Why can I access 2k7 specific features in compatibility mode?

[Martin Edelius]

Hi all.

I have a customer who has the default Office document types set to the 2k3
standards (via GPO). This means that as soon as they start an Office app they
start in compatibility mode.

Despite this they get access to all the 2k7 specific features, like the new
Smart Art, which at times causes numerous compatibility check warnings when
they save the document (as it's saved in the old format).

I was under the impression that Office turned off all the new features when
running in compatibility mode but what I'm seeing here goes against that.

Have I misunderstood how compatibility mode works?

TIA.

 

[Beth Melton]

Setting the default Save As type option doesn't mean it automatically starts
in Compatibility Mode. It means when you save a document it will default to
the old file format and, once saved in the old file format, it will switch
to Compatibility Mode.

Now, there is a Registry hack that should do what you want:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options

Create a new DWord value in the above key using the following information:

Name: CompatMode
Value: 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

MVP FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

 

[Martin Edelius]

Hi Beth.

Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out at once.

The applications does show [Compatibility mode] in the title bar as soon as
I open them though so that's why I assumed that it was in compatibility mode.

Will I still be able to access the new features if I specifically save a
file in the new 2k7 file format or will this hack disable them permanently?


-- Martin

 

[Martin Edelius]

Ok, I actually had a chance to try it out at once.

To answer my own question; yes, I can access the new features just by saving
the document in the new file format.

Thanks again!


-- Martin

Hi Beth.

Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out at once.

The applications does show [Compatibility mode] in the title bar as soon as
I open them though so that's why I assumed that it was in compatibility mode.

Will I still be able to access the new features if I specifically save a
file in the new 2k7 file format or will this hack disable them permanently?


-- Martin

Setting the default Save As type option doesn't mean it automatically starts
in Compatibility Mode. It means when you save a document it will default to
the old file format and, once saved in the old file format, it will switch
to Compatibility Mode.

Now, there is a Registry hack that should do what you want:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options

Create a new DWord value in the above key using the following information:

Name: CompatMode
Value: 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

MVP FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

 

[Beth Melton]

I should have mentioned that it depends on the application. You will see the
majority new features disabled in Word but not in Excel and PPT. For example
SmartArt will not be disabled in Compatibility Mode when using Excel and
PPT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Hi Beth.

Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out at once.

The applications does show [Compatibility mode] in the title bar as soon
as
I open them though so that's why I assumed that it was in compatibility
mode.

Will I still be able to access the new features if I specifically save a
file in the new 2k7 file format or will this hack disable them
permanently?


-- Martin

Setting the default Save As type option doesn't mean it automatically
starts
in Compatibility Mode. It means when you save a document it will default
to
the old file format and, once saved in the old file format, it will
switch
to Compatibility Mode.

Now, there is a Registry hack that should do what you want:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options

Create a new DWord value in the above key using the following
information:

Name: CompatMode
Value: 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

MVP FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

message

 

[Martin Edelius]

Hi again.

Filled with joy over actually have found a solution to this I overlooked
that I need to force Excel (and especially Excel) into compatibility mode as
well.

Unfortunately the same registry hack doesn't work for Excel and googling for
it does me no good.

Any tips on how to force Excel into compatibility mode?


-- Martin

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Martin,

To add a bit to Beth's reply, note that the registry change by itself does not disable the 'Convert' choice under Office Button,
which puts things back in Word 2007 mode, nor does it correctly(?) change Word's compatibility settings

Office Button=>Word Options=>Advanced=>Compatibility Options for:

to be Word 2003, which might have effect on layout of documents used in earlier versions in some cases.

The warning dialog for compatibiility check can also be disabled. The use of the Office 2007 SmartArt feature, for example, then
saving as a Word 97-2003 document changes the SmartArt to a fixed graphic. Part of what compatibility mode does is to switch
graphic, themeing and positioning engines so that inserted items 'behave' by the limitation rules of the previous version of Office.

There is a compatibility pack available as well for Word 2000/2002/2003 that allows 2007 file format documents to be opened in those
verions, but it doesn't give them the capability to work the new features there.

=============
Hi all.

I have a customer who has the default Office document types set to the 2k3
standards (via GPO). This means that as soon as they start an Office app they
start in compatibility mode.

Despite this they get access to all the 2k7 specific features, like the new
Smart Art, which at times causes numerous compatibility check warnings when
they save the document (as it's saved in the old format).

I was under the impression that Office turned off all the new features when
running in compatibility mode but what I'm seeing here goes against that.

Have I misunderstood how compatibility mode works?

TIA. >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Martin Edelius]

Haha, it seems as we're out of sync with our posts.

In other words - I can't force Excel into compatibility mode? Or at least
not one that is very compatible?


-- Martin

I should have mentioned that it depends on the application. You will see the
majority new features disabled in Word but not in Excel and PPT. For example
SmartArt will not be disabled in Compatibility Mode when using Excel and
PPT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Hi Beth.

Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out at once.

The applications does show [Compatibility mode] in the title bar as soon
as
I open them though so that's why I assumed that it was in compatibility
mode.

Will I still be able to access the new features if I specifically save a
file in the new 2k7 file format or will this hack disable them
permanently?


-- Martin

Setting the default Save As type option doesn't mean it automatically
starts
in Compatibility Mode. It means when you save a document it will default
to
the old file format and, once saved in the old file format, it will
switch
to Compatibility Mode.

Now, there is a Registry hack that should do what you want:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options

Create a new DWord value in the above key using the following
information:

Name: CompatMode
Value: 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

MVP FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

message
Hi all.

I have a customer who has the default Office document types set to the
2k3
standards (via GPO). This means that as soon as they start an Office
app
they
start in compatibility mode.

Despite this they get access to all the 2k7 specific features, like the
new
Smart Art, which at times causes numerous compatibility check warnings
when
they save the document (as it's saved in the old format).

I was under the impression that Office turned off all the new features
when
running in compatibility mode but what I'm seeing here goes against
that.

Have I misunderstood how compatibility mode works?

TIA.

 

[Beth Melton]

Not the way you want it to work. :-(

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Haha, it seems as we're out of sync with our posts.

In other words - I can't force Excel into compatibility mode? Or at least
not one that is very compatible?


-- Martin

I should have mentioned that it depends on the application. You will see
the
majority new features disabled in Word but not in Excel and PPT. For
example
SmartArt will not be disabled in Compatibility Mode when using Excel and
PPT.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

message

Hi Beth.

Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out at once.

The applications does show [Compatibility mode] in the title bar as
soon
as
I open them though so that's why I assumed that it was in compatibility
mode.

Will I still be able to access the new features if I specifically save
a
file in the new 2k7 file format or will this hack disable them
permanently?


-- Martin


:

Setting the default Save As type option doesn't mean it automatically
starts
in Compatibility Mode. It means when you save a document it will
default
to
the old file format and, once saved in the old file format, it will
switch
to Compatibility Mode.

Now, there is a Registry hack that should do what you want:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options

Create a new DWord value in the above key using the following
information:

Name: CompatMode
Value: 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

MVP FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

message
Hi all.

I have a customer who has the default Office document types set to
the
2k3
standards (via GPO). This means that as soon as they start an Office
app
they
start in compatibility mode.

Despite this they get access to all the 2k7 specific features, like
the
new
Smart Art, which at times causes numerous compatibility check
warnings
when
they save the document (as it's saved in the old format).

I was under the impression that Office turned off all the new
features
when
running in compatibility mode but what I'm seeing here goes against
that.

Have I misunderstood how compatibility mode works?

TIA.