Microsoft KB Archive/172748

= WD97: Tab Character Appears as Space in Web Browser =

Article ID: 172748

Article Last Modified on 1/20/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q172748



SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Word 97, when you save a document that contains tabs as HTML, the tab characters may appear as a single space if you view the document in a Web browser.



CAUSE
Word converts tabs into the HTML code for tab characters: "&#9;" (without the quotation marks). However, most Web browsers display tabs as a single space.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use a table or indents to layout text, instead of tab characters.



MORE INFORMATION
To observe this behavior, create a new document containing the following information:

1fred

two tabs

where  is the character produced by pressing the TAB key.

Save the document as HTML. Word converts the text to the following HTML code:

1&#9;fred

&#9;&#9;two tabs

NOTE: To view the HTML code, click HTML Source on the View menu.

When viewed in a Web browser, the HTML document may appear as:

1 fred

two tabs

