Word problem opening old files

[Michael A. Burstein]

I have an odd problem with the newest version of Word. I recently
upgraded from system 9 to system 10.3 and had all my old Word files
(both 5.1 and 98) transfered over.

When I open some of the older files using the new version of Word, the
text in the files wraps over to the next line in odd ways. Word wrap
is not working properly. Instead of a too-long word just moving to
the next line in the paragraph, the word is cut from one line to the
next without a break or a hyphen. (I hope I'm describing this
correctly.)

A friend of mine showed me one fix. Using system 9 and Word 5.1, I
can open those files and then save them as .rtf files. When I open
them using Word v.X, the oddness is gone and I can save the file as a
..doc file.

However, I have plenty of files, and no time to go through every
single one to see if it has the problem. (Then, of course, I'll have
to fix every single one that has the problem.) Has anyone else
encountered this issue, and does anyone have a simpler and easier
solution?

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hello Michael,

It's bizarre behaviour, which I have seen once.

Opening the file in Word X, saving as html and then saving back as a Word
doc will work.

Why, I don't know. But the file structure of Word 5.1 <nostalgic sigh> was
very different from later versions, which have been ported from Windows.

I realize this isn't much simpler than what you are doing in OS 9 -- but at
least you don't have to go to OS 9.

Someone may come along soon and suggest a macro by which you could
batch-process your files in this way. Sorry, but my VBA programming
knowledge is limited...

-- Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
============================================================
* Please post all comments or follow-on questions to the newsgroup for the
benefit of others who may be interested. If you need to send an e-mail to me
directly (although that would be exceptional), remove the uppercase letters
from my address above. Please note that e-mails with an attachment will be
automatically rejected.

* A suggestion: If you post a question, keep re-visiting the newsgroup for
several days after the first response comes in. Sometimes it takes a few
responses before the best or complete solution is proposed; sometimes you'll
be asked for further information so that a better answer can be provided.
Good tips about getting the best out of posting are at
http://word.mvps.org/FindHelp/Posting.htm

* Know the answer, even a partial one, to a question you see on this
newsgroup? Jump in and answer it -- there's no monopoly on answering here,
and we're all volunteers!

* Before posting a question about a topic, search Google Groups
(http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=group:*mac.office.word) --
it may have been comprehensively answered already.

* If anyone is still reading down this far, here's a question: is it time
for you to back up your Normal template and all your Word settings files?
(This should be on a medium other than the internal hard drive and, if you
also want to protect against theft and fire, stored in a different
building.)
============================================================

 

[Michael A. Burstein]

Clive,

Thanks for the help over in microsoft.public.mac.office.word. I had
the same nostalgia for Word 5.

Anyway, if saving as html and then as .doc does the same thing, then
at least I don't have to go to the trouble of opening Classic.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.]

Never used 5.1 But did use 6.0.1a and actually miss some features in it that
are not in Office2001.

for one thing it was real easy to format paragraphs of text by doulble click
on square blocks beside of paragraphs,(click on the show codes icon) and
choose copy then I could paste the formating to other paragraphs.
(I believe I remebering the steps right.) I can't find an equivelent in
Office 2001. I actually enjoyed using word 6.0.1a and excel 5.0.1a and was
sad I had to change over when I went from OS9.2.1 to 9.2.2.

I'm waiting until Office 2004 for Mac to come out before I go to Office for OSx.3.3.

Clive,

Thanks for the help over in microsoft.public.mac.office.word. I had
the same nostalgia for Word 5.

Anyway, if saving as html and then as .doc does the same thing, then
at least I don't have to go to the trouble of opening Classic.

Thanks,
Michael

--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |MEMBER:VPEA (LIFE) ETA-I, NESDA,ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112-1809 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://home.kimbanet.com/~pjones/birthday/index.htm>
<http://vpea.exis.net>

 

[Elliott Roper]

for one thing it was real easy to format paragraphs of text by doulble click
on square blocks beside of paragraphs,(click on the show codes icon) and
choose copy then I could paste the formating to other paragraphs.
(I believe I remebering the steps right.) I can't find an equivelent in
Office 2001.

Hi Phillip,
Did you know that you could do the same thing by copying and pasting
paragraph marks?

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hi Phillip,
Did you know that you could do the same thing by copying and pasting
paragraph marks?

Neato. Phillip, you can also look up Format Painter in Help, which also
does what you wish.

Dayo

 

[Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.]

Hi Phillip,
Did you know that you could do the same thing by copying and pasting
paragraph marks?

No I didn't. in 6.01 they used the little black bullets next to the text
(with show codes on) and simply highlight the desired text and hit command V.
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |MEMBER:VPEA (LIFE) ETA-I, NESDA,ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112-1809 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://home.kimbanet.com/~pjones/birthday/index.htm>
<http://vpea.exis.net>

 

[Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.]

Neato. Phillip, you can also look up Format Painter in Help, which also
does what you wish.

Dayo

thanks to both. I'll investigate. I thought the ability had been lost
forever, since it was easy as falling off a log in 6.0.1a
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |MEMBER:VPEA (LIFE) ETA-I, NESDA,ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112-1809 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://home.kimbanet.com/~pjones/birthday/index.htm>
<http://vpea.exis.net>