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How to: Format Text in a Text Box

You can format any part of the text separately within a text box. This ability to mix formats by adding placeholder text enables you to create mail merges or templates for text in your report. Any expression can be defined and formatted separately using a placeholder.

To combine multiple formats in a text box

  1. In the Toolbox, double-click a Textbox report item, or drag it to the design surface.

  2. Inside the text box, select the text you want to format.

  3. Right-click the selected text, and click Text Properties.

  4. Set formatting options.

  5. Click OK.

  6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for the remaining text you want to format.

To create a mail merge or template report using fields from your dataset

  1. On the View menu, click Toolbox. The Toolbox appears.

  2. Double-click or drag Textbox from the Toolbox to the design surface. A new text box appears on the design surface.

  3. Type MyField: in the text box.

  4. Drag a field from your dataset into the text box. A placeholder is created for your field.

  5. Double-click the placeholder text, and then click Placeholder Properties.

  6. In Font, select Bold.

  7. Click OK. The string at design time should read, "MyField: [@FieldName]", where FieldName is the name of your field.

  8. Click Preview.

  9. The @FieldName placeholder has been replaced by the value of your field.