5. tk Entry

See: https://docs.python.org/3/library/tkinter.html#tkinter.Entry
See: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python-tkinter-entry-widget/

5.1. Usage

The tkinter.Entry widget provides a single-line input field.
The Entry widget is great for simple, single-line inputs such as usernames or passwords.
Use a Text widget for longer text such as comments or descriptions.
To create an entry widget the general syntax is (assuming import via "import tkinter as tk")
entry_widget  = tk.Entry(parent, option=value)
parent is the window or frame object.
Options can be passed as parameters separated by commas.
The Entry widget is initially empty.

5.2. Entry example

The font and width are the options used in the entry widget below.
../_images/entry.png 
import tkinter as tk

# Create the main window
root = tk.Tk()
root.geometry("500x300")  # Set window size
root.title("Entry Example")  # Set window title


# Create the entry widget for input
name_entry = tk.Entry(root, font=('Arial', 24), width=20)
name_entry.pack(pady=20)  # Add some padding to the top

# Run the main event loop
root.mainloop()

Tasks

  1. Create a Tkinter application with a window size of 400x300, an Entry widget using the Comic Sans MS font size 20, a background color of #fafafa, a foreground color of #2f2f2f, a borderwidth of 2 with a sunken relief style, left-aligned text, and a width of 20 characters, with the widget displayed inside the window using padding of 20 in both directions and internal y padding of 5.

  2. Create a Tkinter application with a window size of 400x300 containing a password Entry widget. Use the Comic Sans MS font size 20, a background color of #fafafa, a foreground color of #2f2f2f, a borderwidth of 2 with a sunken relief style, left-aligned text, a width of 20 characters, and display * characters instead of the typed password. Display the widget with padding of 20 in both directions and internal y padding of 5.

Create a Tkinter window with an entry widget.

import tkinter as tk

# Create the main window
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Entry Alphabet Example")
root.geometry("400x300")

# Define the custom font
custom_font=("Comic Sans MS", 20)

# First Entry widget
entry = tk.Entry(
    root,
    font=custom_font,
    bg="#fafafa",
    fg="#2f2f2f",
    borderwidth=2,
    relief="sunken",
    justify="left",
    width=20
)
entry.pack(padx=20, pady=20, ipady=5)

# Run the Tkinter event loop
root.mainloop()

Create a Tkinter window with a password Entry widget.

import tkinter as tk

# Create the main window
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Password Entry Example")
root.geometry("400x300")

# Define the custom font
custom_font = ("Comic Sans MS", 20)

# Create the password Entry widget
entry = tk.Entry(
    root,
    font=custom_font,
    bg="#fafafa",
    fg="#2f2f2f",
    borderwidth=2,
    relief="sunken",
    justify="left",
    width=20,
    show="*"
)
entry.pack(padx=20, pady=20, ipady=5)

# Run the Tkinter event loop
root.mainloop()

5.3. Entry methods

Retrieve the text using text = entry_widget.get().
Clear the text using entry_widget.delete(0, tk.END).
Insert text using entry_widget.insert(0, "text").
Give the Entry widget keyboard focus using entry_widget.focus_set().
Select all text using entry_widget.select_range(0, tk.END).
text = entry_widget.get()
Retrieves the current text from the Entry widget.
Returns the text as a string.
entry_widget.delete(first, last=None)
Deletes characters from the Entry widget.
Use entry_widget.delete(0, tk.END) to clear all text.
entry_widget.insert(index, text)
Inserts text at the specified index.
Use entry_widget.insert(0, "text") to insert text at the beginning.
entry_widget.focus_set()
Gives the Entry widget keyboard focus.
The insertion cursor is placed in the widget ready for typing.
entry_widget.select_range(start, end)
Selects the text between start and end.
Use entry_widget.select_range(0, tk.END) to select all text.

5.4. Option details

entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, option=value)
parent is the window or frame object.
Options can be passed as parameters separated by commas.

Parameters:

background
bg
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, bg="color")
Description: Sets the background color of the entry field.
Default: SystemWindow RGB: (255, 255, 255)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, bg="lightgrey")
bd
borderwidth
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, borderwidth=width)
Description: Sets the width of the border around the entry field.
Default: 2
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, borderwidth=5)
cursor
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, cursor="cursor_type")
Description: Changes the cursor when hovering over the entry field.
Default: None
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, cursor="xterm")
Possible values include:

  • "arrow": Standard arrow cursor.

  • "xterm": I-beam cursor for text selection.

  • "hand2": Hand cursor.

