Sharing documents

[mb1970]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

When I e-mail documents I create with Word 2008 for MAC to my colleagues who are using windows versions of Word (Word 2003 for example) they claim the cannot open them or they cannot read them. This never happened until I moved from the 2004 version to the 2008 version of Microsoft Office for MAC. Any ideas?

 

[Mickey Stevens]

This is because Word 2008 uses the new docx "Open XML" file format, which is
not recognized by some earlier versions of Office. To avoid this issue, be
sure to save the file in "Word 97-2004 document (.doc)" format in the "Save
as" dialog.

See this page for more information:
http://snipurl.com/3keos

 

[CyberTaz]

Although Mickey's point is valid I'd humbly suggest a different approach

Any version of Win Office 2000 or later should have no problem opening OXML
files if the users have properly maintained their software via updates. The
OXML Converters can also be downloaded separately. IMHO, it's unfair to
expect you to sacrifice many of the features of 2008 by saving in the prior
format in order to "dumb down" your documents to their level.

If email recipients are having problems of the type you describe it's more
likely the result of one or more of several other causes... The most
probable of which is that the email system on their end is hacking your
attachments to bits because that email system hasn't been configured
properly - something over which neither you nor they have any control.

In order to [help] avoid the problem make sure you have the check in place
to Append File Extensions in the Save As dialog and always zip the files
before attaching. Also, based on your prior successes it isn't likely to be
wrong, but check your email software's settings for encoding attachments -
it should be MIME/Base64 or Windows Friendly or something similar.

You should also be conscientious about what fonts you use. Not all on either
platform translate well to the other side.

Finally, suggest to your WinTel pals - gently but firmly - that they stop
double-clicking (opening) *attachments*, but instead Save the file to their
HD then open the actual *file* that's created there. [Zipping helps force
them to do exactly that ]

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac