how do I keep a persistent prompt in JTextArea and allow user input

Hi,
I'm trying to simulate a unix command prompt and accept input at the same time. For example, I'd like to show the prompt "localhost#>" and program it to answer to commands like ifconifig -a and show the results as if it were a unix host. After the user types enter I would like to show the prompt again along with the results of the typed commands. I think I've gone through every single JTextArea tutorial Sun has but is has not helped. How can I do this please?

import java.util.Scanner;

declare the following in your constructor:

Code :

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source = new Scanner(System.in);

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declare the variable:

Code :

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private Scanner source;

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us this method for your command prompt:

Code :

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public void getCommands()
 
	    {
 
	    	while(true){
 
	        System.out.println("=========================");
 
	        System.out.println("======COMMANDS===========");
 
	        System.out.println("=========================");
 
	        System.out.println("1. Command");
 
	        System.out.println("2. Command");
 
	        System.out.println("3. Command);
 
	        System.out.println("4. exit");
 
	        System.out.println("    ");
 
	        System.out.print("Input: ");
 
	            int s = source.nextInt();
 
	            if ( s == 1 ){
 
	            	//do something
	            } else if (s == 2){
 
	            	//do something
	            } else if (s == 3){
 
	            	//do something
	            } else if (s == 4){
 
	             System.out.println("Exit selected, have a nice day!");
 
	             System.exit(-1);
 
	            }
 
	    	}
 
	    }

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I think this is what you are trying to do. This will create a command line program and will be controlled in terminal. You could also add and else if for command not found aswell.

i think this is kind of what ur looking for , though its a jtextfield i think most of the essential stuff can transfer over

Code :

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add(getJTextField0(), //the constrains and stuff);
 
//the method to get the text field added
 
public JTextField getJTextField0() {
	if (jTextField0 == null) {
		jTextField0 = new JTextField();
		jTextField0.setText("Type Here");
		jTextField0.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
			public void keyReleased(KeyEvent event) {
				jTextField0KeyKeyReleased(event);
			}
		});
	}
	return jTextField0;
}
 
// the key listener and text field input collector 
public void jTextField0KeyKeyReleased(KeyEvent event) {
   if (event.getKeyCode() == /* the enter key's code*/ ){
      String input = jTextField0.getText();
      // do what ever the command would do
   }
}

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