Question

I’m developing a plugin interface and I would like to have one method that returns formatted text in a way that a WPF control can just show the plugin result. What would be the best way to return that text?

This way I will only need to assign the plugin result to a WPF text control (maybe a RichTextBox or something like that).

I would like to support bold, underline, etc …

EDIT: Summarizing, I’m searching from a string “format” that allow 3rd party coders to return me a simple string with encoded format so I just need to do:

 myRichTextBox.Text = (IPlugin)3rdPartyPlugin.ExecutePlugin();

And the text appears formatted.

Answer 1

There are various Code behind ways to return a formatted text…

1] As Text

WPF Flowdocument and Inlines

2] As a graphically rendered text …

In any custom control’s overriden OnRender() method you can graphically paint the formatted text as a drawing …

    protected override void OnRender(DrawingContext drawingContext)
    {
        this.formattedToolTip = new FormattedText(
                (string)this.TextProperty,
                System.Globalization.CultureInfo.CurrentCulture,
                FlowDirection.LeftToRight,
                new Typeface(
                     new FontFamily("Arial"),
                     FontStyles.Normal,
                     FontWeights.Bold,
                     FontStretches.Normal),
                11,
                new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Black));

        drawingContext.DrawText(
                this.formattedToolTip,
                new Point(10, 10)); //// Margin of 10 pixels from top and left.
    }