TextInput
Vaelis 1.0.0 TextInput component reference: fields, script API, behavior and examples.
#What it does
Interactive text input control driven by the runtime UI system.
#How to add and use TextInput
Editor path: Select the target entity in the Hierarchy (left side) → look at the Inspector (right side) → click Add Component at the bottom of the Inspector → search for TextInput → click the component row. The Add Component picker is a centered modal with a search box; it only lists components not already attached.
For components with a dedicated editor tool, the tool is opened or activated from the location described below. Do not assume that adding the component alone activates its editor; some systems require a separate window, panel, or viewport tool.
#Component setup & editor tools
- GameObject → UI → Message Input creates a TextInput entity. You can also select an entity → Inspector → Add Component → Text Input.
#What you should see after adding it
The component appears as its own section in the Inspector. Its serialized settings are listed in the Component data table below. If a field is conditional, it appears only when the relevant mode/type is selected. If a field is a runtime state field (for example grounded or resolved velocity), treat it as read-only diagnostic state unless the API reference explicitly documents it as writable.
#How to read the settings
For every setting below, the documentation distinguishes type, default, meaning, and tuning direction where behavior is known. When a value represents a direction, use the engine's coordinate convention documented in Coordinate system; do not substitute Unity/Godot conventions.
#Component data
| Field | Type | Purpose | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
value | string | Current text. | |
placeholder | string | Placeholder text. | Type a message... |
maxLength | number | Maximum characters. | 200 |
fontSize | number | Font size. | 18 |
fontFamily | string | Font family. | Arial |
textColor | hex string | Text color. | #111111 |
placeholderColor | hex string | Placeholder color. | #999999 |
backgroundColor | hex string | Background. | #ffffff |
borderColor | hex string | Border. | #888888 |
borderWidth | number | Border width. | 2 |
cornerRadius | number | Corner radius. | 8 |
width | number | Control width. | 260 |
height | number | Control height. | 40 |
padding | number | Horizontal/vertical padding. | 10 |
clearOnSubmit | boolean | Clear after submit. | true |
focused | boolean | Written by the engine each frame; not an authored setting. (engine-managed runtime state) | false |
justSubmitted | boolean | Written by the engine each frame; not an authored setting. (engine-managed runtime state) | false |
#Tuning behavior
These are the practical direction-of-change rules for the most important controls on this component.
| Setting | What changing it does |
|---|---|
maxLength | Hard cap on typed characters. |
width / height | Changes the visual input box size. |
borderWidth | Higher = thicker border. |
padding | Higher moves the text farther from the box edge. |
#Script API
| Member | Kind | Description |
|---|---|---|
value | Property | Text value. |
placeholder | Property | Placeholder. |
maxLength | Property | Character cap. |
fontSize | Property | Font size. |
fontFamily | Property | Font family. |
textColor | Property | Text color. |
placeholderColor | Property | Placeholder color. |
backgroundColor | Property | Background color. |
borderColor | Property | Border color. |
borderWidth | Property | Border width. |
cornerRadius | Property | Corner radius. |
width | Property | Control width. |
height | Property | Control height. |
padding | Property | Padding. |
clearOnSubmit | Property | Whether submit clears the text. |
focused | Property | Read-only focus state. |
justSubmitted | Property | Read-only one-frame submit pulse. |
clear() | Method | Clear the current input. |
#Examples
if (this.textInput.justSubmitted) {
sendMessage("Chat", "message", this.textInput.value);
this.textInput.clear();
}