 			_textField.selectable = true;
 			_textField.type = TextFieldType.INPUT;
 			_textField.mouseEnabled = true;
+			_textField.multiline = false;
+			_textField.wordWrap = false;
 			
 			// for debug only
 			_textField.border = true;
-			_textField.borderColor = 0xFF0000;
+			_textField.borderColor = 0x333333;
+			_textField.width = 100;
+			_textField.height = 18;
 		}
+		
 		private var textModel:ITextModel;
 		
 		private var _strand:IStrand;
+		
+		private var _textField:TextField;
 		
 		public function set strand(value:IStrand):void
 		{

			textModel.text = _textField.text;
		}
		
		private var _textField:TextField;
		
		public function get text():String
		{

			// for input, listen for changes to the _textField and update
			// the model
			_textField.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, inputChangeHandler);
			
			// set initial size, if present, and listen for changes in dimension
			var ww:Number = DisplayObject(value).width;
			var hh:Number = DisplayObject(value).height;
			
			if( !isNaN(ww) && ww > 0 ) _textField.width = ww;
			if( !isNaN(hh) && hh > 0 ) _textField.height = hh;
			IEventDispatcher(_strand).addEventListener("widthChanged", widthChangedHandler);
			IEventDispatcher(_strand).addEventListener("heightChanged", heightChangedHandler);
		}
		
		private function textChangeHandler(event:Event):void
