Remove a drawing object, header or revision tracking from rejected RTF document

RTF files submitted to the Utah Court can be rejected if they contain drawing objects, headers, or revision tracking, even if these elements aren’t immediately visible. Users often inadvertently add this hidden metadata when they insert tables, enable co-editing or revision tracking, use collaboration features, or activate change tracking while creating their documents.

Should your RTF file be rejected because of drawing objects, headers, or revision tracking, several options are available to attempt their removal:

PC Users That Still Have Windows Wordpad Installed

For PC users who still have Windows WordPad installed on their machine, the following steps may help remove most drawing objects, headers, and/or revision tracking. Be aware that this method might not be completely effective, in which case you’ll need to try another listed option or recreate your RTF file.

1. Open your document using WordPad

   Option A – Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > WordPad. The File > Open and navigate to your document and open it.

   Option B – Open Windows Explorer, right click on your document, and select Open With > WordPad.
2. Once the document is open, review it to fix any formatting issues you may notice. When you open an RTF in WordPad, it may move some text around so that will need to be fixed.
3. Now, re-save the document as RTF. Just use File > Save As > Rich Text Format and give your document a new file name.
4. Re-File this new RTF.

Revise the RTF File Using Google Docs/Drive

For Mac and PC users of Google Docs/Drive, the following steps may help remove most drawing objects, headers, and/or revision tracking. Be aware that this method might not be completely effective, in which case you’ll need to try another listed option or recreate your RTF file.

1. Open Google Drive in your web browser: Go to https://drive.google.com/.
2. Upload your document (if it’s not a Google Doc already):
   • If the file you want to convert is not a Google Doc (e.g., a .docx, .odt, .txt file), you’ll need to upload it to your Google Drive first.
   • Click the + New button (usually located in the top-left corner).
   • Select File upload and then browse your computer to find and select the file. Click Open.
   • Once uploaded, the file will appear in your Google Drive.
3. Open the document with Google Docs:
   • Locate the uploaded file (or your existing Google Doc) in your Google Drive.
   • Double-click the file to open it. This will open the document in the Google Docs editor. Note: Non-Google Doc formats will be automatically converted to a Google Docs format when opened.
4. Go to the “File” menu: In the top-left corner of your Google Docs window, click on the “File” menu.
5. Select “Download”: Hover your mouse over the “Download” option in the dropdown menu. This will open a submenu with various file formats.
6. Choose “Rich Text Format (.rtf)”: In the submenu, click on “Rich Text Format (.rtf)”.
7. Your file will be downloaded: Your web browser will now download the document as an RTF file. The file will typically be saved to your computer’s default download location (e.g., your “Downloads” folder). You should see a download notification in your browser.
8. Locate the downloaded file: Once the download is complete, navigate to your computer’s download location to find the .rtf file. The filename will likely be the same as your original document’s title, but with the .rtf extension.

Create a New RTF Document in Microsoft Word

Should you be unable to eliminate all unwanted drawing objects, headers, or revision tracking, the most reliable approach is to recreate your RTF file from scratch. When doing so in Microsoft Word (for both Mac and PC), it’s crucial to refrain from using features known to embed such elements. Specifically, avoid inserting tables, enabling co-editing or revision tracking, utilizing collaboration features, and activating change tracking.

1. Open Microsoft Word: Launch the Microsoft Word application on your computer.
2. Create a new blank document:
   • When Word opens, you will typically see a start screen. Click on “Blank document” to create a new, empty document.
   • If Word is already open and you want to create a new document, go to the “File” menu (top-left corner) and click “New”. Then, select “Blank document”.
3. Type and format your content: Begin typing the text you want to include in your RTF document. You can use Word’s formatting tools (font, size, bold, italics, alignment, etc.) to style your text as desired. Keep in mind that while RTF supports basic formatting, some advanced Word features might not be fully preserved when saved as RTF.
4. Go to the “File” menu: Once you have entered and formatted your content, click on the “File” tab in the top-left corner of the Word window.
5. Select “Save As”: In the menu that appears, click on “Save As”. This will open the Save As dialog box.
6. Choose a location to save your file: In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder on your computer where you want to save the new RTF file.
7. Name your file: In the “File name” field, type the name you want to give your RTF document.
8. Select “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)” as the file type:
   • Click on the dropdown menu next to the “Save as type” field. This will display a list of different file formats.
   • Scroll through the list and select “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)”.
9. Click the “Save” button: Once you have chosen the save location, the desired filename, and “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)” as the file type, click the “Save” button.
10. Your new document is now saved as an RTF file: The file you just created and formatted will be saved with the .rtf extension in the location you specified.

Create a New RTF Document in WordPerfect

Should you be unable to eliminate all unwanted drawing objects, headers, or revision tracking, the most reliable approach is to recreate your RTF file from scratch. When doing so in Wordprefect (for both Mac and PC), it’s crucial to refrain from using features known to embed such elements. Specifically, avoid inserting tables, enabling co-editing or revision tracking, utilizing collaboration features, and activating change tracking.

1. Open WordPerfect: Launch the WordPerfect application on your computer.
2. Create a new blank document:
   • When WordPerfect opens, a new, blank document usually appears automatically.
   • If a blank document doesn’t appear, or if you want to create another new document, go to the “File” menu (typically in the top-left corner) and click on “New”. This will open the “Create New Document” dialog box. In most versions, a blank document is the default selection, so simply click “OK” or “Create”.
3. Type and format your content: Begin typing the text you want to include in your RTF document. You can use WordPerfect’s formatting tools (font, size, bold, italics, alignment, etc.) to style your text as desired. Keep in mind that while RTF supports basic formatting, some advanced WordPerfect features might not be fully preserved when saved as RTF.
4. Go to the “File” menu: Once you have entered and formatted your content, click on the “File” menu (typically in the top-left corner of the WordPerfect window).
5. Select “Save As”: In the dropdown menu that appears, click on “Save As…”. This will open the “Save As” dialog box.
6. Choose a location to save your file: In the “Save As” dialog box, navigate to the folder on your computer where you want to save the new RTF file.
7. Name your file: In the “File name:” field, type the name you want to give your RTF document.
8. Select “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)” as the file type:
   • Click on the dropdown menu next to the “Save as type:” or “Format:” field. This will display a list of different file formats that WordPerfect can save in.
   • Scroll through the list and select “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)”.
9. Click the “Save” button: Once you have chosen the save location, the desired filename, and “Rich Text Format (*.rtf)” as the file type, click the “Save” button.
10. Your new document is now saved as an RTF file: The file you just created and formatted will be saved with the .rtf extension in the location you specified.