WD6X: File Conversions Questions and Answers

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0
• Microsoft Windows 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

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

    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.

Additional query words: fast tips voice script msav q & a Q&A 6.0

Keywords : kbinterop kbdta winword macword word6
Version : WINDOWS:3.1,6.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo