Word Mac to Word PC Messup!

[DavidJGardner]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel Hello!
I've saved a resume painstakingly set to 2 pages on my Mac running Word 2008 for Mac v 12.1.0...when I send that file to someone with PC Word it dribbles 4 lines onto a 3rd page?!

The newest format the Mac Word can save is Word 2004? What about more recent Word? Is that why it's off?

I CANNOT have this happen again! I want to use my Mac Word but the format seems to shift when opened with pc Word...please help!

 

[Patty Winter]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor:
Intel Hello!
I've saved a resume painstakingly set to 2 pages on my Mac running Word
2008 for Mac v 12.1.0...when I send that file to someone with PC Word it
dribbles 4 lines onto a 3rd page?!

The newest format the Mac Word can save is Word 2004? What about more
recent Word? Is that why it's off?

Not necessarily. I've seen this happen over the years even going from
one Mac to another. John or Bob can confirm, but I think it's most
likely from having slightly different versions of the same fonts on
the two machines. Is the other person seeing some paragraphs that have
widows (one or two words on a new line) on his/her computer that took
up one less line on your computer?

I CANNOT have this happen again! I want to use my Mac Word but the
format seems to shift when opened with pc Word...please help!

If the person who's using the Windows version of Word is helping you
write your resume, they can adjust the wording to ensure that paragraphs
don't have widows. If the person is the final recipient of the resume
(such as a potential employer), ask whether you can send them a PDF
version of your resume instead. Most businesses accept those, and it
will allow you to format your resume exactly how you want it and be
sure that it will look the same when they get it.


Patty

 

[DavidJGardner]

Many thanks for the reply!
The resume was for a client...I'm a consultant creating resumes in the top 5% of any field.

Why does Mac Word only save formats up to 2004?

I need to ensure that when I send resumes to clients that my format is retained. Your pdf idea is a good one, however, while companies do accept that format, they much prefer .doc, as their Applicant Tracking Software accepts these more readily.

I very much appreciate the response...isn't there anything I can do?

Thank you,
David.
davidjgardner.com

 

[Patty Winter]

I need to ensure that when I send resumes to clients that my format is
retained. Your pdf idea is a good one, however, while companies do
accept that format, they much prefer .doc, as their Applicant Tracking
Software accepts these more readily.

I very much appreciate the response...isn't there anything I can do?

Did you check for the paragraph length problem I mentioned? It's hard
to suggest how to fix the problem until we know exactly what it is.


Patty

 

[CyberTaz]

Patty's response is one of several reasons why a document will display
differently from one system to another, but the more common cause is a
difference in the printer drivers involved. They make far more of an impact
than most people realize. If necessary send both a PDF as well as the Word
document.

As for file format, the default used by Word 2008 is .docx, which is the
same used by Windows Word 2007/2010. You might check Word> Preferences -
Save to see if the default has been changed. It's also possible that you are
opening documents originally saved in the 97-2004 format in which case Word
will not arbitrarily save the file in .docx -- It saves in whatever format
the file is presented. If you want a new copy in .docx use the File> Save As
command & select the preferred format from the list of choices.

 

[Patty Winter]

Patty's response is one of several reasons why a document will display
differently from one system to another, but the more common cause is a
difference in the printer drivers involved. They make far more of an impact
than most people realize.

Oh, interesting, Bob! I had no idea that a printer driver could
influence the on-screen display. I knew that different page setups
could, but hadn't considered the actual drivers.


Patty

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

One thing that might help is use fonts designed specifically for Office.

And I know it still sounds hokey and old but:

Fonts for Mac are based on 72 dpi 9x8 while PC is based on 96DPI 9x12
(dots per inch)
so you have to go by formula 72/96 so a 12 point font on a Font
would 4/3 times as large on a PC and a 12 point font on Mac would show
up 3/4 as large. this includes how it shows on a Monitor and on a Printer.

You best bet is to save as a pdf so that it views exactly the same on both.

 

[John_McGhie_[MVP]]

Hi David:

Word 2008 calls the 2007/2008 .docx format "Word Document". But it's saving
a .docx just the same as Word 2007/Word 2010.

Whenever you send a file from Mac Word to PC Word, there will be some
differences. There must be. One reason is what Phillip mentioned: the
characters are a different shape. Another reason is that the printer driver
is the main source of Word's measurements, and your client will not have the
same printer driver as your computer.

You need to expect these rendering differences. If you format correctly,
they will be less than 1%. But you cannot remove them entirely, you need to
allow for them in your design.

The most important part of that is to format without page breaks or line
breaks. Use proper paragraphs and Word will make up the pages for you. If
you format a document so it paginates correctly automatically on the Mac, it
will do the same on the PC. The differences will be so small it will be
difficult to see with the naked eye.

You will improve your chances a lot by using the "C-series" fonts (their
names all begin with "c") provided with Word 2008 by Microsoft. These are
equivalents for the old fonts from previous years, but have been engineered
to render almost exactly the same on the PC and the Mac, and to look much
better when displayed on screen.

Avoid things such as direct formatting: use styles for everything. Avoid
"overriding" styles to make things fit. If it won't fit, it won't fit: use
less words. Don't get sucked in to trying to fiddle line heights to make
stuff fit: that's a sure recipe for a spillover

Be careful with the Page Break Before, Keep Lines Together, and Widow/Orphan
paragraph properties: use them, but be sure you understand what each one
does. And make sure you turn off "Allow A4/Letter re-sizing" otherwise your
design will go all over the place.

Really, there is nothing wrong here. Formatting documents for use
cross-platform is a little more intricate than formatting them for local
printing. Hang around here and we'll be happy to help you with it.

Hope this helps

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel
Hello!
I've saved a resume painstakingly set to 2 pages on my Mac running Word 2008
for Mac v 12.1.0...when I send that file to someone with PC Word it dribbles 4
lines onto a 3rd page?!

The newest format the Mac Word can save is Word 2004? What about more recent
Word? Is that why it's off?

I CANNOT have this happen again! I want to use my Mac Word but the format
seems to shift when opened with pc Word...please help!

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[DavidJGardner]

Wow! Thanks SO much everyone for the sagely wisdom...I had no idea!

Patty, Cybertaz, Phillip, and John, you give me hope! I'm going to do a series of experiments based upon what you've suggested, but I've now got a good grasp of what the likely issue(s) are.

Again, many thanks for the swift and thorough replies,
David.