# How does Discourse convert Excel tables to images when pasting?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [April 4, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451 "2014-04-04T05:36:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![pratyushmittal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pratyushmittal/32/104227_2.png) [@pratyushmittal](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pratyushmittal)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451/1 "2014-04-04T05:36:02Z")

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![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/2X/1/1b2e4f3ef50482b3b5b79ab9c3e3eaddf7480a4a.png)

When I copy a data from Excel / OpenOffice to Discourse, it auto-magically converts it to an image which retains all the borders, cell highlights and styles. How does it work?

If possible, I will try to extend it to other tables too, such as tables from Google Spreadsheets and tables from html content.

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### Author: ![sam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sam/32/102149_2.png) [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451/2 "2014-04-04T05:36:44Z")

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This is not a Discourse feature, excel does this magic behind the scenes.

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### Author: ![riking](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/riking/32/170938_2.png) [@riking](https://meta.discourse.org/u/riking)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2014, 5:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451/3 "2014-04-04T05:44:02Z")

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> [@sam](#):
>
> excel does this magic behind the scenes.

IIRC it’s that you can place multiple MIME-types on the clipboard, and the paste receiver can inspect the list and ask for the one it wants.

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### Author: ![chapoi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/chapoi/32/537252_2.png) [@chapoi](https://meta.discourse.org/u/chapoi)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2025, 11:10am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-discourse-convert-excel-tables-to-images-when-pasting/14451/5 "2025-12-04T11:10:02Z")

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