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Getting text input is nice if the user has a field to type in to.

The sample code uses a keyPressed method that runs every time a key on the keyboard is pressed.

lastInput and currentInput are string "objects" that can be added to one character at a time.

Here is how it works:

drawField provide a text input box at x, y.

When a key is pressed we'll check to see if it is one of the following keys:

- ENTER

- BACKSPACE

- CODED

- a character (a, b, c, 1, 2, 3, !, @, #)

ENTER puts currentText into lastText and blanks the input field.

BACKSPACE removes the last character from currentText as long as it has at least one character.

CODED is ignored.

A character is added to currentText.

Here is what to do:

Add drawField(x, y) to setup(). x and y are ints that position the 16 by 70 text input field.

Add the drawField and keyPressed mthods to your own code.

// x and y position of text box

int x = 65, y = 90;

String lastInput = new String(); // final string

String currentInput = new String(); // string as it is typed in

void setup(){

size (200, 200);

smooth();

fill(255);

drawField(x, y);

}

void draw(){

}

void drawField(int xPos, int yPos){

fill(255);

rect (x, y, 70, 16);

}

void keyPressed() {

fill(0);

// run only when a key is pressed

if (key == ENTER) {

// the user presses ENTER telling us they have finished input

lastInput = currentInput;

currentInput = "";

drawField(x, y); // blank the text input field

}

else if (key == BACKSPACE && currentInput.length() > 0) {

// allows user to make corrections

currentInput = currentInput.substring(0, currentInput.length() - 1);

}

else if (key == CODED) {

// ignore...

}

else {

// build input one character at a time

currentInput = currentInput + key;

}

// The next line can be left out.

text(lastInput, x, y+30); // Shows input text

text(currentInput, x+3, y+12); // Shows text as it is typed in.

}