Word 2007 compatibility question

[cranheim]

I am presently using Windows XP home edition, MS Works 6.0, and MS Word 2002
SP3. I plan on buying a new PC with the Vista OS, and a Word Processing
program like Word 2007. My question is this: If I get Word 2007, will I be
able to process the saved files I have from my MS Works 6.0 and/or my files
from my Word 2002 using Word 2007? If not, what do I need to process my
current saved files? Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Charles
Ranheim

 

[Terry Farrell]

Word 2002 files are fully compatible with Word 2007: so there's no problems
there.

However, Word cannot open Works files. You will need to open the Works files
and save them to a compatible format, such as RTF so that you can open them
in Word.

 

[cranheim]

Terry,
Thanks for your response. You said :You will need to open the Works
files
and save them to a compatible format, such as RTF so that you can open them
in Word. Would you please explain how I would go about doing this. Is this
part of my Works program, or my Word program? Will I be able to convert some
of my files to the Word format while keeping a copy of the original format
to use with my present Works program? Any details or reference material I
can access would be a big help. I am not a PC guru. Thanks, Charlie
Ranheim

 

[Terry Farrell]

Charlie

RTF is a format recognised by virtually every word processor available. It
is a universal format and any RTF document <should> open in any word
processor. So you need to open the WORKS files in the WORKS processor and
use SaveAs and chose RTF as the format to save it. The rtf document will
then be able to be opened in Word (or any other word processor).

Terry

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You need to open them in Works and save them as RTF (or you may even be
offered some Word format). In Works, use Save As. In the Save dialog, there
should be a choice of file formats to save in if you click the arrow beside
the box that shows the file format.

 

[cranheim]

This probably adds to the problem, but there are three types of Works files.
They are wdb, wps, and xlr. It would seem like there is a possibility to
convert the wps (Word processor files), but not the wdb (Data base) or the
xlr (Spread Sheet). I am assuming Word 2007 only deals with word processing,
not data base or spread sheets. Is this correct? If so, would I need to get
a later Works program that would run under Vista, if there is such a thing.
I am also assuming my level of Works 6.0, and even Word 2002 will not run
under Vista. Charles Ranheim

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Charles,

MS Word 2007 can open Works Word Processor v6 WPS files. If you were using MS Word 2002 those files should open in Word 2007 (still
..doc format)
Some of the quick style features of Works may not come across in Word.

MS Excel 2007 can open MS Works v6 XLR spreadsheet files.

MS Works database files (wdb) can be used as Word 2007 mail merge sources if they do not contain any calculation fields. You can
save them as comma/tab delimited or dbase files from MS Works to use them in MS Office Access 2007 or MS Office Excel 2007. You
can also convert WDB files with a 3rd party converter (http://rl-software.com )

You can install a more current version of MS Works in Vista, but the interface in Works v8.5 (the lowest version 'officially'
supported on Vista) and up is changed a bit from earlier versions in the word processor. Folks have reported successfully using
earlier Works versions on Vista, with some limitations, such as mpt being able to use the Windows Address book, which isn't
supported on Vista (also not supported directly in Word 2007).

============
This probably adds to the problem, but there are three types of Works files.
They are wdb, wps, and xlr. It would seem like there is a possibility to
convert the wps (Word processor files), but not the wdb (Data base) or the
xlr (Spread Sheet). I am assuming Word 2007 only deals with word processing,
not data base or spread sheets. Is this correct? If so, would I need to get
a later Works program that would run under Vista, if there is such a thing.
I am also assuming my level of Works 6.0, and even Word 2002 will not run
under Vista. Charles Ranheim >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*