     /**
      *  @private
      */
-    private var _widthInChars:int = 20;
+    private var _widthInChars:Number = 20;
 
     /**
      *  @private

     *  to determine its measuredWidth and measuredHeight. These are 
     *  similar to the cols and rows of an HTML TextArea.</p>
     */
    public function get heightInLines():int
    {
        return _heightInLines;
    }

    /**
     *  @private
     */
    public function set widthInChars(value:Number):void
    {
        if (value == _widthInChars)
            return;
