One of the least commonly used properties of the Selection class is IsCommonValueSelected. I have recently assisted several customers with this property and thus would like to take this opportunity to explain its exact functionality.

This property informs on whether a certain attribute has the same value as the value of the complete selection.

This is very important, for example, to synchronize a customized button bar with the current formatting of the selected text like bold or italic.

Possible attributes are:

• Baseline: Specifies the attribute set through the Baseline property.
• Bold: Specifies the attribute set through the Bold property.
• FontName: Specifies the attribute set through the FontName property.
• FontSize: Specifies the attribute set through the FontSize property.
• ForeColor: Specifies the attribute set through the ForeColor property.
• FormattingStyle: Specifies the attribute set through the FormattingStyle property.
• Italic: Specifies the attribute set through the Italic property.
• Strikeout: Specifies the attribute set through the Strikeout property.
• TextBackColor: Specifies the attribute set through the TextBackColor property.
• Underline: Specifies the attribute set through the Underline property.

The following VB.NET code return true, if the complete selection is formatted in bold.