Request regarding new XML format

[Gibbor]

The announcement that Microsoft is moving Office Mac to XML and to
greater compatibility with Office Windows leads me to my long standing
request: Please find a way to enable Right-to-left formatting (Hebrew &
Arabic) with full OpenType capability in Word for Mac.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Just out of curiosity, as I don't understand XML at all--is the XML format
likely to make right-to-left any easier?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

The announcement that Microsoft is moving Office Mac to XML and to
greater compatibility with Office Windows leads me to my long standing
request: Please find a way to enable Right-to-left formatting (Hebrew &
Arabic) with full OpenType capability in Word for Mac.

Just note that file formats, XML or binary, have absolutely nothing to
do with display of right-to-left text. Nor does right-to-left text have
much to do with compatibility - it's a needed feature all on its own.

Certainly MacBU is aware of the display issue and I expect they're
working on a fix, but the one initiative won't impact the other.

 

[Darklon Magos]

Just note that file formats, XML or binary, have absolutely nothing to
do with display of right-to-left text. Nor does right-to-left text have
much to do with compatibility - it's a needed feature all on its own.

Certainly MacBU is aware of the display issue and I expect they're
working on a fix, but the one initiative won't impact the other.

Does anyone know if they will release an update for the 2004 version to
allow it to read and write the "new" file format? I would hate to have
to buy an upgrade for that one feature.

thanks in advance for any info
Darklon

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Does anyone know if they will release an update for the 2004 version to

allow it to read and write the "new" file format? I would hate to have
to buy an upgrade for that one feature.

They said they will release converters for Office X and Office 2004:
http://blogs.msdn.com/rick_schaut/archive/2005/06/01/424086.aspx

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Just out of curiosity, as I don't understand XML at all--is the XML format
likely to make right-to-left any easier?

Nope. XML is only some kind of a more evolved file format like html.
The files use tags to define characteristics of the text and page
layout. Opening the files really looks like an html file (but with other
tags).

The files will get for Office will use XML formatting and will then be
zipped as far as I've read.


Corentin