I can't make JLabel do what I want (size-wise)

[fletcher]

I've tried a variety of different layout managers.

Here's the idea. I want my JLabel to have a fixed maximum horizontal width and a variable height (depending on the textual content).

The text of the JLabel changes in response to user action, and it can theoretically be huge, but in practice probably 1 or 2 lines.

[Eranga]

If you want to change the height at runtime you may repaint the container. Did you try that?

[Willi]

My idea is JLabel has no decorations and it does not react to user input also. It's used only as an identification for other components like JButton or JTextField. ^_^

[devunion]

You can calculate number of lines that will be necessary for displaying user input. Then you can use HTML for text rendering and split it with <BR> tags.

[Eranga]

You can calculate number of lines that will be necessary for displaying user input. Then you can use HTML for text rendering and split it with <BR> tags.

This is a good option, I'm using it in most cases. But sometime it didn't wrap within the boarder of the control. So I use a repaint simply.

[fletcher]

My other reply didn't seem to happen.

I thought perhaps there would be an easy method, but if inspecting the text and inserting line breaks is necessary then it's not that big of a deal. I just didn't want to something like that and find out there was a really simple solution.

[Eranga]

Did you try-out that use of line break in your application?

[Fubarable]

Have you considered using a JTextArea here instead of a JLabel? Just a thought.

[fletcher]

I ended up doing this:

public class ConstrainedLabel extends JLabel {

    public ConstrainedLabel(String text) {
        setText(text);
    }

    @Override
    public void setText(String text) {
        super.setText(text);
        super.setToolTipText(text);
    }

    @Override
    public String getText() {
        String text = super.getText();
        if (text.length() > 40) {
            text = text.substring(0,40);
            text = text + "...";
        }
        return text;
    }
}

I like my solution for now. I think it works better with the current GUI. However, I am deliberating changing the whole GUI completely at this point so I am not thinking that hard about it anymore.

[Eranga]

Hmmm, that's not a bad thing. You just display part of the string in the label and display the complete content as a tool-tip. Changing the complete UI at this point is a mess for you. ;)