Console Input Without The Return

Hi,
Does anyone know a way I can get input from the console without having the user hit return.

Say for example I display a menu, like so:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ MAIN MENU ]

[1] Create new account
[2] CLose account
[3] Display all accounts
[4] Display selected account

[5] Exit

Awaiting Selection:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

now say the user hits the number 1 key, I want the program to know he's/she selected the first opention as soon as he presses that key, without having to type 1 then hit return etc.

Oh one more thing does anyone know how to change text colour under the console and place text at given cordinates ?

[b] :) THANKS IN ADVANCE :) [/]

I'd recommend javax.swing.JTextArea or java.awt.TextArea. From the docs:

Quote:

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The java.awt.TextArea could be monitored for changes by adding a TextListener for TextEvent's. In the JTextComponent based components, changes are broadcasted from the model via a DocumentEvent to DocumentListeners. The DocumentEvent gives the location of the change and the kind of change if desired. The code fragment might look something like:


DocumentListener myListener = ??;
JTextArea myArea = ??;
myArea.getDocument().addDocumentListener(myListener);

---

Then monitor the fact that text has changed (before even a carriage return). In effect, you are creating your own "console" by this technique.

Oh, regarding color and coordinates. I came across something that allowed html constructs on a button (and I think other objects with text features--such as JTextArea). Maybe that can help.

You can also open streams on a (real) "DOS console" window that you launch as a new process (check Process and Runtime.exec) to handle data before a CR, but I don't know about the interaction with a user--so this streaming technique may not work for your needs. This may be analogous to trying to override a "final" method of the object "DOS Console"; the DOS console has its own "interface".

Quote:

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Oh one more thing does anyone know how to change text colour under the console and place text at given cordinates ?

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I dont know about the console but as VirtuallyVB pointed out you could use a javax.swing.JText Area and change the font or the forground color if you want.

Code:

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import javax.swing.*;
  import java.awt.*;

  class JTAExample{
  public static void main(String[] args){
    JComponent jc;
    jc = changeComponentStates(new JTextArea());
        addComponents(new JFrame("JTAExample"), jc); 
  }
  public static JComponent changeComponentStates(JComponent jc){
    jc.setBackground(Color.green); // setBackground() method part of the Component class
    // jc.setWrapStyleWord(true); // not allowed, jc refrences a JComponent not a JTextArea!
   
    jc.setFont(new Font("Informal Roman", Font.BOLD, 44));
    return jc;
  }
 
    public static void addComponents(JFrame jf, JComponent jc){
      Container c = jf.getContentPane();
      c.add(jc);
      jf.addWindowListener(new WindowMonitor());
      jf.setSize(400,300);
      jf.setVisible(true); 
  }
 }

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