fl.controls

# TextArea - AS3 Flash

Package | fl.controls
Class | public class TextArea
Inheritance | TextArea UIComponent Sprite DisplayObjectContainer InteractiveObject DisplayObject EventDispatcher Object
Implements | IFocusManagerComponent

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

The TextArea component is a multiline text field with a border and optional scroll bars. The TextArea component supports the HTML rendering capabilities of Adobe Flash Player.

View the examples

Related API Elements

TextInput

Public Properties
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| Property | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | accessibilityImplementation : AccessibilityImplementation The current accessibility implementation (AccessibilityImplementation) for this InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | accessibilityProperties : AccessibilityProperties The current accessibility options for this display object. | DisplayObject
|  | alpha : Number Indicates the alpha transparency value of the object specified. | DisplayObject
|  | alwaysShowSelection : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether Flash Player highlights a selection in the text field when the text field does not have focus. | TextArea
|  | blendMode : String A value from the BlendMode class that specifies which blend mode to use. | DisplayObject
|  | blendShader : Shader [write-only] Sets a shader that is used for blending the foreground and background. | DisplayObject
|  | buttonMode : Boolean Specifies the button mode of this sprite. | Sprite
|  | cacheAsBitmap : Boolean If set to true, Flash runtimes cache an internal bitmap representation of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | cacheAsBitmapMatrix : Matrix If non-null, this Matrix object defines how a display object is rendered when cacheAsBitmap is set to true. | DisplayObject
|  | condenseWhite : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether extra white space is removed from a TextArea component that contains HTML text. | TextArea
|  | constructor : Object A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance. | Object
|  | contextMenu : NativeMenu Specifies the context menu associated with this object. | InteractiveObject
|  | displayAsPassword : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the TextArea component instance is the text field for a password. | TextArea
|  | doubleClickEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether the object receives doubleClick events. | InteractiveObject
|  | dropTarget : DisplayObject [read-only] Specifies the display object over which the sprite is being dragged, or on which the sprite was dropped. | Sprite
|  | editable : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the user can edit the text in the component. | TextArea
|  | enabled : Boolean [override] Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the component can accept user interaction. | TextArea
|  | filters : Array An indexed array that contains each filter object currently associated with the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | focusEnabled : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the component can receive focus after the user clicks it. | UIComponent
|  | focusManager : IFocusManager Gets or sets the FocusManager that controls focus for this component and its peers. | UIComponent
|  | focusRect : Object Specifies whether this object displays a focus rectangle. | InteractiveObject
|  | graphics : Graphics [read-only] Specifies the Graphics object that belongs to this sprite where vector drawing commands can occur. | Sprite
|  | height : Number [override] Gets or sets the height of the component, in pixels. | UIComponent
|  | hitArea : Sprite Designates another sprite to serve as the hit area for a sprite. | Sprite
|  | horizontalScrollBar : UIScrollBar [read-only] Gets a reference to the horizontal scroll bar. | TextArea
|  | horizontalScrollPolicy : String Gets or sets the scroll policy for the horizontal scroll bar. | TextArea
|  | horizontalScrollPosition : Number Gets or sets the change in the position of the scroll bar thumb, in pixels, after the user scrolls the text field horizontally. | TextArea
|  | htmlText : String Gets or sets the HTML representation of the string that the text field contains. | TextArea
|  | imeMode : String Gets or sets the mode of the input method editor (IME). | TextArea
|  | length : Number [read-only] Gets the count of characters that the TextArea component contains. | TextArea
|  | loaderInfo : LoaderInfo [read-only] Returns a LoaderInfo object containing information about loading the file to which this display object belongs. | DisplayObject
|  | mask : DisplayObject The calling display object is masked by the specified mask object. | DisplayObject
|  | maxChars : int Gets or sets the maximum number of characters that a user can enter in the text field. | TextArea
|  | maxHorizontalScrollPosition : int [read-only] Gets the maximum value of the horizontalScrollPosition property. | TextArea
|  | maxVerticalScrollPosition : int [read-only] Gets the maximum value of the verticalScrollPosition property. | TextArea
|  | metaData : Object Obtains the meta data object of the DisplayObject instance if meta data was stored alongside the the instance of this DisplayObject in the SWF file through a PlaceObject4 tag. | DisplayObject
|  | mouseChildren : Boolean Determines whether or not the children of the object are mouse, or user input device, enabled. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | mouseEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object receives mouse, or other user input, messages. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseFocusEnabled : Boolean Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the component can receive focus after the user clicks it. | UIComponent
|  | mouseX : Number [read-only] Indicates the x coordinate of the mouse or user input device position, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | mouseY : Number [read-only] Indicates the y coordinate of the mouse or user input device position, in pixels. | DisplayObject
|  | name : String Indicates the instance name of the DisplayObject. | DisplayObject
|  | needsSoftKeyboard : Boolean Specifies whether a virtual keyboard (an on-screen, software keyboard) should display when this InteractiveObject instance receives focus. | InteractiveObject
|  | numChildren : int [read-only] Returns the number of children of this object. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | opaqueBackground : Object Specifies whether the display object is opaque with a certain background color. | DisplayObject
|  | parent : DisplayObjectContainer [read-only] Indicates the DisplayObjectContainer object that contains this display object. | DisplayObject
|  | restrict : String Gets or sets the string of characters that the text field accepts from a user. | TextArea
|  | root : DisplayObject [read-only] For a display object in a loaded SWF file, the root property is the top-most display object in the portion of the display list's tree structure represented by that SWF file. | DisplayObject
|  | rotation : Number Indicates the rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation. | DisplayObject
|  | rotationX : Number Indicates the x-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container. | DisplayObject
|  | rotationY : Number Indicates the y-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container. | DisplayObject
|  | rotationZ : Number Indicates the z-axis rotation of the DisplayObject instance, in degrees, from its original orientation relative to the 3D parent container. | DisplayObject
|  | scale9Grid : Rectangle The current scaling grid that is in effect. | DisplayObject
|  | scaleX : Number [override] Multiplies the current width of the component by a scale factor. | UIComponent
|  | scaleY : Number [override] Multiplies the current height of the component by a scale factor. | UIComponent
|  | scaleZ : Number Indicates the depth scale (percentage) of an object as applied from the registration point of the object. | DisplayObject
|  | scrollRect : Rectangle The scroll rectangle bounds of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | selectionBeginIndex : int [read-only] Gets the index position of the first selected character in a selection of one or more characters. | TextArea
|  | selectionEndIndex : int [read-only] Gets the index position of the last selected character in a selection of one or more characters. | TextArea
|  | softKeyboard : String Controls the appearance of the soft keyboard. | InteractiveObject
|  | softKeyboardInputAreaOfInterest : Rectangle Defines the area that should remain on-screen when a soft keyboard is displayed (not available on iOS). | InteractiveObject
|  | soundTransform : flash.media:SoundTransform Controls sound within this sprite. | Sprite
|  | stage : Stage [read-only] The Stage of the display object. | DisplayObject
|  | tabChildren : Boolean Determines whether the children of the object are tab enabled. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | tabEnabled : Boolean Specifies whether this object is in the tab order. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabIndex : int Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. | InteractiveObject
|  | text : String Gets or sets a string which contains the text that is currently in the TextInput component. | TextArea
|  | textField : flash.text:TextField A reference to the internal text field of the TextArea component. | TextArea
|  | textHeight : Number [read-only] Gets the height of the text, in pixels. | TextArea
|  | textSnapshot : flash.text:TextSnapshot [read-only] Returns a TextSnapshot object for this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | textWidth : Number [read-only] Gets the width of the text, in pixels. | TextArea
|  | transform : flash.geom:Transform An object with properties pertaining to a display object's matrix, color transform, and pixel bounds. | DisplayObject
|  | useHandCursor : Boolean A Boolean value that indicates whether the pointing hand (hand cursor) appears when the pointer rolls over a sprite in which the buttonMode property is set to true. | Sprite
|  | verticalScrollBar : UIScrollBar [read-only] Gets a reference to the vertical scroll bar. | TextArea
|  | verticalScrollPolicy : String Gets or sets the scroll policy for the vertical scroll bar. | TextArea
|  | verticalScrollPosition : Number Gets or sets the change in the position of the scroll bar thumb, in pixels, after the user scrolls the text field vertically. | TextArea
|  | visible : Boolean [override] Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the current component instance is visible. | UIComponent
|  | width : Number [override] Gets or sets the width of the component, in pixels. | UIComponent
|  | wordWrap : Boolean Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the text wraps at the end of the line. | TextArea
|  | x : Number [override] Gets or sets the x coordinate that represents the position of the component along the x axis within its parent container. | UIComponent
|  | y : Number [override] Gets or sets the y coordinate that represents the position of the component along the y axis within its parent container. | UIComponent
|  | z : Number Indicates the z coordinate position along the z-axis of the DisplayObject instance relative to the 3D parent container. | DisplayObject

Public Methods
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| Method | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | TextArea() Creates a new TextArea component instance. | TextArea
|  | addChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | addChildAt(child:DisplayObject, index:int):DisplayObject Adds a child DisplayObject instance to this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | addEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false, priority:int = 0, useWeakReference:Boolean = false):void Registers an event listener object with an EventDispatcher object so that the listener receives notification of an event. | EventDispatcher
|  | appendText(text:String):void Appends the specified string after the last character that the TextArea component contains. | TextArea
|  | areInaccessibleObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Boolean Indicates whether the security restrictions would cause any display objects to be omitted from the list returned by calling the DisplayObjectContainer.getObjectsUnderPoint() method with the specified point point. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | clearStyle(style:String):void Deletes a style property from this component instance. | UIComponent
|  | contains(child:DisplayObject):Boolean Determines whether the specified display object is a child of the DisplayObjectContainer instance or the instance itself. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | dispatchEvent(event:Event):Boolean Dispatches an event into the event flow. | EventDispatcher
|  | drawFocus(draw:Boolean):void [override] Shows or hides the focus indicator on this component. | TextArea
|  | drawNow():void Initiates an immediate draw operation, without invalidating everything as invalidateNow does. | UIComponent
|  | getBounds(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle Returns a rectangle that defines the area of the display object relative to the coordinate system of the targetCoordinateSpace object. | DisplayObject
|  | getChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject Returns the child display object instance that exists at the specified index. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | getChildByName(name:String):DisplayObject Returns the child display object that exists with the specified name. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | getChildIndex(child:DisplayObject):int Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | getFocus():InteractiveObject Retrieves the object that currently has focus. | UIComponent
|  | getLineMetrics(lineIndex:int):flash.text:TextLineMetrics Retrieves information about a specified line of text. | TextArea
|  | getObjectsUnderPoint(point:Point):Array Returns an array of objects that lie under the specified point and are children (or grandchildren, and so on) of this DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | getRect(targetCoordinateSpace:DisplayObject):Rectangle Returns a rectangle that defines the boundary of the display object, based on the coordinate system defined by the targetCoordinateSpace parameter, excluding any strokes on shapes. | DisplayObject
|  | getStyle(style:String):Object Retrieves a style property that is set in the style lookup chain of the component. | UIComponent
|  | getStyleDefinition():Object [static] Retrieves the default style map for the current component. | TextArea
|  | globalToLocal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the Stage (global) coordinates to the display object's (local) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | globalToLocal3D(point:Point):Vector3D Converts a two-dimensional point from the Stage (global) coordinates to a three-dimensional display object's (local) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | hasEventListener(type:String):Boolean Checks whether the EventDispatcher object has any listeners registered for a specific type of event. | EventDispatcher
|  | hasOwnProperty(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined. | Object
|  | hitTestObject(obj:DisplayObject):Boolean Evaluates the bounding box of the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the bounding box of the obj display object. | DisplayObject
|  | hitTestPoint(x:Number, y:Number, shapeFlag:Boolean = false):Boolean Evaluates the display object to see if it overlaps or intersects with the point specified by the x and y parameters. | DisplayObject
|  | invalidate(property:String, callLater:Boolean = true):void Marks a property as invalid and redraws the component on the next frame unless otherwise specified. | UIComponent
|  | isPrototypeOf(theClass:Object):Boolean Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter. | Object
|  | local3DToGlobal(point3d:Vector3D):Point Converts a three-dimensional point of the three-dimensional display object's (local) coordinates to a two-dimensional point in the Stage (global) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | localToGlobal(point:Point):Point Converts the point object from the display object's (local) coordinates to the Stage (global) coordinates. | DisplayObject
|  | mergeStyles(... list):Object [static] Merges the styles from multiple classes into one object. | UIComponent
|  | move(x:Number, y:Number):void Moves the component to the specified position within its parent. | UIComponent
|  | propertyIsEnumerable(name:String):Boolean Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable. | Object
|  | removeChild(child:DisplayObject):DisplayObject Removes the specified child DisplayObject instance from the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | removeChildAt(index:int):DisplayObject Removes a child DisplayObject from the specified index position in the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | removeChildren(beginIndex:int = 0, endIndex:int = 0x7fffffff):void Removes all child DisplayObject instances from the child list of the DisplayObjectContainer instance. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | removeEventListener(type:String, listener:Function, useCapture:Boolean = false):void Removes a listener from the EventDispatcher object. | EventDispatcher
|  | requestSoftKeyboard():Boolean Raises a virtual keyboard. | InteractiveObject
|  | setChildIndex(child:DisplayObject, index:int):void Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | setFocus():void Sets the focus to this component. | UIComponent
|  | setPropertyIsEnumerable(name:String, isEnum:Boolean = true):void Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations. | Object
|  | setSelection(setSelection:int, endIndex:int):void Sets the range of a selection made in a text area that has focus. | TextArea
|  | setSize(width:Number, height:Number):void Sets the component to the specified width and height. | UIComponent
|  | setStyle(style:String, value:Object):void Sets a style property on this component instance. | UIComponent
|  | startDrag(lockCenter:Boolean = false, bounds:Rectangle = null):void Lets the user drag the specified sprite. | Sprite
|  | startTouchDrag(touchPointID:int, lockCenter:Boolean = false, bounds:Rectangle = null):void Lets the user drag the specified sprite on a touch-enabled device. | Sprite
|  | stopAllMovieClips():void Recursively stops the timeline execution of all MovieClips rooted at this object. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | stopDrag():void Ends the startDrag() method. | Sprite
|  | stopTouchDrag(touchPointID:int):void Ends the startTouchDrag() method, for use with touch-enabled devices. | Sprite
|  | swapChildren(child1:DisplayObject, child2:DisplayObject):void Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the two specified child objects. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | swapChildrenAt(index1:int, index2:int):void Swaps the z-order (front-to-back order) of the child objects at the two specified index positions in the child list. | DisplayObjectContainer
|  | toLocaleString():String Returns the string representation of this object, formatted according to locale-specific conventions. | Object
|  | toString():String Returns the string representation of the specified object. | Object
|  | validateNow():void Validates and updates the properties and layout of this object, redrawing it if necessary. | UIComponent
|  | valueOf():Object Returns the primitive value of the specified object. | Object
|  | willTrigger(type:String):Boolean Checks whether an event listener is registered with this EventDispatcher object or any of its ancestors for the specified event type. | EventDispatcher

Protected Methods
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| Method | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | getStyleValue(name:String):Object Returns the specified style for a component, considering all styles set on the global level, component level and instance level. | UIComponent

Events
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| Event | Summary | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
|  | activate | [broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application gains operating system focus and becomes active. | EventDispatcher
|  | added | Dispatched when a display object is added to the display list. | DisplayObject
|  | addedToStage | Dispatched when a display object is added to the on stage display list, either directly or through the addition of a sub tree in which the display object is contained. | DisplayObject
|  | change | Dispatched when the text in the TextArea component changes through user interaction. | TextArea
|  | clear | Dispatched when the user selects 'Clear' (or 'Delete') from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | click | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | contextMenu | Dispatched when a user gesture triggers the context menu associated with this interactive object in an AIR application. | InteractiveObject
|  | copy | Dispatched when the user activates the platform-specific accelerator key combination for a copy operation or selects 'Copy' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | cut | Dispatched when the user activates the platform-specific accelerator key combination for a cut operation or selects 'Cut' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | deactivate | [broadcast event] Dispatched when the Flash Player or AIR application operating loses system focus and is becoming inactive. | EventDispatcher
|  | doubleClick | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the main button of a pointing device twice in rapid succession over the same InteractiveObject when that object's doubleClickEnabled flag is set to true. | InteractiveObject
|  | enter | Dispatched when the user presses the Enter key while in the component. | TextArea
|  | enterFrame | [broadcast event] Dispatched when the playhead is entering a new frame. | DisplayObject
|  | exitFrame | [broadcast event] Dispatched when the playhead is exiting the current frame. | DisplayObject
|  | focusIn | Dispatched after a display object gains focus. | InteractiveObject
|  | focusOut | Dispatched after a display object loses focus. | InteractiveObject
|  | frameConstructed | [broadcast event] Dispatched after the constructors of frame display objects have run but before frame scripts have run. | DisplayObject
|  | gestureDirectionalTap | Dispatched when the user creates a point of contact along the edge of the touch surface with an InteractiveObject instance, (such as tapping along the edge of the touch surface on Siri Remote for Apple TV) Some devices might also interpret this contact as a combination of several touch events, as well. | InteractiveObject
|  | gestureLongPress | Dispatched when the user presses two points of contact over the same InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as presses and releases two fingers over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | gesturePan | Dispatched when the user moves a point of contact over the InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as moving a finger from left to right over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | gestureRotate | Dispatched when the user performs a rotation gesture at a point of contact with an InteractiveObject instance (such as touching two fingers and rotating them over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | gestureSwipe | Dispatched when the user performs a swipe gesture at a point of contact with an InteractiveObject instance (such as touching three fingers to a screen and then moving them in parallel over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | gestureTap | Dispatched when the user creates a point of contact with an InteractiveObject instance, then taps on a touch-enabled device (such as placing several fingers over a display object to open a menu and then taps one finger to select a menu item on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | gestureZoom | Dispatched when the user performs a zoom gesture at a point of contact with an InteractiveObject instance (such as touching two fingers to a screen and then quickly spreading the fingers apart over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | hide | Dispatched after the component visibility changes from visible to invisible. | UIComponent
|  | imeStartComposition | This event is dispatched to any client app that supports inline input with an IME | InteractiveObject
|  | keyDown | Dispatched when the user presses a key. | InteractiveObject
|  | keyFocusChange | Dispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using keyboard navigation. | InteractiveObject
|  | keyUp | Dispatched when the user releases a key. | InteractiveObject
|  | middleClick | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the middle button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | middleMouseDown | Dispatched when a user presses the middle pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | middleMouseUp | Dispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseDown | Dispatched when a user presses the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseFocusChange | Dispatched when the user attempts to change focus by using a pointer device. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseMove | Dispatched when a user moves the pointing device while it is over an InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseOut | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseOver | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseUp | Dispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | mouseWheel | Dispatched when a mouse wheel is spun over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | move | Dispatched after the component is moved. | UIComponent
|  | nativeDragComplete | Dispatched by the drag initiator InteractiveObject when the user releases the drag gesture. | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragDrop | Dispatched by the target InteractiveObject when a dragged object is dropped on it and the drop has been accepted with a call to DragManager.acceptDragDrop(). | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragEnter | Dispatched by an InteractiveObject when a drag gesture enters its boundary. | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragExit | Dispatched by an InteractiveObject when a drag gesture leaves its boundary. | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragOver | Dispatched by an InteractiveObject continually while a drag gesture remains within its boundary. | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragStart | Dispatched at the beginning of a drag operation by the InteractiveObject that is specified as the drag initiator in the DragManager.doDrag() call. | InteractiveObject
|  | nativeDragUpdate | Dispatched during a drag operation by the InteractiveObject that is specified as the drag initiator in the DragManager.doDrag() call. | InteractiveObject
|  | paste | Dispatched when the user activates the platform-specific accelerator key combination for a paste operation or selects 'Paste' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityBegin | Dispatched when the user lowers an active stylus past the proximity detection threshold of the screen. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityEnd | Dispatched when the user lifts an active stylus above the proximity detection threshold of the screen. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityMove | Dispatched when the user moves an active stylus over the screen while remaining within the proximity detection threshold. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityOut | Dispatched when the user moves an active stylus away from this InteractiveObject while remaining within the proximity detection threshold of the screen. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityOver | Dispatched when the user moves an active stylus directly above this InteractiveObject while remaining within the proximity detection threshold of the screen. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityRollOut | Dispatched when the user moves an active stylus away from this InteractiveObject and any of its children while remaining within the proximity detection threshold of the screen. | InteractiveObject
|  | proximityRollOver | Dispatched when the user moves an active stylus over this InteractiveObject from outside the object's tree of descendents in the display list (while remaining within the proximity detection threshold of the screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | releaseOutside | Dispatched when a user releases the button on the pointing device after the user first pressed the button over an InteractiveObject instance and then moved the pointing device off of the InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | removed | Dispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list. | DisplayObject
|  | removedFromStage | Dispatched when a display object is about to be removed from the display list, either directly or through the removal of a sub tree in which the display object is contained. | DisplayObject
|  | render | [broadcast event] Dispatched when the display list is about to be updated and rendered. | DisplayObject
|  | resize | Dispatched after the component is resized. | UIComponent
|  | rightClick | Dispatched when a user presses and releases the right button of the user's pointing device over the same InteractiveObject. | InteractiveObject
|  | rightMouseDown | Dispatched when a user presses the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | rightMouseUp | Dispatched when a user releases the pointing device button over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | rollOut | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device away from an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | rollOver | Dispatched when the user moves a pointing device over an InteractiveObject instance. | InteractiveObject
|  | scroll | Dispatched when the content is scrolled. | TextArea
|  | selectAll | Dispatched when the user activates the platform-specific accelerator key combination for a select all operation or selects 'Select All' from the text context menu. | InteractiveObject
|  | show | Dispatched after the component visibility changes from invisible to visible. | UIComponent
|  | softKeyboardActivate | Dispatched immediately after the soft keyboard is raised. | InteractiveObject
|  | softKeyboardActivating | Dispatched immediately before the soft keyboard is raised. | InteractiveObject
|  | softKeyboardDeactivate | Dispatched immediately after the soft keyboard is lowered. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabChildrenChange | Dispatched when the value of the object's tabChildren flag changes. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabEnabledChange | Dispatched when the object's tabEnabled flag changes. | InteractiveObject
|  | tabIndexChange | Dispatched when the value of the object's tabIndex property changes. | InteractiveObject
|  | textInput | Dispatched when the user enters, deletes, or pastes text into the component. | TextArea
|  | touchBegin | Dispatched when the user first contacts a touch-enabled device (such as touches a finger to a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchEnd | Dispatched when the user removes contact with a touch-enabled device (such as lifts a finger off a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchMove | Dispatched when the user touches the device, and is continuously dispatched until the point of contact is removed. | InteractiveObject
|  | touchOut | Dispatched when the user moves the point of contact away from InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as drags a finger from one display object to another on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchOver | Dispatched when the user moves the point of contact over an InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as drags a finger from a point outside a display object to a point over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchRollOut | Dispatched when the user moves the point of contact away from an InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as drags a finger from over a display object to a point outside the display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchRollOver | Dispatched when the user moves the point of contact over an InteractiveObject instance on a touch-enabled device (such as drags a finger from a point outside a display object to a point over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject
|  | touchTap | Dispatched when the user lifts the point of contact over the same InteractiveObject instance on which the contact was initiated on a touch-enabled device (such as presses and releases a finger from a single point over a display object on a mobile phone or tablet with a touch screen). | InteractiveObject

Styles

Styles are either common or associated with a specific theme. If the style is common, it can be used with any theme. If a style is associated with a specific theme, it can only be used if your application uses that theme.

Common Styles
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| Style | Description | Defined By
--- | --- | --- | ---
|  | disabledSkin | Type: Class Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The class that provides the background for the TextArea component when its `enabled` property is set to `false`. The default value is`TextArea_disabledSkin`. | TextArea
|  | disabledTextFormat | Type: flash.text.TextFormat Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The TextFormat object to use to render the component label when the button is disabled. | UIComponent
|  | embedFonts | Type: Boolean Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 Indicates whether embedded font outlines are used to render the text field. If this value is `true`, Flash Player renders the text field by using embedded font outlines. If this value is `false`, Flash Player renders the text field by using device fonts.

If you set the `embedFonts` property to `true` for a text field, you must specify a font for that text by using the `font` property of a TextFormat object that is applied to the text field. If the specified font is not embedded in the SWF file, the text is not displayed.

The default value is`false`.
TextArea
|  | focusRectPadding | Type: Number Format: Length Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The padding that separates the outside boundaries of the component from the outside edges of the focus indicator, in pixels. | UIComponent
|  | focusRectSkin | Type: Class Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The skin to be used to display focus indicators. | UIComponent
|  | textFormat | Type: flash.text.TextFormat Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The TextFormat object to use to render the component label. | UIComponent
|  | textPadding | Type: Number Format: Length Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The padding that separates the component border from the text, in pixels. The default value is`3`. | TextArea
|  | upSkin | Type: Class Language Version: ActionScript 3.0 Product Version: Flash CS3 Runtime Versions: Flash9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0 The class that provides the background for the TextArea component. The default value is`TextArea_upSkin`. | TextArea

Public Constants
Hide Inherited Public Constants
Show Inherited Public Constants

| Constant | Defined By
--- | --- | ---
|  | version : String = "3.0.3.1" The version number of the components. | UIComponent

Property Detail

### alwaysShowSelection

property

`alwaysShowSelection:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether Flash Player highlights a selection in the text field when the text field does not have focus. If this value is set to `true` and the text field does not have focus, Flash Player highlights the selection in gray. If this value is set to `false` and the text field does not have focus, Flash Player does not highlight the selection.

The default value is `false.`

Implementation
`public function get alwaysShowSelection():Boolean`
`public function set alwaysShowSelection(value:Boolean):void`

Related API Elements

TextField.alwaysShowSelection

### condenseWhite

property

`condenseWhite:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether extra white space is removed from a TextArea component that contains HTML text. Examples of extra white space in the component include spaces and line breaks. A value of `true` indicates that extra white space is removed; a value of `false` indicates that extra white space is not removed.

This property affects only text that is set by using the `htmlText` property; it does not affect text that is set by using the `text` property. If you use the `text` property to set text, the `condenseWhite` property is ignored.

If the `condenseWhite` property is set to `true`, you must use standard HTML commands, such as <br> and <p>, to place line breaks in the text field.

