Opening XML (.docx) in Microsoft Word 2004

[sepandee]

I tried downloading and installing the necessary plugin for opening a .docx file in Mic Word 2004. But after installation, all I still see is a folder with a .docx extension, and within that folder there's nothing but more folders and XML files that are not the word document that I'm looking for.

What to do?

 

[xUKHCx]

That is actually a converter program. Open the application "Office Open XML Converter" then take the .docx and drag and drop it onto the Converter. It will process the file and give you a .doc which you can open in Word. Depending on what is contained in the file there may well be inconstancies between what the sender sent and what you see.

 

[sepandee]

cool, thanks. Is there a way to open it without converting it to a 2004 file? And is there a way to make sure I see exactly what the writer of the document wrote? It's just that these are essays I have to mark, and I don't want the papers to be any different.

 

[mkrishnan]

Well, if you're seeing the text and you don't see obvious issues, you're most likely seeing what you were sent. The errors are not going to change the grammar or the wording... they're going to change the layout much more likely.

If you're marking essays, you are in an appropriate position to demand that students submit formats of your choice. Particularly in a case like this where programs that work with .docx are not in wide penetration.

That aside, I don't think there's anything better for Office 04 as of yet. Microsoft promised more compatibility than this but is yet to deliver. Most likely they will have Office 08 out (with full native support for their "open" formats) before they actually deliver on this.

You could also try NeoOffice for what its worth. It supports several formats from Office 2007, but as far as I know, it too does not open/save these documents, but converts them to native. (ref)

 

[sepandee]

I don't know why but when I try to convert an XML file with the converter, nothing happens. I've either tried opening it through the 'add' button, or just by dragging and dropping it in the converter window. Nothing happens.

And I'm sure I have XML files.

 

[MisterMe]

...

That aside, I don't think there's anything better for Office 04 as of yet. Microsoft promised more compatibility than this but is yet to deliver. Most likely they will have Office 08 out (with full native support for their "open" formats) before they actually deliver on this.

...

This is correct. Microsoft will not ship the final version of Office Open XML Converter until it also ships Office 2008. Currently, it is at version 0.2. My experience with this version is mixed. It works on one computer, but not on another. However, NeoOffice opens .docx files without fuss or muss.

 

[sepandee]

This is correct. Microsoft will not ship the final version of Office Open XML Converter until it also ships Office 2008. Currently, it is at version 0.2. My experience with this version is mixed. It works on one computer, but not on another. However, NeoOffice opens .docx files without fuss or muss.

How does it open .docx files? When I hit the open button in office, I still see my .docx file as a folder, with more folders and files in it.

 

[sepandee]

K i figured out the source of my problems: Omniweb downloads the files as a .docx.zip file, and when I open them, they're unzipped into a folder. Removing the .zip part fixes the issue.

Now I'm an angry T.A., going to take revenge on all those Microsoft-office lovers... jokes!