WD: Borders Added/Lost Converting to and from Word for MS-DOS
  
PSS ID Number: Q145642
Article last modified on 11-10-1998
 
MACINTOSH: 6.0, 6.0.1, 98; WINDOWS: 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c, 7.0, 7.0a, 97
 
MACINTOSH WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
 - Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
 - Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0
 - Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1
 - Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
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SYMPTOMS
========
 
When you open or save a Word for MS-DOS version 3.x-6.x document in any of
the non-MS-DOS versions of Word listed at the beginning of this article, 
borders may be added or removed. The following symptoms occur during this 
conversion.
 
Saving in Word for MS-DOS Format
--------------------------------
 
When you use a non-MS-DOS version of Word to save a document in Word for
MS-DOS version 3.x-6.0 format, and the document contains multiple
paragraphs formatted with a single border box, borders are applied to
each individual paragraph in the resulting document.
 
Opening a Word for MS-DOS Document
----------------------------------
 
When you open a Word for MS-DOS version 3.x-6.0 document with a
non-MS-DOS version of Word, the bottom border separating two paragraphs
is lost if either of the following conditions is true:
 
 - Both paragraphs have been formatted to include a top, bottom, left,
   and right border instead of a border box.
 
    -or-
 
 - Both paragraphs have been formatted to include a left, right, and
   bottom border.
 
CAUSE
=====
 
This behavior occurs because although the non-MS-DOS versions of Word
display only one border box around the entire selection of paragraphs,
these versions of Word write the paragraph properties into Rich Text Format 
(RTF) code for each paragraph. Because the Word for MS-DOS converter is 
paragraph based (it interprets files paragraph-by-paragraph), it picks up 
these border controls for each paragraph and places a border between each 
of the paragraphs in Word for MS-DOS.
 
WORKAROUND
==========
 
To Open a Document in Word for MS-DOS
-------------------------------------
 
After you open the document in Word for MS-DOS, select the paragraphs and
remove the extra borders.
 
To Open a Word for MS-DOS document in Other Versions of Word
------------------------------------------------------------
 
After you open the document, reapply the bottom separating border. To do 
this, follow these steps:
 
1. Select the paragraphs that should have borders between them.
 
2. On the Format menu, click Borders and Shading.
 
3. On the Border tab, select the correct Line Style.
 
4. In the Border box, click inside the two sample paragraphs.
 
   This adds a border between the sample paragraphs displayed.
 
5. Click OK.
 
STATUS
======
 
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Word for MS-DOS
converter supplied with the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of
this article. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
 
Additional query words: textconv dosword worddos convert converted 
converts conversion translate translated translates translation transfer 
transferred transfers transferring open opening saving as save as
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Keywords          : kbinterop wordnt word8 macword98 winword ntword macword word6 word7 word95 kbformat 
Version           : MACINTOSH: 6.0, 6.0.1, 98; WINDOWS: 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c, 7.0, 7.0a, 97
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.