Repository: MyreMylar/pygame_gui (python)

Issue:
Add placeholder text in user entry fields
**Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.**
Not a problem

**Describe the solution you'd like**
To be able to add placeholder text such as "Enter your text here..." that disappears when a user clicks into the field.

**Describe alternatives you've considered**
Having normal text in the field that needs to be deleted (requires users to delete it and breaks immersion)
Having text that can remain and be ignored via code (such as: ">> ")

**Additional context**
PyQT5 has this functionality


Pull request:
Add placeholder text input parameter to text entry line
- fixes #234

Patch:
diff --git a/pygame_gui/elements/ui_text_entry_line.py b/pygame_gui/elements/ui_text_entry_line.py
index 01f5c9d..8a84962 100644
--- a/pygame_gui/elements/ui_text_entry_line.py
+++ b/pygame_gui/elements/ui_text_entry_line.py
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
                  parent_element: UIElement = None,
                  object_id: Union[ObjectID, str, None] = None,
                  anchors: Dict[str, Union[str, UIElement]] = None,
-                 visible: int = 1):
+                 visible: int = 1,
+                 *,
+                 placeholder_text: Optional[str] = None):
 
         super().__init__(relative_rect, manager, container,
                          starting_height=1, layer_thickness=1,
@@ -82,6 +84,9 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
         self.text = ""
         self.is_text_hidden = False
         self.hidden_text_char = '●'
+        self.placeholder_text = ""
+        if placeholder_text is not None:
+            self.placeholder_text = placeholder_text
 
         # theme font
         self.font: Optional[pygame.freetype.Font] = None
@@ -106,7 +111,6 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
         self.text_cursor_colour = None
         self.padding = (0, 0)
 
-        self.drawable_shape = None
         self.shape = 'rectangle'
         self.shape_corner_radius = None
 
@@ -204,7 +208,7 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
                               'border_width': self.border_width,
                               'shadow_width': self.shadow_width,
                               'font': self.font,
-                              'text': display_text,
+                              'text': display_text if len(display_text) > 0 else self.placeholder_text,
                               'text_width': -1,
                               'text_horiz_alignment': 'left',
                               'text_vert_alignment': 'centre',
@@ -264,7 +268,7 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
                 if self.is_text_hidden:
                     display_text = self.hidden_text_char * len(self.text)
                 if self.drawable_shape is not None:
-                    self.drawable_shape.set_text(display_text)
+                    self.drawable_shape.set_text(display_text if len(display_text) > 0 else self.placeholder_text)
                     self.drawable_shape.text_box_layout.set_cursor_position(self.edit_position)
                     self.drawable_shape.apply_active_text_changes()
             else:
@@ -352,6 +356,11 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
         self.edit_position = 0
         self.cursor_on = False
         self.text_entered = False
+        if len(self.text) == 0:
+            if self.drawable_shape is not None:
+                self.drawable_shape.set_text(self.placeholder_text)
+                self.drawable_shape.text_box_layout.set_cursor_position(self.edit_position)
+                self.drawable_shape.apply_active_text_changes()
         self.redraw()
 
     def focus(self):
@@ -361,6 +370,11 @@ class UITextEntryLine(UIElement):
         """
         super().focus()
         pygame.key.set_repeat(500, 25)
+        if len(self.text) == 0:
+            if self.drawable_shape is not None:
+                self.drawable_shape.set_text(self.text)
+                self.drawable_shape.text_box_layout.set_cursor_position(self.edit_position)
+                self.drawable_shape.apply_active_text_changes()
 
     def process_event(self, event: pygame.event.Event) -> bool:
         """


Test patch:
diff --git a/tests/test_elements/test_ui_text_entry_line.py b/tests/test_elements/test_ui_text_entry_line.py
index c29a223..4523621 100644
--- a/tests/test_elements/test_ui_text_entry_line.py
+++ b/tests/test_elements/test_ui_text_entry_line.py
@@ -19,6 +19,29 @@ class TestUITextEntryLine:
                                      manager=default_ui_manager)
         assert text_entry.image is not None
 
+    def test_placeholder_text(self, _init_pygame, default_ui_manager):
+        text_entry = UITextEntryLine(relative_rect=pygame.Rect(100, 100, 200, 30),
+                                     manager=default_ui_manager,
+                                     placeholder_text="Enter name...")
+        assert text_entry.image is not None
+        assert text_entry.drawable_shape.theming['text'] == "Enter name..."
+
+        text_entry.set_text("Dan")
+
+        assert text_entry.drawable_shape.theming['text'] == "Dan"
+
+        text_entry.set_text("")
+
+        assert text_entry.drawable_shape.theming['text'] == "Enter name..."
+
+        text_entry.focus()
+
+        assert text_entry.drawable_shape.theming['text'] == ""
+
+        text_entry.unfocus()
+
+        assert text_entry.drawable_shape.theming['text'] == "Enter name..."
+
     def test_set_text_length_limit(self, _init_pygame, default_ui_manager):
         text_entry = UITextEntryLine(relative_rect=pygame.Rect(100, 100, 200, 30),
                                      manager=default_ui_manager)