RTF paragraphs

A paragraph is text ended by \par. Its formatting words can come anywhere in it and apply to the whole paragraph. Without \pard a paragraph keeps every property of the one before. There are plain paragraphs and table paragraphs; tables have their own page, and bullets and numbering are on lists and numbering.

<para>    = <textpar> | <row>
<textpar> = <pn>? <brdrdef>? <parfmt>* <apoctl>* <tabdef>? <shading>? (\subdocument | <char>+) (\par <para>)?

Lengths are in twips. Words marked toggle are turned off with 0.

General

Control word	Meaning
`\par`	End of the paragraph.
`\pard`	Reset to the default paragraph properties.
`\sN`	Paragraph style `N` from the style sheet; the style’s properties must also be written out.
`\hyphpar`	Automatic hyphenation for this paragraph. Toggle.
`\intbl`	The paragraph is in a table. Inherited until `\pard`.
`\itapN`	Nesting depth: 0 main text, 1 a table cell, 2 a cell of a nested table, and so on. Default 1.
`\keep`	Keep the paragraph on one page.
`\keepn`	Keep the paragraph with the next one.
`\levelN`	Outline level of the paragraph (the older word; see `\outlinelevel`).
`\outlinelevelN`	Outline level 0 to 8. Absent means body text.
`\noline`	No line numbers for this paragraph.
`\nowidctlpar`	No widow and orphan control, overriding the document’s `\widowctrl`.
`\widctlpar`	Widow and orphan control for this paragraph, when the document has none.
`\pagebb`	Page break before the paragraph.
`\sbys`	Side-by-side paragraphs.
`\collapsed`	The paragraph is collapsed in outline view (Pocket Word).
`\affixed`	A paragraph flag added in Word 7.0. The specification lists it in its index but does not describe it.

Alignment

Control word	Meaning
`\ql`	Left-aligned (default).
`\qr`	Right-aligned.
`\qc`	Centred.
`\qj`	Justified.
`\qd`	Distributed.

Font alignment, the vertical alignment of characters of different sizes on a line:

Control word	Meaning
`\faauto`	Automatic (Word’s default setting).
`\fahang`	Hanging.
`\facenter`	Centre.
`\faroman`	Roman baseline (default).
`\favar`	Upholding variable.
`\fafixed`	Upholding fixed.

Indents

Control word	Meaning
`\fiN`	First-line indent, relative to the left indent; negative for a hanging indent (default 0).
`\cufiN`	First-line indent in hundredths of a character unit; overrides `\fi`, but both should be written with equal values.
`\liN`	Left indent (default 0).
`\linN`	Indent at the start of the line: left in left-to-right paragraphs, right in right-to-left ones (default 0).
`\culiN`	Start indent in hundredths of a character unit; overrides `\li` and `\lin`.
`\riN`	Right indent (default 0).
`\rinN`	Indent at the end of the line: right in left-to-right paragraphs, left in right-to-left ones (default 0).
`\curiN`	End indent in hundredths of a character unit; overrides `\ri` and `\rin`.
`\adjustright`	Adjust the right indent automatically when a document grid is defined.

Spacing

Control word	Meaning
`\sbN`	Space before (default 0).
`\saN`	Space after (default 0).
`\sbautoN`	0: space before is `\sb` (default). 1: automatic, ignoring `\sb`.
`\saautoN`	0: space after is `\sa` (default). 1: automatic, ignoring `\sa`.
`\lisbN`	Space before in hundredths of a character unit; overrides `\sb`.
`\lisaN`	Space after in hundredths of a character unit; overrides `\sa`.
`\slN`	Line spacing. Absent or 0: set by the tallest character. Positive: at least `N`, more if a character is taller. Negative: exactly −`N`, even if characters are taller.
`\slmultN`	Follows `\sl`. 0: “at least” or “exactly” spacing. 1: `\sl` is a multiple of single spacing, in 240ths (`\sl360\slmult1` is 1.5 lines).
`\nosnaplinegrid`	Do not snap lines to the grid.

Single line spacing written as a multiple is \sl240\slmult1, as Word writes it.

