WD97: Opening Text Only Files Changes Right and Left Margins (185525)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q185525

SYMPTOMS

When you open a file saved in text format (*.txt), the left and right margins are changed from a default of 1.25 inches to 0.92 inch.

CAUSE

This behavior is by design. When Microsoft Word opens a text file, the native (built-in) text converter for .txt files converts the left and right default margins to 0.92 inch.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Adjust the Margins

To manually adjust the margins, follow these steps:

  1. On the File menu, click Page Setup, and then click the Margins tab.
  2. Modify the Left and Right margin settings to the size you want, and click OK.

Method 2: Use the File Command on the Insert Menu

Insert the text file into a new, blank Word document. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Create a new document.
  2. On the Insert menu, click File.
  3. Change the Files Of Type setting to Text Files (*.txt).
  4. Locate and select the file, and click OK.

    NOTE: If you have the "Confirm conversion at Open" option on, click OK to convert the file from Text Only.

Method 3: Use the Text with Layout Converter to Open the File

To open a text file with default 1.25 inch left and right margins, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab.
  2. Click to select the Confirm Conversion At Open check box, and then click OK.
  3. On the File menu, click Open, and then select the desired file. Click OK.
  4. In the Confirm Conversions dialog box, select the Text with Layout converter, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

The Text Only import converter changes the margins to 0.92 inch to correctly preserve the line breaks in text documents. Unlike Microsoft Word, most other word processors use a default left and right margin of 1.00 inch (2.54 cm). When these programs convert their files to text only (.txt), some of them insert carriage returns prior to this 1.00 inch margin at the end of each line to preserve the layout.

Thus, when Microsoft Word opens the document, the text import converter sets the right and left margin setting to 0.92 inch to accommodate this setting.

Native (Built-in) Text Converters in Word

Word 97 can directly import the following text formats:

  • MS-DOS Text
  • MS-DOS Text with Line Breaks
  • Text Only
  • Text with Line Breaks
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/31/2001
Keywords:kbconversion kbconvert kbprb WordCon KB185525
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.