JTextArea issue

Question

I'm having an issue with resizing of JTextArea in java.swing. The problem is that once the current line is finished (so for example if i keep pressing space) - it doesn't go to the second line - it just keeps on going. Same thing when i press enter - it stretches out the box vertically. How do I prevent this? I'm using GridBagLayout.

JTextArea MainText = new JTextArea();
MainText.setFont(new Font("Arial", Font.PLAIN, 16));
MainText.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEtchedBorder(EtchedBorder.RAISED));
c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
c.insets = new Insets (10, 10, 10, 10);
c.gridx = 0;
c.gridy = 2;
c.weightx = 1.0;
c.weighty = 1.0;
c.gridwidth = 3;
c.gridheight = 1;
panel.add(MainText, c);

Answer 1

To get your JTextAreas to wrap lines on words appropriately, use: mainText.setWrapStyleWord(true) and mainText.setLineWrap(true)

Most important though, get very familiar with using the Java API as it will likely answer 90% of similar questions:

JTextArea API

Answer 2

Set the lineWrap and wrapStyleWord properties of the JTextArea

JTextArea MainText = new JTextArea();
MainText.setLineWrap(true);
MainText.setWrapStyleWord(true);

Take a look at How to use Text Areas for more details

You might also find having a read through Code Conventions for the Java Programming Language of some use

Unless you really don't want to, I would also suggest adding the JTextArea into a JScrollPane instead of adding it directly to the conatiner

panel.add(new JScrollPane(MainText), c);

This will prevent the JTextArea from wanting to grow as more text is added to it (unless that's what you're going for)