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driven · Oct 10, 2008, 04:02 PM

I'm putting this in the lounge because it's really a PC app question, so I'm not sure if it belongs in the applications forums. Mods: Please move if you disagree.

I have a bunch of files in OpenOffice format (ODF) that I created on my Mac using OpenOffice. My work PC is now a Dell machine running Office 2007. Does anyone know of any add-ons for Office that will allow me to continue to use the OpenOffice file format. (I'm NOT going to be using .docx, etc.) I found one from Sun that supposedly worked with Word and Excel. Although I kinda sorta got the Word version to work it didn't work for Excel.

I'm just looking for some success stories before I convert all my stuff back to .doc. (What a step backwards.)

Thanks ...

seanc · Oct 10, 2008, 06:19 PM

I take it you don't have admin privileges to install OpenOffice on your work PC, what's your IT team like? They may be OK with you using it instead, unless you need to use Office 2007 for compatibility with other colleagues. No reason why you can't use both though.

driven · Oct 10, 2008, 07:16 PM

I can install OpenOffice, but I need Office 2007 for various compatibility reasons. I'd prefer to not have two different office suites on my work PC. (But I will if there are no better alternatives.)

With ODF being an open standard you'd think Microsoft would at least have SOME support for it.

goMac · Oct 11, 2008, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by driven

With ODF being an open standard you'd think Microsoft would at least have SOME support for it.

Support is coming, it hasn't arrived yet. At this point you probably have no better choice than installing both.

driven · Oct 11, 2008, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by goMac

Support is coming, it hasn't arrived yet. At this point you probably have no better choice than installing both.

Fair enough .... THANKS!

ghporter · Oct 11, 2008, 10:36 PM

Or if you don't want OpenOffice AND Office 2007 (which I despise, by the way), why not just open those documents in OpenOffice on your Mac and then save them in the SUPPORTED Office formats? OpenOffice WILL save word processing files as MS ".doc" files, spreadsheet files as MS ".xls" files, etc. Then all you have to do is move the MS-formatted documents to your work computer.

driven · Oct 11, 2008, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Or if you don't want OpenOffice AND Office 2007 (which I despise, by the way), why not just open those documents in OpenOffice on your Mac and then save them in the SUPPORTED Office formats? OpenOffice WILL save word processing files as MS ".doc" files, spreadsheet files as MS ".xls" files, etc. Then all you have to do is move the MS-formatted documents to your work computer.

You know ... I feel silly. That's a simple and obvious solution ... not sure why I didn't think of it.

ghporter · Oct 12, 2008, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by driven

You know ... I feel silly. That's a simple and obvious solution ... not sure why I didn't think of it.

I'm currently having to create and edit Word files between an office computer using Office 2007 (which likes to default to saving documents as ".docx" format files) and my MBP running Office 2004 (which now at least has the updates to translate .docx files). I feel your pain.

driven · Oct 12, 2008, 11:49 AM

Ideally I'd like to use the OpenOffice format, if for no other reason than to break away from proprietary formats. I guess for the near future though I'll have to use the .doc "standard". I use ".docx" would go away though ... it's causing a TON of interoperability grief among my team and customers. That format's the most "un-standard" thing I've seen.

Thanks for the understanding and the help.

Andrew Stephens · Oct 12, 2008, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I'm currently having to create and edit Word files between an office computer using Office 2007 (which likes to default to saving documents as ".docx" format files) and my MBP running Office 2004 (which now at least has the updates to translate .docx files). I feel your pain.

It's pretty funny that Office won't even allow users to share files easily with other Office owners thanks to their new "standard".

I have Office 2008 on my Mac for absolute emergencies. Luckily I have found Pages and Numbers more than up to the task so far.

Laminar · Oct 12, 2008, 12:44 PM

I set NeoOffice to automatically save in .doc format because a lot of my work is done on campus computers with 2007/2008. I don't even try and mess with NeoOffice's spreadsheet app...I'm just much more familiar with Excel that it's frustrating to try and use.

driven · Oct 12, 2008, 03:09 PM

I agree about Andrew's comments about Numbers and Pages. My only complaint about those apps (other than the learning curve for Pages) is that they use yet another proprietary format. I wish Apple had embraced the OpenOffice file format for those apps.

finboy · Oct 12, 2008, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I'm currently having to create and edit Word files between an office computer using Office 2007 (which likes to default to saving documents as ".docx" format files) and my MBP running Office 2004 (which now at least has the updates to translate .docx files). I feel your pain.

Be careful. I tried that for a month or so. There are some things that Office 2004 can't translate correctly from .docx and .xlsx . That popup from M$oft isn't just FUD, I had real problems with it time after time. I ended up going to 2008 (home version) to be effective. Believe me, I wish there was another way. Office 2000 at home works just great (PC) as long as I have my MacBook to translate attachments once in a while (daily now).

driven · Oct 12, 2008, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by finboy

Be careful. I tried that for a month or so. There are some things that Office 2004 can't translate correctly from .docx and .xlsx . That popup from M$oft isn't just FUD, I had real problems with it time after time. I ended up going to 2008 (home version) to be effective. Believe me, I wish there was another way. Office 2000 at home works just great (PC) as long as I have my MacBook to translate attachments once in a while (daily now).

Why try to use .docx at all? For compatibility with the other 3 people using it? Use OpenOffice format, or .doc .....

Did anyone actually standardize on .docx???? (gasp)

ghporter · Oct 13, 2008, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by finboy

Be careful. I tried that for a month or so. There are some things that Office 2004 can't translate correctly from .docx and .xlsx . That popup from M$oft isn't just FUD, I had real problems with it time after time. I ended up going to 2008 (home version) to be effective. Believe me, I wish there was another way. Office 2000 at home works just great (PC) as long as I have my MacBook to translate attachments once in a while (daily now).

Fortunately for me, all I have to deal with is font size and otherwise just plain text. But I'll keep your warning in mind! Sheesh, why can't MS just standardize on a STANDARD?