[comp.sys.mac] Weird MacWrite format for TechNotes

d83_sven_a@tekno.chalmers.se (Sven (Sciz) Axelsson) (07/02/89)

Could someone please explain the strange MacWrite format several of the newer
TechNotes have. MS Word doesn't want to read it, giving you the "MacWrite Error"
alert lots of times. Opening with MacWrite II succeeds, but the document doesn't
look the same as in Word (as similar documents, that is). Saving the document in
Word 3.0 format from MacWrite II and then reopening with Word 4 sure can drive
anyone insane. The parts containing code-listings are worst, with unremovable
vertical-line tabs in the left edge of the document and using "position relative
to left margin" (which is strange since this isn't available in Word 3 - the
format the document ought to be in). There are also lots of leader-tabs with
different leader-characters. All in all this is very annoying, since one
cannot get the documents right, even with lots of work.

+-------------------------+--------------------------------+------------------+
|   Sven Axelsson         |  d83_sven_a@tekno.chalmers.se  |  DISCLAIMER:     |
|   dep:t of Linguistics  |          (^^ best ^^)          |                  |
|   univ. of Gothenburg   |        dlv_sa@hum.gu.se        |  This is not     |
|   SWEDEN                |      usdsa@seguc21.bitnet      |  a disclaimer.   |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------+------------------+

ericsc@microsoft.UUCP (Eric Schlegel) (07/03/89)

In article <840@tekno.chalmers.se> d83_sven_a@tekno.chalmers.se (Sven (Sciz) Ax
>Could someone please explain the strange MacWrite format several of the newer
>TechNotes have. MS Word doesn't want to read it, giving you "MacWrite Format
>Error" while trying to open it.

I noticed this when the last batch of technotes came out a few months ago
and reported it to the Word 4 team. They said they'd investigate it; I 
haven't heard anything since. They did discover a work-around, however.
Open one of these "bad" technotes in an old MacWrite (I use 4.6, I don't
know about 4.5). Then save a completely new copy of the note. Word will
now be able to read it. It's a pain, but fortunately I think only 4 of
the new technotes had this problem.

-eric
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Disclaimer: I'm only a summer intern (read: lower life form than a slime
mold). My views bear not the slightest resemblance to Microsoft's.