How to set maximum word length in TextView instead of characters

Question

I want to Limit the maximum no of words in a TextView instead of maximum no of characters.

My android code is like:

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/orgSummary_desc_text"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingTop="10dp"
        android:paddingLeft="5dp"
        android:paddingRight="5dp"
        android:paddingBottom="10dp"
        android:gravity="top"
        android:maxLength="100" 
        android:textSize="@dimen/subtitle_text"
        android:autoLink="web"
    />

I am setting a long text from my activity class and the result i am getting that some no of characters are chopped off. Instead i want the word.

I think you will need to use TextWatcher. And count number of spaces in afterTextChanged. — MysticMagicϡ, Aug 16 '14 at 09:02
I didn't got it, because counting no of spaces afterTextChanged will how give me the clue about the word. — anand, Aug 16 '14 at 09:27

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 16 '14 at 09:39

Try this:

final int MAX_COUNT = 4;

TextView textView = /* your text view */
String text = "your long text comes here";

String[] segments = text.split(" ");
int wordsCount = segments.length;
if(wordsCount > MAX_COUNT) {
    text = "";
    for(int i = 0; i < MAX_COUNT; i += 1) {
        text += segments[i];
    }
    text += " Read more...";
}
textView.setText(text);

Simon Marquis · Answer 2 · 2014-08-16T10:42:44.590

1

You can use a custom join() method to only join the required word length:

final static int NB_OF_WORDS = 5;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    final TextView textView  = findViewById(R.id.edit_text);
    final String text = /* */ ;

    String[] words = text.split(" ");
    textView.setText(words.length > NB_OF_WORDS ? join(" ", NB_OF_WORDS, words) : text);
}


public static CharSequence join(CharSequence delimiter, int length, Object[] tokens) {
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    for (int i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++) {
        if (i > length) {
            break;
        }
        if (i > 0) {
            sb.append(delimiter);
        }
        sb.append(tokens[i]);
    }
    return sb.toString();
}

edited Aug 16 '14 at 10:42

answered Aug 16 '14 at 10:18

Simon Marquis

7,248
1
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He is talking about `TextView` not `EditText` ! – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 10:28
Updated answer, without TextWatcher – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 10:30
Local variables can not be static ! – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 10:33
This one (NB_OF_WORDS) was meant to be on the Activity scope – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 10:35
`text.toString()` calling toString on the String type object ! `:)` – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 10:36
Sure ^^ I didn't removed it when changed from EditText to TextView – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 10:37
what happened when `words.length <= NB_OF_WORDS` ? the textview will be left blank `:D` don't worry its a bit humor – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 10:41
Now seems it be a perfect answer! +1 for u – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 10:44
In fact, I've just mimic'ed the `TextUtils.join()` method to take the desired length into account. Could also use the `TextUtils.split()` instead of `String.split()` – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 10:48
I was taking into account that this could happens a lot of times (in an EditText context for example) and if the text is very long (1000 words), StringBuilder would me far less expensive than appending a String to another String (as String isn't a mutable object). Did you try your approach with like 1000 of words? – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 10:56
In performance point of view, I don't think any difference, See [this post](http://stackoverflow.com/a/15397778/1841194) – frogatto Aug 16 '14 at 11:05
Ok, I didn't knew that. Interesting – Simon Marquis Aug 16 '14 at 11:27

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 18 '21 at 10:15

0

Kotlin version

fun String.maxWord(max: Int, postfix: String = ""): String = split(" ").let { words ->
    if (words.size < max) return@let this

    words.take(max).joinToString(separator = " ", postfix = postfix).trim()
}

answered Jan 18 '21 at 10:15

Zakhar Rodionov

1,398
16
18

How to set maximum word length in TextView instead of characters

3 Answers3