WinWord: Cell Line Layout Lost When Converting Table to Text

ID: Q80598

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word for Windows, if you convert a multicolumn table to text, the layout will be lost if the table contains one or more cells with text that wraps around to another line.

MORE INFORMATION

In Word for Windows version 2.x and 6.0, you can convert a table to text by selecting the table and choosing the Convert Table to Text command from the Table menu. In Word for Windows versions 1.x, you can do this by choosing the Table To Text command from the Insert menu.

To preserve the line layout of the table, save it in "text with layout" format. (In the Word 2.0 File Save As dialog box, select the Text With Layout (*.ans) option; in the Word 1.x File Save As dialog box, select the Text With Layout (PC-8) option). Then, open the text with layout file and convert it to normal Word format.

Example

----------------------------------------------------------------|

|one|two                                    |three|four|five|six|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1 |now is the time for all good men to    |  3  |  4 |  5 | 6 |
|   |come to the aid of their party.  now is|                   |
|   |time for all good men to come to the   |                   |

----------------------------------------------------------------|

If you select this table and convert it from Table to Text, the resulting text will look like the following:

one                  two        three   four    five    six
  1     now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party.
now is the time for all good men to come to the 3   4   5   6

Note: The multiple-line cell that wrapped within the table cell now wraps across the entire line, distorting the original appearance of the text.

If you save the table in text with layout format, it retains its appearance when it is reopened and converted to normal Word format, as follows:

one     two                             three   four    five    six
1       now is the time for all           3     4       5       6
        good men to come to the
        aid of their party.  Now
        is the time for all good
        men to come to the

Note: In Word 1.x, after you save the document using the Text With Layout (PC-8) option, when you open it again, Word suggests that you convert from Text Only format. Make sure you change the selection to Text With Layout (PC-8) so Word will perform the correct conversion.

Reference(s):

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 318, 675-676

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference," version 1.x, pages 99, 121, 283, 366, 369-370

KBCategory: kbusage KBSubcategory: kbtable Additional query words: 1.x 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-CD 2.0b winword2 word6 winword 2.0c conv

Keywords          : kbtable 
Version           : 1.x 2.x 6.0 6.0a 6.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998