layout preservation, a word problem...

[jtdoom]

Hi,
an odd place to ask, perhaps, but here's the problem

people I know still use word 5 for DOS.
They have hundreds of documents...

Their old printers are wearing out, and they need to BE ABLE to Convert the documents to a newer version of wordprocessor so as to use their new printer.
(they have Two DOS only machines, and one with DOS/win31. (which may be a godsent)

Their latest is a speedmonster running winME (soon to be WIN98se)
--------------------

they intend to get at least one other new dedicated machine to...

a; do conversions on without loss of layout.

b; or to be able to just print it when required, in original layout. (which is VERY important)
(on an a newer model printer)

C; burn it to CDr media for archival purposes

they'd also like to be able to use the old template in their newer wordprocessor
(its sort of a officialese form)
Thus, they want to at least try use the template in a new wordprocessor, which means they want to try convert it to the new WP, and then use it for NEW documents.

as you can see, the LAYOUT aka template needs be retained.
-----------------

so, they use word 5 for DOS
these old documents were saved with extention.txt
(I never used word 5 for DOS, and did not know that.. I used wordperfect5.1 in them days))

QUESTION
anyone ever done template conversions with office 4.3 ???

or maybe office 95..
(in both cases, I would assume a full install, with all conversion filters)

we already tried wordperfect 2000

MS-office 2000 doesn't print them either


(its a problem with hidden txt which becomes unhidden and gets printed...)

I would think many people here may still use office 4.3 or even word 5 for DOS.

Please enlighten us?
Please?

(you see, word 5 for DOS has a real year 2000 issue, and then there is their hardware which is gonna give the ghost...)

Thanks, Jaak

mods, please don't close this one, I KNOW its posted at dos forum as well.

these folks really need help.


------------------
it's only FREE advice!

Kind regards, Jaak

VDR SEARCH

[smurfy]

Jaak, personally I would have posted in DOS & Software forums if I was going to double post this one. Certainly not a W95 issue.

I don't know about converting but how's this for a possible workaround:

Make the new monster PC a dual boot Pure DOS & Win98se on seperate partitions and just install the non Y2k Word5 for DOS on the DOS partition. Boot into that O/S whenever the files are needed or new ones need to be created.
UGH that's an ugly solution... gotta be a better way...

Word converter pack includes:
Doswrd32.cnv 214016 Word 3.x-6.0 for MS-DOS
which works in W95, 97 and 2000.
more info on Word converters here

------------------
Sean (Smurfy)
....................
Please remember that others may need to know the outcome of your problem so please keep us updated.

[jtdoom]

Hi,

dualboot would be an option on a dedicated machine, since Word 5 wont do files with a date after 1999

you know, before I asked this, I looked for those converterpacks - - maybe you used other search string, I only got dead ends -

gonna ask they send me some of these files (with fictitious data in it)

At the moment, they have a machine of mine to test stuff on, and I don't mind trying to beat that thing either.

Sean, thanks for not closing this.
and a great many thanks for the link...
- I get this gutfeeling this is gonna be IT -


I did post it at DOS forum before I came here...

------------------

Kind regards, Jaak


[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 08-11-2001).]

[jtdoom]

something's afoot, my dear Holmes...

Yesterday I had the "pleasure" of recieving a few test files to play with...

seems there is indeed a problem with hidden txt.

you can learn more about it in the post at DOS-forum

this thing ain't beat yet...
Jaak


[This message has been edited by jtdoom (edited 08-20-2001).]