Open Office and Microsoft Office Compatibility
The open source alternative to Microsoft Office, Open Office, is great software for people who are using a Linux desktop such as Linux Mint 8, or cannot afford Microsoft Office but needs free alternative software. It offers many of the same functions, are formatted in a similar fashion, and even offers features not included in Microsoft Office. The only problem is the fact that it saves everything in a different format than Microsoft Office. This is not really a problem if you are sharing documents between other people who use Open Office. However, if you need to share files with someone who uses Microsoft Office, then you might run into slight road blocks.
In earlier versions of Open Office (before version 2.0), sharing files between Open Office and Microsoft Office caused great difficulties. However, in the more recent versions, file sharing between the two has become so much easier.
- In the newer versions, to convert a Microsoft Office file into to an Open Office format, all you have to do is put all the Microsoft Office files into a folder.
- Then go to any of the Open Office software and use File > Wizards > Document Converter. The Document Converter should pop up. Now click on Microsoft Office option. Beneath that choose all the relevant file types within the folder you want to convert. In my example, I only have one word document, so I chose only the Word Document option.
- Click next. Next you want to map where the folder with the Microsoft Office files is, and map where you want to converted folder to be save to.
- This should be able to easily convert any Microsoft Office files into Open Office format. You can check by going into the folder that saved the converted file to. Word Documents should be converted into .odt files.
If you need to share one of your files with someone who uses Microsoft Office, and you want to make sure that the recipient is able to view the file correctly, there are several things that can be done to optimize the your file for sharing.
The first thing is the export filter. Open Office include export filters for Microsoft 6.0, 95, 97/2000/XP, and 2003 XML. While it is not perfect, out of the four, the most trouble-free filter to use is the 97/2000/XP.
Next you want to adjust the setting within Open Office.
- First select these options Tools > Options > Load/Save > Microsoft Office. You want to check every single box. This will improve the handling of the OLE Objects (Object Linking and Embedding).
- Then you want to go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > VBA Properties. Make sure all the boxes there are also selected.
- Then you want see if formatting matters for your file. If it does, then you want to make sure that the font you use is available in both Open Office and Microsoft Office. If not, the conversion target program will reformat the documents which can sometimes lead to the complex format destruction. This can easily be avoided by using standard font such as Times New Roman.
As a rule of thumb, the simpler the file is, the more compatible it will be during file sharing.
If you are preparing to share a file specifically between Writer and Word, you want to first open up a blank Writer document. You want to check out the options in Open Office at Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Writer > Compatibility. You want to select these options:
- Add spacing between paragraphs and tables (in current document).
- Add paragraph and table spacing at the bottom of table cells.
- Do not add leading (extra space) between lines of text.
- Add paragraph and table spacing at tops of pages (in current document).
- Consider wrapping style when positioning objects.
Now you want to click the Use as Default button to save the choices as the default settings. Some of the settings only change for the current document, so you want to save the current document as a template by using File > Template > Save so that you do not need to set the settings up each time you write a document.
Also note that Microsoft Office 2007 SP2 is able to open and save in .odt, the format that Open Office uses. For Microsoft Office 2000, 2003, EXP and 2007 SP1, a plug-in exists that allows it to open and save in .odt format
If you take these precautions and make the necessary changes to make Open Office and Microsoft Office compatible, there really should not be a reason that anyone would run into file sharing problems.
Tags: Compatibility, Microsoft Office, Open Office, tutorial