Knowledge Base

WD98: Word 98 Cannot Open WordPerfect 6 or 7 Files

Article ID: 183138

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 98 for Macintosh

This article was previously published under Q183138

SYMPTOMS

If you attempt to open a WordPerfect 6 or 7 file in Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition, you receive one of the following error messages:

The File is not the right file type. (WordPerfect 5.x)

-or-

Word cannot open the document. Try one or more of the following:

On the File menu, click Open to open the document.
Make sure the document is a valid Word document. <file name>

Clicking OK returns you to Microsoft Word without opening the document.

-or-

You can open the document, but it appears as random text and symbols.

CAUSE

Word 98 does not include a WordPerfect 6 or 7 converter.

NOTE: Word 98 also does not include a converter for WordPerfect versions 2 or 3 for the Macintosh.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, open the document in the original version of WordPerfect that created it, and save the file as a WordPerfect 5.x file; or, use a third-party converter. You can then use the WordPerfect 5.x converter supplied with Word 98 to open the document.

Method 1: Save as WordPerfect 5.x

While in WordPerfect 6.x, 7.x or 8.x, save the documents in the WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format. For example, to save a WordPerfect 6.0 document in WordPerfect 5.1 format, follow these steps:

In WordPerfect, click Save As on the File menu.
Type a file name and in the Format field, choose WordPerfect 5.1/5.2. NOTE: WordPerfect 5.1 and 5.2 share the same file format.
Click OK to save the file.

Then, use the WordPerfect 5.x converter supplied with Word 98 Macintosh Edition to import these documents.

NOTE: WordPerfect also includes a converter to save in Word 6 format, which you can use instead, as Word 6 format is also supported by Word 98.

Limitations of WordPerfect Converters:

For more information about limitations of converting WordPerfect 5.x files into Word 98 Macintosh Edition, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

183139 WD98: Limitations of Converting from WordPerfect 5.x to Word 98

NOTE: Because Word 98 uses the same converter (WordPerfect 5.x) that was included in Word 6.x for the Macintosh to open WordPerfect files, the same limitations apply to both Word 6.x and Word 98.

Method 2: Third-Party Converter Solutions

DataViz Corporation makes conversion solutions for Windows and Macintosh computers, such as Conversions Plus and MacLink Plus.

Conversions Plus for Windows converts files between Macintosh and Windows- based programs, as well as between different Windows programs. Conversions Plus allows you to use a high-density Macintosh disk in your Windows computer, and to convert files directly on your Windows computer.

MacLink Plus for the Macintosh is a translation (converter) library that allows conversion between Word for Windows, Word for MS-DOS, Word for the Macintosh, and a large number of third-party products.

To check for availability of a converter for Word 98 that will convert WordPerfect 6 or later, contact DataViz at:

DataViz
55 Corporate Drive
Trumbell, CT 06611
Phone: (203) 268-0030
Fax: (203) 268-4345
Web Site: http://www.dataviz.com

The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

For information about how to contact DataViz, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

Additional Information Regarding Converter Availability:

Since Apple released System 7.5.0, Apple has bundled MacLinkPlus with retail versions of the Macintosh System software, and with new computers. The latest MacOS release, version 8.1 bundles MacLinkPlus version 9.0. MacOS 8.1 runs on all Power Macintosh and compatible computers, and so is available for any computer that can use Office 98.

MacLinkPlus 9.x supports WordPerfect version 3.5 for the Macintosh. DataViz has since released a commercial update to MacLinkPlus version 9.7, which also supports Word 97/98 format. Version 9.0 only converts to and from Word 6 and earlier.

MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

For more information about converting files in Word 98, click Contents And Index on the Help menu (or on the Balloon Help menu if you are using a version of the Macintosh operating system earlier than 8.0), click the Index button in Word Help, type the following text

converting files, troubleshooting

and then click Show Topics. Select the "Troubleshoot converting file formats" topic, and click Go To. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

For information on how formatting is retained in WordPerfect 6.x when saving as WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format, see the WP5X.DOC (readme) file in your WordPerfect 6.0 for MS-DOS program directory, or the Readme.cnv file in your WordPerfect 6.x for Windows program directory.

Additional query words: hang stop gibberish garbage maclink plus

Keywords: kb3rdparty kbconversion kbinfo kblayout KB183138