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# QLineEdit Class Reference
[com.trolltech.qt.gui module]

The `QLineEdit` widget is a one-line text editor. More...

Inherits `QWidget`.

## Detailed Description

The `QLineEdit` widget is a one-line text editor.

A line edit allows the user to enter and edit a single line of plain text with a useful collection of editing functions, including undo and redo, cut and paste, and drag and drop.

By changing the `echoMode` of a line edit, it can also be used as a "write-only" field, for inputs such as passwords.

The length of the text can be constrained to `maxLength`. The text can be arbitrarily constrained using a `validator` or an `inputMask`, or both.

A related class is `QTextEdit` which allows multi-line, rich text editing.

You can change the text with `setText` or `insert`. The text is retrieved with `text`; the displayed text (which may be different, see `EchoMode`) is retrieved with `displayText`. Text can be selected with `setSelection` or `selectAll`, and the selection can be `cut`, `copy`ied and `paste`d. The text can be aligned with `setAlignment`.

When the text changes the `textChanged` signal is emitted; when the text changes other than by calling `setText` the `textEdited` signal is emitted; when the cursor is moved the `cursorPositionChanged` signal is emitted; and when the Return or Enter key is pressed the `returnPressed` signal is emitted.

When editing is finished, either because the line edit lost focus or Return/Enter is pressed the `editingFinished` signal is emitted.

Note that if there is a validator set on the line edit, the `returnPressed`/`editingFinished` signals will only be emitted if the validator returns QValidator::Acceptable.

By default, QLineEdits have a frame as specified by the Windows and Motif style guides; you can turn it off by calling `setFrame`(false).

The default key bindings are described below. The line edit also provides a context menu (usually invoked by a right mouse click) that presents some of these editing options.

Keypress | Action
--- | ---
Left Arrow | Moves the cursor one character to the left.
Shift+Left Arrow | Moves and selects text one character to the left.
Right Arrow | Moves the cursor one character to the right.
Shift+Right Arrow | Moves and selects text one character to the right.
Home | Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.
End | Moves the cursor to the end of the line.
Backspace | Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.
Ctrl+Backspace | Deletes the word to the left of the cursor.
Delete | Deletes the character to the right of the cursor.
Ctrl+Delete | Deletes the word to the right of the cursor.
Ctrl+A | Select all.
Ctrl+C | Copies the selected text to the clipboard.
Ctrl+Insert | Copies the selected text to the clipboard.
Ctrl+K | Deletes to the end of the line.
Ctrl+V | Pastes the clipboard text into line edit.
Shift+Insert | Pastes the clipboard text into line edit.
Ctrl+X | Deletes the selected text and copies it to the clipboard.
Shift+Delete | Deletes the selected text and copies it to the clipboard.
Ctrl+Z | Undoes the last operation.
Ctrl+Y | Redoes the last undone operation.

Any other key sequence that represents a valid character, will cause the character to be inserted into the line edit.

| A line edit shown in the Macintosh widget style.
| A line edit shown in the Windows XP widget style.
| A line edit shown in the Plastique widget style.

See also `QTextEdit`, `QLabel`, `QComboBox`, GUI Design Handbook: Field, Entry, and Line Edits Example.