OK, I am getting a little confused here: you seem to be talking about some
problems with Word, and some problems with Excel.
From now, we need to keep the two separate, because Excel uses a different
text engine to Word, and whatever works in one does not necessarily work in
the other.
The difference between the file formats is in the computer language used to
describe the contents. The old format is binary code, and there are limits
to what it will describe: it will not store some of the things you can put
in a modern file. The new one is "eXtensible Markup Language". This format
is very similar to a web-page: it is an English-language description of the
components that make up the contents.
The new XML format will describe (and thus, store) anything you can think
of. But there are some things you can create that Mac Office 2008 cannot
display or print.
The "Drawing Objects" issue is a case in point. The graphics have to be
converted into the new format, and when they have been, they can end up as
something Office 2008 does not print or display.
If your computer is not updating automatically, that's because you set it so
that it couldn't. In the Excel help, review the topic "Check for software
updates automatically" to make sure you have turned it on.
OK, now I think we need to get to work on your actual problems: please start
a new post in the Word group for anything to do with Word, and let's keep
this one for Excel.
I need more detail about your Excel problem to make quite sure I am on the
right page
Please review the Excel Help topic "Print cell gridlines"
and make sure you have both the View and Print boxes checked for each sheet.
Hope this helps
I followed John's advise and updated all programs and systems. In addition I
have checked and the drivers are the correct most recent ones. (thanks Bob)
But the printing problem persists.
I tried saving docs with the new extensions—to no avail. Why does my computer
not automatically update, or ask me if I want to update the doc as it did ten
years ago or so the last time I upgraded? And anyway what is the difference
between doc and docx and xls and xlsx and do I need to change all my old
documents?
More advise needed. Thanks
--
The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!
John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:
[email protected]