java - How do I display a character array in a JTextField

Question

I'm trying to create a hangman game where dashes will display for the user and if they click on the correct button, a letter will replace the dashes. This worked when I was using the console to output all the data, but after I changed to GUI, it wouldn't work no matter what I tried. It seems that the JTextField won't accept a character array.

    private static JTextField txtDashes;
    static char [] dashes = {'-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-', '-'};

            txtDashes = new JTextField();
            txtDashes.setBackground(Color.GRAY);
            txtDashes.setHorizontalAlignment(SwingConstants.CENTER);
            txtDashes.setBorder(javax.swing.BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder());
            txtDashes.setBounds(39, 207, 218, 46);
            gameScreen.add(txtDashes);
            txtDashes.setColumns(10);

            for (int i = 0; i < dashes.length; i++){
                   txtDashes.setText(dashes[i]); //Error occurs here
            } //End of for loop

I'm only experienced in about 5 months of java coding and can't seem to find a solution for this problem.

Can you elaborate on "it wouldn't work no matter what I tried"? Are you getting an error? The wrong output? — Mureinik
– Mureinik, Commented Jun 30, 2015 at 6:28
Well, the answer is "covert it to a string first". Not a very useful question/title is it? Make the title mean something per the actual problem. — user2864740
– user2864740, Commented Jun 30, 2015 at 6:29

Madhawa Priyashantha · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-30 06:54:22Z

1

you should pass a String to setText() method dashes is a char array.you can't set a char to a textfield .you have to convert char to String first

use

txtDashes.setText(String.valueOf(dashes[i]));

or

txtDashes.setText(dashes[i] + "");

edit

setText() replace exiting text and set new text.if you want to show all array chars, first append it to a string throw a loop and from outside of loop setText()

like this

String s="";
for (int i = 0; i < dashes.length; i++){
    s+=dashes[i];
} 
txtDashes.setText(s);

note .string append inside a loop is not good you can use StringBuilder for that

edited Jun 30, 2015 at 6:54

answered Jun 30, 2015 at 6:29

Madhawa Priyashantha

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3 Comments

Samer Alabi Over a year ago

An output was created using your method, but it only 1 dash was displayed instead of the 12 that I needed to be displayed.

Madhawa Priyashantha Over a year ago

@SamerAlabi how do you want to display them .as ------ or - - - - or ??

Samer Alabi Over a year ago

I want them to display as ------

Joshua · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-30 06:31:54Z

0

Your can use Fast Snail method or you can use String instead of char.

static String [] dashes = {"-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-", "-"};

answered Jun 30, 2015 at 6:31

Joshua

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Comments

Rajesh · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-30 06:33:12Z

0

Remove for loop in your code. Instead use Arrays.toString to convert array to String:

txtDashes.setText(Arrays.toString(dashes));

answered Jun 30, 2015 at 6:33

Rajesh

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