How to color part of android text if edittext contains that word

Question

I'm trying to color a word (house) as long as user types "house" in the edittext. This is what I've done:

if (textA.getText().toString().equals("house")){
    String name = String.valueOf(textA.getText().toString().equals("house"));
    name.setTextColor(Color.parseColor("#bdbdbd"));
}

my xml is as follows

<LinearLayout
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_marginRight="15dp"
                    android:layout_marginEnd="15dp"
                    android:orientation="vertical"
                    android:padding="5dp">


                    <EditText
                        android:id="@+id/textA"
                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
                        android:inputType="textMultiLine"
                        android:maxLines ="4"
                        android:maxLength ="2000"
                        android:textColorHint="@color/grey"
                        android:background="@android:color/transparent"
                        android:gravity="top"/>

                </LinearLayout>

however this causes the app to crash. Dont know what it is I'm doing wrong. I'm new to android. Any advice please?

You should get compile time error for name.setTextColor as name is string(local var) — Manmohan Badaya
– Manmohan Badaya, Commented Aug 13, 2017 at 17:49

Shweta Chauhan · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-13 15:21:54Z

1

this works for me

 textA.addTextChangedListener(new TextWatcher() {
        @Override
        public void beforeTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int count, int after) {

        }

        @Override
        public void onTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int before, int count) {
            String str="home";
            Spannable spannable =textA.getText();
            if(s.length() != 0) {
                textA.setTextColor(Color.parseColor("#0000FF"));
                ForegroundColorSpan fcs = new ForegroundColorSpan( Color.GREEN);
                String s1 = s.toString();
                int in=0; // start searching from 0 index

// keeps on searching unless there is no more function string found
                while ((in = s1.indexOf(str,in)) >= 0) {
                    spannable.setSpan(
                            fcs,
                            in,
                            in + str.length(),
                            Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
                    // update the index for next search with length
                    in += str.length();
                }
            }
        }

        @Override
        public void afterTextChanged(Editable s) {

        }
    });

edited Aug 13, 2017 at 15:21

answered Aug 13, 2017 at 9:21

Shweta Chauhan

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12 Comments

Simon Over a year ago

works but color change applies to all text. how can we make this apply to only "home" whiles the other colors remain normal?

Shweta Chauhan Over a year ago

means in edittext only "home" word should contain different colour?

Simon Over a year ago

exactly. cant seem to figure this out

Shweta Chauhan Over a year ago

wait, will let you know with answer

Simon Over a year ago

you sir are a genius! One last question then this will be perfect, what if I want to apply the highlight to multiple text: "home", "office", "chair"

|

Mehul Kabaria · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-13 02:28:51Z

1

You have to write code like below

 textA.addTextChangedListener(new TextWatcher() { @Override public void afterTextChanged(Editable s) {} @Override public void
 beforeTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int count, int after) { }
 @Override public void onTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int
 before, int count) {
      if(s.length() != 0 && s.contains("home"))  name.setTextColor(Color.parseColor("#bdbdbd"));
    });

answered Aug 13, 2017 at 2:28

Mehul Kabaria

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3 Comments

Mehul Kabaria Over a year ago

It may be syntax errors because i post it from mobile.

Simon Over a year ago

can you help me out please?

Simon Over a year ago

cannot resolve s; cannot resolve setTextColor; cannot resolve parseColor

redAllocator · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-13 02:38:20Z

0

equals return values is boolean. so you have to change it.

public boolean equals(Object anObject)

  if (textA.getText().toString().equals("house")){
      textA.setTextColor(Color.parseColor("#bdbdbd"));
    }

edited Aug 13, 2017 at 2:38

answered Aug 13, 2017 at 2:29

redAllocator

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