The default value is `false.`

Implementation
`public function get condenseWhite():Boolean`
`public function set condenseWhite(value:Boolean):void`

Related API Elements

TextField.condenseWhite
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example uses a CheckBox component to toggle a TextArea component's `condenseWhite` property:
Copy

    import fl.controls.CheckBox;
    import fl.controls.ScrollPolicy;
    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var str:String;

    var plainTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    plainTextArea.verticalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.ON;
    plainTextArea.setSize(260, 360);
    plainTextArea.move(10, 10);
    addChild(plainTextArea);

    var htmlTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    htmlTextArea.verticalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.ON;
    htmlTextArea.condenseWhite = true;
    htmlTextArea.setSize(260, 360);
    htmlTextArea.move(280, 10);
    addChild(htmlTextArea);

    var condenseCheckBox:CheckBox = new CheckBox();
    condenseCheckBox.textField.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    condenseCheckBox.label = "condenseWhite:";
    condenseCheckBox.selected = htmlTextArea.condenseWhite;
    condenseCheckBox.move(htmlTextArea.x, htmlTextArea.y + htmlTextArea.height);
    condenseCheckBox.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, clickHandler);
    addChild(condenseCheckBox);

    var urlLdr:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
    urlLdr.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
    urlLdr.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.TEXT;
    urlLdr.load(new URLRequest("http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/lorem.html"));

    function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
        str = event.target.data as String;
        plainTextArea.text = str;
        htmlTextArea.htmlText = str;
    }

    function clickHandler(event:MouseEvent):void {
        var sel:Boolean = event.currentTarget.selected;
        htmlTextArea.condenseWhite = sel;
        htmlTextArea.htmlText = str;
    }

### displayAsPassword

property

`displayAsPassword:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the TextArea component instance is the text field for a password. A value of `true` indicates that the current instance was created to contain a password; a value of `false` indicates that it was not.

If the value of this property is `true`, the characters that the user enters in the text area cannot be seen. Instead, an asterisk is displayed in place of each character that the user enters. Additionally, the Cut and Copy commands and their keyboard shortcuts are disabled to prevent the recovery of a password from an unattended computer.

The default value is `false.`

Implementation
`public function get displayAsPassword():Boolean`
`public function set displayAsPassword(value:Boolean):void`

### editable

property

`editable:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the user can edit the text in the component. A value of `true` indicates that the user can edit the text that the component contains; a value of `false` indicates that it cannot.

The default value is `true.`

Implementation
`public function get editable():Boolean`
`public function set editable(value:Boolean):void`

### enabled

property

`enabled:Boolean`[override]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the component can accept user interaction. A value of `true` indicates that the component can accept user interaction; a value of `false` indicates that it cannot.

If you set the `enabled` property to `false`, the color of the container is dimmed and user input is blocked (with the exception of the Label and ProgressBar components).

Implementation
`override public function get enabled():Boolean`
`override public function set enabled(value:Boolean):void`

### horizontalScrollBar

property

`horizontalScrollBar:UIScrollBar` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets a reference to the horizontal scroll bar.

Implementation
`public function get horizontalScrollBar():UIScrollBar`

Related API Elements

verticalScrollBar

### horizontalScrollPolicy

property

`horizontalScrollPolicy:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the scroll policy for the horizontal scroll bar. This can be one of the following values:

- ScrollPolicy.ON: The horizontal scroll bar is always on.
- ScrollPolicy.OFF: The scroll bar is always off.
- ScrollPolicy.AUTO: The scroll bar turns on when it is needed.

The default value is `ScrollPolicy.AUTO.`

Implementation
`public function get horizontalScrollPolicy():String`
`public function set horizontalScrollPolicy(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

verticalScrollPolicy
ScrollPolicy
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and sets its `horizontalScrollPolicy` property to `ScrollPolicy.ON` so the horizontal scroll bar will always be visible, regardless of the amount of content currently in the text area:
Copy

    import fl.controls.TextArea;
    import fl.controls.ScrollPolicy;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.wordWrap = false;
    myTextArea.horizontalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.ON;
    myTextArea.text = "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.";
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 120);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    addChild(myTextArea);

### horizontalScrollPosition

property

`horizontalScrollPosition:Number`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the change in the position of the scroll bar thumb, in pixels, after the user scrolls the text field horizontally. If this value is 0, the text field was not horizontally scrolled.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get horizontalScrollPosition():Number`
`public function set horizontalScrollPosition(value:Number):void`

Related API Elements

verticalScrollPosition

### htmlText

property

`htmlText:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the HTML representation of the string that the text field contains.

The default value is `"".`

Implementation
`public function get htmlText():String`
`public function set htmlText(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

text
TextField.htmlText
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and uses various HTML tags to style the text:
Copy

    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var myText:String = "";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <b> tag to create <b>bold</b> text.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <i> tag to create <i>italic</i> text.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <u> tag to create <u>underlined</a> text.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <a> tag to create <a href='http://www.adobe.com'>links to other sites</a>.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <br> tag to create<br>new lines of text<br>whenever you want.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <font> tag to specificy different font <font color='#FF0000'>colors</font>, <font size='16'>sizes</font>, or <font face='Times New Roman'>faces</font>.</p>";
    myText += "<p>You can use the <img> tag to load images or SWF files:<br><img src='http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/images/logo.png'>.</p>";

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.htmlText = myText;
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    addChild(myTextArea);

The following example creates a TextArea component instance and creates links using HTML anchor tag:
Copy

    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var str:String = "<p>Check out the following links:</p>";
    str += "<li><a href=\"event:flash\"><u>Flash</u></a></li>";
    str += "<li><a href=\"event:flex\"><u>Flex</u></a></li>";
    str += "<li><a href=\"event:devnet\"><u>Developer Center</u></a></li>";

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.htmlText += str;
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 120);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(TextEvent.LINK, linkHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    function linkHandler(event:TextEvent):void {
        var url:String = "http://www.adobe.com/go/" + event.text;
        var urlReq:URLRequest = new URLRequest(url);
        navigateToURL(urlReq);
    }

### imeMode

property

`imeMode:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the mode of the input method editor (IME). The IME makes it possible for users to use a QWERTY keyboard to enter characters from the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean character sets.

Flash sets the IME to the specified mode when the component gets focus, and restores it to the original value after the component loses focus.

The flash.system.IMEConversionMode class defines constants for the valid values for this property. Set this property to `null` to prevent the use of the IME with the component.

