WD6X: Changes to Object Don't Appear After Conversion to MacWord

Q128905

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

When you edit a Word for the Macintosh document containing an OLE object in Word for Windows, changes made to the object may not appear when you reopen the document in Word for the Macintosh.


CAUSE

In addition to OLE data, Word stores a graphical image of each OLE object. In Word for Windows, the image is in WMF format. In Word for the Macintosh, this image is in PICT format. When the object is edited in Word for Windows, the WMF image is updated, but the Macintosh PICT image is not.

This problem occurs when the "Save Native Picture Formats Only" option is not selected in Word for Windows. (To locate this option, choose Options from the Tools menu and select the Save tab.)

When this option is not selected, Word can store both images of the object: the PICT image and the WMF image. When the option is selected, Word saves only the image that pertains to the current operating system. A new PICT or WMF image for the OLE object is generated if the document is opened under the Macintosh or the Windows environment, respectively.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Word.

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods. Use the first method in Word for the Macintosh when reopening the document. Use the second method in Word for Windows to prevent the problem from occurring.

Method 1: For Use When Reopening a Document in Word for the Macintosh

Update the object while in Word for the Macintosh by double-clicking the object. Note that you may have to edit the object before the object will update. To update the object, follow these steps:
  1. Open the document in Word for the Macintosh.


  2. Double-click the object to edit it.


  3. Close the object.


If the above steps do not update the object, reopen the object and make a temporary change to the object. Delete the change and close the object.

Method 2: For Use When the Document is Open in Word for Windows

Select the "Save Native Picture Formats Only" option in Word for Windows before you save the document and reopen it in Word for the Macintosh.
  1. On the Tools menu, choose Options.


  2. Click the Save tab.


  3. Click to select the "Save Native Picture Formats Only" check box.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 7.0 and later.


MORE INFORMATION

OLE Objects are those items that can be inserted when choosing Object from the Insert menu. The problem can occur in any OLE object, including the following: 


   Microsoft Equation 2.0
   Microsoft Excel 5.0 Chart
   Microsoft Graph 5.0 Chart
   Microsoft Movie
   Microsoft Word 6.0 Picture
   Microsoft WordArt 2.0


For additional information regarding graphical representation of OLE objects, please see the Graphic Primitives: GDI & QuickDraw section of the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q118830 WD6X: Exchanging Documents Between MacWord 6.0 and WinWord 6.0

Additional query words: change equation drawing color display round-trip edit shading shade

Keywords : kbinterop winword macword wordconvert
Issue type : kbbug
Technology : kbWordSearch kbWordWSearch kbWordMSearch


Last Reviewed: November 13, 2000
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