Access 2003 Rich Text

[Todd Knapp]

Does anyone know if the upcoming Access 2003 will feature
the ability to do Rich Text for textboxes?

I desire to build an Access DB for letters and memos, as
our current use of Word leaves me, the network IT, with an
incredible file organization problem.

If not, what is available that actually works to include
Rich Text?

Todd

 

[GVaught]

I would not plan on storing any Word files within Access. If you stored
anything, it would be a link to the location of the particular Word
document.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Actually, I wasn't referring to Word. I was referencing
the ability to create Rich Text within an Access
textbox...bold, italics, underline, coloring, font size,
etc.

I remember somewhere there was a 3rd party that created
stuff like this. I desire to know if Microsoft is finally
making this feature available in Access 2003.

Actually it's been available from MS since Access 97, but only in the Developer's
Edition.

 

[Todd Knapp]

Seriously? I have Office XP Developer. Where do you find
this capability?

Just so I'm conveying the right train of thought, I'm
looking for the ability for the user to have a toolbar
like a Word Formatting toolbar for the end user to be able
to choose how they want to format what appears in the
textbox.

Please, do share how this is done! I'm all ears.

Todd

 

[Rick Brandt]

Seriously? I have Office XP Developer. Where do you find
this capability?

Just so I'm conveying the right train of thought, I'm
looking for the ability for the user to have a toolbar
like a Word Formatting toolbar for the end user to be able
to choose how they want to format what appears in the
textbox.

Please, do share how this is done! I'm all ears.

Open a form in design view, press the "More Controls" button and find the control
named "Microsoft Rich Text Control". You will then need to design your own toolbars
that allow for the functionality of changing fonts, colors, bold etc...

It's not really all that useful because it doesn't work for printing very well. Be
aware too, that your memo field that you store your Rich Text in will include all of
the RTF tags added by the control and will not really be usable except in the
RichText control itself.

 

[Glen Appleton]

Actually, I just installed Access 2003 and the support that *WAS* included
for the RichText control on forms has been removed. I have one project (a
knowledge base) that relies heavily on this control, and I'm not real
pleased.

Oh well, such is life I guess.

- Glen

 

[Rick Brandt]

Actually, I just installed Access 2003 and the support that *WAS* included
for the RichText control on forms has been removed. I have one project (a
knowledge base) that relies heavily on this control, and I'm not real
pleased.

Oh well, such is life I guess.

My understanding is that the control was only included in the Developer's
Edition. Is that what you have for 2003?

 

[Glen Appleton]

Hi Rick,

As of yet, there is has been no Developer's Edition of Office 2003
announced. However, the only difference with the ODE version were the
runtime, tools, and distribution license. I don't think even if/when the
ODE is release that it will change the base of supported controls on the
Access forms.

It looks like if I want to keep this application working with Access 2003,
I'll have to find a working alternative to the RichText control for use on
the forms.

- Glen

 

[Stephen Lebans]

I just had a quick peek here:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/editions/accessdav.asp
and
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/developer/whitepaper.asp
and
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/office/

There certainly is a "Developer" version/tools for Office 2003 and
Access 2003. While on the surface there is no specific mention of the
RTF control it would certainly be included with the Developer version of
Office.
Alternatives include the FMS RTF control and my free RTF(new version
coming soon) control here:
http://www.lebans.com/richtext.htm
--

HTH
Stephen Lebans
http://www.lebans.com
Access Code, Tips and Tricks
Please respond only to the newsgroups so everyone can benefit.

 

[Glen Appleton]

Hi Stephen,

Unfortunately, it's not a matter of whether or not the control is included
in the Office version (I still have it from ODE 2002), but rather the error
I get when I try to use it in an Access 2003 form "Object Not Supported".
This is what leads me to believe the control can no longer be used on an any
Access 2003 forms, regardless of license. I've also checked my references
and re-registered the control to no avail.

I have tried to use your current version of the RTF2 control to replace my
current RTF objects on the forms. Although Access does not throw the
"Object Not Supported" error, it seems that the default properties and
methods of the control (.TextRTF, .Text, etc..) are not exposed on an Access
2003 form. It does seem to still work in the example databases you provide
when it's bound to a field, but when trying to use the default methods or
properties in VBA, it produces a "Object doesn't support this property or
method" error during runtime.

I am looking forward to the Office Development Tools when they are released,
but unfortunately that won't help my situation right now. Your RTF2 control
looks really promising and I hope that the next version will allow me to
access the default properties and methods in this new version of Access.

- Glen

 

[Stephen Lebans]

THe default props of my RTF ocntrol are different than that of the MS
RTF control. Just look at the property SHeet for the control. Remember
when you are trying to access these props programmatically you must
unwrap(dereference) the Active object first.
For example:
Me.TheNameOfTHeRTFControl.object.whateverthepropnameis


--

HTH
Stephen Lebans
http://www.lebans.com
Access Code, Tips and Tricks
Please respond only to the newsgroups so everyone can benefit.

 

[Glen Appleton]

Does the Object collection of the control expose the .Text property like the
standard RichText control? I use this property to populate an alternate
field for searching capabilities.

- Glen

 

[Stephen Lebans]

Glen did you look at the Property Sheet for the control as I asked you
to?
You can also see what props/methods are supported by using invlokin gthe
Object Browser window and selecting the RTF2 control class.

--

HTH
Stephen Lebans
http://www.lebans.com
Access Code, Tips and Tricks
Please respond only to the newsgroups so everyone can benefit.

 

[Glen Appleton]

Hi Stephen,

I did look at the properties of the control itself, but I haven't used the
object browser yet. I'll do that today and let you know what I find.

Thanks again!
- Glen

 

[Glen Appleton]

Hi Stephen,

OK, I've checked both the property sheet and the object browser as well as
scanning through the properties in the Watches window. I see most of the
common properties of the standard RichText control, but no reference to the
..Text property. I would like to request that the .Text property be exposed
in a future version of the RTF2 control, if possible.

The .Text property of the RichText control returns a plain text version of
the .TextRTF property. This is useful when you need to retrieve the content
of the RichText control without the RTF formatting codes.

Thanks again!
- Glen

 

[Stephen Lebans]

The version I am working with exposes the Text property along with
several new props and methods. I just need to find a couple of hours to
test before I publish.
:-(
--

HTH
Stephen Lebans
http://www.lebans.com
Access Code, Tips and Tricks
Please respond only to the newsgroups so everyone can benefit.

 

[Glen Appleton]

Very cool! I'll keep an eye open for any updates on your web site.

I would be happy to do some testing as well if you need someone with Access
2003 to give it a go.

Thanks again!
- Glen

 

[Michel Walsh]

Hi STephen,


I am waiting for yoru ocntorl wiht impateince


VAnderghast ACcess MVP

 

[Stephen Lebans]

Hi Michel,
I have been spending all of my free computing time working on developing
compression algorithms. I need to get back to Access sometime in the
near future!
:-(

--

HTH
Stephen Lebans
http://www.lebans.com
Access Code, Tips and Tricks
Please respond only to the newsgroups so everyone can benefit.