Text Box

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What is a Text Box in a Computer?

A text box (or textbox) is a user interface element that (typically) looks like a rectangle and lets you write text to be used by an application or form when it has keyboard focus.

As fields, text boxes tend to be labelled with a label to its left or above them. In some cases, the field is not necessary if its function can be determined by convention.

A screenshot of Google's homepage.
A screenshot of Google's homepage. Observe that it has an unlabeled text box where you type the search terms. A text label is unnecessary because that's Google's primary function, and the search icon (magnifier) on the left also serves as label.
A dialog window titled "DaVinci Resolve Properties." It has four fields, Name, Description, Command, and Comment, related to launching DaVinci Resolve. The value for the command field starts with "env LD_PRELOAD=/lib/x9._64-linux-gnu/..."
Launcher properties of DaVinci Resolve on Linux Mint. Several text boxes in it, labelled Name, Description, Command, and Comment. Observe that Command has keyboard focus, so it has a blue border and a text cursor.

Types of Text Boxes

  • Combo box: a text box that displays a list of valid choices under it.
  • Search box: a text box made for searching. It often shows last terms searched under it.
  • Numeric entry with spin buttons: a text box that only allows numbers to be entered. It has an up arrow and down arrow button on its right to increment and decrement the value.
  • Address box: a text box found in the address bar of an application that shows the address of the current location.
  • Omnibox: the box found in modern web browsers that perform the functions of a search box and an address box simultaneously.

Tricks

In some cases, pressing the Enter key while a text box has keyboard focus performs a default action like submitting a form.

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