Qt Reference Documentation

# QTextFormat Class Reference

The QTextFormat class provides formatting information for a QTextDocument. More...

     #include <QTextFormat>

Inherited by: QTextBlockFormat, QTextCharFormat, QTextFrameFormat, and QTextListFormat.

Note: All functions in this class are reentrant.

- List of all members, including inherited members

## Public Types

enum | FormatType { InvalidFormat, BlockFormat, CharFormat, ListFormat, ..., UserFormat }
enum | ObjectTypes { NoObject, ImageObject, TableObject, TableCellObject, UserObject }
enum | PageBreakFlag { PageBreak_Auto, PageBreak_AlwaysBefore, PageBreak_AlwaysAfter }
flags | PageBreakFlags
enum | Property { ObjectIndex, CssFloat, LayoutDirection, OutlinePen, ..., UserProperty }

## Public Functions

| QTextFormat ()
| QTextFormat ( int type )
| QTextFormat ( const QTextFormat & other )
| ~QTextFormat ()
QBrush | background () const
bool | boolProperty ( int propertyId ) const
QBrush | brushProperty ( int propertyId ) const
void | clearBackground ()
void | clearForeground ()
void | clearProperty ( int propertyId )
QColor | colorProperty ( int propertyId ) const
qreal | doubleProperty ( int propertyId ) const
QBrush | foreground () const
bool | hasProperty ( int propertyId ) const
int | intProperty ( int propertyId ) const
bool | isBlockFormat () const
bool | isCharFormat () const
bool | isFrameFormat () const
bool | isImageFormat () const
bool | isListFormat () const
bool | isTableCellFormat () const
bool | isTableFormat () const
bool | isValid () const
Qt::LayoutDirection | layoutDirection () const
QTextLength | lengthProperty ( int propertyId ) const
QVector<QTextLength> | lengthVectorProperty ( int propertyId ) const
void | merge ( const QTextFormat & other )
int | objectIndex () const
int | objectType () const
QPen | penProperty ( int propertyId ) const
QMap<int, QVariant> | properties () const
QVariant | property ( int propertyId ) const
int | propertyCount () const
void | setBackground ( const QBrush & brush )
void | setForeground ( const QBrush & brush )
void | setLayoutDirection ( Qt::LayoutDirection direction )
void | setObjectIndex ( int index )
void | setObjectType ( int type )
void | setProperty ( int propertyId, const QVariant & value )
void | setProperty ( int propertyId, const QVector<QTextLength> & value )
QString | stringProperty ( int propertyId ) const
QTextBlockFormat | toBlockFormat () const
QTextCharFormat | toCharFormat () const
QTextFrameFormat | toFrameFormat () const
QTextImageFormat | toImageFormat () const
QTextListFormat | toListFormat () const
QTextTableCellFormat | toTableCellFormat () const
QTextTableFormat | toTableFormat () const
int | type () const
| operator QVariant () const
bool | operator!= ( const QTextFormat & other ) const
QTextFormat & | operator= ( const QTextFormat & other )
bool | operator== ( const QTextFormat & other ) const

## Detailed Description

The QTextFormat class provides formatting information for a QTextDocument.

A QTextFormat is a generic class used for describing the format of parts of a QTextDocument. The derived classes QTextCharFormat, QTextBlockFormat, QTextListFormat, and QTextTableFormat are usually more useful, and describe the formatting that is applied to specific parts of the document.

A format has a `FormatType` which specifies the kinds of text item it can format; e.g. a block of text, a list, a table, etc. A format also has various properties (some specific to particular format types), as described by the Property enum. Every property has a corresponding Property.

The format type is given by type(), and the format can be tested with isCharFormat(), isBlockFormat(), isListFormat(), isTableFormat(), isFrameFormat(), and isImageFormat(). If the type is determined, it can be retrieved with toCharFormat(), toBlockFormat(), toListFormat(), toTableFormat(), toFrameFormat(), and toImageFormat().

A format's properties can be set with the setProperty() functions, and retrieved with boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), and stringProperty() as appropriate. All the property IDs used in the format can be retrieved with allPropertyIds(). One format can be merged into another using merge().

A format's object index can be set with setObjectIndex(), and retrieved with objectIndex(). These methods can be used to associate the format with a QTextObject. It is used to represent lists, frames, and tables inside the document.

See also Rich Text Processing.

## Member Type Documentation

### enum QTextFormat::FormatType

This enum describes the text item a QTextFormat object is formatting.

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::InvalidFormat` | `-1` | An invalid format as created by the default constructor
`QTextFormat::BlockFormat` | `1` | The object formats a text block
`QTextFormat::CharFormat` | `2` | The object formats a single character
`QTextFormat::ListFormat` | `3` | The object formats a list
`QTextFormat::TableFormat` | `4` | The object formats a table
`QTextFormat::FrameFormat` | `5` | The object formats a frame
`QTextFormat::UserFormat` | `100` |

See also QTextCharFormat, QTextBlockFormat, QTextListFormat, QTextTableFormat, and type().

