Text Editor API or Other AcuCobol Options

Our software uses a multiline entry field to allow customers to enter notes... similar to Notepad.  They have requested the ability to use color and possible bold or italic fonts to make certain lines of their notes stand out.  I know I can make all the notes a single color, or I can switch to a grid and do specific lines in color.  But, I would like the ability of using a notepad entry (similar to this one) that has options to let them enter colors and change fonts, etc.  Is the only option to use an external API?  and what are some suggestions for that?

I may not have explained well enough what I am trying to do.  Currently our software provides this screen:

It's very "notepad" like.  It uses a large Entry-Field and they can basically free form edit.  But, there is not an option for them to color specific words.  Or put certain words in bold or italic.

I know I can create a file and open it in Word or Wordpad.  Not everyone has Word, Wordpad would be more common, but them it is up to them to save it, and I can't control record locking errors of mutliple users trying to access the same file, or make sure they get it saved correctly.

I thought about trying to use the web-browser control and provide options like the ones seen on this entry field on the webpage, but that resulted in scripting errors... errors I do not get if I run a page outside of the Acu-GT runtime.  I found online some information about registry editing to work around those errors... but that creates a whole new level of technical support requirements I am not looking to incur.

Are there any other options for making text like this more editable by the user without doing a grid, which wouldn't be free-form and force them to color by line or cell?