Class JFormattedTextField

java.lang.Object
java.awt.Component
java.awt.Container
javax.swing.JComponent
javax.swing.text.JTextComponent
javax.swing.JTextField
javax.swing.JFormattedTextField
All Implemented Interfaces:
ImageObserver, MenuContainer, Serializable, Accessible, Scrollable, SwingConstants
@JavaBean public class JFormattedTextField extends JTextField
JFormattedTextField extends JTextField adding support for formatting arbitrary values, as well as retrieving a particular object once the user has edited the text. The following illustrates configuring a JFormattedTextField to edit dates: 
  JFormattedTextField ftf = new JFormattedTextField();
  ftf.setValue(new Date());

Once a JFormattedTextField has been created, you can listen for editing changes by way of adding a PropertyChangeListener and listening for PropertyChangeEvents with the property name value.

JFormattedTextField allows configuring what action should be taken when focus is lost. The possible configurations are:

Possible JFormattedTextField configurations and their descriptions
Value Description
JFormattedTextField.REVERT Revert the display to match that of getValue, possibly losing the current edit.
JFormattedTextField.COMMIT Commits the current value. If the value being edited isn't considered a legal value by the AbstractFormatter that is, a ParseException is thrown, then the value will not change, and then edited value will persist.
JFormattedTextField.COMMIT_OR_REVERT Similar to COMMIT, but if the value isn't legal, behave like REVERT.
JFormattedTextField.PERSIST Do nothing, don't obtain a new AbstractFormatter, and don't update the value.
The default is JFormattedTextField.COMMIT_OR_REVERT, refer to setFocusLostBehavior(int) for more information on this.

JFormattedTextField allows the focus to leave, even if the currently edited value is invalid. To lock the focus down while the JFormattedTextField is an invalid edit state you can attach an InputVerifier. The following code snippet shows a potential implementation of such an InputVerifier: 

public class FormattedTextFieldVerifier extends InputVerifier {
    public boolean verify(JComponent input) {
        if (input instanceof JFormattedTextField) {
            JFormattedTextField ftf = (JFormattedTextField)input;
            AbstractFormatter formatter = ftf.getFormatter();
            if (formatter != null) {
                String text = ftf.getText();
                try {
                     formatter.stringToValue(text);
                     return true;
                 } catch (ParseException pe) {
                     return false;
                 }
             }
         }
         return true;
     }
     public boolean shouldYieldFocus(JComponent input) {
         return verify(input);
     }
 }

Alternatively, you could invoke commitEdit, which would also commit the value.

JFormattedTextField does not do the formatting itself, rather formatting is done through an instance of JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter which is obtained from an instance of JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatterFactory. Instances of JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter are notified when they become active by way of the install method, at which point the JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter can install whatever it needs to, typically a DocumentFilter. Similarly, when JFormattedTextField no longer needs the AbstractFormatter, it will invoke uninstall.

JFormattedTextField typically queries the AbstractFormatterFactory for an AbstractFormat when it gains or loses focus. Although this can change based on the focus lost policy. If the focus lost policy is JFormattedTextField.PERSIST and the JFormattedTextField has been edited, the AbstractFormatterFactory will not be queried until the value has been committed. Similarly, if the focus lost policy is JFormattedTextField.COMMIT and an exception is thrown from stringToValue, the AbstractFormatterFactory will not be queried when focus is lost or gained.

JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter is also responsible for determining when values are committed to the JFormattedTextField. Some JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatters will make new values available on every edit, and others will never commit the value. You can force the current value to be obtained from the current JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter by way of invoking commitEdit. commitEdit will be invoked whenever return is pressed in the JFormattedTextField.

If an AbstractFormatterFactory has not been explicitly set, one will be set based on the Class of the value type after setValue has been invoked (assuming value is non-null). For example, in the following code an appropriate AbstractFormatterFactory and AbstractFormatter will be created to handle formatting of numbers: 

  JFormattedTextField tf = new JFormattedTextField();
  tf.setValue(100);

Warning: As the AbstractFormatter will typically install a DocumentFilter on the Document, and a NavigationFilter on the JFormattedTextField you should not install your own. If you do, you are likely to see odd behavior in that the editing policy of the AbstractFormatter will not be enforced.

