Works Documents in Word...

Factual Questions
1

Can I pull in a Works (word processing file) into Word as a Rich Text file? I forget, will Works even allow me to create a RTF file?

I don’t have it handy to test out right now…
Thanks,

  • Jinx
2

Yes, Word handles RTF files quite nicely.

3

Yes, Works (ver. 4.5) can do Save As into RTF format.

But it can also save it directly into Word format (Word 95, Word 6.0, Word 2 for Windows, Word for DOS ver 3, 4, 5, or 6, etc.). If you’re going to eventually use this file in Word, it’s probably best to just save it into one of the Word formats.

4

And unless things have changed in the latest versions of Word, you can set Word up so that it will import Works documents directly anyway. Then save it however you wish afterwards. Word comes with a lot of import options that don’t install by default, but they are available on the setup disk if you want to add them later. Why Microsoft didn’t make Works one of the default import options I don’t know.

DancingFool

5

A better question might be why Microsoft didn’t make Works documents compatible with Word even after beign converted. I’ve had exactly one document survive in usable form.

Why, exactly, is it so difficult for Works documents to be, if not the same as Word documents, at least be natively compatible?

6

Maybe because then there would be less incentive for people to buy the more expensive Microsoft Word?

7

The word processing package included in the Works Suite is, in fact, simply MS Word. There is no difference between the Works Suite word processor and Word. They are identical. http://www.microsoft.com/products/works/products/default.asp.

The cheaper Works 7.0 package, however, appears to contain a stripped-down version of Word, and that seems to be where the incompatibilities crop up.

The Works Suite sells for only $99, which makes me wonder why anyone would pony up $225+ for Word by itself. And if you’re stuck with Works 7.0 (what manufacturers usually preinstall, to save bucks), the solution is to ditch it and get the Suite. If you spend more than a few hours struggling with conversion problems, you’re paying yourself less than minimum wage!

8

Thanks, all for the responses. I don’t know what I was doing, but now it seems to be just fine. I swear I couldn’t open any of my Works documents, but now it’s ok.

  • Jinx