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Copy and Paste removes formatting - why?

H

higgalls

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2008
285
50
Hey,

I only switched to a mac about 2 months ago, but am loving it.

I have a macbook pro 2.4Ghz (the latest model), running 10.5.2.

I have noticed that when I copy and paste things, formatting does not seem to come with it.
For example, if I copy something from Firefox, and then try and paste it into Word, it won't paste the tables, or the pictures - it simply pastes the plain text.

Any idea why it does this? Is it normal?

Cheers,
Chris
 
Does it work if you do it from Safari? It works perfectly from Safari to Word 2008 for me.

It is up to the application you copy from to provide the data with formatting etc and the application you post to to maintain it if appropriate.
 
Must be some kind of a setting. I've just copied some text from Firefox (3 RC1) to Word 2008 and it kept the formatting (font, color, size, etc.).
 
Matek said:
Must be some kind of a setting. I've just copied some text from Firefox (3 RC1) to Word 2008 and it kept the formatting (font, color, size, etc.).
Click to expand...

It seems to work from Safari, but still not from Firefox (also 3 RC1).

Actually, pictures don't come when I copy from Safari, and neither do tables, but the text seems formatted a bit, and the links in word are clickable. It is heaps better than what Firefox does (firefox is just plain text with no formatting).

I have looked at all the firefox settings and cannot find anything related to it. I don't know what could be causing it.

Any other things to look at?

Cheers,
Chris

Hey,

Does anyone else have any ideas?

When I copy text from Firefox, and I go "paste special" in word, there is no option of formatted text either - only 'unformatted text'. Therefore it is obvious that the formatting isn't being copied.

Any ideas? I think it isn't working in some other programs too, but will need to double-check that.

Cheers,
Chris
 
just curious, try highlighting text, and DRAGGING it to word 2008, does it remain formatted in that case?
 
Might be a problem with Firefox if it's working in Safari. Remember that 3RC1 isn't an official release, it's a release candidate (similar to a beta), and may still have bugs. The official release of Firefox 3 is this month, I'd suggest trying again after the final is out...
 
Firefox 3 copy paste bug

There seems to be a bug in Firefox 3 that strips all html information out during copy/paste.

Also seems to affect Safari for some reason.
 
carrera said:
There seems to be a bug in Firefox 3 that strips all html information out during copy/paste.

Also seems to affect Safari for some reason.
Click to expand...

Safari works fine for me - it is only Firefox 3 that the copy/paste doesn't work properly.
 
This is a big screenshot (click on it to see a larger version), but I think it describes higgalls's issue, which I can replicate:

20080628-x4f2ccxsw856a6156bi6yqt7bm.jpg


OS X is 10.4.11 (PPC). Safari is 3.1. Firefox is 3.0. Word is 11.5.0. Compare the top (Safari cut and paste) and bottom (Firefox cut and paste), which are both from the UL corner of the blue bar above higgalls's to the LR corner of the box where the quote/etc. icons are....
 
this happens with Leopard as well.

Unless with any not yet known addon, I think this so far is not doable, it probably involves interaction between two apps (browser and word). which probably more difficult for firefox when it uses less system aid.
 
mkrishnan said:
This is a big screenshot (click on it to see a larger version), but I think it describes higgalls's issue, which I can replicate:

OS X is 10.4.11 (PPC). Safari is 3.1. Firefox is 3.0. Word is 11.5.0. Compare the top (Safari cut and paste) and bottom (Firefox cut and paste), which are both from the UL corner of the blue bar above higgalls's to the LR corner of the box where the quote/etc. icons are....
Click to expand...

Yeah that is my problem. So it appears to be a problem for everyone.

I am running 10.5.3, with all latest updates to Safari and Firefox 3. So it must be a bug with Firefox.
 
redwarrior said:
Doesn't work in Opera or IE for Mac either.
Click to expand...

So your not even getting text in Bold, or different colours?

Firefox removes ALL formatting.

Can anyone confirm whether it works on Windows with firefox (can't test it at the moment, but I know I used to do copy and paste into Word all the time when I had windows, but I cant remember if I did it when I had firefox - IE7 definately worked).
 
higgalls said:
So your not even getting text in Bold, or different colours?

Firefox removes ALL formatting.

Can anyone confirm whether it works on Windows with firefox (can't test it at the moment, but I know I used to do copy and paste into Word all the time when I had windows, but I cant remember if I did it when I had firefox - IE7 definately worked).
Click to expand...

no, not all formatting, simple ones like list are there in some way.

If its very important, you can use addons like https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4554 extended copy menu and choose to copy HTMLs then paste to word. afterwards just save the file as *.html..

Not as simple as I would like, but not impossible.:eek:
 
Ok, from Mac Firefox to Mac Word, no formatting.
From Windows Firefox to Mac Word, no formatting.
However, from Windows Firefox to Windows Word 2007, perfect formatting.
:rolleyes:

Edit: (one more thing) Also... doesn't work from Mac Firefox to Windows Word 2007.
 
clevin said:
no, not all formatting, simple ones like list are there in some way.

If its very important, you can use addons like https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4554 extended copy menu and choose to copy HTMLs then paste to word. afterwards just save the file as *.html..

Not as simple as I would like, but not impossible.:eek:
Click to expand...

I don't get lists or anything. There is absolutely NO formatting for me when I copy from Firefox to Word.

When I copy in Firefox, and then go to Paste Special in Word, the only option is "unformatted tex". So it must be a firefox issue.

So, no text comes across bold, colour is all black, fonts don't change, neither does the size of the text, and lists do not work. It is all just plain old straight text with no formatting at all. :-(
 
redwarrior said:
Select all, copy, paste.
I have everything open right now. Any more tests you can think of?:rolleyes:

FYI: (Don't know if it's important or not) running Parallels
Click to expand...

oh no, thanks, I was just wondering how you tried mac firefox and windows word..:D I guess parallels is the answer

higgalls said:
I don't get lists or anything. There is absolutely NO formatting for me when I copy from Firefox to Word.
Click to expand...
I mean this (pic)

anyway, its undoubtedly a thing firefox will need to consider implementing if possible. we will see.
 

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redwarrior said:
Ok, from Mac Firefox to Mac Word, no formatting.
From Windows Firefox to Mac Word, no formatting.
However, from Windows Firefox to Windows Word 2007, perfect formatting.
:rolleyes:

Edit: (one more thing) Also... doesn't work from Mac Firefox to Windows Word 2007.
Click to expand...

This set of results is kind of curious, actually... well, I would have said the issue is purely that the Mac Firefox is not pushing out formatted text to the copy buffer. But the fact that Windows Firefox (which apparently is) is not able to paste rich data into Mac Word is a standout (you can paste rich text between, say, Windows Word and Mac Word, with Parallels or whatever you're using, right?). So my guess would be that, while the Windows version of Firefox does generate rich text in the copy buffer, it does it with a more obscure format type that Windows apps such as Office for Windows understand, but not in a format that Macs understand. Which is troubling -- why would Mozilla have chosen a weird format for their copies?
 
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