OT: Microsoft Works files in Office 2007?

[John]

Sorry to be OT (again) but I posted this in microsoft.public.office.misc yesterday and had no replies yet, whereas this group is heavily populated with knowledgeable folks.

A friend has some Microsoft Works files (both word processor and database files but I don't know which version) but no longer has the Works program installed.

He has Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007 Edition installed, so will this open the Works files? He hasn't tried it, just in case it somehow corrupts them if it doesn't work. If not, anyone know of a workaround?

TIA

[Huge]

So why not make a copy, first?

[Bernard Peek]

Suggest that he tries it with one of his files. If it breaks the file he should restore it from his latest backup.

[ss]

Easiest thing to do is take a copy of a file and try and open it, if it corrupts the original will still be ok.

[John]

It happens that John formulated :

Thank you folks, I'll pass your suggestions on.

[John Williamson]

Libreoffice. Free to download and use, and it will open Works files back as far as Works 4. It will also save these files in MSO 2007 format.

[fred]

In article , John writes

First hit: support.microsoft.com/kb/315757

Method 2, step 2: "Open the Works document in Word You can use Word to open a Works document file (.wps), even if the file has not been converted to Word format (.doc) beforehand, by using the Works 6-9 Converter. Follow these steps to open the Works document by using the Works 6-9 Converter: Start Word. In Word 2000, Word 2002 or Word 2003, click the File menu, and then click Open. In Word 2007 or Word 2010, click Microsoft Office Button, and then click Open. In the Open dialog box, follow these steps: Change the Look in box to the location of your Works document. In the Files of type box, click All Files (*.*). Select the Works document (.wps) that you want to open, and then click Open. If the document opens correctly, click File, click Save As, and then change the file type to a Microsoft Word document (.doc). Save the document and you have successfully converted the file to a Word document."

Easy really.

[John]

fred explained :

I did google and did indeed find that myself but what if it's not Works

6-9 but earlier? And what about the database files? Not quite as easy.

[John]

Brilliant, thanks John, I'll pass it on to him.

[Brian Gaff]

What is the suffix of his works files? I'd hazard a guess and say its not going to work, but there may well be some conversion software on the microsoft site. There are files to convert docx to doc, but the other way about, well it works in Office but not seen any Works files for some time now. You will probably have most luck with the word processor ones. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Does that go for Open Office and Lotus Symphony as well?

Brian

[John Williamson]

The version of Open Office I used didn't list works files in its extension list, though it may have been added recently and I've never used Symphony, so I can't help with that one.

The list of file types that Libre office will open and work with is quite impressive, in my opinion.

[Huge]

The URL I posted earlier explains everything.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I'd be tempted to try libreoffice ...

"LibreOffice has VBA macro support. It can import files from MS Works and Lotus Word Pro. LibreOffice Draw has native functionality to open SVG files, whereas OpenOffice.org Draw requires an extension.[20][21][22] There is improved EMF drawing and WordPerfect Graphics import. In LibreOffice 3.5, a new Visio .vsd filter was introduced."

[Mentalguy2k8]

Usually for situations like this, Microsoft offer a free converter/viewer for the files so check their site (or do a Google).

As others have said, make a copy or two of the file first and work on the copy (copies) until you know it's all working.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Brian Gaff escribió:

LibreOffice is OpenOffice (well, a fork of the same code.)