Show Hidden Data

Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents contain hidden information, some of which is shown by default when exported, and some of which is hidden by default. There are several options that allow you to determine which types of hidden data are shown.

NOTE: KeyView does not consider white text on a white background to be hidden text. Export outputs the white text as black text to make it readable.

Hidden Data in Microsoft Documents

You can show several types of hidden data from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, each of which has a corresponding parameter in the Export class, which you can set to change the default behavior. The following table lists each data type, its default behavior, and its corresponding configuration API flag.

Hidden data settings

Hidden Data Type Default Behavior

Configuration API Parameter

Microsoft Word  

 

Comments1 Shown2

CFG_WP_NOCOMMENTS

Hidden text Hidden

CFG_WP_SHOWHIDDENTEXT

Date field codes Calculated date

CFG_WP_SHOWDATEFIELDCODE

File name field codes Document file name

CFG_WP_SHOWFILENAMEFIELDCODE

Microsoft Excel  

 

Hidden information Hidden

CFG_SS_SHOWHIDDENINFOR

Notes (previously known as comments) Hidden

CFG_SS_SHOWCOMMENTS

Formulas Calculated value

CFG_SS_SHOWFORMULA

Microsoft PowerPoint  

 

Hidden slides Shown

CFG_PG_HIDEHIDDENSLIDE

Comments Shown3

CFG_PG_HIDECOMMENT

Comments slide Hidden

CFG_PG_SHOWCOMMENTSSLIDE4

Slide notes5 Hidden

CFG_PG_SHOWSLIDENOTES

To toggle the display of hidden data

  • Use the setConfigOption method of the Export object, and set the config parameter to one of the options listed in Hidden data settings. Setting a hidden data parameter changes the default behavior.

    For example:

    objExport.setConfigOption(Export.CFG_WP_SHOWHIDDENTEXT);

    In this case, the configuration parameter ensures that hidden text in Microsoft Word documents is shown (it is hidden by default).

Toggle Word Comment Settings in the formats_e.ini File

Microsoft Word 97 to 2003 comment settings can also be controlled through a parameter in the formats_e.ini file.

The formats_e.ini file is in the directory install\OS\bin, where install is the path name of the Export installation directory and OS is the name of the operating system.

To toggle comment output in formats_e.ini

  1. Open the formats_e.ini file in a text editor.

  2. Under [Options], add the WP_NOCOMMENTS parameter and set it to 0 to show comments, or 1 to hide comments. For example:

    [Options]
    WP_NOCOMMENTS=1

    NOTE: The CFG_WP_NOCOMMENTS configuration API flag overrides the setting in formats_e.ini.

Toggle PowerPoint Slide Note Settings in the formats_e.ini File

Microsoft PowerPoint slide note settings can also be controlled through a parameter in the formats_e.ini file.

The formats_e.ini file is in the directory install\OS\bin, where install is the path name of the Export installation directory and OS is the name of the operating system.

To toggle slide note output in formats_e.ini

  1. Open the formats_e.ini file in a text editor.

  2. Under [Options], add the ShowSlideNotes parameter and set it to 1 to show slide notes, or 0 to hide slide notes. For example:

    [Options]
    ShowSlideNotes=1

    NOTE: The CFG_PG_SHOWSLIDENOTES configuration API flag overrides the setting in formats_e.ini.