}

This question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.

Subscribe now for full access to Experts Exchange and get

Instant Access to this Solution

  • Plus...
  • 30 Day FREE access, no risk, no obligation
  • Collaborate with the world's top tech experts
  • Unlimited access to our exclusive solution database
  • Never be left without tech help again

Subscribe Now

Asked On
2005-01-25 at 22:59:51ID21288848
Tags

setcaretposition

,

change

,

color

Topic

Java Programming Language

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
31

Trusted by hundreds of thousands everyday for fast, accurate and reliable tech support.

  • "The time we save is the biggest benefit of Experts Exchange to Warner Bros. What could take multiple guys 2 hours or more each to find is accessed in around 15 minutes on Experts Exchange." Mike Kapnisakis, Warner Bros.
  • "Our team likes having a resource that is more secure than just using Google and most experts using this service really know their stuff. It's nice to look here first versus using Google." Dayna Sellner, Lockheed Martin
  • "Anytime that I've been stumped with a problem, 9 out of 10 times Experts Exchange has either the accepted solution or an open discussion of the potential solution to the problem." Kenny Red, eBay Inc.

See what Experts Exchange can do for you.

Got a question?

We've got the answer.

Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Need individual assistance?

Our experts are ready to help.

If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Want to learn from the best?

Read articles from industry experts.

Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.

Screenshot of an Article

Working on a long term project?

Store your work and research.

Save solutions to your questions, answers you’ve discovered through searching plus helpful articles in your personal knowledgebase for easy future access.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Access the answers to your technology questions today.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

What makes Experts Exchange unique?

Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Trusted by the world's most respected brands.

image of each brand's logo

Faithfully serving IT professionals since 1996.

Experts Exchange Logo

Try it out and discover for yourself.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

Related Solutions

  1. Why can't I get my GUI and KeyListener to work together?
    If I do not add any of my GUI components to the JFrame's Container the KeyListener works fine. However, if I add one JButton, for example, the KeyListener no longer works. Why??? import java.awt.*; import java.awt.event.*; import javax.swing.*; public class KeyDemo2 extends...
  2. Use of getDocument() on Jtextfield
    need to know how to call the textfield with getdocument and a sample implementation code.
  3. enable button documentlistener or keylistener
    I would like to enable a button when a user enters text into 2 different JTextFields. I have implemented DocumentListener on a JTextField as follows button this can only check one JTextField. do i need to use keylistener or how can I alter this. thanks! my snippet. JButto...
  4. Help with KeyListener and Threading
    Hi there! I need some major help. I am in this programming course in high school and we are the guinea pigs this year because they have started teaching Java this year. Our teacher basically knows nothing about java and its obvious because when you ask him a question he has t...
  5. JFrame questions .......
    Hi Experts, I got some questions in the following code : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- import javax.swing.*; // need this for JPanel, JButton and JLabel import java.awt.*; // need this for BorderLayout import ...

Free Tech Articles

  1. WARNING: 5 Reasons why you should NEVER fix a computer for free.
    It is in our nature to love the puzzle. We are obsessed. The lot of us. We love puzzles. We love the challenge. We thrive on finding the answer. We hate disarray. It bothers us deep in our soul. W...
  2. SCCM OSD Basic troubleshooting
    SCCM 2007 OSD is a fantastic way to deploy operating systems, however, like most things SCCM issues can sometimes be difficult to resolve due to the sheer volume of logs to sift through and the dispe...
  3. Migrate Small Business Server 2003 to Exchange 2010 and Windows 2008 R2
    This guide is intended to provide step by step instructions on how to migrate from Small Business Server 2003 to Windows 2008 R2 with Exchange 2010. For this migration to work you will need the fo...
  4. Create a Win7 Gadget
    This article shows you how to create a simple "Gadget" -- a sort of mini-application supported by Windows 7 and Vista. Gadgets can be dropped anywhere on the desktop to provide instant information, ...
  5. Outlook continually prompting for username and password
    There have been a lot of questions recently regarding Outlook prompting for a username and password whilst using Exchange 2007. There are a few reasons why this would happen and I will try to cover t...
  6. Backup Exchange 2010 Information Store using Windows Backup
    There seems to be quite a lot of confusion around the ability to backup Exchange 2010 using the built in Windows Backup feature. This stems from the omission of this feature prior to Exchange 2007 s...

Cloud Class Webinars

  1. Avoiding Bugs in Microsoft Access
    Alison Balter takes and in-depth look at avoiding bugs in Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the immediate window to debug your applications, invoking the debugger, using breakpoints to troubleshoot, stepping through code, setting the next statement to execute, ...
  2. Top 10 Best New Features in Visio 2010
    Scott Helmers gives live demonstrations of the top 10 new features in Visio 2010. This webinar will teach you how to create compelling diagrams by adding shapes to the page with a single click, linking the shapes in a diagram to data in Excel (or SQL Server, or SharePoint), ...
  3. IT Consultant Business Secrets Revealed
    Michael Munger, Experts Exchange tech pro and IT consultant, pulls back the curtain on his very successful businesses and answers question on every IT consultant and business owner should know about. He shares secrets on what he did to solve the 5 most common problems in IT, ...
  4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
    Quest CTO, Mike Billon, gives an overview of the steps involved in building a dynamic disaster recovery plan. Through case studies and an examination of software/hardware tools for monitoring and testing, you'll gain a better understanding of where you are, where you want ...
  5. Organize Your Visio Diagrams with Containers and Lists
    Scott Helmers uses cross functional flowcharts, wireframe diagrams, data graphic legends and seating charts to teach you: how to utilize all three new structured diagram components in Visio 2010, the best practices for organizing shapes in previous version of Visio, how to organize ...
  6. How to Use Objects, Properties, Events and Methods in Microsoft Access
    Alison Dalter gives an in-depth look at objects, properties, events and methods in Microsoft Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the object browser, referring to objects, working with properties and methods, working with object variables, understanding the ...

Join the Community

Give a little. Get a lot.

Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.

Join the Community

20120315-EE-VQP-007

3 Ways to Join

30-Day Free Trial

The Experts

98% positive feedback on 31,087 answers since March 2000. angeliii is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with MS SQL Server & Development.

He has also proven his knowledge of Visual Basic Programming, PHP Scripting and Oracle Databases.

The Experts

97% positive feedback on 10,752 answers since July 2000. lrmoore has more than 18 years experience in the networking industry.

The six-time Microsoft MVPs specialties include firewalls, virtual private networking, and network management.

Testimonials

"...an excellent source for support... Kind of like having your very own IT dept." Electriciansnet

Testimonials

"I was apprehensive at signing up at first. However... it has already made my life as an IT administrator much easier." JaCrews

Testimonials

"WOW! You guys have great, active, and knowledgeable people on here." moore50

Business Clients

Business Clients

In the Press

"If you’ve got a question... Experts Exchange can supply an answer.”

In the Press

"...an invaluable aid for both IT professionals and those who require tech support."

In the Press

"where IT professionals provide quick answers on just about any topic"

Business Account Plans