About rich text

Rich text format (RTF) is a standard for specifying formatting instructions and document content in a single ASCII document. An editor that supports rich text format interprets the formatting instructions and displays formatted content. If you look at rich text in a plain ASCII editor, you see complex instructions that are not very readable. The actual text of the document is obscured by the formatting instructions:

{\par}\pard\ql{\f2\fs18\cf0\up0\dn0 A RichText piece of text}

The same sample displayed without the commands looks like this:

A RichText piece of text

Elements of rich text

Rich text in PowerBuilder can have:

  • Margins and tab settings for each paragraph

  • Character formatting such as italic, bold, underline, or superscripts for each character

  • Named input fields associated with database columns or other data

  • Bitmaps

  • A header and footer for the document

The user can use toolbars, editing keys, and a pop-up menu to specify formatting. A print preview lets users view a reduced image of the document to see how it fits on the page.

Rich text support in PowerBuilder

In PowerBuilder you can use rich text as a DataWindow presentation style. You can also add a RichTextEdit control to a window or visual user object.

What is not supported

PowerBuilder supports version 1.6 of the RTF standard, except for the following features:

  • Formatted tables

  • Drawing objects