diff -r c6aad84d2493 -r 0944d8c0158b components/visual-panels/core/src/java/util/com/oracle/solaris/vp/util/swing/AutoHideTextArea.java
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/components/visual-panels/core/src/java/util/com/oracle/solaris/vp/util/swing/AutoHideTextArea.java	Thu May 24 04:16:47 2012 -0400
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+/*
+ * CDDL HEADER START
+ *
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
+ * Common Development and Distribution License (the "License").
+ * You may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *
+ * You can obtain a copy of the license at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE
+ * or http://www.opensolaris.org/os/licensing.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions
+ * and limitations under the License.
+ *
+ * When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
+ * file and include the License file at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE.
+ * If applicable, add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the
+ * fields enclosed by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying
+ * information: Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
+ *
+ * CDDL HEADER END
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, 2012, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ */
+
+package com.oracle.solaris.vp.util.swing;
+
+import javax.swing.JTextArea;
+import javax.swing.event.DocumentEvent;
+import javax.swing.text.*;
+
+/**
+ * The {@code AutoHideTextArea} is a {@code JTextArea} whose visibility is
+ * automatically set to {@code false} when its text is {@code null} or empty,
+ * {@code true} otherwise.
+ */
+@SuppressWarnings({"serial"})
+public class AutoHideTextArea extends JTextArea {
+    public static class AutoHideListener extends DocumentAdapter {
+	//
+	// Instance data
+	//
+
+	private JTextComponent comp;
+
+	//
+	// DocumentAdapter methods
+	//
+
+	@Override
+	public void docUpdate(DocumentEvent event) {
+	    setVisible();
+	}
+
+	//
+	// AutoHideListener methods
+	//
+
+	public void deinit() {
+	    comp.getDocument().removeDocumentListener(this);
+	    this.comp = null;
+	}
+
+	public void init(JTextComponent comp) {
+	    this.comp = comp;
+	    comp.getDocument().addDocumentListener(this);
+	    setVisible();
+	}
+
+	//
+	// Private methods
+	//
+
+	/**
+	 * Sets the visibility of the given {@code JTextComponent} based on
+	 * whether it has a non-{@code null}/empty text.
+	 */
+	private void setVisible() {
+	    String text = comp.getText();
+	    comp.setVisible(text != null && !text.isEmpty());
+	}
+    }
+
+    //
+    // Static data
+    //
+
+    private static final AutoHideListener LISTENER = new AutoHideListener();
+
+    //
+    // Constructors
+    //
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea() {
+	init();
+    }
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea(Document doc) {
+	super(doc);
+	init();
+    }
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea(Document doc, String text, int rows, int columns) {
+	super(doc, text, rows, columns);
+	init();
+    }
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea(int rows, int columns) {
+	super(rows, columns);
+	init();
+    }
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea(String text) {
+	super(text);
+	init();
+    }
+
+    public AutoHideTextArea(String text, int rows, int columns)  {
+	super(text, rows, columns);
+	init();
+    }
+
+    //
+    // Private methods
+    //
+
+    private void init() {
+	autoHide(this);
+    }
+
+    //
+    // Static methods
+    //
+
+    /**
+     * Add an {@link AutoHideListener} to the given {@code JTextComponent} to
+     * automatically set its visibility whenever its text or icon properties
+     * change.
+     *
+     * @return	    the added {@link AutoHideListener}
+     */
+    public static AutoHideListener autoHide(JTextComponent comp) {
+	LISTENER.init(comp);
+	return LISTENER;
+    }
+}