[SOLVED] How to improve MS Word compatibility?

PseudoPsyche · Last edited by PseudoPsyche on Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:45 am; edited 2 times in total

SOLUTION (thanks to Sliderule):

In Libre/Open Office export your document to PDF: File => Export as PDF...

Go to www.zamzar.com and upload your new PDF, then select *.doc or *.docx format to convert to. Input the email address you would like the converted document sent to, click convert, and wait for it in your inbox!

Keep in mind, there is no such thing as 100% compatibility from Libre/Open Office => MS Word, but this is most definately the closest I have ever come!

Hope this will help others facing the same problem!

~PseudoPsyche

ORIGINAL POST:

Ok, I'm using LibreOffice 3.3 under Fedora Linux. I am a student, and as such am required to submit papers to my professors via email much of the time. My problem is that much of my formatting is not maintained when saving my documents in either *.doc or *.docx formats. My instructor is able to open *.odt documents in Word 2007/2010, but she is both unable to comment on them or see my original formatting.

For example, I just submitted a paper with several bulleted lists. When saved to Word formats the bullets are changed into other random symbols. Also, my instructor informed me that when she opened the paper in *.odt format that I sent her, the bullet symbols were "strange" and that there was no indentation on any of the bulleted items (ie. all fully left-aligned).

I have install MS fonts in Fedora, so I have resolved my font compatibility issues. However, is there anything that I can do to ensure that at least a good amount of my intended formatting remains when saving in Word formats?

Thank you for any help.

~PseudoPsyche

thomasjk · Super User Joined: 16 Dec 2005 Posts: 2308

Unfortunatley, no. !00% compatibility is not guaranteed between .odt and .doc formats. If you want that then use MS Office.

PseudoPsyche · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:19 am Post subject:

I'm not necessarily asking for 100% compatibility, I understand that's unfeasible. I'm just wondering if there's anyway to improve my chances. For example, by installing MS fonts, that solved the problem of my fonts being displayed improperly. Is there anyway I can install bullet images that MS uses so that when my bullets are opened in Word they look the same? Or any way to make sure that by indentations are recognized by Word?

Just looking for different ways to improve my chances at compatible documents, so any ideas are appreciated.

I've edited the thread title to better reflect my intention.

Thanks.

~PseudoPsyche

Sliderule · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:36 am Post subject:

One other option to consider.

I would suggest, if your professor(s) will permit, that you not send them Word documents, but rather, PDF documents ( Portable Document Format ) . By definition, PDF files are readable by users, regardless of operating system.

In Writer, from the Menu:

File -> Export as PDF...

You could 'test' this out with a sample, and, open it in the PDF reader of your choice. Also, open it on another computer, with a PDF reader, and, confirm it 'looks' as you desire. Smile

I hope this helps, please be sure to let me / us know.

Sliderule

Thanks to add [Solved] in your first post Title ( edit button ) if your issue has been fixed / resolved.

PseudoPsyche · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:58 am Post subject:

Sliderule · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:08 am Post subject:

OK, let's take this one step further.

I do NOT know if it will work, but, it is worth a try.

ZAMZAR is a web site, that, can take a file that is uploaded, and, convert it to another format. Additionally, ZAMZAR is free for anyone. The ZAMZAR site is:

Zamzar Home page: http://www.zamzar.com/
Zamzar Conversion Types: http://www.zamzar.com/conversionTypes.php

So, you could upload your file, and, it could email you back, almost instantaneously, a file in .doc format.

This way, you could see if the Zamzar conversion is better in .doc format . . . fonts etc. Smile

Just a thought.

Sliderule

Thanks to add [Solved] in your first post Title ( edit button ) if your issue has been fixed / resolved.

PseudoPsyche · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:25 am Post subject:

Sliderule · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:30 am Post subject:

I have NO idea, but, try this . . . if it does not hurt too much.

From your computer, EXPORT the file as PDF.

Let Zamzar convert the PDF to Microsoft .doc

Will it keep the indentation . . . I have no idea, but, it might be worth a try.

Sliderule

Thanks to add [Solved] in your first post Title ( edit button ) if your issue has been fixed / resolved.

PseudoPsyche · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:39 am Post subject: