# Comments > Insert, edit, reply to and delete comments in a TXTextControl document with VB6, list them in a window and choose how commented text is highlighted. - **Product:** TX Text Control ActiveX - **Section:** Documentation - **Kind:** Topic - **Path:** TX Text Control ActiveX > Document Editor > Comments - **3993 words** - **Web URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/comments/ - **LLMs URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/comments/llms.txt - **LLMs-Full URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/comments/llms-full.txt --- A comment attaches a note to a piece of text without changing the text itself: a question to the author, a remark of a reviewer, an answer to an earlier remark. Users of a `TXTextControl` select text and type a comment into a small input control; other users reply to it, and your application reads, edits, removes and lists comments through their identifiers. Version 30.0 of TX Text Control ActiveX introduced comments. TXWords, the word processor sample program, offers them in its **Insert** and **Edit** menus and lists them in a **Comments** window, and its code is the starting point of the samples here. ### How Comments Work A comment always belongs to a range of text. The user selects the text and opens the *comment input control*, either through the context menu of `TXTextControl` or through your code. When the user closes the input control with a mouse click or the ENTER key, the comment is added to the document. The context menu of a comment offers entries to change it, remove it and reply to it. - **Highlighting.** Commented text is highlighted in a color that depends on the user; the default color for the current user is red. By default, a comment is highlighted only while the current input position, the position of the caret, is inside its text. - **User and time.** Each comment belongs to a user and has a creation time. A new comment belongs to the current user, the first name of the list that the [UserNames](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/usernames-property/llms-full.txt) property holds. When the list is empty, the user name is an empty string, which stands for an unknown user. - **Replies.** A reply is a comment of its own, with its own user and time, attached to the same text. Replies are part of the list of comments and immediately follow the comment they answer. Removing a comment removes its replies. - **Identifiers.** Every comment and every reply has a numeric identifier of the data type `Long`, which all comment members take. - **File formats.** Comments are saved and loaded with the TX Text Control format (TX), RTF and the Microsoft Word formats DOC and DOCX. ![The commented word days highlighted in a TXTextControl document while the input position is inside it.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-activex/commented-text.e83c1153.webp) The current user is set the same way as for tracked changes, which [Set the Name of the Reviewer](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/track-changes/#set-the-name-of-the-reviewer) shows. ### Insert a Comment The [CommentInsert](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentinsert-method/llms-full.txt) method opens the comment input control for the selected text. It returns `False` when no text is selected or the selection is too complex for a comment. TXWords checks the selection first and tells the user what to do: ```vbscript Private Sub mnuInsert_Comment_Insert_Click() If TXTextControl1.SelLength = 0 Then MsgBox "Select a part of the document first.", vbInformation, "TX Text Control Words" Exit Sub End If TXTextControl1.CommentInsert End Sub ``` `CommentInsert` does not take the comment's text: the user types it into the input control. The comment exists as soon as the input control is closed, and the [CommentCreated](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentcreated-event/llms-full.txt) event reports its identifier. ![The comment input control of TXTextControl above the selected word days, with the text of a new comment typed into it.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-activex/comment-input.cbc1c802.webp) ### Know Which Comment Is Current To edit, answer or remove the comment the user is looking at, your code needs its identifier. Two events deliver it: [CommentedTextEntered](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedtextentered-event/llms-full.txt) occurs when the current input position moves into commented text, and [CommentedTextLeft](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedtextleft-event/llms-full.txt) when it leaves it. TXWords keeps the identifier in a form-level variable: ```vbscript Dim CurrentCommentID As Long Private Sub TXTextControl1_CommentedTextEntered(ByVal CommentID As Long) CurrentCommentID = CommentID End Sub Private Sub TXTextControl1_CommentedTextLeft(ByVal CommentID As Long) CurrentCommentID = 0 End Sub Private Sub TXTextControl1_CommentDeleted(ByVal CommentID As Long) If CommentID = CurrentCommentID Then CurrentCommentID = 0 End Sub ``` The [CommentDeleted](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentdeleted-event/llms-full.txt) handler clears the variable when the current comment is removed, so that no menu item works on a comment that is gone. When the **Insert** > **Comment** submenu opens, TXWords enables **Edit**, **Reply** and **Delete** only when `CurrentCommentID` is not zero. ### Edit, Reply to and Delete a Comment With the identifier of the current comment, the menu items of TXWords are one line each: ```vbscript Private Sub mnuInsert_Comment_Edit_Click() If CurrentCommentID <> 0 Then TXTextControl1.CommentEdit CurrentCommentID End Sub Private Sub mnuInsert_Comment_Reply_Click() If CurrentCommentID <> 0 Then TXTextControl1.CommentReply CurrentCommentID End Sub Private Sub mnuInsert_Comment_Delete_Click() If CurrentCommentID <> 0 Then TXTextControl1.CommentDelete CurrentCommentID End Sub ``` ![The TXWords Insert menu with the Comment submenu open, showing the items Insert, Edit, Reply and Delete.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-activex/insert-comment-menu.28edd72a.webp) The code works as follows: - [CommentEdit](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedit-method/llms-full.txt) opens the comment input control with the text of the comment, so that the user can change it. - [CommentReply](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentreply-method/llms-full.txt) opens the input control for a new reply to the comment. - [CommentDelete](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentdelete-method/llms-full.txt) removes the comment, and with it all its replies. All three return `True` when the comment exists; `CommentEdit` and `CommentReply` also require that the input control could be opened. To change the text of a comment without the input control, set the [CommentText](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commenttext-property/llms-full.txt) property: ```vbscript TXTextControl1.CommentText(CurrentCommentID) = "Check the delivery date." ``` ### Read Comments and Replies The [CommentNext](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentnext-method/llms-full.txt) method enumerates all comments in the order of the text. Called with zero, it returns the first comment; called with an identifier, it returns the next one, and zero after the last. Because replies are in the same list, directly after their comment, the following procedure skips them with [CommentGetReplied](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentgetreplied-method/llms-full.txt) and prints them under their comment instead: ```vbscript Private Sub ListComments() Dim id As Long Dim replyId As Variant Dim author As String id = TXTextControl1.CommentNext(0) Do While id <> 0 ' Replies are printed with the comment they answer If TXTextControl1.CommentGetReplied(id) = 0 Then author = TXTextControl1.CommentUserName(id) If author = "" Then author = "Unknown Commenter" Debug.Print author & " (" & TXTextControl1.CommentCreationTime(id) & "): " & _ TXTextControl1.CommentText(id) Debug.Print " on characters " & TXTextControl1.CommentStart(id) & _ " to " & TXTextControl1.CommentEnd(id) For Each replyId In TXTextControl1.CommentReplies(id) Debug.Print " Reply by " & TXTextControl1.CommentUserName(replyId) & _ ": " & TXTextControl1.CommentText(replyId) Next End If id = TXTextControl1.CommentNext(id) Loop End Sub ``` The code works as follows: - `CommentGetReplied` returns the identifier of the comment that a reply answers, and 0 for a comment that is not a reply. - [CommentUserName](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentusername-property/llms-full.txt) returns the user of a comment, or an empty string for an unknown user. TXWords shows "Unknown Commenter" in this case. - [CommentCreationTime](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentcreationtime-property/llms-full.txt) returns the date and time the comment was made, in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). - [CommentStart](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentstart-property/llms-full.txt) and [CommentEnd](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentend-property/llms-full.txt) return the first and the last commented character as one-based indexes. - [CommentReplies](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentreplies-property/llms-full.txt) returns an array with the identifiers of all replies. For a comment without replies, the array is empty: `LBound` returns 0 and `UBound` returns -1, and the `For Each` loop does not run. To select the text of a comment, subtract 1 from `CommentStart` and `CommentEnd` before you set [SelStart](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/selstart-property/llms-full.txt), which counts from 0. [Select a Tracked Change](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/track-changes/#select-a-tracked-change) shows the same calculation for tracked changes. ### Show the Comments in a Window The **Comments** window of TXWords, in *frmComments.frm*, lists the comments of a document one by one. **Edit** > **Reviewing** > **Comments** opens it as a modeless form, so that the user can go on editing the document, after checking that `CommentNext(0)` is not zero. The window works like this: - **The current comment.** The window selects the commented text in the document and shows the user, the time and the text of the comment, followed by all replies with their users and times. - **The text box.** The comment and its replies are shown in a second `TXTextControl`, where replies are indented and their time stamps are set in a smaller, gray font. - **The buttons.** **Next** moves to the next comment that is not a reply and starts at the first again after the last. **Edit**, **Reply** and **Delete** call `CommentEdit`, `CommentReply` and `CommentDelete` for the comment shown; the window closes when the last comment is deleted. ![The Comments window of TXWords showing a comment of an unknown commenter with its time stamp and the buttons Next, Edit, Reply, Delete and Close.