Compatibility with Works4

[Guest]

I am just about to get some .wps files to clean up, which seem to be from
Works4, but I haven't yet been sent the actual files. I think the user had
this package preloaded on his Dell, which he bought a few years ago. A
brief test shows I can make wps files (using Word, after updating it, using
the CD) and then I can read these in Word. Does anyone know if there are
lurking dangers?

 

[Graham Mayor]

In order to open Works files, you need the correct filter for the version of
Works that created them. The filters are linked from the downloads page of
my web site.

Dangers? Probably none, though there is a minor and undisclosed security
risk to using the old filters..
Problems? The formatting may not be the same as the original document and if
you save using the wrong Works converter your correspondent with Works 4
will not be able to open them.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Guest]

Hi Graham

This could be I want. It is to avoid having an elderly author retype 71,000
words! But I downloaded the converter zip file from your website (greet
site) and it appears to be for an earlier version of the OS (I am using XP)
eg it refers to Windows Explorer. It there an exe file I can use on this
works4 file or is it safe to meddle with the registry?

 

[Guest]

Further to this, I have found the conv432 (or whatever it is) in the right
directory already, it having obviously been put there in the early hours of
this morning when I tried to add that feature, but the actual file comes
through with lots of garbage characters. I tried saving as an htm file and
then retrieving it and saving it as a doc file. This worked 85% except that
some paragraphs were jumbled up and it will be somewhat painstaking checking
all his original paragraphs (from a print-out) against mine, and making the
block moves required. So the question now is: is a wps file always from
works4 or could it be another version? Any there ideas that will help me
turn this 90 year old man's work from wps into doc will be very much
appreciated.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

For future reference, if you check the box for "Confirm conversion at Open"
(Tools | Options | General), then you will get a dialog to "Choose the
filter that makes your text readable" (or words to that effect) and you can
experiment a bit. You can also always try the "Recover Text from Any File"
setting in the File Open dialog.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Windows Explorer is available in all versions of Windows up to the present.
You will find it in Start > All programs > Accessories. Right click on the
registry file and merge it into the registry. The CNV files go where
indicated in the readme.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you have all the converters installed, Word will read the file header and
choose the correct one. Note that Works and Word are not the same
applications and there will be some anomalies when the conversion is run.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Guest]

OK I'm getting there folks. Have extracted the conversion files, and have
found Windows Explorer but cannot find the file I have to right click on and
what exactly to do then. In the meantime, have tried the 'retrieve text from
any file' and that is producing quite good results but with some of the
paragraphs mixed up. I have emailed this chap (he's great for 90!) to send
me a couple more files in case the first file he sent me is corrupt.

 

[Graham Mayor]

The file you have to right click on is called Works Text Converters.reg and
will be in the folder into which you extracted the conversion files from the
zip. If you don't have Windows Explorer set to display file names and
extensions of known file types the ".reg" bit will not be displayed in
Explorer.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

FWIW, I find that much the easiest way to open Windows Explorer is with
WinKey+E. My husband's laptop drives me crazy because it has no Windows key
(though he does have a Windows Explorer icon lost somewhere in the mess on
his desktop and Start menu.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Like your husband I got used to working with a keyboard that didn't have a
Windows key, so I never remember to use or recommend it.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Guest]

In case it is of interest, a follow-up on my experiences with Works
compatibility. I have a (90-year-old!) author who has been sending me
chapters of a manuscript in Works files (*.wps) which I wanted to convert to
MS Word (2000). I found none of the filters available on Graham's site would
work for me.

However, I was able to physically go round to this chap's place yesterday
and found that after opening a file in Works we could 'Save As' in Word6/95
format within the application. I then transmitted the files and have found
that I can read them perfectly. So it appears that in this case the
compatibility issue is solved at the sending end. I think the next step will
be to encourage him to purchase MS Word so that he can read the edits in the
returned file(s).

Warming up at last here in Australia. I'm up at the keyboard at 2:06 am
without any heating being required -- luxury!

 

[Graham Mayor]

The filters on my site are Microsoft's own, but conversion between word
processing applications is never going to be perfect.

As for the weather - here in the Eastern Mediterranean we have not seen any
rain since March (and then not enough) and it was 28 degrees this morning
before breakfast. Roll on autumn

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>