Implementation
`public function get imeMode():String`
`public function set imeMode(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

flash.system.IMEConversionMode

### length

property

`length:Number` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the count of characters that the TextArea component contains.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get length():Number`

Related API Elements

maxChars

### maxChars

property

`maxChars:int`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the maximum number of characters that a user can enter in the text field.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get maxChars():int`
`public function set maxChars(value:int):void`

Related API Elements

length
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and sets its `maxChars` property to limit the amount of text that can entered into the text area:
Copy

    import fl.controls.Label;
    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.maxChars = 500;
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(TextEvent.TEXT_INPUT, textInputHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    var charCountLabel:Label = new Label();
    charCountLabel.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    charCountLabel.move(myTextArea.x, myTextArea.y + myTextArea.height);
    addChild(charCountLabel);

    charCountLabel.text = myTextArea.length + " of " + myTextArea.maxChars;

    function textInputHandler(event:TextEvent):void {
        updateCount();
    }

    function updateCount():void {
        charCountLabel.text = myTextArea.length + " of " + myTextArea.maxChars;
    }

### maxHorizontalScrollPosition

property

`maxHorizontalScrollPosition:int` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the maximum value of the `horizontalScrollPosition` property.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get maxHorizontalScrollPosition():int`

Related API Elements

horizontalScrollPosition
maxVerticalScrollPosition

### maxVerticalScrollPosition

property

`maxVerticalScrollPosition:int` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the maximum value of the `verticalScrollPosition` property.

The default value is `1.`

Implementation
`public function get maxVerticalScrollPosition():int`

Related API Elements

verticalScrollPosition
maxHorizontalScrollPosition

### restrict

property

`restrict:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the string of characters that the text field accepts from a user.

Note that characters that are not included in this string are accepted in the text field if they are entered programmatically.

The characters in the string are read from left to right. You can specify a character range by using the hyphen (-) character.

If the value of this property is `null`, the text field accepts all characters. If this property is set to an empty string (""), the text field accepts no characters.

If the string begins with a caret (^) character, all characters are initially accepted and succeeding characters in the string are excluded from the set of accepted characters. If the string does not begin with a caret (^) character, no characters are initially accepted and succeeding characters in the string are included in the set of accepted characters.

The default value is `null.`

Implementation
`public function get restrict():String`
`public function set restrict(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

TextField.restrict

### selectionBeginIndex

property

`selectionBeginIndex:int` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the index position of the first selected character in a selection of one or more characters.

The index position of a selected character is zero-based and calculated from the first character that appears in the text area. If there is no selection, this value is set to the position of the caret.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get selectionBeginIndex():int`

Related API Elements

selectionEndIndex

### selectionEndIndex

property

`selectionEndIndex:int` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the index position of the last selected character in a selection of one or more characters.

The index position of a selected character is zero-based and calculated from the first character that appears in the text area. If there is no selection, this value is set to the position of the caret.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get selectionEndIndex():int`

Related API Elements

selectionBeginIndex

### text

property

`text:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a string which contains the text that is currently in the TextInput component. This property contains text that is unformatted and does not have HTML tags. To retrieve this text formatted as HTML, use the `htmlText` property.

The default value is `"".`

Implementation
`public function get text():String`
`public function set text(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

htmlText

### textField

property

`public var textField:flash.text:TextField`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

A reference to the internal text field of the TextArea component.

### textHeight

property

`textHeight:Number` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the height of the text, in pixels.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get textHeight():Number`

Related API Elements

textWidth
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and displays the `textWidth` and `textHeight` properties whenever the `change` event is dispatched:
Copy

    import fl.controls.Label;
    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea()
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, changeHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    var widthLabel:Label = new Label();
    widthLabel.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    widthLabel.text = "textWidth: " + myTextArea.textWidth;
    widthLabel.move(340, 10);
    addChild(widthLabel);

    var heightLabel:Label = new Label();
    heightLabel.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    heightLabel.text = "textHeight: " + myTextArea.textHeight;
    heightLabel.move(340, 30);
    addChild(heightLabel);

    function changeHandler(event:Event):void {
        widthLabel.text = "textWidth: " + myTextArea.textWidth;
        heightLabel.text = "textHeight: " + myTextArea.textHeight;
    }

### textWidth

property

`textWidth:Number` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets the width of the text, in pixels.

The default value is `0.`

Implementation
`public function get textWidth():Number`

Related API Elements

textHeight
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and displays the `textWidth` and `textHeight` properties whenever the `change` event is dispatched:
Copy

    import fl.controls.Label;
    import fl.controls.TextArea;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea()
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, changeHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    var widthLabel:Label = new Label();
    widthLabel.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    widthLabel.text = "textWidth: " + myTextArea.textWidth;
    widthLabel.move(340, 10);
    addChild(widthLabel);

    var heightLabel:Label = new Label();
    heightLabel.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.LEFT;
    heightLabel.text = "textHeight: " + myTextArea.textHeight;
    heightLabel.move(340, 30);
    addChild(heightLabel);

    function changeHandler(event:Event):void {
        widthLabel.text = "textWidth: " + myTextArea.textWidth;
        heightLabel.text = "textHeight: " + myTextArea.textHeight;
    }

### verticalScrollBar

property

`verticalScrollBar:UIScrollBar` [read-only]

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets a reference to the vertical scroll bar.

Implementation
`public function get verticalScrollBar():UIScrollBar`

Related API Elements

horizontalScrollBar
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and sets the `pageSize` property on the components vertical scroll bar:
Copy

    import fl.controls.TextArea;
    import fl.events.ScrollEvent;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.setSize(160, 120);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.verticalScrollBar.pageSize = 1;
    myTextArea.addEventListener(ScrollEvent.SCROLL, scrollHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    var myURLLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
    myURLLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
    myURLLoader.load(new URLRequest("http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/lorem.txt"));

    function scrollHandler(event:ScrollEvent):void {
        trace("scroll: " + myTextArea.verticalScrollPosition + " of " + myTextArea.maxVerticalScrollPosition);
    }

    function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
        var txt:String = URLLoader(event.currentTarget).data as String;
        myTextArea.text = txt;
    }

### verticalScrollPolicy

property

`verticalScrollPolicy:String`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the scroll policy for the vertical scroll bar. This can be one of the following values:

- ScrollPolicy.ON: The scroll bar is always on.
- ScrollPolicy.OFF: The scroll bar is always off.
- ScrollPolicy.AUTO: The scroll bar turns on when it is needed.

The default value is `ScrollPolicy.AUTO.`

Implementation
`public function get verticalScrollPolicy():String`
`public function set verticalScrollPolicy(value:String):void`

Related API Elements

horizontalScrollPolicy
ScrollPolicy
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a TextArea component instance and sets its `verticalScrollPolicy` property to `ScrollPolicy.ON` so the vertical scroll bar will always be visible, regardless of the amount of content currently in the text area:
Copy

    import fl.controls.TextArea;
    import fl.controls.ScrollPolicy;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.verticalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.ON;
    myTextArea.text = "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.";
    myTextArea.setSize(160, 120);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    addChild(myTextArea);

### verticalScrollPosition

property

`verticalScrollPosition:Number`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets the change in the position of the scroll bar thumb, in pixels, after the user scrolls the text field vertically. If this value is 1, the text field was not vertically scrolled.

The default value is `1.`

Implementation
`public function get verticalScrollPosition():Number`
`public function set verticalScrollPosition(value:Number):void`

Related API Elements

horizontalScrollPosition
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example uses a Slider component to scroll the contents of a TextArea component:
Copy

    import fl.controls.ScrollPolicy;
    import fl.controls.Slider;
    import fl.controls.SliderDirection
    import fl.controls.TextArea;
    import fl.events.ScrollEvent;
    import fl.events.SliderEvent;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.horizontalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.OFF;
    myTextArea.verticalScrollPolicy = ScrollPolicy.OFF;
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(ScrollEvent.SCROLL, scrollHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea)

    var mySlider:Slider = new Slider();
    mySlider.liveDragging = true;
    mySlider.snapInterval = 1;
    mySlider.tickInterval = 1;
    mySlider.width = myTextArea.width;
    mySlider.move(myTextArea.x, myTextArea.y + myTextArea.height + 10);

    var urlLdr:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
    urlLdr.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
    urlLdr.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.TEXT;
    urlLdr.load(new URLRequest("http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/text/lorem.txt"));

    function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
        var txt:String = event.target.data as String;
        myTextArea.text = txt;
        myTextArea.drawNow();

        mySlider.minimum = myTextArea.verticalScrollPosition;
        mySlider.maximum = myTextArea.maxVerticalScrollPosition;
        mySlider.addEventListener(SliderEvent.CHANGE, changeHandler);
        addChild(mySlider);
    }

    function scrollHandler(event:ScrollEvent):void {
        trace("scrolled:");
        mySlider.value = event.position;
    }

    function changeHandler(event:SliderEvent):void {
        trace("changed:");
        myTextArea.verticalScrollPosition = event.value;
    }

### wordWrap

property

`wordWrap:Boolean`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Gets or sets a Boolean value that indicates whether the text wraps at the end of the line. A value of `true` indicates that the text wraps; a value of `false` indicates that the text does not wrap.

The default value is `true.`

Implementation
`public function get wordWrap():Boolean`
`public function set wordWrap(value:Boolean):void`

Related API Elements

TextField.wordWrap
Constructor Detail

### TextArea

()
Constructor

`public function TextArea()`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Creates a new TextArea component instance.

Method Detail

### appendText

()
method

`public function appendText(text:String):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Appends the specified string after the last character that the TextArea component contains. This method is more efficient than concatenating two strings by using an addition assignment on a text property--for example, `myTextArea.text += moreText`. This method is particularly useful when the TextArea component contains a significant amount of content.

Parameters

| `text:String` — The string to be appended to the existing text.

### drawFocus

()
method

`override public function drawFocus(draw:Boolean):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Shows or hides the focus indicator on this component.

The UIComponent class implements this method by creating and positioning an instance of the class that is specified by the `focusSkin` style.

Parameters

| `draw:Boolean` — Indicates whether to show or hide the focus indicator. If this value is `true`, the focus indicator is shown; if this value is `false`, the focus indicator is hidden.

### getLineMetrics

()
method

`public function getLineMetrics(lineIndex:int):flash.text:TextLineMetrics`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Retrieves information about a specified line of text.

Parameters

| `lineIndex:int` — The line number for which information is to be retrieved.

Returns

| `flash.text:TextLineMetrics`

### getStyleDefinition

()
method

`public static function getStyleDefinition():Object`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Retrieves the default style map for the current component. The style map contains the type that is appropriate for the component, depending on the style that the component uses. For example, the `disabledTextFormat` style contains a value of `null` or a TextFormat object. You can use these styles and call `setStyle()` on the current component. The following code overrides the default `disabledTextFormat` style on the specified component:

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    componentInstance.setStyle("disabledTextFormat", new TextFormat());

Returns

| `Object` — Default styles object.

Related API Elements

UIComponent.getStyle()
UIComponent.setStyle()
StyleManager
Example ( How to use this example )
The following example creates a style browser for several component classes:
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    import fl.controls.*;
    import fl.containers.*;
    import fl.controls.listClasses.*;
    import fl.controls.dataGridClasses.*;
    import fl.controls.progressBarClasses.*;
    import fl.core.UIComponent;
    import fl.data.DataProvider;

    var dp:DataProvider = new DataProvider();
    dp.addItem( { label: "BaseScrollPane",    data:BaseScrollPane } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "Button",             data:Button } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "CellRenderer",    data:CellRenderer } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "CheckBox",         data:CheckBox } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "ColorPicker",     data:ColorPicker } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "ComboBox",         data:ComboBox } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "DataGrid",         data:DataGrid } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "HeaderRenderer",    data:HeaderRenderer } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "ImageCell",        data:ImageCell } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "IndeterminateBar",data:IndeterminateBar } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "Label",             data:Label } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "List",             data:List } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "NumericStepper",     data:NumericStepper } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "ProgressBar",     data:ProgressBar } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "RadioButton",     data:RadioButton } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "ScrollPane",         data:ScrollPane } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "Slider",             data:Slider } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "TextArea",         data:TextArea } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "TextInput",         data:TextInput } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "TileList",         data:TileList } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "UILoader",         data:UILoader } );
    dp.addItem( { label: "UIComponent",     data:UIComponent } );

    var cb:ComboBox = new ComboBox();
    cb.move(10,10);
    cb.setSize(300,25);
    cb.prompt = "Select a component to view its styles";
    cb.rowCount = 12;
    cb.dataProvider = dp;
    cb.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, showStyleDefinition);
    addChild(cb);

    var dg:DataGrid = new DataGrid();
    dg.setSize(425,300);
    dg.move(10,50);
    dg.columns = [ new DataGridColumn("StyleName"), new DataGridColumn("DefaultValue") ];
    addChild(dg);

    function showStyleDefinition(e:Event):void {
        var componentClass:Class = e.target.selectedItem.data as Class;
        var styles:Object = componentClass["getStyleDefinition"].call(this);
        trace(styles.toString());
        var styleData:DataProvider = new DataProvider();
        for(var i:* in styles) {
            trace(i + " : " + styles[i]);
            styleData.addItem( { StyleName:i, DefaultValue:styles[i] } );
        }
        styleData.sortOn("StyleName");
        dg.dataProvider = styleData;
    }

### setSelection

()
method

`public function setSelection(setSelection:int, endIndex:int):void`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Sets the range of a selection made in a text area that has focus. The selection range begins at the index that is specified by the start parameter, and ends at the index that is specified by the end parameter. The selected text is treated as a zero-based string of characters in which the first selected character is located at index 0, the second character at index 1, and so on.

This method has no effect if the text field does not have focus.

Parameters

| `setSelection:int` — The index location of the first character in the selection.
| `endIndex:int` — The index position of the last character in the selection.

