Plain Text comment box on Report Cards excepts HTML invisibly?

Brian Hoyt

I learned this week that if you use the Plain Text comment box option for report cards the input box will allow you to paste HTML formatting. As an added bonus it does so invisibly so you don't even know it has happened. Why isn't the comment box built to strip to plain text. What is the purpose of that box being plain text if it lets you past in HTML?

How can I fix or remove font sizes that are making comments look different on report cards? (blackbaud.com)

Bryna Gleich

When I need to strip out formatting, I sometimes paste into Notepad first.

Or I use a keyboard shortcut. Does the keyboard shortcut work there?

• Ctrl + (Shift or Alt) + V (on PC)
• Cmd + Alt + V (on Mac… I don't have a Mac, so you might need to double check this one)

Some users rely on HTML formatting to get the comments to look exactly as they desire.

Brian Hoyt

Yes, I understand how to. But if the box only shows Plain Text, why can't it save it that way. Why have a Plain Text any way if it doesn't do that what does it do?

Brian Hoyt

I created an idea about this if anyone wants to vote for it.

Kim McAmis

I've always wondered about this myself! Doesn't it also seem true for assignment titles in gradebooks? Whenever there's a glitch, then the HTML formatting is visible there.

Thanks for posing the question, Brian! Below is the idea link so that it's easier to find:

Bernadette Shilliam

It's also frustrating for our reviewers who cannot see the final product when they are reviewing/correcting comments and only see the grade review screen, not a preview of the finished product. We've had many report cards go out with very poorly formatted comments despite hours of attempting to correct what was pasted. I direct all of our teachers to “paste in plain text” but it is definitely not always successful!