Export Query to HTML Now Encoding Characters

[kdporter]

I am using Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) on Windows 10.




Sometime between 21-APR-2025 and today, the export to HTML function in Access began encoding all of the actual data being exported.


What previously looked like this:


<TABLE BORDER=1 BGCOLOR=#ffffff CELLSPACING=0><FONT FACE="Calibri" COLOR=#000000><CAPTION><B>qs locomotives</B></CAPTION></FONT>


Now looks like this:


<TABLE BORDER=1 BGCOLOR=#ffffff CELLSPACING=0><FONT FACE="Calibri" COLOR=#000000><CAPTION><B>%#113;%#115;%#32;%#108;%#111;%#99;%#111;%#109;%#11 1;%#116;%#105;%#118;%#101;%#115;</B></CAPTION></FONT> Except that the percent symbols (%) are ampersands (&).

This makes editing the resulting HTML file with a text editor very difficult. It also significantly increases the file size.


This is from a saved export, so I'm not doing anything different on my end. I am exporting data with formatting and layout. I have tried all three HTML output options (i.e., default encoding, unicode, and unicode UTF-8) and the results are the same.


Is there is a switch somewhere that will force Access to export HTML without encoding characters?

[Welshgasman]

Look for recent Office updates. Rollback if possible.

FWIW, I have just tried on 2019 and get the same, regardless of the encoding method. I am also on Win11 24H2.

[isladogs]

What is your 365 update channel, version number, build & bitness?

I've tested in both 32-bit & 64-bit 365 Beta Channel version 2509 build 19212.20000 and cannot replicate the issue. Maybe already fixed in beta

If you have 32-bit Access, it may be another example of the 32-bit wizard bug discussed in Wizard ActiveXs are Broken in 32 Bit for which a fix is due to be released to current channel probably today

.

[Welshgasman]

This is mine Microsoft® Access® 2019 MSO (Version 2507 Build 16.0.19029.20136) 32-bit

That link has that version exactly.

[isladogs]

There is now an update available to version 2507 build 19029.20208 that fixes all the other 32-bit Access wizard issues mentioned in the Access Forever article (see post #3)
If possible, please update to the latest build and see if that fixes this issue as well.

BTW: You should report the version and build number to the right of the About Access button NOT that shown on the top of the next screen when you click the button (which refers to the mso.dll library file)
The two builds are often (though not always) different.

[Welshgasman]

Ah, OK, that is different.

[isladogs]

Thanks. That confirms my point!
Anyway I’d be grateful if you could update to the latest CC build and let me know if it’s now fixed.

[Welshgasman]

I have updated to 20208 and the output is still encoded?

[isladogs]

Thanks. Then it appears to be a different issue than those fixed today
Hopefully the OP will also update to the latest build and report back.

[Welshgasman]

Thanks. Then it appears to be a different issue than those fixed today
Hopefully the OP will also update to the latest build and report back.

I even switched the computer off last night and back on again this morning, and it still happens.

[isladogs]

Waiting for the OP to report back.
As already stated I can't replicate this with my various setups but I don't have 32-bit Current Channel

In the meantime, can you provide a screenshot of the encoded output you see

Also does the problem still occur if you use DoCmd.TransferText code to export to HTML instead of using the wizard?

[Welshgasman]

Colin,
Works fine using TransferText, so only when using the wizard manually?

[isladogs]

Ah now I see what you mean.
I was just looking at the HTML output in a browser - not opening the HTML file in a test editor! Doh!

Yes I can also see the difference between the 2 methods in 64-bit Access 365 version 2509 build 19214.20000

The output using the wizard encodes the data if the 'Export data with formatting and layout' option is checked.
If that checkbox isn't ticked, the wizard output closely resembles that obtained using DoCmd.TransferText

Attached is a zip file containing 5 HTML outputs:

• 365TransferText
• 365NotFormatted
• 365Formatted
• 2010Formatted
• 2010NotFormatted

The only one where the data is encoded is the 365Formatted output

Not sure whether this is a bug or more likely a change in the way that the wizard structures the formatted HTML output
Possibly related to changes announced in this blog article? Access releases bug fixes in version 2506 | Microsoft Community Hub

The OP now has two ways of ensuring that the data isn't encoded in his HTML output files: disable formatting or use TransferText

[Welshgasman]

Good spot on the Preserve formatting. I would always select that.

Not doing so, gets me the correct values in the source, just like TransferText.

[isladogs]

Note that text data is still encoded (apart from the headers). Your example only has numbers including currency & dates