SpreadSheetML (XML for Excel)

[KJ]

Hello All,

A client of mine has Office X for Mac. I am wondering if this edition
of Excel supports SpreadSheetML. I have heard that it also support the
new Open XML formats (same as Office 11). Does anyone know if either of
these statements is accurate?

Thanks in advance,
-KJ

 

[CyberTaz]

Like John, I can't say whether XL X supports SSML & don't have it readily
available to check, but you can get an indication if you go to File>Save As
& open the list of available file types. If SpreadsheetML is there you *may*
be in business, otherwise it's highly doubtful. I haven't seen any updates
or plug-ins (from MS anyhow) that suggest the support can be added if it
isn't there already.

 

[KJ]

Hello CyberTaz,

I took your suggestion - the version of Office hes has on his Mac
doesn't even have a 'save as xml' choice. Does this mean we'll have to
use Windows, or should he get the Office 2004 edition?

 

[KJ]

You guys are awesome. Thank you!

What John said... Unless there is an immediate *requirement* for more robust
XML support - in which case you may need to go to the dark side - but you
can run PC XL in VPC7 (or other appropriate alternative).

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

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi KJ,

As I understand it:

Version X: No XML format support
2004 right now: SpreadsheetML only
2004 update yet to be delivered: Office 2007 XML format (zipped xml format)
support. XLS remains the default file format
Next version for Mac (not even named yet): Office 2007 XML format (zipped
xml format) will be the default file format.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

Hello All,

A client of mine has Office X for Mac. I am wondering if this edition
of Excel supports SpreadSheetML. I have heard that it also support the
new Open XML formats (same as Office 11). Does anyone know if either of
these statements is accurate?

Thanks in advance,
-KJ

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[KJ]

Thanks again!

Hi KJ,

As I understand it:

Version X: No XML format support
2004 right now: SpreadsheetML only
2004 update yet to be delivered: Office 2007 XML format (zipped xml format)
support. XLS remains the default file format
Next version for Mac (not even named yet): Office 2007 XML format (zipped
xml format) will be the default file format.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP




--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[s.brostoff]

Jim, People, Hi!

What do you think is the likelyhood that a Office 2007 XML format file
converter will be made for Office 2001?

Many thanks,

Sacha

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Jim, People, Hi!

What do you think is the likelyhood that a Office 2007 XML format file
converter will be made for Office 2001?

Many thanks,

Sacha

My uninformed guess is that the converter will be a stand-alone program and
not an integral part of office. Therefore, the converted output will most
likely also be usable by Office 2001.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Sacha,

Even though Bob and I are both MVPs you'll get to see now that we have no
better guess-ability than you do.

My guess is that there will be an update to Office 2004 only and that the
converter would not be a stand-alone application. Even if Microsoft made a
stand-alone application it would probably require OSX.

Bob is better looking than I and smarter, too, so I lean toward his guess
rather than my own.

It may take a while before the new file format is widely adopted in any
event. People who use Windows Office 2007 will largely still be sending
documents to others who have not yet upgraded. They will probably quickly
get into the habit of saving in xls format. Also, the user interface of
Windows Office 2007 is, well, not my cup of tea by any means. I think the
2007 product will face stiff competition from existing versions. Which means
I think most people probably won't encounter many of the new file format
documents any time soon.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

Jim, People, Hi!

What do you think is the likelyhood that a Office 2007 XML format file
converter will be made for Office 2001?

Many thanks,

Sacha

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[Michel Bintener]

And yet another guess: I remember reading on Macworld that there will be a
converter for both Office 2004 and Office v.X. I would also assume that this
converter is going to be an integral part of Office itself rather than a
standalone application. But, as Jim has already pointed out, we cannot kow
for sure at this still rather early stage.

Hi Sacha,

Even though Bob and I are both MVPs you'll get to see now that we have no
better guess-ability than you do.

My guess is that there will be an update to Office 2004 only and that the
converter would not be a stand-alone application. Even if Microsoft made a
stand-alone application it would probably require OSX.

Bob is better looking than I and smarter, too, so I lean toward his guess
rather than my own.

It may take a while before the new file format is widely adopted in any
event. People who use Windows Office 2007 will largely still be sending
documents to others who have not yet upgraded. They will probably quickly
get into the habit of saving in xls format. Also, the user interface of
Windows Office 2007 is, well, not my cup of tea by any means. I think the
2007 product will face stiff competition from existing versions. Which means
I think most people probably won't encounter many of the new file format
documents any time soon.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

From Rick Schaut's blog when the XML was announced:
"Just in case you're wondering about the story with Mac Office 12, Mac
Office 12 will support the new file formats as well. Also, as with Win
Office, we'll be producing converters for Office X and Office 2004. Some
details have yet to be fully finalized, but we expect to ship converters
that will provide full round-trip support for the new file formats in Office
X and Office 2004."
<http://blogs.msdn.com/rick_schaut/archive/2005/06/01/424086.aspx>

I'm sure there is more updated information, but I've lost my links to the
MacBU statements on MacOffice 12 around last Macworld. They are archived
somewhere on these groups, though.

My *guesses*, off that--doesn't sound stand-alone to me, and I wouldn't keep
a hope alive for Office 2001 compatibility.

Daiya

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

I'm sure there is more updated information, but I've lost my links to the

MacBU statements on MacOffice 12 around last Macworld. They are archived
somewhere on these groups, though.

Oh, the travails of the neurotic researcher!

Officially released statements, not all relevant to converters--but what we
do know about MacBU plans--and I don't think this list is complete--

http://www.apcstart.com/site/dflynn/2006/09/1511/exclusive-first-details-of
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2006/jan06/01-10MacWorld.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jan06/01-10Macworld2006PR.mspx

What I also said last January:

If the original poster is using Office in Classic, I'd buy Office 2004.
Right now the upgrade eligibility for Office 2004 goes back all the way to
Office 98, but there is no guarantee that will persist.
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/howtobuy.aspx?pid=upgrade

With Office 2004, my opinion is that you'd be in good shape to sit back and
see if the next version (Office 12) might be skippable for you. There ought
definitely to be an Office 13 version, because MS also publicly
committed to working with Apple for 5 more years in January 2006.

If the original poster is still in OS 9, it's time to let go....

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

OK, everyone else has had a bite at this, I might as well do so too

I think you have less than a snowball's chance in hell of getting Word 2001
support with the XML converter. It won't happen. Forget it

The converter will be a ported Windows product. It will depend on the
32-bit code libraries built for Office X and Office 2004.

Sorry about that: In Windows, the converter will go all the way back to
Word 97 (because the Office Blog said so, and because their software
architecture has not changed since Word 97, they've just added new features
to the same product).

But in Mac, I strongly suspect it won't go back beyond OS X. Because we DID
get an architecture change (a profound re-engineering of the application) to
support the new operating system.

This converter is not a "simple" this-to-that bit of software that simply
"scales" the existing file. The "converter" for each application will
include the majority of that application's engine, because the converter in
this case has to both read and interpret the file, then re-express it in a
different object model. This is not simple: it's similar to taking a steel
car and re-building it in plastic.

Microsoft won't want to repeat the development effort twice for Macintosh:
they will convert the PC flavour to Mac, and that will probably work only in
OS X.

But then, I could be wrong: I don't really have any idea either

Cheers

Jim, People, Hi!

What do you think is the likelyhood that a Office 2007 XML format file
converter will be made for Office 2001?

Many thanks,

Sacha

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <john@mcghie.name>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Business Analyst, Consultant
Technical Writer.
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410