KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q157088: WD97: Limitations Converting Documents from Word 97 to 6.x/7.0

Article: Q157088
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbgraphic winword word97kbfaq
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUMMARY
=======

This article provides information about what happens when you convert a
Microsoft Word 97 document to Word 6.x or Word 7.0 format.


MORE INFORMATION
================

The following table identifies the new features that are supported, not
supported, or are partially supported.

                      Supported/ 
  Word 97 feature     Not supported     Comments
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Embedded fonts      Not supported     Embedded fonts are lost, and Word
                                        7.x or Word 6.x assigns the
                                        closest font available.

  Outline and         Not supported     Outline numbered lists and heading
  heading numbered                      numbered lists are converted to
  lists                                 regular text but retain their
                                        appearance.

  Multilevel bullets  Not supported     Multilevel bullets are converted
                                        to regular text but retain their
                                        appearance.

  Arrow Styles        Not Supported     Arrow styles for lines are lost.

  Page borders        Not supported     Page borders are not converted.

  Character shading   Not supported     Character shading is lost.

  Character borders   Not supported     Character borders are lost.

  Paragraph borders   Not supported     Paragraph borders and shading are
                                        lost.

  Animated text       Not supported     Animated text formatting is lost.

  Embossed and        Not supported     Embossed and engraved character
  engraved                              formatting are lost.
  characters

  EMF, PNG, and       Supported         Graphics are saved in applicable
  JPEG graphics                         EMF, PNG, or JPEG format and are
                                        converted to WMF (Windows
                                        Metafile) or PICT (Macintosh)
                                        format. To avoid getting two
                                        copies of each graphic saved in
                                        the document, add the option
                                        ExportPictureWithMetafile=0
                                        in the registry at the following
                                        location:

                                        HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\                                           Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Options

  Grouped Drawing     Partially         Grouped drawing objects become
  objects             supported         a single box, unable to ungroup

  Floating pictures   Not supported     Floating pictures are converted in
  with text wrapping                    a frame to WMF (Windows Metafile)
  around them                           or PICT (Macintosh) format.

  Floating OLE        Not supported     Floating OLE objects are converted
  objects                               to text boxes.

  Highlighting        Partially         Highlighting is preserved in Word
                      supported         95 but lost in Word 6.x.

  Vertically merged   Not supported     Merged table cells are exploded
  table cells                           into unmerged cells.

  Vertically split    Partially         Vertically split cells in a row
  table cells         supported         are converted to separate rows
                                        keeping the table uniform.

  Vertically aligned  Not supported     Vertically aligned text is
  text in table                         reformatted so that the text
  cells                                 aligns at the top of the cell.

  Vertical text in    Not supported     Vertical text is reformatted as
  table cells                           horizontal text.

  HYPERLINK field     Partially         The last value of the HYPERLINK
                      supported         field is retained.

  Tracked changes     Not supported     Tracked changes for document
  for document                          properties, paragraph numbers,
  properties,                           and display fields (i.e. EQ
  paragraph numbers,                    fields) are lost, but other
  and display fields                    tracked changes are retained.
  (i.e. EQ or other
  embedded objects)

  Password            Not supported     All document protection is lost.
  protection of
  documents

  Document            Not supported     All document protection is lost.
  protection for
  tracked changes,
  comments, and
  forms

  New document        Partially         New document properties are
  properties          supported         preserved in Word 95 but lost in
  introduced                            Word 6.x.
  in Word 97

  ActiveX controls    Partially         ActiveX controls can be used but
  on forms            supported         not modified.

  Unicode characters  Not supported     Result in potential data loss.
                                        Unicode characters (2 bytes per
                                        character) are mapped to
                                        corresponding ANSI (Windows) or
                                        Macintosh equivalents (1 byte per
                                        character) or converted to
                                        question marks (?). Foreign
                                        language characters are the most
                                        likely to be affected.

  DOCPROPERTY field   Partially         The DOCPROPERTY field is retained
                      supported         in Word 95, but only the most
                                        recent value of the field is
                                        retained in Word 6.x.

  Visual Basic        Not supported     Macros created in Word 97 Visual
  macros                                Basic are lost.

Cannot Edit a Word Document Embedded Object in Word 95
------------------------------------------------------

When you insert a Word document as an embedded object in a document in Word 97,
save the document in the Word 6.x/95 format or Rich Text Format, and then open
the document in Word 95, you may receive the error message "Word cannot edit the
object" when you double-click the object to edit it. This occurs because when
you save the document created in Word 97 in the Word 6.x/95 format or Rich Text
Format, the embedded object is not saved as a Word 95 document object. To edit
the object, you must have Word 97 installed on your computer.

Cannot Edit an Embedded Object Created in a Word 95 Document after Saving in Word 97
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you create an embedded object in a Word 95 document, open the document in Word
97, and then save the document in Word 6.x/95 format or Rich Text Format, the
embedded object is updated to a later version of the OLE object server program
on the computer running Word 97. If you reopen the document in Word 95 on a
computer that does not have Word 97 or Office 97 installed, you may not be able
to edit the object.

This can occur with any OLE object, including objects created in Word 97
documents. To see a list of OLE server programs installed on your computer, view
the list in the Object dialog box (Insert Menu).

WordArt Text Effects
--------------------

For information about converting Word 97 documents that contains WordArt text
effects to Word 6.x or Word 7.0 for Windows, click the article number below to
view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q157466 WD: WordArt Object Missing, Changes After Conversion

Additional query words: converting converts converted transferred transferring transfers 6.0/95 binary imitation save down to word6 wordart art word

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbgraphic winword word97 kbfaq
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Hardware          : x86

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.