Subdocuments, direction and Asian typography

Control word	Meaning
`\subdocumentN`	A subdocument of a master document goes here; `N` is its entry in the file table. It must be the only thing in its paragraph.
`\rtlpar`	The paragraph reads right to left.
`\ltrpar`	The paragraph reads left to right (default).
`\nocwrap`	No character wrapping.
`\nowwrap`	No word wrapping.
`\nooverflow`	No overflowing full stops and commas.
`\aspalpha`	Automatic spacing between double-byte characters and Latin text.
`\aspnum`	Automatic spacing between double-byte characters and numbers.

Tabs

<tabdef>  = (<tab> | <bartab>)+
<tab>     = <tabkind>? <tablead>? \tx
<bartab>  = <tablead>? \tb
<tabkind> = \tqr | \tqc | \tqdec
<tablead> = \tldot | \tlmdot | \tlhyph | \tlul | \tlth | \tleq

The kind and leader come before the position word they belong to.

Control word	Meaning
`\txN`	Tab stop at `N` twips from the left margin. Without a kind word it is a left tab.
`\tbN`	Bar tab (a vertical line) at `N` twips.
`\tqr`	Right tab.
`\tqc`	Centred tab.
`\tqdec`	Decimal tab.
`\tldot`	Leader of dots.
`\tlmdot`	Leader of middle dots.
`\tlhyph`	Leader of hyphens.
`\tlul`	Underline leader.
`\tlth`	Thick line leader.
`\tleq`	Leader of equals signs.

\pard\tx1440\tqc\tx4680\tqr\tldot\tx9360 Left\tab Centre\tab Right\par

Borders

<brdrdef> = (<brdrseg> <brdr>)+
<brdrseg> = \brdrt | \brdrb | \brdrl | \brdrr | \brdrbtw | \brdrbar | \box
<brdr>    = <brdrk> \brdrw? \brsp? \brdrcf?

A side word is followed by the border’s kind and then its width, spacing and colour. The same <brdr> words describe page, table, cell and character borders.

Control word	Meaning
`\brdrt`	Top border.
`\brdrb`	Bottom border.
`\brdrl`	Left border.
`\brdrr`	Right border.
`\brdrbtw`	Border between paragraphs. Consecutive paragraphs with the same borders are one bordered group; this word puts a border between them.
`\brdrbar`	Border outside: on the right of odd pages, the left of even pages.
`\box`	Border all round the paragraph.
`\brdrwN`	Width of the border line in twips, at most 75. For a wider line, use `\brdrth` to double it.
`\brdrcfN`	Colour of the border (colour table index).
`\brspN`	Space between the border and the text, in twips.

Border kinds

Control word	Border
`\brdrs`	Single thickness.
`\brdrth`	Double thickness.
`\brdrsh`	Shadowed.
`\brdrdb`	Double.
`\brdrdot`	Dotted.
`\brdrdash`	Dashed.
`\brdrhair`	Hairline.
`\brdrinset`	Inset.
`\brdroutset`	Outset.
`\brdrdashsm`	Small dashes.
`\brdrdashd`	Dot dash.
`\brdrdashdd`	Dot dot dash.
`\brdrtriple`	Triple.
`\brdrtnthsg`	Thick thin, small gap.
`\brdrthtnsg`	Thin thick, small gap.
`\brdrtnthtnsg`	Thin thick thin, small gap.
`\brdrtnthmg`	Thick thin, medium gap.
`\brdrthtnmg`	Thin thick, medium gap.
`\brdrtnthtnmg`	Thin thick thin, medium gap.
`\brdrtnthlg`	Thick thin, large gap.
`\brdrthtnlg`	Thin thick, large gap.
`\brdrtnthtnlg`	Thin thick thin, large gap.
`\brdrwavy`	Wavy.
`\brdrwavydb`	Double wavy.
`\brdrdashdotstr`	Striped.
`\brdremboss`	Embossed.
`\brdrengrave`	Engraved.
`\brdrframe`	Looks like a frame.
`\brdrnone`	No border.

\pard\box\brdrs\brdrw15\brsp40\brdrcf1 A boxed paragraph.\par

Shading

<shading> = (\shading | <pat>) \cfpat? \cbpat?

Control word	Meaning
`\shadingN`	Shading in hundredths of a per cent (`\shading2500` is 25%).
`\bghoriz`	Horizontal pattern.
`\bgvert`	Vertical pattern.
`\bgfdiag`	Forward diagonal pattern (\\\\).
`\bgbdiag`	Backward diagonal pattern (////).
`\bgcross`	Cross pattern.
`\bgdcross`	Diagonal cross pattern.
`\bgdkhoriz`	Dark horizontal pattern.
`\bgdkvert`	Dark vertical pattern.
`\bgdkfdiag`	Dark forward diagonal pattern.
`\bgdkbdiag`	Dark backward diagonal pattern.
`\bgdkcross`	Dark cross pattern.
`\bgdkdcross`	Dark diagonal cross pattern.
`\cfpatN`	Colour of the pattern lines or fill (colour table index).
`\cbpatN`	Background colour behind the pattern (colour table index).

Frames and positioned paragraphs

These words place a paragraph at a fixed position on the page. Consecutive paragraphs with the same frame words are one frame; to put two frames at the same place, separate them with a paragraph with different or no frame words. If any paragraph in a table row has them, every paragraph in the row must have the same ones.

<apoctl>    = <framesize> & <horzpos> & <vertpos> & <txtwrap> & <dropcap> & <txtflow> & \absnoovrlp?
<framesize> = \absw? & \absh?
<horzpos>   = <hframe> & <hdist>
<vertpos>   = <vframe> & <vdist>
<txtwrap>   = \nowrap? & \dxfrtext? & \dfrmtxtx? & \dfrmtxty?
<dropcap>   = \dropcapli? & \dropcapt?
<hframe>    = \phmrg? | \phpg? | \phcol?
<hdist>     = \posx? | \posnegx? | \posxc? | \posxi? | \posxo? | \posxl? | \posxr?
<vframe>    = \pvmrg? | \pvpg? | \pvpara?
<vdist>     = \posy? | \posnegy? | \posyt? | \posyil? | \posyb? | \posyc? | \posyin? | \posyout? & \abslock?
<txtflow>   = \frmtxlrtb | \frmtxtbrl | \frmtxbtlr | \frmtxlrtbv | \frmtxtbrlv

Control word	Meaning
`\abswN`	Frame width.
`\abshN`	Frame height: positive is a minimum, negative is exact, 0 (default) fits the contents.
`\phmrg`	Horizontal position is relative to the margin.
`\phpg`	Relative to the page.
`\phcol`	Relative to the column (default).
`\posxN`	`N` twips from the left of the reference.
`\posnegxN`	As `\posx`, but any negative value is allowed.
`\posxc`	Centred horizontally.
`\posxi`	Inside the reference.
`\posxo`	Outside the reference.
`\posxr`	At the right.
`\posxl`	At the left (default).
`\pvmrg`	Vertical position is relative to the margin (default).
`\pvpg`	Relative to the page.
`\pvpara`	Relative to the top left of the next paragraph that is not framed.
`\posyN`	`N` twips from the top of the reference.
`\posnegyN`	As `\posy`, but any negative value is allowed.
`\posyil`	In line.
`\posyt`	At the top.
`\posyc`	Centred vertically.
`\posyb`	At the bottom.
`\posyin`	Inside the reference.
`\posyout`	Outside the reference.
`\abslockN`	1: lock the frame’s anchor to its paragraph. 0 (default): not locked.
`\nowrap`	Text does not flow round the frame.
`\dxfrtextN`	Distance from the surrounding text on all sides.
`\dfrmtxtxN`	Horizontal distance from the text on both sides.
`\dfrmtxtyN`	Vertical distance from the text on both sides.
`\overlay`	Text flows underneath the frame.
`\dropcapliN`	Number of lines of a drop cap, 1 to 10.
`\dropcaptN`	Drop cap type: 1 in the text, 2 in the margin.
`\absnoovrlpN`	0 (default): may overlap other frames with similar wrapping. 1: may not.
`\frmtxlrtb`	Text in the frame flows left to right, top to bottom (default).
`\frmtxtbrl`	Right to left, top to bottom.
`\frmtxbtlr`	Left to right, bottom to top.
`\frmtxlrtbv`	Left to right, top to bottom, vertical.
`\frmtxtbrlv`	Top to bottom, right to left, vertical.

The specification’s example: the first paragraph is centred at the top of the page, 5,040 twips (3.5 inches) wide; the second sits outside the margin, centred vertically.

\par \pard \pvpg\phpg\posxc\posyt\absw5040\dxfrtext173 First APO para
\par \pard \phmrg\posxo\posyc\dxfrtext1152 Second APO para

.RTF File Format – Paragraphs