Event Detail

### change

Event

Event Object Type: `flash.events.Event`
property Event.type = `flash.events.Event.CHANGE`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Dispatched when the text in the TextArea component changes through user interaction. This event is not dispatched when ActionScript code changes the component.

The `Event.CHANGE` constant defines the value of the `type` property of a `change` event object.

This event has the following properties:

Property | Value
--- | ---
`bubbles` | `true`
`cancelable` | `false`; there is no default behavior to cancel.
`currentTarget` | The object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
`target` | The object that has had its value modified. The `target` is not always the object in the display list that registered the event listener. Use the `currentTarget` property to access the object in the display list that is currently processing the event.

### enter

Event

Event Object Type: `fl.events.ComponentEvent`
property ComponentEvent.type = `fl.events.ComponentEvent.ENTER`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Dispatched when the user presses the Enter key while in the component.

Defines the value of the `type` property of an `enter` event object.

This event has the following properties:

Property | Value
--- | ---
`bubbles` | `false`
`cancelable` | `false`; there is no default behavior to cancel.
`currentTarget` | The object that is actively processing the event object with an event listener.
`target` | The object that dispatched the event. The target is not always the object listening for the event. Use the `currentTarget` property to access the object that is listening for the event.

### scroll

Event

Event Object Type: `fl.events.ScrollEvent`
property ScrollEvent.type = `fl.events.ScrollEvent.SCROLL`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Dispatched when the content is scrolled.

Defines the value of the `type` property of a `scroll` event object.

This event has the following properties:

Property | Value
--- | ---
`bubbles` | `false`
`cancelable` | `false`; there is no default behavior to cancel.
`currentTarget` | The object that is actively processing the event object with an event listener.
`delta` | `1`; a value that indicates how much scrolling was done.
`direction` | `vertical`; the direction of the ScrollBar.
`position` | `0`; the position of the Scrollbar thumb after it was moved.
`target` | The object that dispatched the event. The target is not always the object listening for the event. Use the `currentTarget` property to access the object that is listening for the event.

Example ( How to use this example )
The following example loads text into a TextArea component and traces the scroll direction, scroll position and maximum scroll position when the user scrolls the TextArea:
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    import fl.controls.ScrollBarDirection;
    import fl.controls.TextArea;
    import fl.events.ScrollEvent;

    var myTextArea:TextArea = new TextArea();
    myTextArea.setSize(320, 240);
    myTextArea.move(10, 10);
    myTextArea.addEventListener(ScrollEvent.SCROLL, scrollHandler);
    addChild(myTextArea);

    var urlLdr:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
    urlLdr.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, completeHandler);
    urlLdr.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.TEXT;
    urlLdr.load(new URLRequest("http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/text/lorem.txt"));

    function completeHandler(event:Event):void {
        var txt:String = event.target.data as String;
        myTextArea.text = txt;
    }

    function scrollHandler(event:ScrollEvent):void {
        var myTA:TextArea = event.currentTarget as TextArea;
        var pos:Number = event.position;
        var maxPos:Number;

        if (event.direction == ScrollBarDirection.VERTICAL) {
            maxPos = myTA.maxVerticalScrollPosition;
        } else {
            maxPos = myTA.maxHorizontalScrollPosition;
        }
        trace("scroll: " + event.direction + " (" + pos.toFixed(2) + " of " + maxPos + ")");
    }

### textInput

Event

Event Object Type: `flash.events.TextEvent`
property TextEvent.type = `flash.events.TextEvent.TEXT_INPUT`

Language Version: | ActionScript 3.0

Product Version: | Flash CS3

Runtime Versions: | Flash Player 9.0.28.0, AIR 1.0

Dispatched when the user enters, deletes, or pastes text into the component.

Defines the value of the `type` property of a `textInput` event object.

Note: This event is not dispatched for the Delete or Backspace keys.

This event has the following properties:

Property | Value
--- | ---
`bubbles` | `true`
`cancelable` | `true`; call the `preventDefault()` method to cancel default behavior.
`currentTarget` | The object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
`target` | The text field into which characters are being entered. The target is not always the object in the display list that registered the event listener. Use the `currentTarget` property to access the object in the display list that is currently processing the event.
`text` | The character or sequence of characters entered by the user.

Examples How to use this example
TextAreaExample.as
This example demonstrates how to listen to the events of an instance of the TextArea class

1. Drag a TextArea component to the stage and name it `ta1`.
2. Drag a TextArea component to the stage and name it `ta2`.
3. Save this code as TextAreaExample.as in the same directory as your FLA.
4. Set the DocumentClass in the FLA to TextAreaExample.

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    package
    {
        import flash.display.Sprite;
        import flash.events.Event;
        import flash.events.TextEvent;
        import flash.text.TextField;
        import fl.events.ComponentEvent;
        import fl.controls.TextArea;

        public class TextAreaExample extends Sprite
        {
            private var testString:String         = 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Vivamus quis nisl vel tortor nonummy vulputate. Quisque sit amet eros sed purus euismod tempor. Morbi tempor. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Curabitur diam. Suspendisse at purus in ipsum volutpat viverra. Nulla pellentesque libero id libero. Proin pretium suscipit lectus. Donec in sapien vel nulla egestas semper. Mauris massa. In aliquet sem ac libero. In eget orci. Sed feugiat. Vestibulum vel felis in lectus imperdiet scelerisque. Vestibulum vestibulum neque at est. Etiam purus quam, laoreet quis, accumsan sed, porttitor ut, erat. Proin volutpat. In facilisis dolor gravida felis. Curabitur nisi lacus, euismod non, pharetra et, mollis a, tellus. Donec lectus orci, viverra at, luctus ac, sodales id, quam. Phasellus faucibus lacus ut est. Curabitur id diam eu massa bibendum lobortis. Vivamus quis elit. Donec mi justo, dictum vitae, cursus sit amet, lacinia consectetuer, d ut, vulputate sed, molestie et, arcu. Nullam mi.';
            private var testStringHTML:String     = 'This is <font color="#FF0000">HTML text</font> in a <b>TextArea control</b>. Use the <u>htmlText property</u> of the <font color="#008800">TextArea control</font> to include basic HTML markup in your text.';

            public function TextAreaExample() {
                ta1.text = testString;
                ta2.htmlText = testStringHTML;
                configureListeners(ta1);
                configureListeners(ta2);
            }
            private function configureListeners(ta:TextArea):void {
                ta.addEventListener(TextEvent.TEXT_INPUT,announceEvent);
                ta.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE,announceEvent);
                ta.addEventListener(ComponentEvent.ENTER,announceEvent);
                ta.addEventListener(Event.SCROLL,announceEvent);
            }
            private function announceEvent(e:Event):void {
                trace(e.toString());
            }
        }
    }

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Mon Apr 10 2017, 12:28 PM -07:00