Android Word-Wrap EditText text

Bryan picture Bryan · Jul 18, 2010 · Viewed 80k times · Source

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

Bryan picture Bryan · Jul 20, 2010

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" />