KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q173377: WD97: Style Changes Not Retained with HTML Styles

Article: Q173377
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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

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

SYMPTOMS
========

When you create an HTML document in Word, any customizations of HTML styles are
not retained when you save, close, and reopen the document, or when you view the
document in a Web browser. The text formatted with HTML styles reverts to the
default HTML style format.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior is by design. When a document containing text formatted with any
of the HTML styles is saved as HTML, Word only saves the HTML tag of the style
and does not save any attributes of the style.

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

HTML styles are retained in the HTML code as heading tags. For example, the HTML
code for text formatted with the H1 style would look like this:

  <H1>This is my heading</H1>

When text formatted with an HTML style tag is opened in a browser, the browser
displays the text using its built-in definition for the H1 tag, and not how Word
defines the H1 style.

Therefore, if you modify the HTML styles in Word, the changes appear on screen
but are not preserved when you save the document as HTML.

The following HTML styles do not retain any changes you make to the style:

  H1 through H6
  Blockquote
  Cite
  Code
  Comment
  Definition
  Definition Term
  Definition List
  HTML Markup
  Keyboard
  Preformatted
  Sample
  Typewriter
  Variable
  Emphasis
  Followed Hyperlink
  Hyperlink
  Strong

The benefit of using HTML styles in your document is that Word retains the style
structure of the document.


How to Retain Formatting in HTML Documents
------------------------------------------

To retain formatting in an HTML document, use either of the following methods:

- Format your documents using styles other than HTML styles. When you save the
  document as HTML, Word converts any text not formatted with the HTML styles
  to the Normal style and converts any formatting to direct formatting.

  -or-

- Apply direct formatting to the text defined with the HTML style.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about saving formatting in HTML, please see the following
articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q157086 WD97: Limitations of Converting from Word Format to HTML

  Q164011 WD97: Default Bullet Format Lost After Reopening HTML File

  Q165233 WD97: Word Loses Center Align When Saving to HTML

  Q165406 WD97: HTML Page w/Style Tag Doesn't Display in Internet Explorer

  Q164618 WD97: Conversion of Bullets and Numbering

  Q157477 WD97: Features Not Available During Web Authoring

For more information about styles and HTML, click the Office Assistant, type
"styles HTML," click Search, and then click one of the topics.

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the
Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbprb

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

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.