Re: [NTLK] RTF driving me crazy

From: Jon Glass (jonglass_at_mac.com)
Date: Sat Mar 16 2002 - 07:29:37 EST


on 3/16/02 5:30 AM, Sushi at Sushi_at_ragingbull.com wrote:

> Jon, do you know what version of MSFT Word supports the minimalistic RTF
> format?

I wouldn't, on the Mac at least, trust any version of Word past 5.1 to give
clean, simple RTF. After that, Microsoft went through a lot of changes...
 
> For discussion's sake, let's say that it is MSFT Word 6/95. If so, then
> you could then use this older version of Word for RTF type documents.
>
> Whether Mac or PC, you can always import the older Word documents into
> the most recent version of Word when you need to.

True, newer versions seem to have no problem with older RTF files into
them--just getting them out. :-)
 
> Another option, if you only need to worry about transfering RTF files
> occasionally and prefer to use a more recent version of Word on a daily
> basis, would be to do the following steps to create a good (read old
> format) RTF document:
>
> 1. When your document is completed save as a Word 6/95 document.
> 2. Open your document using Word 6/95.
> 3. Edit any corrections that you need to make.
> 4. Save your document (updated with changes).
> 5. Then save your document as an RTF document.

Another option for the Mac, and I think, maybe Windows, is that Microsoft
provides a converter for Word 5.1 that will translate newer versions of Word
to a format that Word 5 can read. Even better :-) this converter that you
can download _also_ comes with a separate batch converter, onto which you
can drop a later Word file, and have it converted to an older Word 5.1
format----or RTF. This RTF, as far as I have experienced, is an older,
simpler form of RTF. So, at least on the Mac, what you are suggesting is
certainly an option. Rather than trying to save a Word 98 file (maybe 2001)
as RTF, drop it on the batch converter and see what comes out. :-) I'll try
that right now and see what I get....

Hm. Interesting results. Word 5.1 opens it fine. Nisus opens it, but the
font info is lost. However, I think that Nisus 6 has a not-too-good RTF
filter. Claris Works 4 is crashing on every RTF file I give it, so it can't
be checked. :-( I will now try importing the file into my Newton.

Well, the RTF file went into the note pad just fine. Indents and all worked.
:-) This might work for Mac. I wonder if Microsoft has this converter for
PC/Windows too?

-- 
Jon Glass
Krakow, Poland
<jonglass_at_usa.net>

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! - I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry

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