I don't know how technical you want to get. An RTF format file is quite
different from a DOC format file.
The reference for RTF (rich text format) is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...32-17f0-4b46-9e4e-467ef9bc5540&displaylang=en
The format for DOC has changed several times (by and large, supersetted) as
Word was developed over the years. Some references here:
http://www.aozw65.dsl.pipex.com/generator_wword8.htm
http://www.codemanual.net/main/file_formats/file_formats[1].html
Best practice is to use the native file format for the version installed
(DOC format). If the file must be opened in other word processors, consider
also saving in RTF. Most word processors can open RTF whereas they cannot
convert DOC format. Sometimes certain features are not converted well but
usually the result is usable with relatively minor touch-ups to the
formatting. Sometimes the result is not good with complex documents.
E.g. I find if the document is to be opened in Word Perfect, it is better to
save as doc and open in WP as opposed to saving in WP format (which Word
will do) and opening in WP. I have not tried with WP12, their latest
version.
If file conversion is your concern, try
microsoft.public.word.conversions.
Tom
MSMVP-DTS