Warning: Swing is not thread safe. For more information see Swing's Threading Policy.

Warning: Serialized objects of this class will not be compatible with future Swing releases. The current serialization support is appropriate for short term storage or RMI between applications running the same version of Swing. As of 1.4, support for long term storage of all JavaBeans has been added to the java.beans package. Please see XMLEncoder.

Since:
1.4

  • Field Details

    • COMMIT

      public static final int COMMIT
      Constant identifying that when focus is lost, commitEdit should be invoked. If in committing the new value a ParseException is thrown, the invalid value will remain.
      See Also:

    • COMMIT_OR_REVERT

      public static final int COMMIT_OR_REVERT
      Constant identifying that when focus is lost, commitEdit should be invoked. If in committing the new value a ParseException is thrown, the value will be reverted.
      See Also:

    • REVERT

      public static final int REVERT
      Constant identifying that when focus is lost, editing value should be reverted to current value set on the JFormattedTextField.
      See Also:

    • PERSIST

      public static final int PERSIST
      Constant identifying that when focus is lost, the edited value should be left.
      See Also:

  • Constructor Details

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField()
      Creates a JFormattedTextField with no AbstractFormatterFactory. Use setMask or setFormatterFactory to configure the JFormattedTextField to edit a particular type of value.

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField(Object value)
      Creates a JFormattedTextField with the specified value. This will create an AbstractFormatterFactory based on the type of value.
      Parameters:
      value - Initial value for the JFormattedTextField

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField(Format format)
      Creates a JFormattedTextField. format is wrapped in an appropriate AbstractFormatter which is then wrapped in an AbstractFormatterFactory.
      Parameters:
      format - Format used to look up an AbstractFormatter

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField(JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter formatter)
      Creates a JFormattedTextField with the specified AbstractFormatter. The AbstractFormatter is placed in an AbstractFormatterFactory.
      Parameters:
      formatter - AbstractFormatter to use for formatting.

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField(JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatterFactory factory)
      Creates a JFormattedTextField with the specified AbstractFormatterFactory.
      Parameters:
      factory - AbstractFormatterFactory used for formatting.

    • JFormattedTextField

      public JFormattedTextField(JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatterFactory factory, Object currentValue)
      Creates a JFormattedTextField with the specified AbstractFormatterFactory and initial value.
      Parameters:
      factory - AbstractFormatterFactory used for formatting.
      currentValue - Initial value to use

  • Method Details

    • setFocusLostBehavior

      @BeanProperty(bound=false, enumerationValues={"JFormattedTextField.COMMIT","JFormattedTextField.COMMIT_OR_REVERT","JFormattedTextField.REVERT","JFormattedTextField.PERSIST"}, description="Behavior when component loses focus") public void setFocusLostBehavior(int behavior)
      Sets the behavior when focus is lost. This will be one of JFormattedTextField.COMMIT_OR_REVERT, JFormattedTextField.REVERT, JFormattedTextField.COMMIT or JFormattedTextField.PERSIST Note that some AbstractFormatters may push changes as they occur, so that the value of this will have no effect.

      This will throw an IllegalArgumentException if the object passed in is not one of the afore mentioned values.

      The default value of this property is JFormattedTextField.COMMIT_OR_REVERT.

      Parameters:
      behavior - Identifies behavior when focus is lost
      Throws:
      IllegalArgumentException - if behavior is not one of the known values

    • getFocusLostBehavior

      public int getFocusLostBehavior()
      Returns the behavior when focus is lost. This will be one of COMMIT_OR_REVERT, COMMIT, REVERT or PERSIST Note that some AbstractFormatters may push changes as they occur, so that the value of this will have no effect.
      Returns:
      returns behavior when focus is lost

    • setFormatterFactory

      @BeanProperty(visualUpdate=true, description="AbstractFormatterFactory, responsible for returning an AbstractFormatter that can format the current value.") public void setFormatterFactory(JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatterFactory tf)
      Sets the AbstractFormatterFactory. AbstractFormatterFactory is able to return an instance of AbstractFormatter that is used to format a value for display, as well an enforcing an editing policy.

