Microsoft KB Archive/68276

PRB: Colons Missing from Compiled Windows Help Files ID Number: Q68276

3.00 WINDOWS

Summary:

SYMPTOMS When the Microsoft Windows Help Compiler processes rich-text format (RTF) files created by Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, the colon characters are missing from the compiled output.

CAUSE Word for the Macintosh version 4.0 prefixes each colon with a backslash character, which makes each colon a special RTF control word. Because the Help Compiler ignores these control words, the colons are missing from the compiled help file.

RESOLUTION There are two methods of correcting this problem:

- Contact Microsoft Customer Service to update your copy of Word for the Macintosh to version 4.0a or later. In the U.S., call Microsoft End User Sales at (800) 426-9400. Outside the U.S., contact the Microsoft subsidiary that serves your country, or call Microsoft International Customer Service at (206) 936-8661 to obtain the number of the subsidiary in your area.

- Do the following to remove the backslash characters from the RTF file:

a. Open the file in Word for the Macintosh version 4.0.

b. When asked if Word should interpret RTF text, choose the No    button.

c. From the Utilities menu, choose Change.

d. In the Find What box, type &quot;\:&quot; (backslash, colon), and in the Change To box, type &quot;:&quot; (without the quotation marks in    either case). Click the Change All button.

e. From the File menu, choose Save, then close the document. For more information on using Word for the Macintosh to create RTF files, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

WORD and RTF

Additional reference words: 3.00 MICS3 T17