R
Robert Jacobson
In the past two days, I've run up against several major limitations with the
Framework RichTextBox (I'm sure there are others):
1. There's no Framework way to assign custom borders, and the FlatStyle
border doesn't work properly (it draws a flat border around a 3D border --
go figure.) Your only option is the 3D border, which looks very dated and
clashes with the Win XP styles. You can't even draw a custom border by
handling the OnPaint event, because doing so prevents the text from
displaying. The only alternatives are various API hacks and complex
Framework workarounds.
2. The RichTextBox doesn't allow for embedding "helper" URL's, in which a
friendly name or phrase is underlined instead of a URL. (Something that
both the LinkLabel control and the underlying CRichEditCtrl20 control can
do.)
3. There's no Framework method to prevent the RichTextBox from receiving
the focus and displaying a caret. There are only clunky workarounds, none
of which really works. (Disabling the RTF box, which changes its background
color and (AFAIK) prevents the user from interacting with the scrollbars,
using the NoCaret API, which must be resent frequently because it won't
"stick", or programmatically changing the focus whenever the RTF box
receives the focus.)
This inflexibility makes using the RichTextBox a bit like buying a Model T
Ford -- "you can have any color, as long as it's black." It seems very
unlike the other Framework controls, which tend to be much more flexible and
robust.
Does Microsoft have any plans to improve the RichTextBox with Whidbey? If
not, could the Whidbey team please consider this?
Many thanks,
Robert Jacobson
Framework RichTextBox (I'm sure there are others):
1. There's no Framework way to assign custom borders, and the FlatStyle
border doesn't work properly (it draws a flat border around a 3D border --
go figure.) Your only option is the 3D border, which looks very dated and
clashes with the Win XP styles. You can't even draw a custom border by
handling the OnPaint event, because doing so prevents the text from
displaying. The only alternatives are various API hacks and complex
Framework workarounds.
2. The RichTextBox doesn't allow for embedding "helper" URL's, in which a
friendly name or phrase is underlined instead of a URL. (Something that
both the LinkLabel control and the underlying CRichEditCtrl20 control can
do.)
3. There's no Framework method to prevent the RichTextBox from receiving
the focus and displaying a caret. There are only clunky workarounds, none
of which really works. (Disabling the RTF box, which changes its background
color and (AFAIK) prevents the user from interacting with the scrollbars,
using the NoCaret API, which must be resent frequently because it won't
"stick", or programmatically changing the focus whenever the RTF box
receives the focus.)
This inflexibility makes using the RichTextBox a bit like buying a Model T
Ford -- "you can have any color, as long as it's black." It seems very
unlike the other Framework controls, which tend to be much more flexible and
robust.
Does Microsoft have any plans to improve the RichTextBox with Whidbey? If
not, could the Whidbey team please consider this?
Many thanks,
Robert Jacobson