Knowledge Base |

# WD: Word 6.x/7.0 Drawing Objects Lost Saving as Foreign Format

Article ID: 108871

Article Last Modified on 11/28/2003

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Word 6.0a
- Microsoft Word 6.0c
- Microsoft Word 6.0 for Macintosh
- Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh
- Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh
- Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q108871

## SYMPTOMS

When you save a Word 6.x document containing drawing objects in any supported foreign file format, including the Rich Text Format, drawing objects (including text boxes) will not be retained.
Drawing objects are retained when exchanging documents between Word 7.x for Windows 95, Word 6.x for Windows, Word 6.x for the Macintosh, and Word 6.0 for Windows NT because these three products share the same file format.
Drawing objects are also retained when opening a Word 6.x document in later versions of Microsoft Word.

## CAUSE

Drawing objects are a unique feature of Word 6.x and 7.x and therefore cannot be retained or emulated with alternative formats when saving a Word document in another file format.

## WORKAROUND

Use any of the following possible methods to transform drawing object information in Word 6.0 to forms that can be retained when saving to certain non-Word formats.

### Method 1

If feasible for your layout, a drawing object in the drawing layer can be brought to the text layer with the Create Picture button on the Drawing Toolbar. To accomplish this task, group the individual objects in the drawing (using the Group button on the drawing toolbar). Once the items have been grouped, select the item and press the Create Picture button. The object has now become part of the text layer.

### Method 2

If a drawing object consists solely of a picture image or of text and picture information, you can select the drawing object, cut the object to the Clipboard, and Paste Special as a picture prior to conversion. If Word supports conversion of picture information to the foreign file format you've chosen, the picture will subsequently be retained.

### Method 3

If a drawing object consists solely of formatted text, you can select the text (without selecting the drawing object border), cut the text to the Clipboard, select the drawing object border, press DELETE, choose Yes to delete the selected block, and then choose Paste Special and past the contents of the Clipboard back into your document as formatted RTF text.
Understand that the positioning of surrounding document elements may be affected if you transform the contents of drawing object to a picture or formatted text, or move the object to the text layer. This may therefore necessitate additional document layout adjustment prior to conversion.
If transforming the contents of a drawing object to a picture or formatted text is not feasible in a particular case, you will need to reconstruct the desired appearance in your document prior to or following conversion using other formatting means.

## MORE INFORMATION

The Drawing Layer is a new and unique feature of Word 6.x and later, designed to assist customers in solving problems. To ensure the ability to use this new product feature while maintaining the ability to exchange documents among users fully intact, users are encouraged to update from their existing word processors to Word 6.0.

Additional query words: conversion convert converted converts transfer transferred transfers translation translate translated translates wordperfect word perfect for the macintosh displaywrite multimate rich text format rtf rft-dca rft/dca rftdca dca-rft dca/rft dcarft ami pro amipro write ms-dos saving as reading converting

Keywords: kbinterop kbconversion kbprb KB108871