# Adding Text Fields

You can add two types of text fields to your layout:

- Single-line text field. Creates a one-line text field
- Multi-line text field. Creates a multi-line scrollable text field.

The text fields can be used to obtain user input and/or to display text generated by the application.

To add a text field to the layout:

1. Click on either the Single-line TextField or Multi-line TextField component in the AWT palette tab.
2. Click in the cell where you want to place the component.
3. Open the attribute editor by clicking on its button in the main toolbar.
4. Type a unique component ID in the name text field.

Text that you enter in the attribute editor's text box is displayed in the component as a default text each time the layout is opened.

## Special Attributes

`echoCharacter` | Returns the character used in concealing input, such as a password. (Not an attribute of Multi-Line TextField)
`editable` | Sets the field to be writable by the user.
`numColumns` | Sets the minimum width of the field to accommodate the specified number of characters.
`numRows` | Sets the minimum height of the field to accommodate the specified number of rows.

See also:

  Laying Out the Interface
  Generating Java Source Code
  Adding Operations to Components
  GUI Builder Palette

  Visual Java GUI Builder API Documentation
    Visual Java GUI Builder Runtime Packages
    Class Hierarchy
    Index of All Fields and Methods