Pages '09 - Save as Word (.doc) by default?

[iMac430]

Hi everyone. I love Pages compared to MS Word and iWork '09 has made it even better for me. At my campus I need to save my work as .doc so then I can open it up in MS Word and print it out. I print from the computer lab because I don't have a printer in my dorm room. The setup I have now is to Command-S every once and a while (since there is no auto-save) and then I save the final copy in my documents folder and then I do a Save As at the end and use Pages '09's new Save copy as Word. I then place the .doc version in my Dropbox, go down to the computer lab, go to getdropbox.com, download, and print it out (through MS Word 2007)

Is there a way to automatically have Pages keep that "save copy as Word" checkbox checked by default all the time (either AppleScript, .plist edit, other way?). That way I can hit Command-S and it would be saving it as a .doc every time instead of .pages and then at the end I have to do a Save As (copy to Word) every time. I do not want to forget to do this since Word 2007 cannot obviously open Pages '09 files. So any way to save as Word by default would be appreciated.

Thanks.


Edit:

The problem is that the "Save copy as Word" checkbox is greyed out by default and once you do save it as Word, if you hit Command-S again, it brings up the Save dialouge box and the box is greyed out again.

Any way to make/force it to save in Word by default (and every time?

 

[IJ Reilly]

No. Pages uses its own file format.

 

[Chase R]

Apple would never allow something like that to happen.

Edit: Where did you get your wallpaper? Looks really cool.

 

[iMac430]

Apple would never allow something like that to happen.

Edit: Where did you get your wallpaper? Looks really cool.

That wallpaper is called colorFLOW and it can be downloaded from here.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Apple would never allow something like that to happen.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with what Apple "would allow to happen." The .doc format is proprietary and owned by Microsoft. All anyone else can do is imperfectly reverse-engineer it. I wouldn't want my word processor do to that to my files by default. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Chase R]

This has nothing whatsoever to do with what Apple "would allow to happen." The .doc format is proprietary and owned by Microsoft.

Ya I know that it is a proprietary format. Buy knowing Apple I don't think they would ever off this as a feature even if it wasn't proprietary. They want you to do all things Apple. They tell you what you need lol it's just the way Apple work lol.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Ya I know that it is a proprietary format. Buy knowing Apple I don't think they would ever off this as a feature even if it wasn't proprietary. They want you to do all things Apple. They tell you what you need lol it's just the way Apple work lol.

The point is, that isn't the reason at all.

 

[iMac430]

Ok - let me revise my question: When I hit Command-S it automatically saves in the new Pages '09 format. Is there a way to make it so when I hit Command-S or File > Save it will save it to Pages AND PDF/.doc? I always use the Save As/Export/Share to convert the file at the every end once I am finished with it and I am ready to print it out and turn it in. I want to eliminate that last step incase I forget one day and then I get to the computer lab and all I have is the Pages file which cannot work in Word 2007. So instead of making .doc or PDF the default, can it be setup where when I save (File > Save and Command-S) it will output a Pages file AND a PDF or .doc?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Possibly a way can be found using Automator, but I don't know how. Even so it probably could not be done with the Pages save dialog box.

 

[iMac430]

And that is fine. Even if it is done in the background, as lone as it duplicates the file (in its current - just saved state) to a PDF. I don't mind the extra 3-4 clicks it takes to export/save as a PDF at the end of the process. The problem is if I forget to do so for some reason. That is why I want to automate the process some how.

 

[swgms]

I have been looking for something like this for a while. I am going to look into using automator. I will respond if I figure it out.

 

[fabsgwu]

So I guess nobody figured this one out?

The way Pages saves .doc files is an annoying issue because basically everyone I share documents with uses word. So "saving as" word .doc 1) is an extra step 2) creates two files .pages & .doc 3) this creates version tracking confusion when edits are made on my side or from another person.

Probably going to get the real MS word for these reasons...

 

[mysterytramp]

In the example presented by the OP, there's one alternative. A bit convoluted, but it might solve the problem.

The Pages "file format" is actually a zipped archive. You can take any Pages file -- filename.pages -- and change it to filename.zip. Unzipped, the file separates into some stuff you can ignore and a PDF of the formatted file. The PDF should be printable from any printer -- Windows, Linux and Mac.

Theoretically, you won't need to fuss with the file format when you save it to the dropbox. At the printers, if you rename it as a zip, Windows will treat it like a folder. Select the PDF and you're in business.

mt

 

[colourfastt]

So I guess nobody figured this one out?

The way Pages saves .doc files is an annoying issue because basically everyone I share documents with uses word. So "saving as" word .doc 1) is an extra step 2) creates two files .pages & .doc 3) this creates version tracking confusion when edits are made on my side or from another person.

Probably going to get the real MS word for these reasons...

Ummm .. use Office 2008?

