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Advice on Using Word Processor for Creating Posts

TeeJay
06/01/2011 17:41

I know some of you prepare your posts by using a word processor Whenever I've tried this I get some weird results and gobledegook so I mostly compose my posts directly in the "Post to the forum" dialogue. However, I can see there are advantages in composing offline and simply pasting into the dialogue box. Not the least of these is the ability to spellcheck. Also because the text before posting is so small I find that with my dodgy eyesight I make a lot of mistakes and it can take me a long time to get it right. So a few questions for you clever people out there.

  • How do you eliminate the gobbledegook? I suspect it's something to do with the format with which you save the file but which one is it? Plain text, encoded text, rich text, HTML document?
  • What is the appropriate format and font size to use or does it get converted when you paste it?
  • In a word processor you can embed images. When you cut and paste into the post will the images copy or do you have to embed these independently in the post as I normally do?

I've got both Microsoft Word and its Open Office equivalent installed on my computer.

Sorry if this has been asked before but I did a search and couldn't find anything.

Your advice and help would be appreciated.

TJ

____________________________________________________________________

Tony

My Flickr Photostream 

  • 06/01/2011 18:24 in reply to aiki

    The Gobledegook issue is a long running one on forums.

    You may find that Notepad is better for forum posts as I works in Plain text mode

    A colleague of mine on one of the technical forums I moderate is in the process of creating a free off-line editor for forum posts - when this is ready I will post links on the forums here for anyone who is interested 

    Best regards
    Nigel

    | My Images |  Newport Wetlands on Flickr @barman58

  • 06/01/2011 18:26 in reply to TeeJay

    Hi

    Its all very strange im running IE

    Regards Shane

     

    My Photos in Flickr.

  • 06/01/2011 18:37 in reply to Shane

    Yes, it is strange.

    Both Shane and I run IE and have no gobbledygook problems.

    Cheers, Linda.

    See my photos on Flickr

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous 06/01/2011 18:48 in reply to TeeJay

    Hi everyone

    Like most people here, I post my text in Word before I post on here (if there is a lot of it)  I use Mozilla Firefox  (like TJ) along with Vista

    • The benefits of using Word are that there is a spell check to use and pick up any mistakes before posting on here.  I have eyesight problems, and needing an operation now.  Do not see things properly at times
    • It prevents any lost information occurring from happening if the RSPB forum decides to throw me out for no reason 
    • A test text to show the additional text when copy and paste is used via Word.  The same thing happens with 'separate' URL links if copied and paste is use

    Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

    Hello its me - testing, testing....

    .....to show the problem text that appears on the screen. 

    • I have been told by the mods that using software such as 'Notepad' is supposed to eradicate the 'problem text'.  My instruction was type the text into Word, and copy into Notepad, copy from Notepad onto the RSPB.  This does not work either in my case.
    • I use other Forums a lot, and most of what I type is used over and over again ie my holiday reports.  When I use copy/past same text of my own making from another Forum or use URL links there is not problem with the text at all (strange one).  So copying text from another Forum to here stops the 'problem text' from occurring.
    • Another thing I do at this moment in time is just before I post on the RSPB Forum,  I hit the copy button in Edit on top of the screen (so the text is saved to the Clipboard).  If the post fails and i am thrown out  of the RSPB Forum - I simply go back into the RSPB Forum - and paste the same text all over again (as long as I do not log out of my PC)

    I really hope this is sorted as it spoils the Forum a bit and all the effort we put in to making our posts informative are spoilt by this glitch.  People notice it, and comment why it happens and there is no answer to it

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

  • 06/01/2011 18:50 in reply to Sparrow

    Try this

    Right click on the forum page, select view page source.

    you will see by the post with gibberish on extra <p> tags and an MSO class this is where the error comes in

    the mso class is what the gibberish is, it was used by older browsers to confirm its identity in this instance it pretending to be IE4 or higher....

    so update your browsers :)

    also some forum software requires certain browser versions which is why this info is there

    It's both what you do and the way that you do it!

    You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.
    William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)

  • 06/01/2011 18:57 in reply to mpiekp

    Normal 0

    Normal 0

    This is me testing on Firefox, copied and pasted from office 2000 Word

     

    EDIT : Yes! Gobbledygook on Firefox - but not on IE

     

     

     

    Cheers, Linda.

    See my photos on Flickr

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous 06/01/2011 19:00 in reply to mpiekp

    hi Mjay

    I checked out what you have typed here, and yes i know that gibberish on the screen

    Can I ask a silly question 'how do you update your browser'?

    ............and is it  'older' version of the browser that is the problem?

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

  • 06/01/2011 19:00

     

    Hi- I'm obviously a Luddite because I type direct into the reply box. I admit I do a copy paste on long posta in case it doesnt get through so I can just re-try later.

    If it's really long and convoluted I post in sections and use the edit facility to add extra paragraphs each time :)

     

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • 06/01/2011 19:02 in reply to seymouraves

    As previously mentioned, I also type a direct reply but if it's long, I copy the text before posting just in case!! Then I just need to paste it back if necessary.... but sometimes I forget! Lol!

    "All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)

    My photos on Flickr

  • 06/01/2011 19:07 in reply to seymouraves

    This does look like a Firefox problem. I didn't understand much of what you said mpiekp but I can assure you the version of Firefox I'm using is the latest. It prompts me to upgrade every time a new version comes out.

    I think I shall just continue to to write my posts directly and perhaps copy the text at intervals in case anything goes wrong.

    TJ

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Tony

    My Flickr Photostream