  • "cross": Crosshair cursor.

  • "plus": Plus sign cursor.

  • "wait": Hourglass cursor.

disabledbackground
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, disabledbackground="color")
Description: Sets the background color when the entry is disabled.
Default: SystemDisabled RGB: (240, 240, 240)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, disabledbackground="lightgrey")
disabledforeground
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, disabledforeground="color")
Description: Sets the text color when the entry is disabled.
Default: SystemDisabledText RGB: (109, 109, 109)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, disabledforeground="darkgrey")
exportselection
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, exportselection=boolean)
Description: Determines if the text selection is exported to the clipboard.
Default: 1
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, exportselection=False)
font
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, font=("font_name", size))
Description: Sets the font type and size of the entry text.
Default: System font and size
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, font=("Arial", 12))
foreground
fg
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, fg="color")
Description: Sets the text color of the entry field.
Default: SystemWindowText RGB: (0, 0, 0)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, fg="blue")
highlightbackground
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, highlightbackground="color")
Description: Sets the color of the highlight when the entry does not have focus.
Default: SystemButtonFace RGB: (240, 240, 240)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, highlightbackground="grey")
highlightcolor
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, highlightcolor="color")
Description: Sets the color of the highlight when the entry has focus.
Default: SystemHighlight RGB: (100, 100, 100)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, highlightcolor="blue")
highlightthickness
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, highlightthickness=thickness)
Description: Sets the thickness of the focus highlight border.
Default: 1
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, highlightthickness=2)
insertbackground
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, insertbackground="color")
Description: Sets the color of the insertion cursor (caret).
Default: SystemWindowText RGB: (0, 0, 0)
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, insertbackground="red")
insertborderwidth
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, insertborderwidth=width)
Description: Sets the width of the insertion cursor's border.
Default: 0
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, insertborderwidth=1)
insertofftime
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, insertofftime=milliseconds)
Description: Sets the time the insertion cursor is off per blink in milliseconds.
Default: 300
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, insertofftime=500)
insertontime
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, insertontime=milliseconds)
Description: Sets the time the insertion cursor is on per blink in milliseconds.
Default: 600
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, insertontime=500)
insertwidth
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, insertwidth=width)
Description: Sets the width of the insertion cursor.
Default: 2
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, insertwidth=3)
justify
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, justify="alignment")
Description: Specifies how the text is aligned within the entry field.
It doesn't change where insertion starts.
Default: left
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, justify="center")
Possible values include:

  • "left": Aligns text to the left.

  • "center": Centers text within the field.

  • "right": Aligns text to the right.

relief
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, relief="relief_type")
Description: Sets the border style of the entry field.
Default: flat
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, relief="sunken")
Possible values include:

  • "flat"

  • "raised"

  • "sunken"

  • "groove"

  • "ridge"

  • "solid"

show
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, show="character")
Description: Masks characters, often used for passwords.
Default: ""
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, show="*")
state
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, state="state")
Description: Sets the state of the entry field.
Default: normal
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, state="disabled")
Possible values include:

  • "normal"

  • "disabled"

  • "readonly"

takefocus
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, takefocus=boolean)
Description: Determines if the entry field can receive focus via keyboard navigation.
Default: 1
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, takefocus=False)
textvariable
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, textvariable=variable)
Description: Associates a Tkinter variable (usually a StringVar) with the entry text.
Default: None
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, textvariable=my_var)
validate
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, validate="validation_type")
Description: Sets the type of validation to apply to the entry field.
Default: none
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, validate="focusout")
Possible values include:

  • "none": No validation.

  • "focus": Validation occurs when the widget gains or loses focus.

  • "focusin": Validation occurs when the entry gains focus.

  • "focusout": Validation occurs when the entry loses focus.

  • "key": Validation occurs on every keystroke.

  • "all": Validation occurs on every keystroke and when the entry loses or gains focus.

width
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, width=characters)
Description: Sets the width of the entry field in characters.
Default: 20
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, width=30)
xscrollcommand
Syntax: entry_widget = tk.Entry(parent, xscrollcommand=scroll_function)
Description: Specifies a function for horizontal scrolling.
Default: None
Example: entry_widget = tk.Entry(root, xscrollcommand=my_scroll_function)

5.5. Default options

Code to display the default value for each Entry option is shown below.
import tkinter as tk

root = tk.Tk()

widget = tk.Entry(root)
widget_options = widget.keys()

for option in widget_options:
    print(f"{option}: {widget.cget(option)}")  # cget retrieves the current value of the option