OFF2001: Picture Copied from Word and Pasted to Excel Loses Quality (269947)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac
  • Microsoft Word 2001 for Macintosh
This article was previously published under Q269947

SYMPTOMS

In a Microsoft Word 2001 for Mac document, when you copy a picture and text to the Clipboard, and then paste the picture and text to a Microsoft Excel 2001 worksheet, you may observe a loss of picture quality. For example, the picture may appear pixilated and fail to match the original picture in terms of quality.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur when the following conditions are true:
  • You copy a picture and some text from a Word 2001 document and paste them to an Excel 2001 worksheet.

    -and-
  • The picture being copied is in Microsoft Windows Metafile (.wmf) format.
This behavior does not occur when the following conditions are true:
  • The picture is copied without any text.
  • The picture copied is in Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) or Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) format.
  • The picture being copied is floating.
  • The picture is copied from Excel 2001 and then pasted to Word 2001.
  • The picture is copied from Microsoft Word 2001 and then pasted to Microsoft PowerPoint 2001.
  • The picture is copied from Word 2001 and then pasted to Excel 98.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.

Copy and Paste the Picture and Text Separately

  1. In Word, copy the picture, and then in Excel, paste the picture.
  2. In Word, copy the text, and then in Excel, paste the text.

Copy and Paste the Picture As a Microsoft Word Document Object

  1. In Word, copy the picture and the text.
  2. In Excel, click Paste Special on the File menu, select Microsoft Word Document Object, and then click OK.

Change the Picture to a Floating Picture

To change an inline picture to a floating picture, follow these steps:
  1. Click to select the picture.
  2. On the Format menu, click Picture, and then click the Layout tab.
  3. Select the wrapping style that you want, and then click OK. (To change a floating picture to an inline picture, click In line with text under Wrapping style.)
  4. In Word, copy the picture and the text, and then in Excel, paste the picture and the text.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Office 2001 for Mac.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/31/2003
Keywords:kbbug KB269947
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.