Convert DOCX Files To DOC (And PPTX Files To PPT)

So let me get this straight. Microsoft has developed the new Office system where the default saved file type is not compatible with every other version of Office, especially the 2003 version that folks may have just upgraded to? Why should a file converting business (such as the one you described on the web) even have to exist?
Either I’m nuts or the world is just becoming too lame here. Why should anyone who owns a relatively recent version of Office have to install special readers etc in order to just open one the new Office file formats? What is blazes is going on here?! The onus is on Microsoft to immediately make a patch available for the older Office versions that will allow Joe User to open up any and all Office files (albiet with some of the features possibly limited). Nobody should be made to download or install third party viewers. Picture the average user on the road, away from his tech support, who is suddenly presented with an emailed file that will not open. If they are like the majority of people I work with, they will be stumped, will not have a clue as to how to even search the net for a hint of the application that opens this new strange file type that sits in their inbox. This is ridiculous. Didn’t Microsoft pull this stunt with Office 2000 vs 97?
Why do we put up with this? Isn’t it high time everyone walks away from Office? Remember Wordperfect … now that was an intuitive beautiful wordprocessor!
Jim Smith, Ancaster Ontario Canada

Dear Jim Smith,

yes Jim, you are correct about the new default file format for Office 2007 not being compatible with previous versions of Office by default. However, Microsoft HAS released a “patch” for this and most users are prompted to install this so that they can easily open 2007-files (recognized by their *x-extension in the filename).

BUT: the patch (known as Microsoft Office compatibility pack) has some drawbacks which might affect quite a few people. First of all it’s a 27.1MByte download and perhaps some people don’t have time to install this the first time they receive a docx file and is in a hurry. Secondly, it requires the computer to be fully patched with the latest updates from Microsoft Update - this is, unfortunately, still not the case for millions of PC’s out there. Last, people may not have the appropriate permissions to install this compatibility pack (on a corporate or university network, an internet cafe or whatever).

For these reasons - docx2doc exist for people to have a hazzle-free and quick solution to a problem they might not have the time to solve when they receive their first docx by email attachment.

In the end I think that the open xml-based standard in the new Office files will be a good thing, but a breaking change in the file format WILL cause a lot of problemts in the coming months…

Good luck with your writing people :)

The pages have been removed it seems.
Anyone found out if its Dag-Oyvind Paulsen that pulled it or the ISP didnt like the amount of traffic it generated?

Can somebody help me. Only some of my documents in my laptop have converted to docx. Not all. I don’t know why. Also when I copy-pasted from word to notepad the x tag went with it and even this did not open in office xp in another computer. Please help me.

Sorry Greg, but I gagged on reading “go backward from a strict technology standpoint”.

Office “Open” XML is not strict in any sense: it’s a slap-dash mess, conflicting with a handful of other specifications, dependent on proprietary (.doc, .rtf, .wmf) formats, and unimplementable by anyone but Microsoft themselves. It sounds “strict”, and XML implies openness, but I’m afraid DOCX is simply nothing of the sort.

This URL contains a fairly thorough deconstruction of just some of the flaws of the format:
http://www.grokdoc.net/index.php/EOOXML_objections

Thanks for pointing this out but I doubt I’ll use it. I’d rather direct people to OpenDocument if I can.

Yes Dag-Oyvind Paulsen,

You’re right about this. The two tools are great, and I also understand you that you have advertise on your page, even if the conversion fee is double than I’ve expected, this is no problem…
But how about privacy? You haven’t mentioned anything about it. Maybe I’ve missed it between advertisement links. Anyway, what you’ve told, is about security:
“A word on security
documents are uploaded to the server and given a random filename unique to each user. Each converted file will be available for download for 24 hours before it is automatically deleted. However, I urge users to not upload sensitive or classified documents for security reasons. “.

You started by offering a free service for those who receive their first docx in their email. This is ok, as long it is free there are no big expectations, right? But how about those who don’t have any knowledge about what their documents may contain? They may upload important documents, they pay for the conversion, but sadly there’s no privacy nor strict security to protect them and their documents.

I really like your services, and agree with your work, but I think that as long as this is not free anymore, you should offer some privacy, and more security.

Now, about the MS compatibility pack, if you download it … in about 30 seconds you have it installed, and it only make conversions between new and old office file formats.
For those who want to install the compatibility pack, here’s a quick link to the download page:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

Thanks for your time,
Roman

And of course OpenOffice also cannot open the new file format (yet). I wonder if one of the reasons for creating a new format is this incompatability, to convince more people do drop OO or their Mac software and switch to MS Office.

Mac and P.C. users that do not own Microsoft Office, or users of earlier versions of Microsoft Office that are not covered by Microsoft compatibility pack, but still want to convert, open and use Word 2007 DOCX or Excel 2007 XLSX files on their own computer, can use “docxconverter 2.0″. See:
http://www.panergy-software.com/products/docxconverter/features.html

Very frustrating!! I have the new 2007 docx and when I typed up a document to send it out to recipients they can not open it. I guess I never would have gotten the new update if I realized it would be this difficult for others to open. Why is it not a simple thing to do but rather a big inconvience for all. Even the person that has the update. My husband actually went on line and bought it for me. What a mistake!

test

plz show me how

Hello and thanks for indicating this available service. I am trying to access the pptx2ppt functionality from the various web links above, with no success. Is it still available, to your knowledge?
Thanks.

BSL

Hi,

When I create .docx using Open XML SDK provided by Microsoft, the compatibility pack does not open the file correctly.

I’m using a .docx template and programmatically fill data. The filled in data is not visible through Word 2003 with

compatibility pack, but it shows correctly in Word 2007

Regds,

Vaseem
shaik.vaseem@otis.com

Thanks so much for these great tips and downloads. I successfully converted the documents needed and saved some grades!

why my computer is now creatind docx files. When I send these files to my friends they cant open them. I am sure that it was’nt that way. How come its docx as it use to be doc.

thank you for the help

Cons: Cost 2 Dollars