Compatibility??Mac vs PC

[kaneohe]

I have been asked to fill out a .rtf document that includes a table in which I'm supposed to input some numbers. I can read the .rtf document and the format is fine on my Mac laptop (<1 yr old). After I input the numbers, the document and format are fine on the Mac. However, I have been told that after I send the document back to sender, there are strange characters in the document and they have to retype it on their PC.

To remedy the problem, this month they sent the same blank document in the
.doc format. I do not have Word on the Mac and the Text Edit application which (I assume) opens the .rtf document can open the .doc document but has format problems....words spill over into the wrong box in the table or are split into 2 lines.

Is there an easy fix so both parties will have correctly formatted documents?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

You might try a copy of openoffice for the mac, its free and should open and save those files in the proper format.

 

[epps]

Do they need to be able to easily edit the document you send back? If not, you could create a PDF to send to them and to keep as your copy.

 

[ladelfina]

There's an option in Mail to "send Windows-friendly attachments". Sometimes that does the trick. You might try it to better share the .rtf versions; see if someone on the other end views your modified .rtfs differently from before.

I have not tried this with .rtfs nor have I had the exact issue you have, but figured that, since the option is there, there must be a reason and it must affect something.

 

[travelover]

Do they need to be able to easily edit the document you send back? If not, you could create a PDF to send to them and to keep as your copy.

I'd second the PDF idea. I got a free PDF writer from Cute. It appears as a print option, which you then save as a file.

CutePDF - Create PDF for free, Free PDF Utilities, Edit PDF easily;.

 

[kaneohe]

Thanks for all the ideas. I wasn't able (or perhaps willing) to wait for the download of open office .....50 min, it said. Perhaps after the city installs a
new wifi AP (supposedly today), I can try it again. I didn't quite understand the suggestion about mail and "windows friendly attachments".....but I'll file
the suggestion so I don't forget.

The url about cute pdf seemed to link to a PC version (I have a Mac) but when I googled cute pdf and Mac, I found a query/answer that suggested I have that capability already on the Mac:

in Text Writer(the only app on the Mac) Print, PDF
and the document is stored as .pdf. So don't know if the receiver can
use it but I learned a new trick!!

Thanks again for the help.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Its all so easy and intuitive!

You can order that openoffice stuff on a cd for a nominal fee. Something you might want to have anyhow since it implements pretty much the entire microsoft office product set with almost the same feature set and full file compatibility. Pretty handy to have a full featured word processor and spreadsheet without paying a ton of money for it.

 

[ladelfina]

kaneohe, this shows where to find those settings:
Windows Friendly Attachments - Mac Tips Daily! #272 | thinkmac.net

Doing this may or may not help with the files you are sending, but it is worth doing a test and seeing whether the receiver reports a difference.

I found this, more detailed, explanation here:
Working with outgoing attachements in Apple Mail

The link above brought up a solution that I'd forgotten about but had used many times at work: save the file you are working on in a .zip archive, and e-mail that. This "container" seems to ensure that files arrive in a PC-readable state way more often than not.

To do this, select the file you want to send in the Finder, then using the contextual menu (click&hold right button or Ctrl-click&hold single button) or the File menu.. select "Create archive of "yourfilename". A .zip archive will appear; now attach that to your mail.

 

[kaneohe]

Thanks, CFB and LDF, for the tips. Seems like so many ways to the end goal.
I'm impressed by whoever dreams these things up and those who know them.

 

[ERD50]

I'd second the PDF idea. I got a free PDF writer from Cute. It appears as a print option, which you then save as a file.

CutePDF - Create PDF for free, Free PDF Utilities, Edit PDF easily;.

just to make sure the OP understands this - the feature that travelover linked to is already a standard feature in OSX - you do NOT need to add anything to do this in OSX.

Yes, it *is*intuitive.

Just go to print *any* document you choose. There will be an option to 'print as pdf'. Here ,picture = 1000 words:

-ERD50