Microsoft KB Archive/120780

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Color Text Is Black After Inserting Word 2.0 Object

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Q120780

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a

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SYMPTOMS
Color text displays as black after you insert a Word 2.0 document object into a Word 6.0 document. This behavior occurs when you have a non-color printer driver set as your default printer.

CAUSE
Word 2.0 for Windows formats files so that the printed output of colored text depends on the default printer driver. If the default printer driver is a monochrome driver, colored text prints as black. If the default printer driver is a color driver, colored text prints in color.

Word 2.0 for Windows formats OLE objects the same way. Therefore, objects created from these files reference the current default printer to determine the appropriate formatting.

Word 6.0 for Windows references the video driver for color formatting of text. Therefore, Word 6.0 files insert as color-formatted objects regardless of the default printer driver. For compatibility with earlier versions of Word, select "Print Colors as Black on Noncolor Printers." (This option can be found by choosing Options from the Tools menu and selecting the Compatibility tab.)

RESOLUTION
To insert the Word 2.0 object, perform these steps:


 * 1) From the Insert menu, choose Object.
 * 2) Select the Create From New tab.
 * 3) Select the Word 2.0 document, and choose the OK button.

To display color formatting of a Word 2.0 document object, use the following steps.


 * 1) Double-click the Word 2.0 object. You are now editing the object in-place.
 * 2) From the Tools menu, choose Options.
 * 3) Choose the Compatibility tab.
 * 4) Clear the "Print Colors as Black on Noncolor Printers" option.
 * 5) Choose the OK button.
 * 6) From the File menu, choose Update.
 * 7) From the File menu, choose Close and Return to .

The color text will now display correctly.