      If you have not explicitly set an AbstractFormatterFactory by way of this method (or a constructor) an AbstractFormatterFactory and consequently an AbstractFormatter will be used based on the Class of the value. NumberFormatter will be used for Numbers, DateFormatter will be used for Dates, otherwise DefaultFormatter will be used.

      This is a JavaBeans bound property.

      Parameters:
      tf - AbstractFormatterFactory used to lookup instances of AbstractFormatter

    • getFormatterFactory

      public JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatterFactory getFormatterFactory()
      Returns the current AbstractFormatterFactory.
      Returns:
      AbstractFormatterFactory used to determine AbstractFormatters
      See Also:

    • setFormatter

      protected void setFormatter(JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter format)
      Sets the current AbstractFormatter.

      You should not normally invoke this, instead set the AbstractFormatterFactory or set the value. JFormattedTextField will invoke this as the state of the JFormattedTextField changes and requires the value to be reset. JFormattedTextField passes in the AbstractFormatter obtained from the AbstractFormatterFactory.

      This is a JavaBeans bound property.

      Parameters:
      format - AbstractFormatter to use for formatting
      See Also:

    • getFormatter

      @BeanProperty(visualUpdate=true, description="TextFormatter, responsible for formatting the current value") public JFormattedTextField.AbstractFormatter getFormatter()
      Returns the AbstractFormatter that is used to format and parse the current value.
      Returns:
      AbstractFormatter used for formatting

    • setValue

      @BeanProperty(visualUpdate=true, description="The value to be formatted.") public void setValue(Object value)
      Sets the value that will be formatted by an AbstractFormatter obtained from the current AbstractFormatterFactory. If no AbstractFormatterFactory has been specified, this will attempt to create one based on the type of value.

      The default value of this property is null.

      This is a JavaBeans bound property.

      Parameters:
      value - Current value to display

    • getValue

      public Object getValue()
      Returns the last valid value. Based on the editing policy of the AbstractFormatter this may not return the current value. The currently edited value can be obtained by invoking commitEdit followed by getValue.
      Returns:
      Last valid value

    • commitEdit

      public void commitEdit() throws ParseException
      Forces the current value to be taken from the AbstractFormatter and set as the current value. This has no effect if there is no current AbstractFormatter installed.
      Throws:
      ParseException - if the AbstractFormatter is not able to format the current value

    • isEditValid

      @BeanProperty(bound=false) public boolean isEditValid()
      Returns true if the current value being edited is valid. The value of this is managed by the current AbstractFormatter, as such there is no public setter for it.
      Returns:
      true if the current value being edited is valid.

    • invalidEdit

      protected void invalidEdit()
      Invoked when the user inputs an invalid value. This gives the component a chance to provide feedback. The default implementation beeps.

    • processInputMethodEvent

      protected void processInputMethodEvent(InputMethodEvent e)
      Processes any input method events, such as InputMethodEvent.INPUT_METHOD_TEXT_CHANGED or InputMethodEvent.CARET_POSITION_CHANGED.
      Overrides:
      processInputMethodEvent in class Component
      Parameters:
      e - the InputMethodEvent
      See Also:

    • processFocusEvent

      protected void processFocusEvent(FocusEvent e)
      Processes any focus events, such as FocusEvent.FOCUS_GAINED or FocusEvent.FOCUS_LOST.
      Overrides:
      processFocusEvent in class Component
      Parameters:
      e - the FocusEvent
      See Also:

    • getActions

      @BeanProperty(bound=false) public Action[] getActions()
      Fetches the command list for the editor. This is the list of commands supported by the plugged-in UI augmented by the collection of commands that the editor itself supports. These are useful for binding to events, such as in a keymap.
      Overrides:
      getActions in class JTextField
      Returns:
      the command list

    • getUIClassID

      @BeanProperty(bound=false) public String getUIClassID()
      Gets the class ID for a UI.
      Overrides:
      getUIClassID in class JTextField
      Returns:
      the string "FormattedTextFieldUI"
      See Also:

    • setDocument

      @BeanProperty(expert=true, description="the text document model") public void setDocument(Document doc)
      Associates the editor with a text document. The currently registered factory is used to build a view for the document, which gets displayed by the editor after revalidation. A PropertyChange event ("document") is propagated to each listener.
      Overrides:
      setDocument in class JTextField
      Parameters:
      doc - the document to display/edit
      See Also: