What's New in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0
The following features are new or have been improved in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0:
New and Updated Features
True Browser-based Rich Text Editing
Browsers typically offer a way to allow sections of a web page to be editable. FireFox uses Midas, while Microsoft Internet Explorer deploys its own MSHTML Editing Platform. Using these pseudo WYSIWYG editing components, basic word processors, such as Google Docs (formerly Writely), WriteBoard or Zoho Writer can be created.
This approach to browser based-word processing, however, is seriously limited in terms of features and usability.
Web browsers that deploy the above mentioned editing components can only handle HTML. Thus, the lowest common denominator for formatting styles are those supported by HTML, and not those found in high-end word processing packages.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 offers a radically new approach to browser-based rich text editing. It allows developers to create true WYSIWYG word processors that offer all the formatting capabilities and user-interface comfort found in big-brand word processors, directly in the end-users's browser.
How It Works
One Application, Two Components
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 browser based applications consist of two distinct parts:
- Browser application component
- Server application component
The browser application component runs in the end-user's web browser, while the server application component runs on Internet Information Server. The only requirements for the end-user's PC are that a) Microsoft Internet Explorer is used and b) the .NET Framework is installed.
The word processor itself runs in the browser application component, while the server is used as a deployment vehicle and for file I/O. i.e. when files are loaded into and save by the browser-based word processor.
The interplay between the two application components is illustrated in the following diagram:
Simple Browser Instantiation
With a compliant environment, the end-user simply needs to go to the URL at which the TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 based application is deployed and download a basic HTML page, containing the following <OBJECT /> tag.
<OBJECT
classid="http:BrowserBin/BrowserApplication.dll#BrowserApplication.BrowserAppControl"
id="BrowserApp"
name="BrowserApp"
width="100%"
height="100%"
>
</OBJECT>
where:
| classid | Specifies a string composed of:
- assembly filename
- namespace
- class name of the TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 based control
|
| ID | Assigns a name to the object that is used to access it from program code |
| Name | see ID |
| width | Specifies the width of the browser-based word processing application |
| height | Specifies the height of the browser-based word processing application |
When the above HTML is executed in the browser, an assembly container is transferred from the server to the client and stored in the local assembly download cache. The browser application component is then executed, thus enabling the end-user to perform advanced word processing.
End-User Benefits
Creating browser-based word processing applications that fit the herein described paradigm offer the following advantages:
- No page refreshes
Data transfer between the client and server application components is transparent to the end-user. The HTML page in which the browser application is embedded never has to be refreshed.
- Increased performance
Small amounts of data are transferred between client and server application components, thus ensuring the agile operation of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 browser-based applications.
- Desktop-like behavior
The behavior of browser-based TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 word processing applications is indistinguishable from their desktop pendants, thus flattening the learning curve for end-users.
Inter-Application Communication
The browser application component exchanges data with the server using .NET Remoting. Using standard .NET Remoting protocols, a channel is simply constructed that allows the exchange of data between the two components of the application.
This inter-application exchange is transparent to the end-user. For example, when a server-based document is loaded into the browser-based word processing application, data is exchanged via this channel. Similarly, when an end-user saves a document in the browser, the data is automatically transported back to the server components of the application, where it can be stored, or be subject to a number of post-processing processes.
Summary
The major advantage of this approach over traditional browser-based word processors is that all the formatting options that TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 offers are available to end-users in their browser. For example, adding headers and footers or page based views to traditional browser-based word processing is impossible. These are standard features in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 and are thus immediately available in the browser.
Paragraph Formatting
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 has traditionally offered a plethora of rich formatting options for paragraph styles. Most new versions of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms build on previous versions and add substantial new paragraph formatting capabilities. Version 13.0 is no different.
The following pagination styles have been added to the latest version:
Keep Lines Together
If the end-user selects this attribute, TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 places all lines of the current paragraph on the same page. TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 does not break this paragraph, but keeps it intact.
Keep With Next
By selecting this option, an end-user can force TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 to place the current paragraph and the preceding paragraph on the same page.
Page Break Before
If the end-user selects this attribute, TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 places the current paragraph at the top of a new page.
Widow and Orphan Control
A widow is the last line of a paragraph that is printed by itself at the top of a page. Inversely, an orphan is the first line of a paragraph that is printed by itself at the bottom of a page.
Both widows and orphans are considered to be undesirable typography effects and thus should be avoided in word processing documents, such as newspapers, magazines and books.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 introduces new widow and orphan control options that can be set from program code and by using the updated shipped Paragraph dialog box. The number of lines that are considered to constitute a widow or orphan can similarly be set programmatically or by using the selection list in the dialog box.
Horizontal and Vertical Ruler Bars
Ever since early versions, TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 has shipped with a horizontal ruler bar, with which a multitude of different tabs, indentations and table cell widths could be set.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 sees an overhaul of the horizontal ruler bar and the addition of a vertical ruler bar.
In addition to previous functionality, end-users can now set the following parameters, using the updated and new ruler bars:
Page Margins
Page margins define the amount of white space around a document and the edge of the piece of paper on which the document will be printed.
New in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 is the ability to set the vertical page margins, using the upward and downward markers in the new vertical ruler bar.
The horizontal ruler bar has been updated to allow the horizontal page margins to be set, using the right and left markers.
By click and dragging the markers, an end-user can thus easily set all page margins.
Previously, this was only possible via a dialog box or programmatically.
Headers and Footers Margins
Headers and footers refer to the text and/or images that appear at the top and bottom of all pages.
Instead of adding this type of information to every page of a word processing document, headers and footers can be defined once and are added automatically.
By dragging the upward and downward markers of the new vertical ruler bar, end-users can set the following two parameters:
- Distance between top of page and beginning of header.
- Distance between top of page and beginning of main body.
Width and Height of Table Cells
The function of tables in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 is to convey important information to readers as quickly as possible. Typically, end-users use tables to define their key objectives, sales projections and other statistical information.
When the focus is in a table, end-users can used the new right and left markers in the horizontal ruler bar to change the width of cells.
Similarly, using the gray markers in the vertical ruler bar, end-users can change the height of cells or the entire table.
Previously, this was only possible using the Table Format dialog box.
Width and Height of Text Frames
A text frame is a rectangle in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 that can be filled with text and/or graphics by the end-user. Text frames can be edited and dragged around the document just like any other element in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0.
Using the updated horizontal and new vertical ruler bar, the width and height of text frames can changed by dragging the new markers.
Similarly, when the focus is inside a text frame, end-users can set the white space around the content of a text frame and its border.
These new methods of adjusting text frame sizes are in addition to previous methods (dialog box, text frame handles).
Width and Height of Images
Most word processing documents contain some kind of diagram, chart or photo. They are typically used to visually illustrate the text, to show sales projections or to convey technical information in a specification document. TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 has supported multiple import methods for images for several generations.
New in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 is the ability to re-size images, using the markers in the updated horizontal ruler bar and new vertical ruler bar.
Previously, images could only be re-sized by dragging the handles on the image's frame.
Contemporary Application Look and Feel
The emotion conveyed to an end-user when using an application and the general usability of an application heavily rely on the look and feel of the GUI. Indeed, the satisfaction perceived by an end-user is primarily dependent upon by the slickness and feeling of the user interface.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 introduces a new set of themes and color schemes.
Based upon the currently active Windows theme and color scheme, the following elements of the GUI are now automatically set by TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0:
- Style of button bar
- Color of status bar
- Color of horizontal and vertical ruler bar
- Color of scroll bars
Below are a few sample screenshots that illustrate the new look and feel of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 based applications:
Windows XP - blue
Windows XP - olive
Windows XP - silver
Hypertext Links in PDF Documents
Ever since its introduction in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 10.0, Export to PDF has always been a popular feature. Especially, as in the last few years, PDF has become ubiquitous and is correspondingly supported by most main stream word processing, spreadsheet and graphics packages.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 builds on the solid foundation of previous versions, but now exports hyperlinks that are defined in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 documents to their PDF pendants.
By deploying this new feature, developers can create new kinds applications that allow end users to be able to define hypertext links to:
- Cited sources within the document or to external URLs.
- Centrally stored and constantly updated legal information, in the form of PDF, HTML or DOC files.
- Complex XML-based references material.
- Supplementary information or white papers.
The following screenshots illustrate a technical document that contain hyperlinks to an external, PDF-based information source - in this case, a supplementary white paper.
The first screenshot illustrates the creation of the document in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0, in which a hyperlink has been set (illustrated by the blue underlined text) and the second shows the exported PDF version in Adobe Reader.
Technical Document In TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0
White paper, describing the functionality of an industrial camera, being edited in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0:
Technical Document In Adobe Reader
The same document, exported by TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 to PDF. When the hypertext link is clicked, the target document is downloaded:
Please note: The responsibility of underlining and setting the color of hyperlinks to blue lies in the realm of the programmer. This is not the default behavior of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0.
Clipboard Import
The ability to copy RTF formatted text into the clipboard, insert it into a TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 based application and have the text appear in its original formatting has been a popular feature of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms for several generations.
Text formatted as HTML in the clipboard, however was previously imported in its plain state.
In TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0, this behavior has been updated: HTML formatted text in the clipboard is now imported complete with its formatting.
Typical Corporate Web Page In Internet Explorer
The selected text below has been copied to the clipboard.
Selected Text In TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0
On pasting the selected text into TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0, the formatting of the original HTML document is transferred to the TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 document.
Text Fields and Hypertext Links
Text field position
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 build on the solid text field handling capabilities of previous versions to bring improvements to the programmer and end user. Previously, certain hacks were required to determine the exact position inside a text field, or whether the caret was in a text field at all.
The latest version of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 is shipped with a new constructor for the InputPosition class. It determines the exact input position at the beginning or at the end of a TextField. This allows developers to position the caret after a text field. Thus, text that is entered by the end user, can either belong to the text field or to the surrounding text.
These new abilities offer developers more flexibility and control over text fields and their deployment in a word processing document.
FieldEntered and FieldLeft
After numerous customer requests, the functionality of these two events have been improved in TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0:
| FieldEntered | This event is fired when the caret is placed inside a text field. |
| FieldLeft | This event is fired when the caret moves out of a text field. |
These events enable developers to trap whether the input position is inside a text field and thus whether to display a context menu or the property list that belongs to the current text field.
The events are fired when the user sets the caret into a text field, using the keyboard or mouse.
By deploying these new events, developers are able to synchronize all possible states in a word processing document.
Hypertext Targets
Hyperlinks are an important part of any word processing package. Correspondingly, the ability to define hyperlinks and targets has been an integral feature of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 for several generations. Hyperlinks can lead to targets within the same document, to other word processing documents or even to URLs on the Internet.
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 13.0 introduces a new graphical element that immediately informs end users of the exact location of a hyperlink target. This is illustrated in the following screenshot:
