An application can set tab stops in a multiline edit control by using the EM_SETTABSTOPS message. (The default for a tab stop is eight characters.) When an application adds text to the edit control, tab characters in the text automatically generate space up to the next tab stop. The EM_SETTABSTOPS message does not automatically cause the system to redraw the text. To do that, an application can call the InvalidateRect function. The EM_SETTABSTOPS message applies to multiline edit controls only.
An application can set width of the left and right margins for an edit control by using the EM_SETMARGINS message. After sending this message, the system redraws the edit control to reflect the new margin settings. An application can retrieve the width of the left or right margin by sending the EM_GETMARGINS message. By default, the edit control margins are set to be just wide enough to accommodate the largest character horizontal overhang (negative ABC widths) for the font currently in use in the edit control.