How to Link a List to a Swing Text Area

Java developers use the Swing tool kit to make graphical interfaces.

When you are writing Java code, it isn't always convenient to explicitly refer to a particular Text Area from the Swing graphical user interface tool kit. By linking the text area to an element of the ArrayList implementation of Java's list class, you can call up and manipulate the attributes of the text area by referencing the element number of the list object to which you linked it. This is an easy process and allows you greater flexibility in your syntax.

Instructions

1. Declare a new ArrayList object to hold Swing Text Area objects with the syntax "ArrayList<JTextArea> MyList = new ArrayList<JTextArea>();" where "MyList" is the name you will use for your list.

2. Declare the JTextArea you will be linking to the list, with the syntax "JTextArea MyTextArea = new JTextArea();" where "MyTextArea" is the name you will be using for your Swing text area.

3. Link the Swing text area to your list using the syntax "MyList.add(MyTextArea);"

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to import the "java.util.ArrayList" at the beginning of your code.

References

• "Core Java: Volume I - Fundamentals"; Cay S. Horstmann and Gary Cornell; 2007
• Oracle; Java Platform Standard Ed. 7: Class ArrayList<E>