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-activex/comments-window.1680eb6e.webp) The main form keeps the window up to date. When a comment is created or its text is changed while the window is visible, the handlers of [CommentCreated](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentcreated-event/llms-full.txt) and [CommentChanged](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentchanged-event/llms-full.txt) show that comment in it. For a reply, they show the comment it answers: ```vbscript Private Sub TXTextControl1_CommentChanged(ByVal CommentID As Long) Dim repliedID As Long ' Select comment in modeless comments dialog If Not frmComments.Visible Then Exit Sub repliedID = TXTextControl1.CommentGetReplied(CommentID) If repliedID <> 0 Then CommentID = repliedID ' Show the parent comment in case of a reply frmComments.SelectComment CommentID frmComments.SetFocus End Sub ``` `SelectComment` is a public procedure of *frmComments.frm* that displays the given comment. ### Change How Comments Are Highlighted The [CommentHighlightMode](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commenthighlightmode-property/llms-full.txt) property decides when commented text is highlighted. TXWords sets it from the **View** > **Highlight Comments** submenu: | Value | Menu item in TXWords | Commented text is highlighted | |---|---|---| | 1 - `txNever` | **Never** | never | | 2 - `txActivated` | **Current** | only while it contains the current input position (default) | | 3 - `txAlways` | **Always** | always | ```vbscript Private Sub mnuView_HighlightComments_Always_Click() TXTextControl1.CommentHighlightMode = txAlways End Sub ``` `CommentHighlightMode` can be set at run time only. ### Key Members | Member | Description | |---|---| | [CommentInsert](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentinsert-method/llms-full.txt) | Opens the comment input control for a new comment on the selected text. | | [CommentEdit](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedit-method/llms-full.txt), [CommentReply](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentreply-method/llms-full.txt) | Open the input control to change a comment or to reply to it. | | [CommentDelete](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentdelete-method/llms-full.txt) | Removes a comment and its replies. | | [CommentNext](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentnext-method/llms-full.txt) | Returns the identifier of the first or the next comment. | | [CommentGetReplied](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentgetreplied-method/llms-full.txt), [CommentReplies](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentreplies-property/llms-full.txt) | Return the comment a reply answers and the replies of a comment. | | [CommentText](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commenttext-property/llms-full.txt) | Returns or sets the text of a comment. | | [CommentUserName](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentusername-property/llms-full.txt), [CommentCreationTime](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentcreationtime-property/llms-full.txt) | Return the user and the UTC creation time of a comment. | | [CommentStart](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentstart-property/llms-full.txt), [CommentEnd](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentend-property/llms-full.txt) | Return the first and the last commented character. | | [CommentHighlightMode](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commenthighlightmode-property/llms-full.txt) | Sets when commented text is highlighted. | | [CommentedTextEntered](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedtextentered-event/llms-full.txt), [CommentedTextLeft](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentedtextleft-event/llms-full.txt) | Occur when the input position enters or leaves commented text. | | [CommentCreated](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentcreated-event/llms-full.txt), [CommentChanged](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentchanged-event/llms-full.txt), [CommentDeleted](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/txtextcontrol/commentdeleted-event/llms-full.txt) | Occur when a comment is created, changed or removed. | The programming category [Commenting a document](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/reference/categories/comments/llms-full.txt) lists all members for comments. ### Related Pages - [Track Changes](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/track-changes/llms-full.txt): changes of the text marked up with their user and time. - [Document Protection](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/protection/llms-full.txt): the user list of `UserNames` and read-only documents. - [A Word Processor](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/word-processor/llms-full.txt): the TXWords sample program with the **Comments** window. - [Version 30.0](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/whats-new/3000/llms-full.txt): the release that introduced comments. --- ## Nearby - **Previous:** [Track Changes](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/track-changes/llms-full.txt) - **Next:** [Document Protection](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-activex/document-editor/protection/llms-full.txt)