Word Frustrations.

[Loose rivets]

Could I beg a couple of questions to aid a tired old brain?

Office H & S 2010.

Finally the time has come for me to leave an old friend behind. Word Perfect 8 has done everything I need for years, but I keep having to convert to Word.

Last night, I pasted about 50 pages (out of 800) into one document and tried to set the pages to be numbered after the Prolog. The trouble is, the Prolog is two pages long. One page - a quick Googoo - and it was done. Two pages, a whole new ballgame. Spitting documents?? Why FGS!!?? :ugh:

Anyway, at 3am I gave up. Splitting the document always added a blank page. Even then, I had page one on two sheets.

Anyone know a simple answer?

Also when pasting, I'm offered four different ways to make it land in the new document. I would like the basic layout, insets, page spacing and the like, but would also like to leave any deeper WP detritus behind.

What's the best option for Paste?


Also, this .docx thing (okay, that's three questions) but if I choose to save a .doc then it quotes a software date back in history.

Strangely, my 2007 version does not do this despite having the new ribbon look.

What's the best Word document type to satisfy typical recipients? And what are the disadvantages of saving to a really old software version? (Nowhere does it offer 2007 .doc setting.)

[vulcanised]

Can't help with the question, but I do hope you're keeping a safe backup (like dvd?) copy of what is obviously a very important document.

Playing with various options can mean it turning round and biting you.

[Background Noise]

Page numbering can be tricky but it sounds like you need to insert breaks to split the document into sections. Each section can have different numbering formats (e.g. i, ii, etc for the prologue, then 1,2,3 for the body) and can start again at zero each time. It is under insert, then section break continuous. The 'continuous' thing puts in a break without a new page. You can see the codes for breaks (and carriage returns and many other things) by selecting the 'show and hide' which looks like this: ¶

Not sure about pasting from WP - have you tried opening the old WP document in Word and then pasting from that? Word 'should' be able to open and convert older WP documents.

.docx is the newer file extension, but not everyone has the new version and sending them a docx file might not work, so you get the option to save in an older, more common, format. Trouble is, if you save in an older format you might lose some of the newer fancy stuff you've done. The 'common' format to save an rtf - rich text format. That should preserve all formatting and be readable by everyone - apparently.

[Saab Dastard]

I know it's not answering your questions, but I generally compose everything in Notepad, then paste into whatever document format I am required to use by whomsoever is employing me at the time, and pull it into shape from there.

I long ago gave up trying to copy formatted text from one document into another, even of the same version of Orifice, let alone different versions. It's just not worth the pain - it's like trying to sculpt with porridge.

DOCX is common to both 2007 & 2010, so there's no need for a "2007" format.

Save to Word 97-2003 .DOC format as the most common. Or RTF or TXT, depending on just how low your common denominator is!

[Milo Minderbinder]

I think copying and pasting that number of pages is going to give you hassle.

You should be able to save in Word Perfect to a Word format - ideally the 97-2003 format and then open that in Word 2010. Thats assuming it is a Windows version of WP, not DOS

If you can't export that way then try exporting to an RTF file and opening that in Word
Your final option would be to to open the WP document in LibreOffice (which would have to be installed with all the format optional extras) and use that to save into Word format. Then open it in Word
But be prepared for formatting issues however you do it.

But....the big question is why do you need to change? What format do your publishers want it in?

[Loose rivets]

Thanks for the replies.

Saab. I guess I'm using WP as you use notebook. I suppose there's a bigger danger of the detritus being more complex in the WP.

BN. I'll look again at the sections route. It was that extra page that gave the problems. Too tired tonight.


WP seems to save well in Word 6.0 / 7.0 Folk seem to read it without hassle. However, when I had a Beta 2010, it seemed good fun and I thought it was the future. I gave up when it came to the book - it was like trying to do joy-flying in a Boeing.

I had hoped to convert to 6/7 and then to 2010. But now I'm wondering if there's a point since the former is readable.

Milo I'm under horrible time constraints. Publisher? I dream of having a publisher. No, it's just the logistics of life putting huge pressure on getting it ready for submissions before pulling out of my well equipped den. Submissions vary between agents. Some seem happy with chapters, though it seems some want a contiguous document. 800 pages is a cumbersome file indeed - good job it's only Book I out of two.:hmm:

Some even insist on NO page numbering. Again, in WP, I can just turn it off.


In the last 24 hours it's become a bit academic. Reading back over earlier chapters has made me realize they're clunky, stodgy, overburdened, and definitely not page turners. Another English lady here went on a first chapter course. Cost a bomb, and took a week plus 3 days travel. She thought it worth it. Never knew it was going to be this much work.

Just got to keep thinking of JoAnn Rowling's private jets.;)

[ExGrunt]

LR,

This seems to cover what you want:

WPDOS - Using WordPerfect Files in Microsoft Word (http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/wptoword.html)

HTH

EG

[Loose rivets]

Milo??? Ooooeeer.


