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Really old Mac files

Bullcreek52

Bullcreek52

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 29, 2020
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I got my first Mac in February 1984. Yes, the original Moto 68000, single-floppy, 128K with the canvas carrying bag.

I've got a ton of files from the mid-80's hanging around in dark corners of my file system created with things like MacPaint, MacWrite, very old versions of Excel, etc. that cannot be opened by any current software.

Is anyone aware of an app that will convert these old files into a format that can be opened with modern software?

Grateful if anyone can help.
 
regarding the graphic formats - Graphicconverter will presumably open them and allow you to save in another format.

For MacWrite you can try this - for other formats there might be other online converters. Or you run e.g. Sheepshaver, install the old programs and try to export to something like RTF, PostScript (or PDF), which you then use with some contemporary software. ?
 
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Try LibreOffice (the free version).

I can't answer for the old MacPaint docs, but it MIGHT be able to open both old MacWrite files and old Excel files.

Once you have opened the old files in Libre, you can either save them in LibreOffice format, or export them to other formats, text, etc.

Trying this will cost you nothing, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Please come back and post your results.

Personal experience:
I still have files going back to 1986-87 that are openable and readable.
One of "the keys" to keeping them that way is to keep "written stuff" (that might otherwise be composed in a word processor) in "text file" format, which is near-universal and timeless.
No "formatting", of course... but the essential text "is there".
 
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Thanks so much for your replies. I don't know why I didn't think of Graphic Converter. I have it, just haven't used it for a while.

LibreOffice worked on the MacWrite files. Yay! Though now I'm not sure I really want to read journal entries from the summer of '84.

Thanks again!
 
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Just a followup. LibreOffice was unable to open any of the spreadsheets. I thought I remembered that Excel came out very early for the Mac, but did some research and it wasn't released for Mac until late 1985. The only spreadsheet program that was available for Mac in 1984 was Microsoft Multiplan, which I now remember using during that time. So I think all the old spreadsheets are not, as I thought, very old Excel files, but Multiplan files. No success so far in finding anything that will open those.
 
Bullcreek52 said:
Just a followup. LibreOffice was unable to open any of the spreadsheets. I thought I remembered that Excel came out very early for the Mac, but did some research and it wasn't released for Mac until late 1985. The only spreadsheet program that was available for Mac in 1984 was Microsoft Multiplan, which I now remember using during that time. So I think all the old spreadsheets are not, as I thought, very old Excel files, but Multiplan files. No success so far in finding anything that will open those.
Click to expand...
Have you tried adding an XLS extension? If you set your Mac to show extensions. Do they have one?

I've had a number of old Mac files from the classic days. Which didn't have extensions. So, I had to guess at extensions until I got them right. Then modern software was able to open them. These were all pictures saved in various formats.

You can also run Basilisk II. In order to emulate a 68K System. Then run your old software. Maybe you'll be able to copy and paste those spreadsheets from Multiplan to an old version of Excel. From what I can find Excel 5.0 and earlier should be able to open Multiplan spreadsheets.
 
for what’s worth: Microsoft themselves suggests that one should save Multiplan-files as SYLK-files which can be imported into Excel…this brings everything back to running an emulator.

Referring to the old Baz Luhrman dogma “Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements” - maybe it’s time to let go these Multiplan files? ?
 
It seems the options for reading antique Multiplan files are:
  • Run a copy of Multiplan and export the sheets as SYLK files that can be ready by modern Excel, etc.
  • Run an old copy of Excel that can read MP files. As I understand it, the last that could was Excel95/Office95.
Good luck
 
Thanks for the suggestions, and I think the Luhrman quote might be apt in this situation. Tables didn't work, adding an .xls extension didn't work. I've seen a post from a Microsoft employee on the Excel team that later versions of Excel simply can't import Multiplan. Looks like the only option is going to be to try emulating an old Mac. I have an idea how to do that, if I can only lay my hands on an old version of Excel or Multiplan. I'll let you know when I see if I can make that happen. May be a few days, though.
 
I'd like to offer yet another suggestion.

Try this:
Open the applications folder.
Locate Apple's TextEdit app.
Drag its icon to the dock, so that it now is IN the dock.
Put one of the old Multiplan files on the desktop.
Now, grab the Multiplan icon with the mouse, and "drag-n-drop" it onto the TextEdit icon in the dock.

Does it open the file?
You might see a lot of garbage characters.
But... the contents of the file might be there.
If they are, it might be possible to "massage" the data into a tab-delimited text file, which most spreadsheet apps can open.

Would it be possible to attach one of the old Multiplan files here?
You'll need to compress it into an "zip" archive first.
You can do this by right-clicking on the file, and choosing "compress" from the contextual menu.
 
No joy with the Text Edit suggestion, Fishrrman, but thanks.

To provide an update on this adventure -- I've tracked down a copy of what I believe was the last version of Multiplan released, version 1.11 (thanks for the suggestion, mikzn!). I can even get its disk mounted in Mini vMac and in Macintosh.js. Problem is, this version of Multiplan won't run in anything later than MacOS 2. Earliest system software I have for Mini vMac is 7.5.3. Earliest software for Macintosh.js is 8.1. I have located a disk image for System 2, but haven't had a chance to try it out yet. I'll report further as it goes along.
 
There are some professional firms out there that specialize in getting old data created by old programs.

Of course, one pays for these services.
Probably not worth it unless you REALLY NEED what's in those old files.

OK, here's one last thing to try:
Go to this page and download version 4.10.5 b1 of Text Edit Plus:

Trans-Tex Software

www.tex-edit.com www.tex-edit.com
It's a free and small 3rd party text editor.

Once you've installed TE+, launch it.
If a text window opens by default, just close it.
Now, put your finger on the option key and HOLD IT DOWN.
Go to the file menu and choose "Open Any As Text..."
Now, navigate to one of the Multiplan files and choose it.

Can TE+ open the file?
 
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