WD: Formatting/Drawing Layer Change Unmarked in Compare Versions

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

Compare Documents (Compare Versions in Word 6.x and 7.x) does not recognize formatting changes as revisions to your document. For example, changing the font or paragraph characteristics, applying borders and shading, changing column formatting, and adding bullets, numbering, or heading numbering are not identified with revision marks when you run Compare Documents (or Compare Versions).

In addition, Compare Documents (or Compare Versions) does not identify additions or deletions of drawing objects, nor does it recognize changes to text within a text box.

STATUS

By design, Compare Documents (or Compare Versions) recognizes text changes, such as additions or deletions of text to your document, but Compare Documents (or Compare Versions) does not mark formatting changes you make to your text.

With regard to Compare Documents (or Compare Versions) not recognizing the addition, deletion, or alteration of drawing layer objects, Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Word listed above. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.