WebYep is a great content management tool, but sometimes clients get unexpected results when they copy and paste content from other applications, like Word. (Other applications like WordPress Blogs behave the same way). If you’re composing in the WebYep window, you most likely won’t have any issues, but if you try to copy and paste content, like text, from other word processing applications, or even from your internet browser window, you might run into issues. This article assumes a bit of knowledge of HTML and it’s use of tags.

The “Rich Text” Window in Web Yep
Web Yep has two views for entering content. The view that opens first, is the view that won’t show you any HTML. At the very top of the window, it might say “Rich Text”.

The “HTML Source Editor” Window in WebYep
Now, another way to see your content, is to show the HTML. This is done by clicking on the HTML blue button that’s at the end of the second row of icons. This will open up a second window, where you can see the HTML code. At the top of this window it will say “HTML Source Editor”.

The “View Source” Window in your browser
Yet another way to see your content, is to use your browser’s “View Page Source” or “View Source”. This will open a window to show you the HTML code as your browser sees it.

Troubleshooting Unexpected Results
If you copy and paste into the first “Rich Text” window, all may look fine, but there may actually be hidden HTML tags that will mess up your page. It’s always best to either enter content directly (by typing) or from pasting from a Plain Text Editor. Word is NOT a Plain Text Editor. Plain Text Editors are “WordPad” or “TextEdit” or “NotePad”.

If you paste into the “Rich Text” window and get unexpected results on yoru page, you may have pasted HTML tags accidentally. Look in the “HTML Source Editor” window for tags.

is one commonly found tag that is pasted by Word that will interfere with the style of text defined by your web designer.

If you see differences between your browser’s “View Source” and Web Yep’s “HTML Source Editor”, this means that there are some characters in the WebYep window that are not really as they appear - the true measure of the source code is via the browser window. If this happens, you should go into the WebYep HTML Source Editor and manually remove and reenter them.

Take Home Message:
Don’t paste from Word or any other non Plain Text Editor tool, and this includes copy and pasting from the Internet. If you are going to paste, make sure it’s from a Plain Text Editor like “WordPad”, “NotePad” or “TextEdit”. You will save yourself lots and lots of head scratching and frustration. If you must, must paste from Word, try out the little icon with the clipboard and the “T” on it, and see if this will strip away the hidden formatting.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 3:37 pm and is filed under the WebYep category. Read other Aldebaran Website Design Blog articles by returning to main blog page. Need a blog added to your website? Click here to read about blog installation services or click here to contact Aldebaran Web Design.