WD97: Forcing Word to Save a Document with the .wpd Extension

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

When you save a document in Word as a WordPerfect file, by default, Word assigns the "doc" file extension to the saved file. It is possible to change the default file extension Word assigns to saved WordPerfect files.

Starting with WordPerfect 6.x, the default file extension when saving files from WordPerfect is "wpd." To make it easier to convert your file back to WordPerfect, you may want to change the default file extension Word uses when you save a document in WordPerfect format.

This article details how to customize Word so files saved in WordPerfect format are saved with the .wpd extension (or another other desired extension) by default.

NOTE: The WordPerfect 6.x converter provided in Word is an import only converter. You cannot save from Word as a WordPerfect 6.x (or later) file. You must use the WordPerfect 5.x converter to save a Word document as a WordPerfect file.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

When the WordPerfect converters are installed, the default file extension of "doc" is set in the Windows Registry as the save extension for WordPerfect documents. However, you can change the default save extension by modifying the Windows Registry.

To change the default file extensions for saving WordPerfect documents, follow these steps:

1. Quit Word and all other Windows applications.



2. On the Start menu, click Run.



3. In the Open box, type "RegEdit" (without the quotation marks) and then click OK.



4. In the Registry Editor, open the following Export registry key:

   
         HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Text
         Converters\Export 

   -or-

   You may find the Export key at the following location in the registry:

   
         HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Text
         Converters\Export 

   Word provides the following WordPerfect registry keys in the Export folder for saving (exporting) WordPerfect documents.




      Key Name          WordPerfect Conversion Name
      ------------------------------------------------------

      WrdPrfctDat       WordPerfect 5.1 or 5.2 Secondary File

      WrdPrfctDat50     WordPerfect 5.0 Secondary File

      WrdPrfctDOS50     WordPerfect 5.0

      WrdPrfctDOS51     WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS

      WrdPrfctWin       WordPerfect 5.x for Windows 

5. Click to select the desired key name you want to change the default file name extension for.
   
   For example, if you save your documents as WordPerfect 5.x for Windows, and you want those files to be saved with the .wpd extension, click to select the WrdPrfctWin key.



6. In the desired key, click to select Extensions.



7. On the Edit menu, click Modify.



8. In the Value Data box, delete the current extension and then type WPD (or any other file name extension that you want to save your WordPerfect files with), and then click OK.



9. On the Registry menu, click Exit.

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q157085 WD97: Limitations of Converting WordPerfect 5.x Documents

Q162987 WD97: Supported Non-Word File Formats

Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

Additional query words: wp wpft wp5 wp51 wp5x convert conversion conv

Keywords : word97
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto