Android Word-Wrap EditText text

Question

I have been trying to get my EditText box to word wrap, but can't seem to do it.

I have dealt with much more complicated issues while developing Android applications, and this seems like it should be a straightforward process.

However, the issue remains, and I have a large text box that is only allowing me to enter text on one line, continuing straight across, scrolling horizontally as I enter text.

Here is the XML code for the EditText object from my layout file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
    android:id="@+id/myWidget48"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    >
 <ScrollView
    android:id="@+id/myScrollView"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_weight="1"
    >
    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/widget37"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="vertical"
    >

<EditText
        android:id="@+id/txtNotes"
        android:layout_width="300px"
        android:layout_height="120px"
        android:scrollbars="vertical"
        android:textSize="18sp"
        android:gravity="left"
        android:layout_marginTop="10dip"
        android:inputType="textCapSentences"
        >
    </EditText>
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</LinearLayout>

Answer 1

Besides finding the source of the issue, I found the solution. If android:inputType is used, then textMultiLine must be used to enable multi-line support. Also, using inputType supersedes the code android:singleLine="false". If using inputType, then, to reiterate, textMultiLine must be used or the EditText object will only consist of one line, without word-wrapping.

Edit: Thank you Jacob Malliet for providing further good advice on this. He suggested to set the boolean scrollHorizontally property to false, 'android:scrollHorizontally="false"'.

Example XML code:

<EditText
    android:id ="@+id/edtInput"
    android:layout_width ="0dip" 
    android:layout_height ="wrap_content" 
    android:layout_weight ="1" 
    android:inputType="textCapSentences|textMultiLine"
    android:maxLines ="4" 
    android:maxLength ="2000" 
    android:hint ="@string/compose_hint"
    android:scrollHorizontally="false" />

Answer 2

Ok i figured it out, you must set android:scrollHorizontally="false" for your EditText in your xml. I'm pretty sure this should work.

Answer 3

Assume that you just want to have one line at first then expand it to 5 lines and you want to have maximum 10 lines.

<EditText
   android:layout_width="wrap_content"
   android:layout_height="wrap_content"
   android:id="@+id/etMessageBox"
   android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
   android:layout_centerVertical="true"
   android:autoLink="all"
   android:hint="@string/message_edit_text_hint"
   android:lines="5"
   android:minLines="1"
   android:gravity="top|left"
   android:maxLines="10"
   android:scrollbars="none"
   android:inputType="textMultiLine|textCapSentences"/>

By increasing android:lines you can define expand it how many lines.

Answer 4

you must add the following attribute to your edittext.

android:inputType="textMultiLine"

Also if you set the height or set the maxlines of edittext to a specific value, it will scroll when you typed much character.