Converting Word for Non Vista users

[Guest]

How can I set up something that automatically converts my files so that any
receipent will be able to view my Microsoft Word files from my operating
system which is Vista?

 

[Brownz \(Mobile\)]

How can I set up something that automatically converts my files so
that any receipent will be able to view my Microsoft Word files from
my operating system which is Vista?

I gues you mean Office 2007 right ?
"Save as" - previous word document type should be listed.

 

[UnswoleLilDude]

I'm assuming you're talking about saving files in Office 2007 Word and
making those documents readable by earlier versions of Office. The version
of Windows doesn't matter with this problem.

If you want people using older versions of Office to be able to open files
you created in Office 2007 a few things can be done:

1. You can save the document in the older Word format by changing the Save
as type from a .docx (new for Office 2007) format to a .doc (Office 2003 and
earlier) format when you save the document.

2. The people needing to open your Office 2007 documents can download and
install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint 2007 File Formats from the link below.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...70-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

How can I set up something that automatically converts my files so that any
receipent will be able to view my Microsoft Word files from my operating
system which is Vista?

The fact that you are using Vista is irrelevant. The operating system
doesn't matter. In order for any recipient to be able to read your
document, you need to save it in a format that their software can
read.

The most generally compatible format is a plain text (.txt) file, but
that doesn't permit any formatting. The next more generally compatible
is rich text format. If you save your file as an .rtf file, much of
the formatting will be preserved, and almost everyone will be able to
view it.

The most flexible format is Adobe's pdf format. Depending on what
version of Word you have, you may be able to create pdf files, or if
not, you can get a free or inexpensive pdf creation program like
pdf995. A pdf file should preserve all your formatting, and most
people have a pdf reader program installed, whether Adobe Reader or
some alternative.

 

[Russ]

Convert to Adobe PDF using a freeware program such as PrimoPDF.

 

[Dave]

I don't know of any automatic method.
If you just want them to be able to view the files (and not edit), then I
would agree with Ken, and print them to .pdf format.
I used to use pdf995, but they switched to a sponsor page with the free
version, so I now use CutePDF Writer. It installs as a printer, so you just
print to it instead of your normal printer, and it creates a .pdf file which
you can then email.
http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

 

[John Barnett MVP]

You wouldn't set up something automatically. It is simply a case of using
the 'save as' command and saving the file as .doc (I'm assuming you are
using Office 2007 which uses the default .docx file extension.)

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
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reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
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mail/post..

 

[Mac]

Or use XPS (MS's version of PDF)
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/default.mspx.

Really though DOC files are common enough to expect recipients to be able to
view them.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Really though DOC files are common enough to expect recipients to be able to
view them.

I don't agree. I see many messages from people in the newsgroups who
get a doc file and have no program to view them installed.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Really though DOC files are common enough to expect recipients to be able

I don't agree. I see many messages from people in the newsgroups who
get a doc file and have no program to view them installed.

I agree with Ken. And the situation was made worse in Vista: Microsoft
sneakily removed the ability of WordPad to open *.DOC files. Unlike previous
versions of Windows, now Wordpad can only handle *.RTF or *.TXT files.

This loss of function is probably a security "feature".

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Mac]

Hadn't notice that - really dumb...

I use OpenOffice these days...

 

[Steve Thackery]

Assuming you're using Office 2007 (Vista's irrelevant here) download the
free Save as PDF add-on from Microsoft.

You'll be able to generate PDFs which anyone can read (although not edit,
unless they've got Acrobat or similar)

Steve

 

[Alun Harford]

I agree with Ken. And the situation was made worse in Vista: Microsoft
sneakily removed the ability of WordPad to open *.DOC files. Unlike
previous versions of Windows, now Wordpad can only handle *.RTF or *.TXT
files.

This loss of function is probably a security "feature".

More likely a "lets not get sued for anti-trust again" feature.

Alun Harford

 

[theclyde]

How can I set up something that automatically converts my files so that any
receipent will be able to view my Microsoft Word files from my operating
system which is Vista?

Save your files is RTF (Rich Text Format). Not always the most
elegant solution depending on how marked up and layed out your
documents are, but the files can be opened by just about any word
processor. I have seen this solution used a couple times by groups of
people with disparate word processors (half have WordPerfect, half
have office of varying releases and a few have Works, some had WordPad.