FHWA Order H 1321.1B: FHWA Directives Management Program Handbook
April 10, 2000 – CONVERTING WORDPERFECT DOCUMENTS

How do I convert WordPerfect documents into web format?

One of the most useful features of Corel 8 WordPerfect is its ability to convert documents into HTML format. Many of the document you see on FHWA's internet and on StaffNet were converted using this tool. The process is as simple as selecting "save as" and specifying "File Type: HTML." This initial conversion, however, should be regarded as only the first step toward readying documents for the web. In general, the conversion program deposits a lot of extraneous code such as:

This extra coding tends to distort the layout of the document and it should be removed using the "search and replace" functions of your HTML editor. Careful checking of the code is important to ensure that the HTML version closely mirrors the layout and formatting of the original. There is no substitute for a basic knowledge of HTML.

Most conversion problems arise because the original WordPerfect documents were not formatted correctly. Here are a few basic guidelines for producing WordPerfect documents for successful conversion to HTML:

1. Tabular data should be placed in WordPerfect tables format--each item within its own cell. Complex material that laid out with tabs will not convert well. (See WordPerfect's INSERT>TABLE)
   
   
2. Page numbering in headers or footers should be formatted automatically. Manually placed page numbers will appear within the document text when it is converted (See WordPerfect's FORMAT>PAGE>NUMBERING)
   
   
3. Use the "Outline" feature for creating numbered or bulleted lists ( See WordPerfect's INSERT>OUTLINE/BULLETS & NUMBERING).
   
   
4. Set the font of the entire WordPerfect document as "Arial" since this is the preferred font for use on both the FHWA internet and StaffNet sites (See WordPerfect's FORMAT>FONT).
   
   
5. Use bold or italics for emphasis. Underlines will be interpreted by many users as hyperlinks.
   
   
6. Hard returns should only be used for line spaces after paragraphs or when space is needed.

Return to Chapter 6