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
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.
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.
PowerBuilder supports version 1.6 of the RTF standard, except for the following features:
Formatted tables
Drawing objects
