WD6X: File Conversions Questions and Answers

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0
• Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1

SUMMARY

This article contains questions and answers about file conversions in Word for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

    1. Q. Where can I find information on what will convert to and
          from Word 6.0?
   
       A. The Word 6.0 README Help file contains information about
          converting documents to and from Word. Use the following
          instructions to open the README Help file:
   
          1. Double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar.
   
          2. Type README in the Search dialog box and then choose the
             Show Topics button.
   
          3. Choose the Go To button.
   
          4. Choose the File Conversion topic.
   
          5. Choose the Conversion Limitations topic.
   
    2. Q. Will Word 6.0 read my Word 2.0 documents?
   
       A. Yes. When you open a Word 2.0 document in Word 6.0, Word 6.0
          automatically converts it. When you save the document, you can
          choose between Word 6.0 and Word 2.0 file format.
   
    3. Q. Will Word 2.0 read my Word 6.0 documents?
   
       A. Yes, but you must first install the Word 6.0 converter,
          supplied with your Word 6.0 package, using the following
          instructions. (If you do not have the Word 6.0 package, refer
          to question 4.)
   
          1. If you did not install all the text converters when you
             installed Word 6.0, run Word 6.0 Setup again and install
             them.
   
          2. Copy the MSWORD6.CNV file from the <WINDOWS>\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV
             subdirectory (where <WINDOWS> is the name of your Windows
             program directory) to your Word 2.0 program directory.
   
          3. Start Word 2.0.
   
          4. Open your Word 6.0 document. Word 2.0 automatically searches
             for and installs the Word 6.0 converter and converts your
             document. If the following error message appears, choose OK
             to continue:
   
                The document template is not valid.
   
             Word 2.0 does not supply the Word 6.0 converter. If you do not
             have the converter, the Word 6.0 document must be reopened in
             Word 6.0 and then saved in Word 2.0 file format.
   
    4. Q. How can I obtain the Word 6.0 converter if I don't have
          the Word 6.0 package?
   
       A. You can obtain the Word 6.0 converter through any of the
          following options:
   
           - Phone the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400
             and ask for the Word 6.0 Converter Kit.
   
             If you are outside the United States, contact your local
             subsidiary. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World
             Wide Offices Web site at:
   
                http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm
   
           - If you have a modem, you can download the Word 6.0 Converter
             Kit from the Microsoft Word forum on the Microsoft Download
             Service (MSDL) at (425) 936-6735.
   
          Important Points
   
           - This converter is intended for users of Word 2.0 for Windows
             who don't yet have access to Word 6.0. The converter has its
             own Setup program; setup instructions are included in the
             cover letter.
   
           - This converter will not run under Windows version 3.0.
   
           - The formatting features added in Word 6.0 that do not exist
             in Word 2.0 will not be retained during the conversion.
   
           - This converter allows Word 2.0 to read documents created by
             Word 6.0.
   
           - Word 6.0 for Windows uses object linking and embedding (OLE)
             2.0 for file storage, so several OLE 2.0 files are required
             for the converter to read Word 6.0 for Windows documents.
             These OLE 2.0 files are supplied with Word 6.0 for Windows
             and the Word 6.0 Converter Kit and are installed during setup
             of the Word 6.0 converter. The OLE 2.0 files are not
             guaranteed to work under Windows 3.0.
   
    5. Q. Why won't Word open my Word for the Macintosh(R) 4.x or
          5.x documents?
   
       A. Word 6.0 can read Word 4.x and 5.x for the Macintosh documents
          automatically, without using a converter. Therefore, if Word
          cannot open your Word for the Macintosh document, check the
          floppy disk where the document file is stored. If the disk was
          formatted in Macintosh format, your MS-DOS - based computer
          cannot read the disk. To ensure that Word for Windows can read
          your Word for the Macintosh files, save them on an MS-DOS -
          formatted disk.
   
    6. Q. How do I open a document in Word 6.0 that was created in
          another application?
   
       A. To convert most types of documents, simply open them. Word
          automatically converts them to Word format. The original file
          remains unconverted on disk. To preserve the original file,
          save the converted document with a new filename.
   
          If Word does not recognize a file format, it displays the
          Convert File dialog box. If your file format does not appear in
          the Convert File From list, its converter is not installed. You
          either need to rerun Word Setup to install the missing
          converter or order the Supplemental File Conversion Disks to
          obtain Word's additional converters. See Word's README Help
          file for a list of the converters included with the
          Supplemental File Conversion Disks. See the "Converting File
          Formats" topic in Help for a list of the converters included
          with Word.
   
          To find out how to order the Supplemental File Conversion
          Disks, see question 10.
   
          To find out how to open a document for which Word does not
          supply a converter, see question 11.
   
    7. Q. How do I save a document in a different file format?
   
       A. Use the following instructions to save a Word document in
          another format:
   
          1. From the File menu, choose Save As.
   
          2. In the Save File As Type box, select a file format.
   
          3. Type a name in the File Name box and then choose OK.
   
          For more information, see Chapter 26 in the "Microsoft Word
          User's Guide".
   
    8. Q. How can I see which converters have already been installed
          in Word?
   
       A. To see a list of the currently installed converters, select the
          Confirm Conversions option in the File Open dialog box and open
          a non-Word document. Word displays the Convert File dialog box.
          The Convert File From list is the complete list of installed
          converters.
   
    9. Q. How do I install a converter in Word 6.0?
   
       A. To install a converter, run the Word Setup program. Choose
          Custom Setup and choose to install all or selected text
          converters. For instructions on how to obtain supplemental
          converters that are not shipped with Word, see question 10. For
          a list of the text converters supplied with Word, see the
          "Converting File Formats" topic in Help.
   
   10. Q. How do I order the Supplemental File Conversion Disks for
          Word 6.0?
   
       A. To order the Supplemental File Conversion Disks, send in your
          Supplemental Offers Coupon, included with your Word package, or
          call Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400.
   
          If you are outside the United States, contact your local
          subsidiary. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World
          Wide Offices Web site at:
   
             http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm
   
          If you have a modem, you can download these converters from the
          Microsoft Word Forum on the Microsoft Download Service (MSDL) at
          (425) 936-6735.
   
          In Word's README Help file, there is a list of the text
          converters available on the Supplemental File Conversion Disks.
          To view this list, do the following:
   
          1. On the Standard toolbar, double-click the Help button.
   
          2. In the Search dialog box, type README and choose the Show
             Topics button.
   
          3. Choose the Go To button.
   
          4. Choose the File Conversions topic.
   
          5. Choose the Overview topic.
   
   11. Q. How can I open a document created in another application
          if Word doesn't have a converter for it?
   
       A. In the original application, save the document in a format that
          Word 6.0 supports. Check the documentation for that application
          to find out which file formats are supported. See Word's README
          Help file for a list of the converters included with the
          Supplemental File Conversion Disks. See the "Converting File
          Formats" topic in Help for a list of the converters included
          with Word.
   
   12. Q. How do I convert more than one document at a time?
   
       A. Word 6.0 supplies the BatchConversion macro, which runs the
          Batch Conversion Wizard. This wizard walks you through the
          steps to perform batch file conversions to and from other file
          formats. To use the BatchConversion macro, do the following:
   
          1. Open the CONVERT template (CONVERT.DOT), located in the
             <WINWORD>\MACROS subdirectory (where <WINWORD> is the Word
             6.0 program directory).
   
          2. From the Tools menu, choose Macro.
   
          3. In the Macro Name list, select BatchConversion and then
             choose the Run button. This starts the Batch Conversion
             Wizard.
   
          4. Follow the screen directions in the wizard.