PRB: SelHangingIndent Property of RichTextBox Is Not Persistent

ID: Q184198

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0

SYMPTOMS

The SelHangingIndent property can be set to negative values to create format paragraphs in a RichTextBox control. The value of the SelHangingIndent property is reflected in the textRTF property of RichTextBox. However, when the textRTF property is saved in a variable or in a file and then restored, the SelHangingIndent property is set to 0 and the regular paragraph format is lost.

CAUSE

The Microsoft RichTextBox control internally uses the standard RichText DLL, Riched32.dll. This DLL does not persist the SelHangingIndent property. This behavior can be seen in Wordpad.exe as well, because Wordpad also uses this DLL.

RESOLUTION

Tabs and spaces can be inserted at the start of the text to create the same format.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Start a new project. Form1 is created by default.

2. Add a RichTextBox and two CommandButtons to Form1.

3. Paste the following code in the General Declarations section of Form1:

      Dim s As String

      Private Sub Command1_Click()
         RichTextBox1.SelHangingIndent = -300
         s = RichTextBox1.TextRTF
      End Sub

      Private Sub Command2_Click()
         RichTextBox1.TextRTF = s
      End Sub

      Private Sub Form_Load()
         RichTextBox1.SelIndent = 1000
      End Sub

4. Run the project.

5. Add text to the control so one or more lines word wrap to the next line.

6. Click Command1 to change the SelHangingIndent and to save the textRTF

   in a variable.

7. Click Commmand2. Note that the hanging indent is no longer active.

Additional query words: save read kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbctrl kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport

Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: August 13, 1998