Microsoft Office Forums

Go Back   Microsoft Office Forums > >

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-30-2010, 08:37 PM
cranheim cranheim is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 64bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 64bit
Novice
MS Office 2010 Home and Student
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5
cranheim is on a distinguished road
Default MS Office 2010 Home and Student


I just purchased a new PC running Windows 7 professional 64 bit, and MS office 2010. I have been using Word 97 and Works 6 to create documents. Is there a way to open and use my Works file types .xlr (spreadsheet), .wdb (Data Base) and .wps (Word). I was hoping Excell would try to open the .xlr files, and Word would open the other files, but that is not the case. It would take me forever to copy my spreadsheet data from works 6 to Excell as an example. I tried to purchase a new level of Works locally, but could not find anyone carrying it. It may not even run on my Windows 7 64 bit OS if I was able to fine the software.
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-31-2010, 07:20 PM
Kaneto Kaneto is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 (Version 14.0)
Competent Performer
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 136
Kaneto is on a distinguished road
Default

Office 2010 should be open Works 6.0 and later files. The extension wont show on the file format list, so you'll actually need to select "All Files (*.*)" to locate and open your document. Once you've opened your document you may have to do some editing to restore formatting, but it shouldn't be as bad as having to copy and paste the entire contents. Have you tried opening your documents using the "All Files" selection yet?

Unfortunately MS Works has been discontinued, so you're going to have a difficult time finding a copy to install.

Hope this helps.

-SW
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-31-2010, 09:21 PM
cranheim cranheim is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 64bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 64bit
Novice
MS Office 2010 Home and Student
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5
cranheim is on a distinguished road
Default

Kaneto,
Thanks for your response, but I do not understand how to do what you suggest. In my test, I click on a Works file on a memory stick. I select Open with MS Office. I do not know how to select all files *.* Are you suggesting I change the file extension to *.* from .wdb? Or is there some option in Office where I have to make the change? Forgive me for being so stupid, but I am still in learn mode.
If you could take me step by step on how to open this file using the *.* option, I would appreciate it very much.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-31-2010, 10:53 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 32bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2000
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Hi cranheim,

You could try installing your existing copy of Works 6 onto the new PC. If the install succeeds, you should be able to open the various Words files and save them into a format Office can work with (eg: .doc, .rtf for Word; .xls, .wk1 for Excel; .mdb, .dbf for Access). For the most part, it's just a matter of comparing the open/save formats in both applications to see where the formats overlap.

If the install fails, find yourself a friend with an older PC, who'd like to have your copy of Works, which you can give him/her in return for converting your files per the above.
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-01-2011, 02:38 PM
cranheim cranheim is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 64bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 64bit
Novice
MS Office 2010 Home and Student
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5
cranheim is on a distinguished road
Default

Paul,
I copied a .xlr file written in works, renamed it to a .xls file, and it opened on my new machine by Excel 2010. Is there a converter that can be downloaded and installed to allow my Office 2010 running Windows 7 Professional to automatically do the conversion and open the files created from Works? If so, is there a risk in corrupting my new Office software? I did not get the original software DVD from Dell when I purchased the machine.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-01-2011, 09:27 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 32bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2000
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Hi cranheim,

Simply changing a file's extension doesn't change its internal formatting and there's no guarntee the software to which the new extension applies will be able to open it.

Excel may have been able to open the file simply because it recognised the internal format and the extension change had nothing to do with it. You could probably get Excel to open an xlr file by simply starting Excel then dragging the file onto the running Excel session. The same might word with Word and Access for your Works wordprocessing and database files too.

Changing the file extensions is unlikely to harm any of your applications, but it will make it harder to identify which files are Works files and which are Office files.
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-02-2011, 08:17 PM
cranheim cranheim is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 64bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 64bit
Novice
MS Office 2010 Home and Student
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5
cranheim is on a distinguished road
Default

I have been making progress copying my word and works files from my XP machine to my Win 7 machine. At the moment, I can open all my word files, and my works spread sheet files via Excel. The only file type I can't open is a data base file from Works having a file type of .wdb. I know there are converters out there that are supposed to open these files, but I would rather use some current software to create a data base file. I use the data base file for an address book. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what Office product (other than Works) will allow me to create a data base file? I don't think I can do it with my Office 2010 home and student software.
Thanks for your interest and help.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-02-2011, 08:45 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 32bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2000
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Hi cranheim,

Perhaps:
http://www.codealchemists.com/worksdatabaseconverter/
Failing that, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;q197894
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-03-2011, 07:11 AM
cranheim cranheim is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 64bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2010 64bit
Novice
MS Office 2010 Home and Student
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5
cranheim is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks for your suggestions on using converters. However, I still have access to the Works wdb file using my old Works program. It looks like the best solution is to find some other current MS office product that will allow me to create a new data base for an address book. Do you have any suggestions what software will do this?
Thanks again for your interest and time.
cranheim
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-03-2011, 02:14 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline MS Office 2010 Home and Student Windows 7 32bit MS Office 2010 Home and Student Office 2000
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Hi cranheim,

I doubt you'll find another MS Office product to do the job - that's why MS has suggested the process in the 2nd link I gave you.
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Student Home Office 2010 wjim Outlook 0 06-13-2010 09:34 AM
Office Home/Student 2007 2010 Upgrade zbaba4 Office 0 03-08-2010 07:31 PM
60 day trial ms office home and student theweaver Office 1 01-15-2010 05:14 AM
office home and student 2007 Windsor Office 0 11-14-2009 07:03 PM
office home and student 2007 from 2003 chicnman Office 0 01-13-2009 10:17 PM

Other Forums: Access Forums

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
MSOfficeForums.com is not affiliated with Microsoft