Microsoft Works

users
#1

I am using Win 7 32 & 64
I am just starting to explore Libre Office.
Some where I saw a statement that Libre Office would open
files generated by Microsoft Works; is this true?

John.
*John. jfgregson@shaw.ca*

#2

Hi :slight_smile:
Which format does it use?  Does it save as .wks or something?  Presumably it can "Save As ..." the older MS formats such as .doc, .xls and such, which can easily be read by LibreOffice.  I am not certain about wks.

How about installing LibreOffice alongside MS Works and trying it out?  It is possible and probably a good idea to have each running alongside each other for a while until you become more familiar with LO.  At first you can avoid making LO the default app for reading MS formats and just use the right-click menu and "Open with ... " when you have time to explore the unfamiliar.  That way when you have to meet deadlines it's easier for you.

Installing LibreOffice doesn't mean you have to uninstall MS anything.  Just have both :) 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#3

Tom.

Thanks for your reply.
I am using MS Works 8.0
Word Processor = .wps
Spreadsheet = .wks
Database = wdb.

Skipper.

#4

John

I am using Win 7 32 & 64
I am just starting to explore Libre Office.
Some where I saw a statement that Libre Office would open
files generated by Microsoft Works; is this true?

John.
*John. jfgregson@shaw.ca*

I checked in Writer FILE>>OPEN and clicked on file type to open the scroll box. I scrolled down to 'Microsoft Works Documents *.wps'. I did this to see what the file extension is for Works. On the other scroll box, Works is listed but the extension is not shown.

I do not have any Works files to test this on but with 3.4.X I have had success opening msox and mso files so would expect wps to open properly with LO.

#5

...
Yes. Works (pun intended) just fine with .wps docs created by MS Works
9.0. Tested on LO 3.4.4 build:402.

Oddly enough MS Works has a 'saveas' option to save to .odt, but each
time I tried it fails with:
Works cannot save <path>. There may not be enough space on the computer
or Works cannot save the file to the specified destination.

And of course I have both enough space and the proper permissions. It
does save as a .doc file though.

#6

I looks to me that LO 3.4.3 will read Works files but will not write them, since "Open" list Works, but not "Save As".

If for some reason it does not open Works documents properly, you should be able to save the files within Works to some other format. It has been some years since I dealt with Works, but I have a copy or three to install on my Vista laptop to test this out if need be.

To be honest, I do not know why MS still gives them out with some new computer systems, along with their trial of MSO. MSO did not like to deal with Works files a few years back when I was using MSO as my only office package. Very few packages will read Works documents. People are luck that LO is one of the packages that do read them.

#7

John

I am using Win 7 32 & 64
I am just starting to explore Libre Office.
Some where I saw a statement that Libre Office would open
files generated by Microsoft Works; is this true?

John.
*John. jfgregson@shaw.ca*

I checked in Writer FILE>>OPEN and clicked on file type to open the scroll box. I scrolled down to 'Microsoft Works Documents *.wps'. I did this to see what the file extension is for Works. On the other scroll box, Works is listed but the extension is not shown.

I do not have any Works files to test this on but with 3.4.X I have had success opening msox and mso files so would expect wps to open properly with LO.

I looks to me that LO 3.4.3 will read Works files but will not write them, since "Open" list Works, but not "Save As".

I checked Save As and it appears you can save to the *.wps format - I did not try it.

#8

I have LO 3.3.4 and I can open our 20 yr old works (.wps, .wks) files.
steve

#9

Hi :slight_smile:
That is good to hear.  Do they look ok when you open them or is the formatting all messed up?

I would tend to favour using Works to change the format to doc, xls etc so that all the different Office Suites could open them properly.  Hopefully soon most Office Suites will handle ODF 1.2 formats properly as it's a much better and safer format.  The time of the doc and xls formats is likely to draw to a close as MS need to push people into using their newer products.  Hopefully thee might be a way to do the conversion from the command-line and if so then it might be possible to convert a large number of documents quite quickly using some sort of script or batch file or something. 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#10

Hi :slight_smile:
If Works is given out for free and it's native formats are incompatible with MS Office then it embarrasses people into spending tons of dosh on buying MS Office.  It shows that a "free" system is inadequate and that the person using it is 'cheap'.  Once embarrassed and publicly humiliated in such a way a person will typically cave-in and spend almost any amount of money to prove they are worthy.  It makes people very wary of anything "free" and sets up all sorts of problems in trying to market LO.  It is a very basic sales tactic.  Is it called a 'hard sell' or does it have a less aggressive title now? 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile: