This code might give you some ideas:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.text.*;
public class TextPanePerfectSize extends JFrame
{
JTextField textField;
JTextPane textPane;
public TextPanePerfectSize()
{
textField = new JTextField(20);
textField.setText("add text");
getContentPane().add(textField, BorderLayout.NORTH );
textField.addActionListener( new ActionListener()
{
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
{
try
{
Document doc = textPane.getDocument();
doc.insertString(doc.getLength(), " " + textField.getText(), null);
textField.setText("");
Dimension d = textPane.getPreferredSize();
Rectangle r = textPane.modelToView( textPane.getDocument().getLength() );
d.height = r.y + r.height;
textPane.setPreferredSize( d );
getContentPane().validate();
// pack();
}
catch(Exception e2) {}
}
});
JLabel label = new JLabel("Hit Enter to Add Text to Text Pane");
getContentPane().add(label);
JPanel south = new JPanel();
textPane = new JTextPane();
textPane.setText("Some text");
textPane.setEditable( false );
// textPane.setPreferredSize( new Dimension(120, 23) );
south.add( textPane );
// getContentPane().add(south, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
getContentPane().add(textPane, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
JFrame frame = new TextPanePerfectSize();
frame.setSize(200, 200);
frame.setLocationRelativeTo( null );
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
frame.setVisible(true);
}
}