PC can't read Mac file

M

marshaque

Registered
I have e-mailed a client a couple of MS Word files and they say they can't open them on their PC. I'm using OS 10.2.8 and they have Windows XP. I have word X. Could it be that they don't have a new enough version of Word?
 
Try doing a File-Save As, does it let you specify a different version of Word to save as? I have Word 2002 at home on my PC and I can save to Word 2000 format. Alternatively, your best bet is to just save it as Rich Text (RTF) if it's just text. If you have embedded pictures and such, it might get icky.
 
I'm not sure about if OS X apps have done away with this problem (whether extensions are hidden or not), but do the Mac word files have the .doc file extension on them?
 
I believe you need to add the extension to it before you give it to your PC using client. Macs don't use extensions but instead use forks to associate a file to an application.

You might want to tell your client to just add the extension at the end (".doc" if it's a Word document) of the filename. Just make sure that your client has the ability to see extensions as most Windows systems have the extensions hidden by default.

Although personally, I would try the former before attempting the latter...much easier. :p
 
nixgeek said:
*helpful info*
Click to expand...
Right, that was my concern. I think, however that MS Word X's default behavior is to assign the .doc file extension automatically and hide it (selectable in the Save dialog box).

The only case where marshaque would be having a problem with this is if that box was unchecked, and the .doc extension was overwritten when the file name was typed. That, or the .doc was deleted from the file name somewhere between saving on the Mac and opening on the PC.

We'll need marshaque to tell us if this is the case...
 
I had the same problem with the original Office X too. The problem turned out to be permission settings of the document. I had to do a Get Info (command+i) on the saved document and make sure anyone could read (or write if you want) the document before you send it. Also, if you are using Apple's Mail, go to Edit-Attachments and make sure "Always Send Windows Friendly Attachments" is checked.
 
nixgeek said:
I believe you need to add the extension to it before you give it to your PC using client. Macs don't use extensions but instead use forks to associate a file to an application.
Click to expand...

While this may have been true up through OS 9, it is most definitely not the case with OS X. Most all OS X files have extensions, and unless you specifically create a file without an extension, it'll be there. It may be hidden, but it's there.

Mac OS X uses a combination of resource forks and file name extensions to associate files with the appropriate application. It may use the extension in one context, and may use the resource fork in another context, but it does use both.
 
The default in Office v.X is to save the file without the extension. However, this can be changed in the preferences for each of the Office apps. I don't know what the default behavior is in Office 2004.

If you are sending a file to a PC user as an email attachment, be sure the option to "Send Windows friendly attachments" is turned on.
 
i've not changed anything in the settings, and i've seen that Office 2004 is appending by default the file extensions...
 
Yes, in Office v.X (which is different from Office 2004), the default is no extension. In Office 2004, extensions are appended by default. Both of these behaviors can be changed via the preferences.
 
One other thing you can do to avoid the file being corrupted by emailing is to compress it. Create a .zip archive of the file after you make sure it's got the .doc extension and they should be able to use it. Saving it back to the earliest version you can is also helpful.
 
ElDiabloConCaca said:
While this may have been true up through OS 9, it is most definitely not the case with OS X. Most all OS X files have extensions, and unless you specifically create a file without an extension, it'll be there. It may be hidden, but it's there.

Mac OS X uses a combination of resource forks and file name extensions to associate files with the appropriate application. It may use the extension in one context, and may use the resource fork in another context, but it does use both.
Click to expand...

Doesn't OS X rely on that extension as a last resort?? I remember reading somewhere that OS X will do whatever it can using the resource forks to associate a file, and that if that doesn't work, it will use the extension as a last resort.
 
Yep. Resource forks are good for backward-compatibility with OS 7/8/9 clients as well.

OS X relies heavily on extensions, but still does reference the forks in certain cases.
 
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