### enum QTextFormat::ObjectTypes

This enum describes what kind of QTextObject this format is associated with.

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::NoObject` | `0` |
`QTextFormat::ImageObject` | `1` |
`QTextFormat::TableObject` | `2` |
`QTextFormat::TableCellObject` | `3` |
`QTextFormat::UserObject` | `0x1000` | The first object that can be used for application-specific purposes.

See also QTextObject, QTextTable, and QTextObject::format().

### enum QTextFormat::PageBreakFlag
flags QTextFormat::PageBreakFlags

This enum describes how page breaking is performed when printing. It maps to the corresponding css properties.

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::PageBreak_Auto` | `0` | The page break is determined automatically depending on the available space on the current page
`QTextFormat::PageBreak_AlwaysBefore` | `0x001` | The page is always broken before the paragraph/table
`QTextFormat::PageBreak_AlwaysAfter` | `0x010` | A new page is always started after the paragraph/table

This enum was introduced or modified in Qt 4.2.

The PageBreakFlags type is a typedef for QFlags<PageBreakFlag>. It stores an OR combination of PageBreakFlag values.

See also QTextBlockFormat::pageBreakPolicy(), QTextFrameFormat::pageBreakPolicy(), and PageBreakPolicy.

### enum QTextFormat::Property

This enum describes the different properties a format can have.

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::ObjectIndex` | `0x0` | The index of the formatted object. See objectIndex().

Paragraph and character properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::CssFloat` | `0x0800` | How a frame is located relative to the surrounding text
`QTextFormat::LayoutDirection` | `0x0801` | The layout direction of the text in the document (Qt::LayoutDirection).
`QTextFormat::OutlinePen` | `0x810` |
`QTextFormat::ForegroundBrush` | `0x821` |
`QTextFormat::BackgroundBrush` | `0x820` |
`QTextFormat::BackgroundImageUrl` | `0x823` |

Paragraph properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::BlockAlignment` | `0x1010` |
`QTextFormat::BlockTopMargin` | `0x1030` |
`QTextFormat::BlockBottomMargin` | `0x1031` |
`QTextFormat::BlockLeftMargin` | `0x1032` |
`QTextFormat::BlockRightMargin` | `0x1033` |
`QTextFormat::TextIndent` | `0x1034` |
`QTextFormat::TabPositions` | `0x1035` | Specifies the tab positions. The tab positions are structs of QTextOption::Tab which are stored in a QList (internally, in a QList<QVariant>).
`QTextFormat::BlockIndent` | `0x1040` |
`QTextFormat::LineHeight` | `0x1048` |
`QTextFormat::LineHeightType` | `0x1049` |
`QTextFormat::BlockNonBreakableLines` | `0x1050` |
`QTextFormat::BlockTrailingHorizontalRulerWidth` | `0x1060` | The width of a horizontal ruler element.

Character properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::FontFamily` | `0x2000` |
`QTextFormat::FontPointSize` | `0x2001` |
`QTextFormat::FontPixelSize` | `0x2009` |
`QTextFormat::FontSizeAdjustment` | `0x2002` | Specifies the change in size given to the fontsize already set using FontPointSize or FontPixelSize.
`QTextFormat::FontFixedPitch` | `0x2008` |
`QTextFormat::FontWeight` | `0x2003` |
`QTextFormat::FontItalic` | `0x2004` |
`QTextFormat::FontUnderline` | `0x2005` | This property has been deprecated. Use QTextFormat::TextUnderlineStyle instead.
`QTextFormat::FontOverline` | `0x2006` |
`QTextFormat::FontStrikeOut` | `0x2007` |
`QTextFormat::FontCapitalization` | `FirstFontProperty` | Specifies the capitalization type that is to be applied to the text.
`QTextFormat::FontLetterSpacing` | `0x1FE1` | Changes the default spacing between individual letters in the font. The value is specified in percentage, with 100 as the default value.
`QTextFormat::FontWordSpacing` | `0x1FE2` | Changes the default spacing between individual words. A positive value increases the word spacing by the corresponding pixels; a negative value decreases the spacing.
`QTextFormat::FontStyleHint` | `0x1FE3` | Corresponds to the QFont::StyleHint property
`QTextFormat::FontStyleStrategy` | `0x1FE4` | Corresponds to the QFont::StyleStrategy property
`QTextFormat::FontKerning` | `0x1FE5` | Specifies whether the font has kerning turned on.
`QTextFormat::FontHintingPreference` | `0x1FE6` | Controls the use of hinting according to values of the QFont::HintingPreference enum.
`QTextFormat::TextUnderlineColor` | `0x2010` |
`QTextFormat::TextVerticalAlignment` | `0x2021` |
`QTextFormat::TextOutline` | `0x2022` |
`QTextFormat::TextUnderlineStyle` | `0x2023` |
`QTextFormat::TextToolTip` | `0x2024` | Specifies the (optional) tool tip to be displayed for a fragment of text.
`QTextFormat::IsAnchor` | `0x2030` |
`QTextFormat::AnchorHref` | `0x2031` |
`QTextFormat::AnchorName` | `0x2032` |
`QTextFormat::ObjectType` | `0x2f00` |

List properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::ListStyle` | `0x3000` | Specifies the style used for the items in a list, described by values of the QTextListFormat::Style enum.
`QTextFormat::ListIndent` | `0x3001` | Specifies the amount of indentation used for a list.
`QTextFormat::ListNumberPrefix` | `0x3002` | Defines the text which is prepended to item numbers in numeric lists.
`QTextFormat::ListNumberSuffix` | `0x3003` | Defines the text which is appended to item numbers in numeric lists.

Table and frame properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::FrameBorder` | `0x4000` |
`QTextFormat::FrameBorderBrush` | `0x4009` |
`QTextFormat::FrameBorderStyle` | `0x4010` | See the BorderStyle enum.
`QTextFormat::FrameBottomMargin` | `0x4006` |
`QTextFormat::FrameHeight` | `0x4004` |
`QTextFormat::FrameLeftMargin` | `0x4007` |
`QTextFormat::FrameMargin` | `0x4001` |
`QTextFormat::FramePadding` | `0x4002` |
`QTextFormat::FrameRightMargin` | `0x4008` |
`QTextFormat::FrameTopMargin` | `0x4005` |
`QTextFormat::FrameWidth` | `0x4003` |
`QTextFormat::TableCellSpacing` | `0x4102` |
`QTextFormat::TableCellPadding` | `0x4103` |
`QTextFormat::TableColumns` | `0x4100` |
`QTextFormat::TableColumnWidthConstraints` | `0x4101` |
`QTextFormat::TableHeaderRowCount` | `0x4104` |

Table cell properties

Constant | Value
--- | ---
`QTextFormat::TableCellRowSpan` | `0x4810`
`QTextFormat::TableCellColumnSpan` | `0x4811`
`QTextFormat::TableCellLeftPadding` | `0x4814`
`QTextFormat::TableCellRightPadding` | `0x4815`
`QTextFormat::TableCellTopPadding` | `0x4812`
`QTextFormat::TableCellBottomPadding` | `0x4813`

Image properties

Constant | Value
--- | ---
`QTextFormat::ImageName` | `0x5000`
`QTextFormat::ImageWidth` | `0x5010`
`QTextFormat::ImageHeight` | `0x5011`

Selection properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::FullWidthSelection` | `0x06000` | When set on the characterFormat of a selection, the whole width of the text will be shown selected.

Page break properties

Constant | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
`QTextFormat::PageBreakPolicy` | `0x7000` | Specifies how pages are broken. See the PageBreakFlag enum.
`QTextFormat::UserProperty` | `0x100000` |

See also property() and setProperty().

## Member Function Documentation

### QTextFormat::QTextFormat ()

Creates a new text format with an `InvalidFormat`.

See also FormatType.

### QTextFormat::QTextFormat ( int type )

Creates a new text format of the given type.

See also FormatType.

### QTextFormat::QTextFormat ( const QTextFormat & other )

Creates a new text format with the same attributes as the other text format.

### QTextFormat::~QTextFormat ()

Destroys this text format.

### QBrush QTextFormat::background () const

Returns the brush used to paint the document's background.

See also setBackground(), clearBackground(), and foreground().

### bool QTextFormat::boolProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property specified by propertyId. If the property isn't of QTextFormat::Bool type, false is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### QBrush QTextFormat::brushProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId; if the property isn't of QVariant::Brush type, Qt::NoBrush is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### void QTextFormat::clearBackground ()

Clears the brush used to paint the document's background. The default brush will be used.

See also background(), setBackground(), and clearForeground().

### void QTextFormat::clearForeground ()

Clears the brush used to paint the document's foreground. The default brush will be used.

See also foreground(), setForeground(), and clearBackground().

### void QTextFormat::clearProperty ( int propertyId )

Clears the value of the property given by propertyId

See also Property.

### QColor QTextFormat::colorProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId; if the property isn't of QVariant::Color type, an invalid color is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### qreal QTextFormat::doubleProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property specified by propertyId. If the property isn't of QVariant::Double or QMetaType::Float type, 0 is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), stringProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### QBrush QTextFormat::foreground () const

Returns the brush used to render foreground details, such as text, frame outlines, and table borders.

See also setForeground(), clearForeground(), and background().

### bool QTextFormat::hasProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns true if the text format has a property with the given propertyId; otherwise returns false.

See also properties() and Property.

### int QTextFormat::intProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property specified by propertyId. If the property is not of QTextFormat::Integer type, 0 is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### bool QTextFormat::isBlockFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `BlockFormat`; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isCharFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `CharFormat`; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isFrameFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `FrameFormat`; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isImageFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is an image format; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isListFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `ListFormat`; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isTableCellFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `TableCellFormat`; otherwise returns false.

This function was introduced in Qt 4.4.

### bool QTextFormat::isTableFormat () const

Returns true if this text format is a `TableFormat`; otherwise returns false.

### bool QTextFormat::isValid () const

Returns true if the format is valid (i.e. is not InvalidFormat); otherwise returns false.

### Qt::LayoutDirection QTextFormat::layoutDirection () const

Returns the document's layout direction.

See also setLayoutDirection().

### QTextLength QTextFormat::lengthProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### QVector<QTextLength> QTextFormat::lengthVectorProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId. If the property isn't of QTextFormat::LengthVector type, an empty length vector is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthProperty(), and Property.

### void QTextFormat::merge ( const QTextFormat & other )

Merges the other format with this format; where there are conflicts the other format takes precedence.

### int QTextFormat::objectIndex () const

Returns the index of the format object, or -1 if the format object is invalid.

See also setObjectIndex().

### int QTextFormat::objectType () const

Returns the text format's object type.

See also ObjectTypes and setObjectType().

### QPen QTextFormat::penProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId; if the property isn't of QVariant::Pen type, Qt::NoPen is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), stringProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### QMap<int, QVariant> QTextFormat::properties () const

Returns a map with all properties of this text format.

### QVariant QTextFormat::property ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the property specified by the given propertyId.

See also setProperty() and Property.

### int QTextFormat::propertyCount () const

Returns the number of properties stored in the format.

This function was introduced in Qt 4.3.

### void QTextFormat::setBackground ( const QBrush & brush )

Sets the brush use to paint the document's background to the brush specified.

See also background(), clearBackground(), and setForeground().

### void QTextFormat::setForeground ( const QBrush & brush )

Sets the foreground brush to the specified brush. The foreground brush is mostly used to render text.

See also foreground(), clearForeground(), and setBackground().

### void QTextFormat::setLayoutDirection ( Qt::LayoutDirection direction )

Sets the document's layout direction to the specified direction.

See also layoutDirection().

### void QTextFormat::setObjectIndex ( int index )

Sets the format object's object index.

See also objectIndex().

### void QTextFormat::setObjectType ( int type )

Sets the text format's object type to type.

See also ObjectTypes and objectType().

### void QTextFormat::setProperty ( int propertyId, const QVariant & value )

Sets the property specified by the propertyId to the given value.

See also property() and Property.

### void QTextFormat::setProperty ( int propertyId, const QVector<QTextLength> & value )

Sets the value of the property given by propertyId to value.

See also lengthVectorProperty() and Property.

### QString QTextFormat::stringProperty ( int propertyId ) const

Returns the value of the property given by propertyId; if the property isn't of QVariant::String type, an empty string is returned instead.

See also setProperty(), boolProperty(), intProperty(), doubleProperty(), colorProperty(), lengthProperty(), lengthVectorProperty(), and Property.

### QTextBlockFormat QTextFormat::toBlockFormat () const

Returns this format as a block format.

### QTextCharFormat QTextFormat::toCharFormat () const

Returns this format as a character format.

### QTextFrameFormat QTextFormat::toFrameFormat () const

Returns this format as a frame format.

### QTextImageFormat QTextFormat::toImageFormat () const

Returns this format as an image format.

### QTextListFormat QTextFormat::toListFormat () const

Returns this format as a list format.

### QTextTableCellFormat QTextFormat::toTableCellFormat () const

Returns this format as a table cell format.

This function was introduced in Qt 4.4.

### QTextTableFormat QTextFormat::toTableFormat () const

Returns this format as a table format.

### int QTextFormat::type () const

Returns the type of this format.

See also FormatType.

### QTextFormat::operator QVariant () const

Returns the text format as a QVariant

### bool QTextFormat::operator!= ( const QTextFormat & other ) const

Returns true if this text format is different from the other text format.

### QTextFormat & QTextFormat::operator= ( const QTextFormat & other )

Assigns the other text format to this text format, and returns a reference to this text format.

### bool QTextFormat::operator== ( const QTextFormat & other ) const

Returns true if this text format is the same as the other text format.