Word > Pages batch converter

[Sesshi]

Aside from attempting to script this, is there a tool out there which does batch conversions from .doc to .pages?

[Eraserhead]

Sesshi, are you OK? Where has the Dell lover gone?

I'd have thought you'd probably need to script it, as I imagine only Pages can open .pages files.

[Eraserhead]

OK my efforts at a quick script seem to have failed me, I can't get the damn thing to close the save dialog. APPLESCRIPT IS REALLY IRRITATING.

set tilde to (path to home folder as string)
tell application "Pages"
	open file (tilde & "desktop:read me.doc")
	activate
	tell application "System Events"
		tell process "pages"
			keystroke "S" using {command down}
			delay 1
			keystroke "read me" -- the name of the file
			delay 1
			--doesn't press return here. :mad:
			delay 5
			keystroke "W" using {command down}
		end tell
	end tell
end tell

This only works for a file called "read me" on the desktop and requires pages to be set up to write the files to the directory you want first, but gives a general idea of a script.

[jeremy.king]

Why not just change the default application for .doc to be Pages, then convert them as you need/read them?

[IJ Reilly]

Originally Posted by kingjr3

Why not just change the default application for .doc to be Pages, then convert them as you need/read them?

That's way too simple and Mac-like. You should be ashamed of yourself!

[Sesshi]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

That's way too simple and Mac-like. You should be ashamed of yourself!

Quite the contrary actually. You'd have to save them once you've opened each document. The sort of people I'm trying to get to use Macs as they can't ably handle a Windows machine would be flummoxed by this.

I figured I'd have to script it. Thanks, I'll make a start on it.

[emptyCup]

Originally Posted by Sesshi

The sort of people I'm trying to get to use Macs as they can't ably handle a Windows machine would be flummoxed by this.

When I worked at a large, mixed Mac/PC organization I found MacLinK+ invaluable. The documents need to be reviewed after conversion, though, as no converter is 100%. There are usually some formatting problems with page breaks, etc. (footnotes are the worst).

[mlewan]

Originally Posted by Sesshi

Aside from attempting to script this, is there a tool out there which does batch conversions from .doc to .pages?

You could try adapting the script to convert from Word to work the opposite way.

[Sesshi]

Originally Posted by mlewan

You could try adapting the script to convert from Word to work the opposite way.

Thanks for the link.

I wonder if Word is scriptable in the same way. Since I've switched back full-time to Vista for my regular working machines and all my partners have done the same I don't need a Word converter anymore... but the script you linked will be very handy for some of my legacy documents in Pages. Thanks.