word 2003 can't open word 2000 docs

[john gibb]

Hi,

I get this error when using Word 2003 to open files saved in Word 2000.

Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these
suggestions.
* Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
* Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space.
* Open the file with the Text Recovery converter.

I can open them with the Text Recovery (as well as still with Word 2000),
but there would be hours of formatting back together again.

Right now my solution is to open them in Word 2000, but I am giving up
features I was just beginning to get used to.

Word 2000 offer regular RTF and one called:

Word 97-2003 & 6.0/95 - RTF (*.doc)

Are these alternatives likely to result in minimal unformatting?

thanks,

-john

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "john gibb" <[email protected]>,

Yes-ish. The more you devolve the file format, the less chance of
corruption remaining. Try a Maggie first though:

<From Word 2k>

Cut n paste everything except the last paragraph mark in each section
to a new document.

Then retry opening that new document in 2003.

If that doesnt work, try Save As HTML before using the file format you
suggested.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


john gibb reckoned:

 

[john gibb]

Hi Steve,

I don't quite understand.

I was wondering about "Save as.." in RTF but you are suggesting 'Save As...'
in HTML; correct?

Will HTML result in less formatting loss than RTF--when I reopen and resave
in Word
2003?

I eventually need to save the file in Word format (hopefully 2003) and then,
with Acrobat 6 or 7 I believe, convert the Word to PDF with all the
hyperlinks preserved.

thanks,

-john

 

[Margaret Aldis]

Hi John

Save As HTML (unfiltered) keeps all the Word formatting.

I haven't used Save As RTF for many years - it used to lose Word 97 +
numbering but there may have been updates to either the format or the
reimport since then.

The "Maggie" is copying and pasting to a new document, leaving the last
paragraph mark behind, hopefully along with the corruptions.

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Margaret Aldis" <Margaret.Aldis@mvps.(SpamStopper)org.invalid>,

It doesnt keep all formatting (eg small caps) but it does go way
closer.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice

 

[Word Heretic]

Will HTML result in less formatting loss than RTF--when I reopen and resave
in Word
2003?

Yes.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


john gibb reckoned:

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Steve,

Hmmm. Could that be font or style specific?
I saved a test file as HTM from Word 2003 that
had some text direct formatted with Small caps
and a paragraph style with Small Caps.

Closed Word 203 and reopened the app and the file
and the small caps were intact.

=======It doesnt keep all formatting (eg small caps) but it does go way
closer.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic >>

 

[john gibb]

Hi Margaret,

I didn't see the _unfiltered_ distinction for HTML in Word 2000's 'Save As'
file types. Both Save As:

a) HTML and
b) Word 97-2003 & 6.0/95 - RTF (*.doc)

seemed to create a file that Word 2003 is happy to open.

And a spot check of the formatting in both makes me think everything,
including Table-of-Contents hyperlinks and page numbering, was
preserved.

But I question my test. Can anyone suggest what other formatting I should
now insure
has been preserved, so I don't discover a problem when my deadline is more
imminent?

Also, if I had to choose one 'Save As' file format, filesize would lead
me, decidedly, to HTML; notice this size comparison:

original Word 2000 file: 183KB
HTML version: 249KB
Word 97/2003 RTF: 2592KB

especially since one of my problem docs, in Word 2000 format, is 26 MB!!

thanks,

-john

PS: i am on a Acrobat 7 trial and it seems happy to create PDF, with
preserved hyperlinks, for either Word 2003 or 2000

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Bob Buckland ?:-\)" <75214.226(At Beautiful
Downtown)compuserve.com>,

Word 2k used to work the way I described.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


"Bob Buckland ?:-\)" <75214.226(At Beautiful
Downtown)compuserve.com> reckoned: