Thanks Bob,

That's how my code was to begin with (from an IBM article on how to update richtext fields on-screen). When I came up with problems however, I reverted to the code which would require a save, close and re-open. In both cases, however, the richtext field retained the UI edits but NOT the programmatic ones.

So when I use your code, user edits show up, as does the programmatic ones - All Good! When I save and re-open though, the programmatic changes are missing whilst the user edits remain.

I use this kind of sequence to solve this problem:

    x$ = doc.NoteID
    Call wks.CurrentDocument.Close(True)
    Delete doc
    Set doc = wks.CurrentDatabase.Database.GetDocumentByID(x$)
    Set uidoc =  wks.EditDocument(True, doc, , , , True)

Perhaps that will help? I think the difference is that the doc object is completely deleted.

I don't see anywhere in your code where you're saving the backend NotesDocument object after appending text to the rich text field.

After calling rti.Update save the Doc object.   You will need to close the uidocument and then re-open the backend document:

Dim wksp As New NotesUIWorkspace
Dim uidoc As NotesUIDocument
Dim Db As NotesDatabase
Dim doc As NotesDocument
Dim rti As NotesRichTextItem
Dim NoteID As String

Set uidoc = wksp.CurrentDocument
Set doc = uidoc.Document
Set Db = doc.ParentDatabase

Set rti = doc.GetFirstItem("theLog")
rti.Appendtext "Something to be added to the log"
rti.update
Call doc.Save(True, True)
Delete rti

NoteID = doc.NoteID

Call uidoc.Close(True)

If Not uidoc Is Nothing Then
    Delete uidoc
End If

If Not doc Is Nothing Then
    Delete doc
End If

Set doc = Db.GetDocumentById(NoteID)
If Not doc Is Nothing Then
    Call wksp.EditDocument(True, doc, False)
End If