How can we implement an editable JLabel in Java?\\n

AWT Java Object Oriented Programming Programming Swing

In this article, we will learn to implement an editable JLabel in Java. An editable JLabel is a label component that can be converted to an editable text field when clicked.

JLabel

A JLabel class can extend the JComponent class, and an object of JLabel provides text instructions or information on a GUI. A JLabel can display a single line of read-only text, an image, or both text and image.

Syntax

The following is the syntax for JLabel initialization:

JLabel label = new JLabel("Tutorials Point");

A JLabel can explicitly generate a PropertyChangeListener interface.

Methods

The important methods of a JLabel are:

setText()
setIcon()
setBackground()
setOpaque()
setHorizontalAlignment()
setVerticalAlignment()

Creating an Editable JLabel

By default, a JLabel does not allow editing of the label. We can have an editable JLabel using the Swing CardLayout to flip between a JLabel and a JTextField.

The following is the step-by-step process for implementing an editable JLabel in Java:

Components Creation

Creates a JLabel with initial text as "Welcome to Tutorials Point", a JTextField for editing the JLabel, a CardLayout that shows one component at a time, and a JPanel using the CardLayout.

final JLabel label = new JLabel(" Welcome to Tutorials Point");
final JTextField textfield = new JTextField();
final CardLayout cl = new CardLayout();
final JPanel panel = new JPanel(cl);

Adding Components to the Panel

Adds both label and textfield to the panel, and then adds the panel to the JFrame.

panel.add(label, "label component");
panel.add(textfield, "textfield component");
add(panel);

Mouse Listeners for Label

When the mouse enters the label using the mouse listener, it copies the label text to the textfield, and shows the textfield using CardLayout.

label.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
   public final void mouseEntered(MouseEvent evt) {
      textfield.setText(label.getText());
      cl.show(panel, "textfield component");
   }
});

Mouse Listeners for TextField

When the mouse exits the textfield, it copies the textfield content back to the label, and shows the label with the edited text.

textfield.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
   public final void mouseExited(MouseEvent evt) {
      label.setText(textfield.getText());
      cl.show(panel, "label component");
   }
});

Example

Below is an example of implementing an editable JLabel in Java:

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import java.text.*;
public class JEditableLabel extends JFrame {
   public JEditableLabel() {
      setTitle("JEditableLabel");
      setLayout(new FlowLayout());
      final JLabel label = new JLabel("Welcome to Tutorials Point");
      final JTextField textfield = new JTextField();
      final CardLayout cl = new CardLayout();
      final JPanel panel = new JPanel(cl);
      panel.add(label, "label component");
      panel.add(textfield, "textfield component");
      add(panel);
      label.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
         public final void mouseEntered(MouseEvent evt) {
            textfield.setText(label.getText());
            cl.show(panel, "textfield component");
         }
      });
      textfield.addMouseListener(new MouseAdapter() {
         public final void mouseExited(MouseEvent evt) {
            label.setText(textfield.getText());
            cl.show(panel, "label component");
         }
      });
      setSize(375, 250);
      setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
      setLocationRelativeTo(null);
      setVisible(true);
   }
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      new JEditableLabel();
   }
}

Output

Alshifa Hasnain

Converting Code to Clarity

Updated on: 2025-05-12T18:25:26+05:30

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