# TkText widget: state(:disabled)

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/tktext-widget-state-disabled/158009>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 17, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/tktext-widget-state-disabled/158009 "2009-01-17T20:26:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![enchanter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/ce7236/32.png) [@enchanter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/enchanter)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/tktext-widget-state-disabled/158009/1 "2009-01-17T20:26:12Z")

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I have a TkText widget, and an input field. The text widget is disabled  
so that the user can’t type into it.  
However, I need to be able to put text into the widget (ouput from a MUD  
=D). The only way I can find to stop the user from editing is  
‘state(:disabled)’, which disabled me from putting text in as well.  
Thus, I have to do

text.state(:normal)  
text.insert(…)  
text.state(:disabled)  
but then comes anotehr problem! When it is disabled, the text inside  
isn’t selectable/copyable! Any help?

– Tim