diff --git a/components/richmemo/richmemo.pas b/components/richmemo/richmemo.pas
index 3f99465db..cb8eb563a 100644
--- a/components/richmemo/richmemo.pas
+++ b/components/richmemo/richmemo.pas
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ type
 
     function InDelText(const UTF8Text: string; InsStartChar, ReplaceLength: Integer): Integer; virtual;
     function InDelInline(inlineobj: TRichMemoInline; InsStartChar, ReplaceLength: Integer; const ASize: TSize): Integer; virtual;
+    function GetText(TextStart, TextLength: Integer): String;
+    function GetUText(TextStart, TextLength: Integer): UnicodeString;
 
     procedure SetSelLengthFor(const aselstr: string);
 
@@ -295,6 +297,7 @@ type
     property OnKeyDown;
     property OnKeyPress;
     property OnKeyUp;
+    property OnLinkAction;
     property OnMouseDown;
     property OnMouseEnter;
     property OnMouseLeave;
@@ -967,6 +970,34 @@ begin
     inlineObj.Free;
 end;
 
+function TCustomRichMemo.GetText(TextStart, TextLength: Integer): String;
+var
+  isu  : Boolean;
+  txt  : String;
+  utxt : UnicodeString;
+begin
+  Result:='';
+  if not HandleAllocated then HandleNeeded;
+  if HandleAllocated and not TWSCustomRichMemoClass(WidgetSetClass).GetSubText(Self, TextStart, TextLength, false, isu, txt, utxt) then
+    Exit;
+  if isu then Result:=UTF8Decode(utxt)
+  else Result:=txt;
+end;
+
+function TCustomRichMemo.GetUText(TextStart, TextLength: Integer): UnicodeString;
+var
+  isu  : Boolean;
+  txt  : String;
+  utxt : UnicodeString;
+begin
+    Result:='';
+  if not HandleAllocated then HandleNeeded;
+  if HandleAllocated and not TWSCustomRichMemoClass(WidgetSetClass).GetSubText(Self, TextStart, TextLength, false, isu, txt, utxt) then
+    Exit;
+  if isu then Result:=utxt
+  else Result:=UTF8Encode(txt);
+end;
+
 procedure TCustomRichMemo.SetSelLengthFor(const aselstr: string);
 begin
   SelLength:=UTF8Length(aselstr);
diff --git a/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemo.pas b/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemo.pas
index f36aa1174..88bf37d54 100644
--- a/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemo.pas
+++ b/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemo.pas
@@ -38,33 +38,25 @@ uses
 
 type
 
+  { TWin32RichMemoStrings }
+
   TWin32RichMemoStrings = class(TWin32MemoStrings)
   protected
     fUpd    : Boolean;
     fHandle : HWND;
     procedure SetUpdateState(Updating: Boolean); override;
+    function GetTextStr: string; override;
   public
     constructor Create(AHandle: HWND; TheOwner: TWinControl);
   end;
 
-  { TWin32RichMemoStringsW }
-
-  TWin32RichMemoStringsW = class(TWin32RichMemoStrings)
-  protected
-    function GetTextStr: string; override;
-  end;
-
-  { TWin32RichMemoStringsA }
-
-  TWin32RichMemoStringsA = class(TWin32RichMemoStrings)
-  protected
-    function GetTextStr: string; override;
-  end;
-
   { TWin32WSCustomRichMemo }
 
   TWin32WSCustomRichMemo = class(TWSCustomRichMemo)
   published
+    class function GetText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; var AText: String): Boolean; override;
+    class function GetTextLen(const AWinControl: TWinControl; var ALength: Integer): Boolean; override;
+
     class function GetStrings(const ACustomMemo: TCustomMemo): TStrings; override;
     class procedure SetColor(const AWinControl: TWinControl); override;
   
