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 "\:" (backslash, colon), and in the

Change To box, type ":" (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