Tables in RTF output

[karen.lowe]

Hi,
I'm generating RTF output successfully, but when I open the output with Word 2003, all the tables are corrupt. Is there some setting I'm missing?

Karen

[sorin_ristache]

Hello,

How do you generate the RTF output? Do you use a transformation in Oxygen? Is it a DITA RTF transformation?


Regards,
Sorin

[karen.lowe]

Yes - DITA transform DITA to RTF. The build log says its using dita2wordrtf

[sorin_ristache]

Hello,

Some simple tables are generated correctly in RTF output, for example if there are no colspec elements in the table element and if there are no table cells which span more than one row and column. For more complex tables the DITA RTF transformation cannot create correct RTF tables. I reported the problem to the DITA Open Toolkit project which is used in Oxygen.

You can work around this RTF table problem by generating ODF output (Open Document Format) instead of RTF, opening the ODF file in OpenOffice Writer and saving it as RTF file.


Regards,
Sorin

[karen.lowe]

Sorin,
Thanks for the tip.
I've been using the RTF transform, opening the output in Wordpad and then opening it in Word. It's ugly, but the tables appear. (And the entire thing is ugly, but I expected that!) At least it proves I can provide a Word version of my DITA content to the client.

I may blog about this (www.ditachick.com) Can I use your name and the info you provided?

Karen

[sorin_ristache]

Hi Karen,

I may blog about this (http://www.ditachick.com) Can I use your name and the info you provided?

Certainly, go ahead!


Regards,
Sorin