Question

The following code is supposed to select a word in a JavaFX TextField:

public class NewFXMain extends Application {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage primaryStage) {
        final TextInputControl textField = new TextField("Hello World, World!");

        Button button = new Button("select");
        button.setOnAction(new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {

            public void handle(ActionEvent t) {
                textField.positionCaret(0);
                textField.selectNextWord();

                System.out.println(textField.getSelectedText());
            }
        });

        VBox root = new VBox();
        root.getChildren().add(textField);
        root.getChildren().add(button);
        primaryStage.setScene(new Scene(root, 300, 100));
        primaryStage.show();
    }
}

It prints Hello in the console, however in the interface nothing is selected (highlighted).
If one does the same with a TextArea, the text is correctly selected.

The (wrong) result with a TextField:

And the (correct) result with a TextArea:

What’s going on?!?

Answer 1

TextField doesn’t show selection unless it has focus (although I’m not sure is it a bug or a feature). You can see selection by using next code:

    button.setOnAction(new EventHandler<ActionEvent>() {

        public void handle(ActionEvent t) {
            textField.requestFocus(); // get focus first
            textField.positionCaret(0);
            textField.selectNextWord();

            System.out.println(textField.getSelectedText());
        }
    });