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

import java.util.Scanner;

declare the following in your constructor:

source = new Scanner(System.in);

declare the variable:

private Scanner source;

us this method for your command prompt:

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);   }  	}   }

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

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 } }