Bin Hex file nightmare

G

Guest

I have MSO 2003 just installed and have been trying to open docs sent to me from someone using Word on a MAC. Extensions are in order when the docs are e-mailed to me, but my Word program can't translate the files

I downloaded Stuffit software to serve as a BIN HEX translator - and that didn't work either

I am out of ideas. Can anyone help?
 
D

Dayo Mitchell

Hi Erl,

Cross-posting your message to the Mac.word newsgroup for more input.

You can ask your correspondent to check the encoding in their email program.
Mac email programs usually have options. MS Entourage, which I use, has
this to say:

"About attachment encodings
When you choose an encoding format, it is helpful to understand how
Macintosh files differ from files created on other computers. Macintosh
files include additional resource information that files created on other
types of computers do not. If you are sending a data file, such as a
Microsoft Word document or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, such resource
information may not be necessary. However, if you are sending something more
complex, such as a program, to another Macintosh computer, you must choose
an encoding format that preserves all the data.
The AppleDouble encoding format preserves the additional resource
information, and can be read by both Macintosh and other types of computers.
AppleDouble is a good choice for your default encoding format; it works most
of the time with most computers. However, if AppleDouble fails, you can
choose a different encoding format depending on the type of computer you are
sending the attachment to:
€ To send an attachment to a Macintosh computer, use BinHex, which
preserves the Macintosh resource information and data.
€ To send an attachment to a Windows-based computer, use MIME/Base 64,
which preserves the data only.
€ To send an attachment to a UNIX computer, use UUEncode, which preserves
the data only."

These *should* be compatible with no conversion necessary, as Mac and
WinWord have used the same file format since Word 97. I'm assuming you
didn't do anything differently until your first attempt to doubleclick and
open failed.

DM
 
B

Beth Rosengard

Hi Erl,

Dayo's probably right and it's an encoding issue. You're sure the
attachment was sent in the (Macintosh only) BinHex format? Was it
compressed? Did you try saving the document to disk and using File>Open
from within Word? If so and that didn't work, ask your correspondent to
resend using AppleDouble or MIME/Base 64 encoding.

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>
 

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