Unsupported content in Office Open XML

Office Open XML (OOXML) is a standard file format used to define the contents of Microsoft Office documents, using WordprocessingML for structure, formatting, and content.

When converting OOXML documents to other formats, some elements may not be processed or included in the final output. Unsupported WordprocessingML elements or fields indicate that certain XML elements or attributes in the OOXML are unrecognized and cannot be processed. This typically occurs due to custom fields, extensions, or deprecated features. For example, the legacy page number block <w:pgNum> should only be used if present in the original document.

Why is unsupported content appearing in the document?

Unsupported content in OOXML may appear in documents that are generated by a third-party application or inherited from legacy files. These documents may contain XML that is not compatible with modern versions of Microsoft Word, leading to unprocessed content.

Types of unsupported content in OOXML

If the Microsoft Word (v24) plug-in encounters unsupported OOXML content—such as XML elements, Word fields, or Typefi Writer tags, you will receive an info, warning, or error message in the action log. Only issues that display an error message will stop the job to preserve the integrity of your document.

Unsupported XML element: <w:pgNum> (Page Number Block)

The <w:pgNum> element, is a legacy feature used with older word processors to dynamically insert page numbers. This element has been replaced by the PAGENUM field in modern versions of Word. During conversion, the Microsoft Word plug-in will ignore <w:pgNum> to maintain integrity.

If unsupported content, for example <w:pgNum> is present in your document, you will see a message, for example:

‘Warning: The XML element <w:pgNum> is unsupported and is being ignored.’

Next Steps

If you encounter unsupported content or have any questions, please contact us. The Typefi team will troubleshoot and update your workflow to resolve the issue.