compatibility options are set to Word 6.0/95

[iconoclassic]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

I have seen this question posted a few times by others with no satisfactory answer given thus far.

I did what the compatibility report says to do: set the Compatibility options to Microsoft Word 2000-2004 and X, but the compatibility report still says the compatibility options are set to Word 6.0/95. The compatibility check explanation says that lines may break differently than intended.

This even happens to brand new, empty .doc files with no content, so it doesn't seem like a corrupt file issue, and it only happens to .doc files, not .docx or .pdf or any other file format. This is maddening.

 

[John McGhie]

We have to be careful not to confuse "correct answer" with "answer I like"


The "correct answer" is "This is a bug on a feature".

The "Feature" is supposed to warn you every time you save a document in the
old format, because that format will not contain the new features Word is
capable of. You will lose data, so you get a warning.

The "bug" is that the report says you're set to "Word 6/95". You're not:
you will get the warning any time you are set to anything except .docx.

Now: You may not "like" the answer. But there it is

Cheers

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

I have seen this question posted a few times by others with no satisfactory
answer given thus far.

I did what the compatibility report says to do: set the Compatibility options
to Microsoft Word 2000-2004 and X, but the compatibility report still says the
compatibility options are set to Word 6.0/95. The compatibility check
explanation says that lines may break differently than intended.

This even happens to brand new, empty .doc files with no content, so it
doesn't seem like a corrupt file issue, and it only happens to .doc files, not
.docx or .pdf or any other file format. This is maddening.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[iconoclassic]

Many Windows users can't even open the .doc files I create with Word for Mac. So I don't think this is a case where I have nothing to worry about, but thanks for trying.

Maybe I should try NeoOffice or OpenOffice.org again, but I've had compatibility issues in the past with those as well. I just want to be able to create stupid .doc files with an arial font for potential employers to be able to open and read the way I typed and formatted them. Wow, I hate Microsoft.

 

[Elliott Roper]

Many Windows users can't even open the .doc files I create with Word for Mac.
So I don't think this is a case where I have nothing to worry about, but
thanks for trying.

Maybe I should try NeoOffice or OpenOffice.org again, but I've had
compatibility issues in the past with those as well. I just want to be able
to create stupid .doc files with an arial font for potential employers to be
able to open and read the way I typed and formatted them. Wow, I hate
Microsoft.

That should be a clue. It may not be the word processor, but how you
are mailing the results, and how the users on the dark side are reading
your mail.

If you are using mail.app, make sure you check the "send windows
friendly attachments" box in the file open dialog you get when choosing
the attachment.

Other mailers have similar switches. Or you could zip the .doc and send
that. Mac resource forks confuse the hell out of some other systems.
Mail's checkbox suppresses sending the resource fork ancillary file.

Be aware that the potential employer may still see something you did
not intend. Compatibility or not, even something stupid like his paper
size or printer driver might distort your best work into inept looking
ugliness.

There are good working practices that avoid that carnage. A less than
clueless potential employer would appreciate seeing you use them.

It is all tied up with using styles as they were meant to be used.
Grab a copy of Clive Huggan's "Bend Word to Your Will" from the MVP
site.
http://word.mvps.org/mac/bend/bendwordtoyourwill.html

read everything about styles and "minimum maintenance"

Finally, if you care about your next employer seeing your cv like you
intended, send 'em a PDF either as well or instead of a .doc or .docx

 

[iconoclassic]

Ahh, thanks for enlightening me on the "Windows Friendly" checkbox, Elliott! And I shall check out "Bend Word to Your Will." Thanks again.