@@ -114,6 +106,8 @@ type
       var AStopList: TTabStopList): Boolean; override;
 
     class procedure InDelText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; const TextUTF8: String; DstStart, DstLen: Integer); override;
+    class function GetSubText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; TextStart, TextLen: Integer;
+      AsUnicode: Boolean; var isUnicode: Boolean; var txt: string; var utxt: UnicodeString): Boolean; override;
 
     class function Search(const AWinControl: TWinControl; const ANiddle: string;
       const SearchOpts: TIntSearchOpt): Integer; override;
@@ -341,64 +335,39 @@ begin
   inherited SetUpdateState(Updating);
 end;
 
-{ TWin32RichMemoStringsW }
-
-function TWin32RichMemoStringsW.GetTextStr: string;
-var
-  p   : GETTEXTLENGTHEX;
-  t   : GETTEXTEX;
-  res : Integer;
-  w   : WideString;
+function TWin32RichMemoStrings.GetTextStr: string;
 begin
-  fillchar(p, sizeof(p), 0);
-  p.flags:=GTL_DEFAULT or GTL_PRECISE or GTL_NUMCHARS;
-  res := SendMessageW(fHandle, EM_GETTEXTLENGTHEX, WPARAM(@P), CP_WINUNICODE);
-  if res>0 then begin
-    SetLength(w, res);
-    FillChar(t, sizeof(t), 0);
-    t.cb:=(length(w)+1)*sizeof(WideChar);
-    t.flags:=GT_DEFAULT;
-    t.codepage:=CP_WINUNICODE;
-    res:=SendMessageW(fHandle, EM_GETTEXTEX, WPARAM(@t), LPARAM(@w[1]));
-    Result:=UTF8Encode(w);
-  end else
-    Result:='';
-end;
-
-
-{ TWin32RichMemoStringsA }
-
-function TWin32RichMemoStringsA.GetTextStr: string;
-var
-  p   : GETTEXTLENGTHEX;
-  t   : GETTEXTEX;
-  res : Integer;
-  s   : WideString;
-begin
-  fillchar(p, sizeof(p), 0);
-  p.flags:=GTL_DEFAULT or GTL_PRECISE or GTL_NUMBYTES;
-  res := SendMessageW(fHandle, EM_GETTEXTLENGTHEX, WPARAM(@P), CP_ACP);
-  if res>0 then begin
-    SetLength(s, res);
-    FillChar(t, sizeof(t), 0);
-    t.cb:=length(s)+1;
-    t.flags:=GT_DEFAULT;
-    t.codepage:=CP_ACP;
-    res:=SendMessageW(fHandle, EM_GETTEXTEX, WPARAM(@t), LPARAM(@s[1]));
-    Result:=AnsiToUtf8(s);
-  end else
+  if Assigned(RichEditManager) then
+    Result:=RichEditManager.GetTextUtf8(fHandle, false)
+  else
     Result:='';
 end;
 
 { TWin32WSCustomRichMemo }
 
+class function TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.GetText(const AWinControl: TWinControl;
+  var AText: String): Boolean;
+begin
+  Result:=Assigned(RichEditManager);
+  if Result then
+    AText:=RichEditManager.GetTextUtf8(AWinControl.Handle, false);
+end;
+
+class function TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.GetTextLen(
+  const AWinControl: TWinControl; var ALength: Integer): Boolean;
+begin
+  Result:=false;
+  ALength:=0;
+  if not Assigned(RichEditManager) or not Assigned(AWinControl) then Exit;
+
+  Result:=true;
+  ALength:=RichEditManager.GetTextLength(AWinControl.Handle);
+end;
+
 class function TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.GetStrings(const ACustomMemo: TCustomMemo
   ): TStrings;
 begin
-  if UnicodeEnabledOS then
-    Result := TWin32RichMemoStringsW.Create(ACustomMemo.Handle, ACustomMemo)
-  else
-    Result := TWin32RichMemoStringsA.Create(ACustomMemo.Handle, ACustomMemo);
+  Result := TWin32RichMemoStrings.Create(ACustomMemo.Handle, ACustomMemo)
 end;
 
 class procedure TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.SetColor(const AWinControl: TWinControl);  
@@ -979,6 +948,44 @@ begin
   RichEditManager.SetEventMask(AWinControl.Handle, eventmask);
 end;
 
+class function TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.GetSubText(
+  const AWinControl: TWinControl; TextStart, TextLen: Integer;
+  AsUnicode: Boolean; var isUnicode: Boolean; var txt: string;
+  var utxt: UnicodeString): Boolean;
+var
+  eventmask : Integer;
+  OrigStart : Integer;
+  OrigLen   : Integer;
+  NeedLock  : Boolean;
+  Hnd       : THandle;
+begin
+  Result:=Assigned(RichEditManager) and Assigned(AWinControl);
+  if not Result then Exit;
+
+  Hnd:=AWinControl.Handle;
+  eventmask := RichEditManager.SetEventMask(Hnd, 0);
+  RichEditManager.GetSelection(Hnd, OrigStart, OrigLen);
+
+  NeedLock := (OrigStart <> TextStart) or (OrigLen <> TextLen);
+  if NeedLock then begin
+    LockRedraw( TCustomRichMemo(AWinControl), Hnd);
+    RichEditManager.SetSelection(Hnd, TextStart, TextLen);
+  end;
+
+  isUnicode:=AsUnicode;
+  if AsUnicode then
+    utxt:=RichEditManager.GetTextW(Hnd, true)
+  else begin
+    txt:=RichEditManager.GetTextUtf8(Hnd, true);
+  end;
+
+  if NeedLock then begin
+    RichEditManager.SetSelection(Hnd, OrigStart, OrigLen);
+    UnlockRedraw( TCustomRichMemo(AWinControl), Hnd);
+  end;
+  RichEditManager.SetEventMask(Hnd, eventmask);
+end;
+
 class function TWin32WSCustomRichMemo.Search(const AWinControl: TWinControl;
   const ANiddle: string; const SearchOpts: TIntSearchOpt): Integer;
 begin
diff --git a/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemoproc.pas b/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemoproc.pas
index 5ba61afbe..f4438ebf0 100644
--- a/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemoproc.pas
+++ b/components/richmemo/win32/win32richmemoproc.pas
@@ -174,7 +174,12 @@ type
     class procedure SetHideSelection(RichEditWnd: Handle; AValue: Boolean); virtual;
     class function LoadRichText(RichEditWnd: Handle; ASrc: TStream): Boolean; virtual;
     class function SaveRichText(RichEditWnd: Handle; ADst: TStream): Boolean; virtual;
+
     class procedure SetText(RichEditWnd: Handle; const Text: WideString; TextStart, ReplaceLength: Integer); virtual;
+    class function GetTextW(RichEditWnd: Handle; inSelection: Boolean): WideString; virtual;
+    class function GetTextA(RichEditWnd: Handle; inSelection: Boolean): AnsiString; virtual;
+    class function GetTextUtf8(RichEditWnd: Handle; inSelection: Boolean): string;
+
     class procedure GetPara2(RichEditWnd: Handle; TextStart: Integer; var para: PARAFORMAT2); virtual;
     class procedure SetPara2(RichEditWnd: Handle; TextStart, TextLen: Integer; const para: PARAFORMAT2); virtual;
     class function Find(RichEditWnd: THandle; const ANiddle: WideString; const ASearch: TIntSearchOpt): Integer; virtual;
@@ -192,8 +197,9 @@ function FontStylesToEffects(Styles: TFontStyles): LongWord;
 function EffectsToFontStyles(Effects: LongWord): TFontStyles;
 
 const
-  CP_UNICODE = 1200;
-  HardBreak  = #13;
+  GT_SELECTION = 2;
+  CP_UNICODE   = 1200;
+  HardBreak    = #13;
 
 const
   CFE_PROTECTED = $00000010;
@@ -643,6 +649,66 @@ begin
   SetSelection(RichEditWnd, s, l);
 end;
 
+class function TRichEditManager.GetTextW(RichEditWnd: Handle;
+  inSelection: Boolean): WideString;
+var
+  t   : GETTEXTEX;
+  res : Integer;
+  w   : WideString;
+  st  : Integer;
+begin
+  if inSelection then
+    GetSelection(RichEditWnd, st, res)
+  else
+    res:=GetTextLength(RichEditWnd);
+
+  if res>0 then begin
+    SetLength(w, res);
+    FillChar(t, sizeof(t), 0);
+    t.cb:=(length(w)+1)*sizeof(WideChar);
+    t.flags:=GT_DEFAULT;
+    if inSelection then t.flags:=t.flags or GT_SELECTION;
+    t.codepage:=CP_WINUNICODE;
+    res:=SendMessageW(RichEditWnd, EM_GETTEXTEX, WPARAM(@t), LPARAM(@w[1]));
+    Result:=w;
+  end else
+    Result:='';
+end;
+
+class function TRichEditManager.GetTextA(RichEditWnd: Handle;
+  inSelection: Boolean): AnsiString;
+var
+  t   : GETTEXTEX;
+  res : Integer;
+  s   : AnsiString;
+  st  : Integer;
+begin
+  if inSelection then
+    GetSelection(RichEditWnd, st, res)
+  else
+    res:=GetTextLength(RichEditWnd);
+
+  if res>0 then begin
+    SetLength(s, res);
+    FillChar(t, sizeof(t), 0);
+    t.cb:=length(s)+1;
+    t.flags:=GT_DEFAULT;
+    t.codepage:=CP_ACP;
+    res:=SendMessageA(RichEditWnd, EM_GETTEXTEX, WPARAM(@t), LPARAM(@s[1]));
+    Result:=s;
+  end else
+    Result:='';
+end;
+
+class function TRichEditManager.GetTextUtf8(RichEditWnd: Handle;
+  inSelection: Boolean): string;
+begin
+  if UnicodeEnabledOS then
+    Result:=UTF8Encode(GetTextW(RichEditWnd, inSelection))
+  else
+    Result:=AnsiToUtf8(GetTextA(RichEditWnd, inSelection));
+end;
+
 class procedure TRichEditManager.GetPara2(RichEditWnd: Handle; TextStart: Integer;
   var para: PARAFORMAT2);
 var
diff --git a/components/richmemo/wsrichmemo.pas b/components/richmemo/wsrichmemo.pas
index 6ee2737e2..13dfec4ac 100644
--- a/components/richmemo/wsrichmemo.pas
+++ b/components/richmemo/wsrichmemo.pas
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ interface
 uses
   Types, Classes, SysUtils,
   LCLType,
+  LazUTF8, // used for GetSubText
   Graphics, Controls, Printers,
   WSStdCtrls, RichMemo;
 
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ type
       var ui: TTextUIParam): Boolean; virtual;
 
     class procedure InDelText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; const TextUTF8: String; DstStart, DstLen: Integer); virtual;
+    class function GetSubText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; TextStart, TextLen: Integer;
+      AsUnicode: Boolean; var isUnicode: Boolean; var txt: string; var utxt: UnicodeString): Boolean; virtual;
+
     //class procedure SetHideSelection(const ACustomEdit: TCustomEdit; AHideSelection: Boolean); override;
     class function LoadRichText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; Source: TStream): Boolean; virtual;
     class function SaveRichText(const AWinControl: TWinControl; Dest: TStream): Boolean; virtual;
@@ -224,6 +228,22 @@ begin
 
 end;
 
+class function TWSCustomRichMemo.GetSubText(const AWinControl: TWinControl;
+  TextStart, TextLen: Integer; AsUnicode: Boolean; var isUnicode: Boolean;
+  var txt: string; var utxt: UnicodeString): Boolean;
+begin
+  // default, ineffecient implementation
+  if TextLen<0 then GetTextLen(AWinControl, TextLen);
+  Result:=GetText(AWinControl, txt);
+  if not Result then Exit;
+  if TextStart<0 then TextStart:=0;
+  inc(TextStart);
+  utxt:='';
+  isUnicode:=false;
+  txt:=UTF8Copy(txt, TextStart, TextLen);
+  Result:=true;
+end;
+
 {class procedure TWSCustomRichMemo.SetHideSelection(const ACustomEdit: TCustomEdit; AHideSelection: Boolean);
 begin