Storing data of rich text box to database with formatting

Question

I am new at wpf and I want to store the data of the rich text box along with its formatting (Italic, colored, Bold..) into a database (Mysql). currently when i save the data, formatting is ignored. in addition, it shows all the text in the same line when i load it back to the rich text box from the database. Looking forward to your help and suggestions!

public void save()
    {  

        MySqlConnection conn = new MySqlConnection(connString);
        MySqlCommand command = conn.CreateCommand();      
        string richText = new TextRange(rt1.Document.ContentStart,  rt1.Document.ContentEnd).Text;

        string s = WebUtility.HtmlEncode(richText); 
        command.Parameters.AddWithValue("@s", s);           
        command.CommandText = "insert into proc_tra (procedures) values (@s)";
        conn.Open();
        command.ExecuteNonQuery();
        conn.Close();
    }

public void load()

    {   MySqlConnection conn = new MySqlConnection(connString);
        MySqlCommand command = conn.CreateCommand();
        command.CommandText = "select * from proc_tra where id_pt=4";
        rt1.Document.Blocks.Clear();            
        conn.Open();            
        MySqlDataReader dr;
        dr = command.ExecuteReader();
        string k="";           
        while (dr.Read())
        {              
            k += dr["procedures"].ToString();
        }
        var p = new Paragraph();
        var run = new Run();
        run.Text = WebUtility.HtmlDecode(k);
        p.Inlines.Add(run);
        rt1.Document.Blocks.Add(p);
    }

Solution

To get the formatted text that will be saved in the db:

string rtfText; //string to save to db
TextRange tr = new TextRange(richTextBox.Document.ContentStart, richTextBox.Document.ContentEnd);
using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
{
    tr.Save(ms, DataFormats.Rtf);
    rtfText = Encoding.ASCII.GetString(ms.ToArray());
}

To restore the formatted text retrieved from the db:

string rtfText= ... //string from db
byte[] byteArray = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(rtfText);
using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(byteArray))
{
    TextRange tr = new TextRange(richTextBox.Document.ContentStart, richTextBox.Document.ContentEnd);
    tr.Load(ms, DataFormats.Rtf);
}

You can also use XAML format instead, using DataFormats.XAML on load an save.

Comments

[Amine Da.]

thx for the answer but ‘HttpUtility’ does not exist in the current context even if I add system.web

[Amine Da.]

I 've added reference to System.Web and Used using System.Web but still not working

[Timothy Randall]

Make sure your project is not targeting one of the Client Profile frameworks in your project properties.

[Amine Da.]

I already checked and I am targeting .Net framework 4.5 (not the client profile)

[Timothy Randall]

Since you are using .NET 4.5 you can swap out the HTTPUtility.HtmlEncode/Decode for this: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/…

[Amine Da.]

thx again for your help, I swaped to Webutility, I can save data to mysql but when i load it back still no formatting. I've updated my post with my code.

[Amine Da.]

maybe the (selectedDataFromMySQL).tostring() with the datareader is the problem

[Sharad Ag.]

Dosent work dear, Shows richtextbox doesnt have any definition called Document.

[TEK]

@SharadAg. This is for WPF, not WinForms.

[Connor Mcgrann]

If you are receiving the error "Reference to a non-shared member requires an object reference." Note that he is using the "richTextBox" as a variable and not the class. This means you need the following code to allow the TextRange to work. 'RichTextBox richTextBox = default(RichTextBox);' Great Solution btw, thumbs up.

[Admin]

This thread is for WPF. Thus your answer here is out of the thread scope. However your answer could be 'valid' if you have shared a working alternative for WinForms. That would help people looking for a WinForms solution.