Thanks again folks. Mr Grunt. I'll look at your link when I'm recovered from Sunday night's plonk. Oh, my, must not do that ever again. Where do I sign the pledge?


Some time ago - I'm not sure how long - I called my son. He's always so busy I'm loth to worry him,* but he offered to look at a file that had gone horribly wrong.


*Today it was marking papers, but often it's work I cannot comprehend. I did not comprehend his answer.:{




Dad,

There were a bunch of section embedded in the document. I’ve removed them (did a search and replace, using a special code for “section break” and replacing it with a “page break” code). Then deleted the unnecessary page breaks (though I might have missed a few… you’ll be able to spot them and address them if you end up working with this document).



After this, I created section breaks at the end of BOTH of the first two pages so that I could set “different first page” option that would allow the page number “0” to be hidden. Then I set the page number on each of those two pages to ZERO so that the next page would read as “1”.



I added line numbers. They make more sense now that the section breaks are corrected. I set it to restart numbering on each page – I think that’s a fairly simple method of referencing material (page X, line Y)



There was some odd text in there, a different font and bolded (not the script font). I left it alone, because I wasn’t sure whether or not it was intentional – but it would be easy to correct if it’s not supposed to look that way.



The file size is just over 400MB, but I don’t know if this docx format is OK with you – I can save as a Word97 format if you’d prefer. Saving it to PDF caused the filesize to increase to almost 2mb (using Word’s own PDF function). It might be the number of pages that’s making it that big – remember that a pdf has to store more information than a Word document because it’s defining where everything is laid out on a page. Even so, 2mb files just aren’t that big an issue in today’s world. I can try it on my other computer some time later using the proper Adobe Acrobat program (maybe it will reduce the file size), but it’s not booted up right now.



I changed the chapter heading format for a few of the chapter titles to “Heading 1”. It doesn’t have to be that default heading style – that can be changed. Then I inserted the TOC on another page at the beginning of the document. This needs to be updated “Update Fields” as you edit the document, but if you hold down CNTL and click on any of the titles you’ll jump to that section. Don’t have time to do that for each chapter heading myself right now.

Note: There appear to be TWO Chapters starting with “3”



If you’re not going to be using this document, I strongly recommend getting rid of all your section breaks NOW and setting this document up as it should be – then just editing or adding material (chapters?) as needed.

OK – that’s it for now..



Love from (my little boy.)



This is totally beyond my comprehension. I'm from an era that folk thought hopping down to the next line all by itself was cool.

I'd still be with Displaywrite if it could check my spullin'. :(

[ExSp33db1rd]

Life was easier before Computers - I blame Bill Gates.

Just sent a Word .doc to my group, nothing different from all the Word .doc things I've been sending for the last 12 years or more - all have come back and said they can't open it. I then printed my own .doc to a .pdf and sent that - no problem.

WTFIGO ? I have used Word 97 for years, and select the 97 - 2003 version if I'm challenged.

[Loose rivets]

Well, some days of toying with Word 2010.

I have made a template and am copying in with Text Only paste from WP's Word converter .doc files (6.0/7.0) I'm hoping this is reasonably free of hidden code, though quite a bit of the layout is carried over. We'll see.

It is certain I don't learn as fast as I did, but thanks to the help above - substantiated by my son - I have got it under reasonable control. (I'm no longer spinning into a pond of crocodiles.)

So much of what I see can be done more easily in Word Perfect. What's more, WP has a SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTH screen, whereas Word seems to jump about - even showing a momentary underline under the line I'm working on. (brisk computer with an LG Flatron 1952 set to 1440 and 74hz ) Best screen I've ever had for most tasks.

I don't know why the letters seem to have that minute flicker as I type.


The other thing that's driving me crazy right now is Capitalization of the first letter in a sentence. It does it, but not if you're editing and just want to change case. That requires a space to the right of the letter before in alters. What a stupid idea. It takes more keystrokes to make it work than erasing, shift, and typing in.:ugh:

For the level I'm working at, I seen NO overall benefits - and I'm thinking hard - but so many disadvantages compared to the 18 year old WP.

It's been suggested I try Libra Office - it would be hard to imagine it's worse. But that's kind of back to square one.









.

[ExSp33db1rd]

For the same reasons I'm keeping my 25 yr. old car going, I don't need computer information distracting me from the primary purpose of keeping my eyes on the road, or airbags - that cost a fortune to replace if they fail some bureaucratic test - or ABS, and I prefer to change gear when "I" want to, not when the troll in the auto-gear box decides to etc. etc. My wife's car ( as above ) has proximity sensors, which have now failed in the 'on' mode, i.e. screaming at her all the time on the open road, fortunately she can turn the system off - so what's the point of paying for it in the first place then ?

Sorry - thread drift, I'll go lie down until the feeling wears off !

Dinosaurs Rule - OK ?