# microsoft word question



## xgipper (Nov 19, 2009)

Hi

Hope this is the right forum... if not, deep apologies in advance!

I use Word 2004 v 11.2 to compose and edit stories for a website (Mac 10.4.11 - trusy old G4!). Then I paste em into a content management system.

Suddently I'm getting this: "Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000297 EndHTML:0000004374 StartFragment:0000002524 EndFragment:0000004338 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/and then the path to the document" and, more importantly extra formatting when I paste, which mucks up the CMS's formatting. I'm having to first paste it into Text Edit and strip out all the nonsense by saving as plain text.

I can't see what settings if any in Word I've changed - any ideas please as I'm no Word expert - I just want to write and edit. It never used to be like this!

On a second note, was thinking of moving over to Neo Office or Open Office for Mac - but I need the track changes facility for other work I do so it can go back and forth between me and Word users; anyone know if these progs can deal with this??

Cheers


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## Natobasso (Nov 29, 2009)

Sounds like you need to simply use .txt. RTF format or doc format can inject weird characters that can give you errors you're experiencing.

Have you tried Google Docs? You can work on docs collaboratively and even export to doc format (or txt, rtf) if you need to.


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## xgipper (Nov 29, 2009)

Natobasso said:


> Sounds like you need to simply use .txt. RTF format or doc format can inject weird characters that can give you errors you're experiencing.



Thanks. But it didn't add this stuff before. Why should this be? I don't really want to have to save as in another format; I want to write, check and edit in Word, and then paste it into the CMS - although realise 'saving as' another format is a route if I can't stop the junk. Just seems like an extra stage.



Natobasso said:


> Have you tried Google Docs? You can work on docs collaboratively and even export to doc format (or txt, rtf) if you need to.


Yes I have tried it for a collaborative thing, and good for opening docx format word files, although Neo office does this fine too. 

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and abandon Word for good. I just worry about those editing tools to show my working to clients, who all seem to use it still.


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## DeltaMac (Nov 29, 2009)

With Word 2004, there might be a fix if you update the Microsoft Office software. You would then still have Word 2004, but version 11.5.6
You can get that by running your Office updater - wouldn't hurt, and might help your situation.


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## Natobasso (Nov 29, 2009)

Did you have a url in your text?


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## Greg_Reez (Nov 30, 2009)

First, Microsoft Word is notorious for adding characters that don't transfer to CMS. Copying and Pasting is extremely inconsistent and there won't be a good enough explanation for you in terms of why its happening now and hasn't been happening before. It may look OK for a month, but then not look good at all for a few months after. If you're using a CMS editor, see if you have an icon for "Paste as plain text", or "Paste from Word". It's always better to do your formatting from your CMS, rather than Word and then copy and paste from one technology to the other. Pasting as plain text is what you should be doing anyway, but Paste from word is pretty good also. Maybe you even have check boxes in the dialogue box that pops open after you click "Paste from Word". The check boxes would say something like "check to remove style definitions" or "check to ignore font face definitions." Making sure you check the box to ignore font face definitions will strip whatever font you assigned in Word and will instead use the font that has been defined for the website once you paste.


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## xgipper (Dec 1, 2009)

DeltaMac - Thanks: I did update to 11.5.5 , which is as high as I was offered!, but no difference to issue.

Natobasso - Thanks also: have tested and issue occurs whether or not url is in text. 



Greg_Reez said:


> First, Microsoft Word is notorious for adding characters that don't transfer to CMS. Copying and Pasting is extremely inconsistent and there won't be a good enough explanation for you in terms of why its happening now and hasn't been happening before. It may look OK for a month, but then not look good at all for a few months after. If you're using a CMS editor, see if you have an icon for "Paste as plain text", or "Paste from Word". It's always better to do your formatting from your CMS, rather than Word and then copy and paste from one technology to the other. Pasting as plain text is what you should be doing anyway, but Paste from word is pretty good also. Maybe you even have check boxes in the dialogue box that pops open after you click "Paste from Word". The check boxes would say something like "check to remove style definitions" or "check to ignore font face definitions." Making sure you check the box to ignore font face definitions will strip whatever font you assigned in Word and will instead use the font that has been defined for the website once you paste.



Interesting. In my case been fine for about 3 years! There is an icon in my CMS editor for 'clean up Word tags' and I have just tried it but it doesn't do a lot. But useful suggestions - perhaps I will see if I can update the text editor I'm using on my CMS while still retaining the features I particularly like about it. Is there an obvious mac shortcut to 'paste as plain text' if it isn't availale in a particular editor/menu?

Thanks for all the ideas - suspect I just need to accept and work round it now!


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