Microsoft KB Archive/67915

Limitations of MS-DOS Word 5.0/5.5 WordStar Converters

PSS ID Number: Q67915 Article last modified on 06-08-1999

WINDOWS:5.0,5.5

WINDOWS

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.5 on the following platforms: MS-DOS ——————————————————————————-

= SUMMARY =

The following is information about the WordStar/Word RTF file conversion program provided with the Word 5.5 Conversions Program Kit. To obtain pre-sales information about new or updated Microsoft products, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World Wide Offices Web site at:

http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm

This information is based on that contained in the WordStar README.DOC included with the Word 5.5 Conversions Program Kit.

= MORE INFORMATION =

Before Converting
For best results, before running the conversion utility, make sure the CONFIG.SYS file contains the line

FILES=20

and the AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains the line

SET TMP=dir

where “dir” is the path and directory name of the directory where TMP files are stored. If this line is not in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, create a directory for TMP files, and then use Word to add the SET TMP line to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If FILES=20 is not in the CONFIG.SYS file, be sure to add it. Make sure to save these files in text-only format. Reboot the system so that the changes can take effect before running the converter.

Repaginate your document before you convert it.

Run the converter at the MS-DOS command prompt. To run the converter from Word using MS-DOS File commands, at least 100K free memory must be available after starting Word.

Conversion Limitations from Word (RTF) to WordStar
Character Formatting:


 * Small caps and double underline formats become normal text.
 * Font color is not converted.

Paragraph Formatting:


 * Paragraph alignments right and center are converted to left alignment.
 * Right indents are not converted.
 * Space before/after is not converted.
 * Keep together/with next is not converted.
 * Borders are not converted.

Tabs:


 * Vertical tab alignment is not converted.

Page Numbering:


 * Non-numeric page numbers are not converted.
 * Page numbering positioning is not converted.

Headers/Footers:


 * First page footer is not converted.
 * Date and time in footers are not supported.
 * Even/odd headers/footers are not supported.

Footnotes:


 * Manual footnote references are not converted.

Margins:


 * Gutter margins are not converted.
 * The converted document’s margin may contain only three lines of text.
 * Paragraph formatting in margin text is not converted.
 * Sections margin changes are not converted.

Miscellaneous:


 * Annotations are not converted.
 * Print merge codes are not converted.
 * Table of contents and index entries are not converted.
 * Styled formatting is converted to direct formatting.

Conversion Limitations from WordStar to Word (RTF)
Paragraph Formatting:


 * Space before/after paragraph is approximated by empty paragraphs.
 * Line spacing of 0, 0.5, 1.25 is rounded to 1.
 * Page break before/after paragraph is not converted.
 * Tab leaders and right and centered tabs are not converted.
 * Absolute paragraph positioning is not converted.

Headers/Footers:


 * The text in header or footer may be no longer than three lines, and any additional text becomes normal text.
 * First page header/footer is not converted.

Miscellaneous:


 * Bookmarks are not supported.
 * Normal and nonbreaking hyphens become regular hyphens.
 * Mirror margins are not supported.
 * Summary sheet information is not converted.
 * Non-numeric page numbers are not converted.
 * Outlining is not converted.

Additional query words: 5.00b 5.00 5.50 5.0 textconv noupd d_word

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Version : WINDOWS:5.0,5.5 Platform : WINDOWS ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.