 

[scooterguitar]

So, if I might ask the basic question here, I can use Pages, simply save it as a .doc and send it along to others running Word and it will open on their systems?
I ask this newbie ? as I'm finishing my grad work and switching to mac before I'm finished, thus most of my profs are using Windows. I was/am worried I'd have to buy an Office pack just for a few more months of "needed" useage.
Thanks

 

[Scottyk9]

So, if I might ask the basic question here, I can use Pages, simply save it as a .doc and send it along to others running Word and it will open on their systems?
I ask this newbie ? as I'm finishing my grad work and switching to mac before I'm finished, thus most of my profs are using Windows. I was/am worried I'd have to buy an Office pack just for a few more months of "needed" useage.
Thanks

Yes is the short answer - simple sharing can be achieved by sending a pdf also.

More advanced sharing, such as track changes and comments also works between the 2 file formats, but you might run into some issues if you have complex formatting and share back and forth repeatedly.

(Most schools have education discounts for Office...)

 

[scooterguitar]

Thanks Scotty. I think I should be alirght then (after working and figuring my way around), it is merely for sending the most basic of a few pages of documents, no endnotes, etc. Just shoot samples to profs for simple feedback, etc.
Appreciate the help.

 

[MrChurchyard]

Yes, you can

Any way to make/force it to save in Word by default (and every time?

I stumbled across this thread while looking for a solution I already knew, and thought I'd share the solution.

Basically you can simply edit the Pages Info.plist to unlock this functionality.

Right click on Pages in Finder to "show package contents" to open the app bundle, where you'll find the Info.plist in the Resources folder. Edit entries 8 and 9 that so that Pages is "Editor" instead of "Viewer" for Microsoft Word documents.

Credit and full explanation here: http://blog.leefindlow.com/2009/01/iwork-09-pages-doc-support/

 

[leesui]

I stumbled across this thread while looking for a solution I already knew, and thought I'd share the solution.

Basically you can simply edit the Pages Info.plist to unlock this functionality.

Right click on Pages in Finder to "show package contents" to open the app bundle, where you'll find the Info.plist in the Resources folder. Edit entries 8 and 9 that so that Pages is "Editor" instead of "Viewer" for Microsoft Word documents.

Credit and full explanation here: http://blog.leefindlow.com/2009/01/iwork-09-pages-doc-support/

Will try your solution, thanks

 

[jollyredgiant]

I stumbled across this thread while looking for a solution I already knew, and thought I'd share the solution.

Basically you can simply edit the Pages Info.plist to unlock this functionality.

Right click on Pages in Finder to "show package contents" to open the app bundle, where you'll find the Info.plist in the Resources folder. Edit entries 8 and 9 that so that Pages is "Editor" instead of "Viewer" for Microsoft Word documents.

I got to the step where you wanted us to edit entries, and couldn't figure that out.

 

[gieppetto]

I stumbled across this thread while looking for a solution I already knew, and thought I'd share the solution.

Basically you can simply edit the Pages Info.plist to unlock this functionality.

Right click on Pages in Finder to "show package contents" to open the app bundle, where you'll find the Info.plist in the Resources folder. Edit entries 8 and 9 that so that Pages is "Editor" instead of "Viewer" for Microsoft Word documents.

Credit and full explanation here: http://blog.leefindlow.com/2009/01/iwork-09-pages-doc-support/

I know I'm late to the party, but, holy **** you guys, this works!!

I am so relieved I don't have to install MS Office... It just works perfectly. I downloaded PlistEdit Pro from Apple's site and it allowed me to tweak the plist file elegantly. Now every time I open a .doc file Pages treats it like a .pages document. Awesome!

P.S.: this also means that it doesn't "forget" that it's working with saved .docs. Meaning that every time you hit command-s the mechanism just works, you don't have to overwrite a previously saved version in a dialog box. Just. Plain. Great.

 

[bedouin]

Thanks

I just signed up here to say thanks for this hint. The last version of Word/Excel I liked was 2004 and refuse to upgrade, much less give MS any money. With Rosetta being dumped in 10.7 it's time to move on. Tried Pages and LibreOffice (OpenOffice) side by side and settled on Pages. It's changed a lot since 1.0 -- the last time I used it

I send at least one Word doc out a day and exporting, especially to resave after an edit was getting a little old.

 

[Philsy]

Could someone please explain how to do this? The link posted above no longer exists.

Thanks

Phil

 

[calymo]

Help!

I know I'm late to the party, but, holy **** you guys, this works!!

I am so relieved I don't have to install MS Office... It just works perfectly. I downloaded PlistEdit Pro from Apple's site and it allowed me to tweak the plist file elegantly. Now every time I open a .doc file Pages treats it like a .pages document. Awesome!

P.S.: this also means that it doesn't "forget" that it's working with saved .docs. Meaning that every time you hit command-s the mechanism just works, you don't have to overwrite a previously saved version in a dialog box. Just. Plain. Great.

Ok, so which lines are 8 and 9? I've found several places where I can change from viewer to editor but can't determine which ones I should change. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[KirkL]

Ok, so which lines are 8 and 9? I've found several places where I can change from viewer to editor but can't determine which ones I should change. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Same...can someone who edited theirs post their plist here so those of us who aren't as savvy can just copy/paste it