java - How to append StringBuilder to textarea while replacing the previous string builder that was there? -

so string.append , string2.append stringbuilder objects made load words text file faster, problem when switch radio button occurrence , alphabetical adds text area instead of replacing previous list. ideas on how fix this?

for(superstring word : ss) {   count++;   string.append(integer.tostring(count)+ "       "+ word+ "\n");   string.tostring(); } if(occurrence.isselected()) {  textarea.settext("");  textarea.append("    "+filename+" has wordcount: "+words.size()+   "\n-------------------------\n\n");  textarea.append(string.tostring()); }    for(superstring word : ss2) {    count2++;    string2.append(integer.tostring(count2)+ "       "+ word.tostring()+ "\n");   }      if(alphabetical.isselected()) {   textarea.settext("");   textarea.append(string2.tostring());  } 

you may looking replacerange(), "simply delete if new string null or empty." can insert() new text @ position 0.

textarea.replacerange(null, 0, 0); textarea.insert(string2.tostring(), 0); 

addendum: this above not work.

both replacerange() , settext() correctly clear text area when supplied null or empty string. latter illustrated in complete example. may have problem elsewhere in code, verify all swing gui objects constructed , manipulated only on event dispatch thread. note in particular append() no longer thread safe.