Internet Explorer Displays Text File in Web Page-Format

 Last reviewed: September 29, 1997
Article ID: Q155919
2.00 3.00 3.01 3.02 WINDOWS kbui

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 2.0, 3.0, 3.01, 3.02 for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you open a text file (.txt) that contains Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code in Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer may interpret the HTML code and display the file in Web page-format instead of plain text-format.

CAUSE

Internet Explorer parses text files and interprets the HTML code if any of the following HTML tags are found at the beginning of the file: 

   <HTML>
   <HEAD>
   <BODY>
If either of these tags are not present at the beginning of the file, Internet Explorer displays the file as plain text.

RESOLUTION

To cause Internet Explorer to open a .txt file as plain text, use a text editor (such as Notepad) to move the above HTML tags to the end of the text file. To do so, make a backup copy of the .txt file and then follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Notepad.

  2. Click Open on the File menu.

  3. Locate and click the .txt file you want to edit, and then click Open.

  4. Highlight one of the above HTML tags, and then click Cut on the Edit menu.
5. Click an empty space at the end of the file, and then click Paste on 
   the Edit menu.
  
   NOTE: You will have to follow steps 4 and 5 for each of the HTML tags
   listed above.

  • Click Close on the File menu, and then click Yes when you are prompted to Save the file.

    • KBCategory: kbui
    KBSubcategory: msiew95
    Additional reference words: 2.00 3.00 web ie3 ie30 ie2 ie20 ie301 ie302
    Keywords : msiew95 kbui
    Version : 2.00 3.00
    Platform : WINDOWS

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    Last reviewed: September 29, 1997
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