Pages import Text background Black

Question

bevhoward Author

Level 1

0 points

Pages import Text background Black

Just started using Pages and need to import word docs stored in Google Docs.

I _can_ import using WebDAV and open the documents in Pages.

Documents import with the information that;

Document backgrounds were removed

Times New Roman replaced with TimesNewRomanPSMT

Arial replaced with ArialPSMT

HOWEVER, even though the documents are _all_ generic, default, text only and display correctly in Word, emails, google docs, etc, the text _background_ on all of the imports is BLACK resulting in documents containing only back bars of black on black text.

Two questions...

How does one address this import problem?
How does one set the text background color in iOS Pages? (I can set the _text_ color, but not the _text background_ color)

Thanks in advance,

Beverly Howard

iTouch iPad, iOS 4, XPPro, Windows Mobile

Posted on Dec 15, 2012 9:54 AM

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Answer 1

Dick Gr

Level 1

55 points

Dec 15, 2012 3:27 PM in response to bevhoward

I wonder if an image had been superimposed on the background, as a watermark to appear on each page?

Try using wrench (spanner) -> Document Setup

and see if a page background image appears. If it does, you can select it and then delete it.

If not, maybe it is a color that can be editted while in this mode.

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Answer 2

Jeff Shenk

Level 4

3,005 points

Dec 16, 2012 5:21 AM in response to bevhoward

From your profile, it would appear that you don't have a Mac, with the full version of Pages, so my first idea for item 1 (pass the document through the desktop version of Pages, where there is an interface for setting character fill) won't work. Would trying Dropbox a an alternative to WebDAV be an option?

For the second item, I don't think there is a user interface in the iOS version of Pages for setting character fill.

If you select all the black-filled text and apply a different style it might clear the fill. If you can type a new paragraph in one of the affected documents, and it doesn't have the black background, you can style it as you like and then copy and paste that style. Otherwise, you should be able to do that from a different document (create a new one).

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Answer 3

bevhoward Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 16, 2012 8:47 AM in response to Jeff Shenk

>> Try using wrench (spanner) -> Document Setup

and see if a page background image appears. If it does, you can select it and then delete it. <<

I confirmed that the document does not have any background image and have fairly solidly confirmed that the problem is that Pages is replacing both the font with the iOS equivalent font, and that font's background with a black background

>> If not, maybe it is a color that can be editted while in this mode.<<

The font color can be edited... for example, the imported text becomes visible when the font color is set to white. As you observe, there is no option within iOS pages to set the text background color.

If there were, it would be possible to select all and fix the problem... as it is, there is no way to access and edit any of the 500+ word docs file within iOS using pages... there are other options such as Docs to Go, but it's amazing that apple is putting up a good reason for user not to purchase and use the otherwise excellent wordprocesser Pages.

>> From your profile, it would appear that you don't have a Mac, with the full version of Pages <<

Ironically this discovery came out of assisting a low tech friend to see if it would be possible for her to use an iPad for her computing needs and not own and maintain a PC to support it. fwiw, _All_ of the test docs imported from google docs with this problem.

These "small" glitches that tend to stay around for years because of apple's reluctance, for whatever reason, to address them, are sad and confusing to users attempting to justify their products.

As for reporting this to apple, I no longer have any faith that any bugs or suggestions submitted through apple's input channels are even read much less considered, so, my own attempts to find a resolution stop here unless anyone comes up with options that are within the user's control.

Thanks for everyone's input... it's appreciated and confirms my suspicions.

Beverly Howard

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