Word docs now have a .docx extension...? Can't open with old operating system

[annie]

Just loaded new Microsoft Office - and sent a document to my office. Couldn't open it on my office eMac which has an older OSX operating system and version of Word. Can I save it with a different extension? Can I use another program to view/use it? I tried all the options I could think of (which weren't many). : )

Ann

 

[Michel Bintener]

Office 2008 introduced the new Office Open XML file format, which is now the
default file format in any of the Office applications. If you'd rather go
back to the old format, you can, on a per case basis, simply use File>Save
As and choose the old Word 97-2004 format. If you want all your documents to
be saved in the old format, go to Word>Preferences, Save and choose the old
format from the dropdown list.

Just loaded new Microsoft Office - and sent a document to my office. Couldn't
open it on my office eMac which has an older OSX operating system and version
of Word. Can I save it with a different extension? Can I use another program
to view/use it? I tried all the options I could think of (which weren't many).
: )

Ann

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

*** Please always reply to the newsgroup. ***

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Ann:

Microsoft provides free converters to enable older versions of Word (both
Mac and PC) to read .docx. You can get them from the Microsoft website.

Generally, I would save your original documents in .docx format. It's a
quarter the size and 10 times more rugged.

You can save back to .doc format if you need to, but I wouldn't. I would
use the converters, and encourage all other users to install them also.

They too will get the benefit of the smaller, more reliable files

Hope this helps

Just loaded new Microsoft Office - and sent a document to my office. Couldn't
open it on my office eMac which has an older OSX operating system and version
of Word. Can I save it with a different extension? Can I use another program
to view/use it? I tried all the options I could think of (which weren't many).
: )

Ann

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Phillip Jones]

Have they come out with permanent Translators instead of the betas they
had a few month ago.

When I am using something like FireFox or SeaMonkey I don't particularly
mind using Betas.

When I am using programs such as Office where I depend upon uncorrupted
results I am nervous about using any Alpha , beta, Delta, or even
Release candidate.

Hi Ann:

Microsoft provides free converters to enable older versions of Word (both
Mac and PC) to read .docx. You can get them from the Microsoft website.

Generally, I would save your original documents in .docx format. It's a
quarter the size and 10 times more rugged.

You can save back to .doc format if you need to, but I wouldn't. I would
use the converters, and encourage all other users to install them also.

They too will get the benefit of the smaller, more reliable files

Hope this helps

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
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[John McGhie]

Hi Phillip:

Hmmm... Let me take a wild guess here...

The "converters" in this case are actually the File Input/Output engine for
Office 2008.

I suspect that the reason they are still in "beta" is that they want to
replace them with the "fixed" version after they put out Service Pack 1 for
Office 2008.

Because Office 2004 and earlier will not attract the Office 2008 automatic
updates, they would want to get the converter engine patched before they put
it out as the "Released" version.

What I am saying is that I believe that the Converters are no more likely to
corrupt your documents than Word 2008 is

Cheers

Have they come out with permanent Translators instead of the betas they
had a few month ago.

When I am using something like FireFox or SeaMonkey I don't particularly
mind using Betas.

When I am using programs such as Office where I depend upon uncorrupted
results I am nervous about using any Alpha , beta, Delta, or even
Release candidate.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Phillip Jones]

Okay here can I get the beta Translators then for 2004?

Hi Phillip:

Hmmm... Let me take a wild guess here...

The "converters" in this case are actually the File Input/Output engine for
Office 2008.

I suspect that the reason they are still in "beta" is that they want to
replace them with the "fixed" version after they put out Service Pack 1 for
Office 2008.

Because Office 2004 and earlier will not attract the Office 2008 automatic
updates, they would want to get the converter engine patched before they put
it out as the "Released" version.

What I am saying is that I believe that the Converters are no more likely to
corrupt your documents than Word 2008 is

Cheers

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[John McGhie]

Last I looked, they were the top download offered on Mactopia

That's www.microsoft.com/mac to those who don't go there every day

Cheers

Okay here can I get the beta Translators then for 2004?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Phillip Jones]

Well I am out of luck anyway My main computer Hard drive uses X.3.9. so
it only works on OSX.4.11 or later.

and on my Laptop I am not to install it even though I have X.4.11
because besides Office2004, I have Office2008 installed. there is a
warning if I install on drive/partition that has Office2008 I must not
install because it will affect the Converter system in Office2008 as
well. Oh well. Guess that shoots that in the head. I'm not about to
deinstall and reinstall just to add a converter.

Last I looked, they were the top download offered on Mactopia

That's www.microsoft.com/mac to those who don't go there every day

Cheers

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[PhilD]

warning if I install on drive/partition that has Office2008 I must not
install because it will affect the Converter system in Office2008 as
well. Oh well. Guess that shoots that in the head.  I'm not about to
deinstall and reinstall just to add a converter.

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something somewhere, but if you
have 2008 installed then surely you don't need the comverter? Just
open in 2008 and save as an earlier format.

PhilD

 

[John McGhie]

Yeah, I wondered about that, myself. I think he means "On his other
machine", because if he's in OS 10.3.9, he doesn't have Office 2008 on that
machine either

Cheers

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something somewhere, but if you
have 2008 installed then surely you don't need the comverter? Just
open in 2008 and save as an earlier format.

PhilD

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Phillip Jones]

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something somewhere, but if you
have 2008 installed then surely you don't need the comverter? Just
open in 2008 and save as an earlier format.

PhilD

Except that the main day to day computer I use everyday uses OSX.3.9 and
the converter only works on OSX.4.8 and above.

I can't get my Main computer to update to OSX.4.x seven times. and seven
times failed. (G4-500 with 1.5 GB RAM)

In a year or so I intend to get one of the Intel Mac's and it won't
make any difference which I use.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>