Text Controls

Pen Controls

The Pen API provides three controlshandwriting, boxed edit and ink editto support pen input. These controls are not available as Visual Basic OCX files. You must use the Pen API to implement these features.

Handwriting (hEdit control)

The handwriting control is designed for text input. This control passes the text to one or more recognizers, which then is interpreted as equivalent digital text. Except under special circumstances, the hEdit control displays two sets of text. First, the handwritten characters appear as written by the user and formed by the ink trail of the pen. When the writing is recognized, the handwritten ink disappears from the screen and is replaced within the control window by the interpreted characters as determined by the recognizer. The interpreted text appears in a Windows font as though it had been typed at the keyboard.

Boxed Edit (bEdit control)

A boxed edit control provides an area for entering characters on a one-letter-per-box basis. This control supports pen input and also is scrollable. Windows supports both single-line and multiple-line boxed edit controls.

Ink Edit (iEdit control)

The ink edit control enables the user to create and edit ink without performing any recognition. It's similar to a drawing area designed for pen use. The control allows the user to select strokes, choose properties for strokes (for example, thickness and color ), move strokes, and delete strokes.