docx files

[bcomet]

Is anyone out there finding docx files that they can't open?

I am a Mac user and I have a perfectly acceptable Microsoft Word program.
I have never had any trouble with doc files, but docx files are all gibberish.

I sure hope they aren't the wave of the future.

[charlotte49ers]

I don't think they are. They are just what is used with the latest version of Word (you can download a compatibility thing and then you can open them with older versions). I think I read that they are ditching docx with the next version. :)

[Holly]

Try this trick:

From your email, save the docx to your desktop -- and save it by clicking on the little icon. Don't try to open it and save the unreadable mess.

Open an older version Word document.

Once you have the old Word on the screen, from inside the old Word open the docx that you saved on the desktop. It should open and be readable.

Let me know if my explanation is confusing and I'll try again.

[bcomet]

Thanks, Charlotte

It would seem a shame for documents not to be universally readable.

Thanks, Holly

Didn't work. The file wouldn't "light up" from inside Word either.

Any advice on what reader would be best to download and easiest to use?

[charlotte49ers]

Try this:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx

[Holly]

I would ask Mr. Mac himself -- call the 1-800 number and tell them about the problem. If they suggest a solution, I would say, "Can you walk me through it?" in case something strange pops up after you hang up.

[bcomet]

Thanks Holly and Charlotte.

Will see what I can solve.

[jkmcdonnell]

Just changing the extension from .docx to .doc or vice versa usually works for me.

[Colonel Travis]

For the least hassle, use this site
http://docx-converter.com/

Docx is indeed a permanent format but Office has a gazillion of them now, which is good and bad. Wish they'd keep it simple but that genie is long out of the bottle.

[craig]

You're on a Mac?

Do you have iWork? If you do, right click on your file (if you're unfamiliar with right clicking on Macs, it's "control" + "mouse click") and click on "Open with" and select "Pages" from the list.

I've never been able to successfully obtain and instal the downloadable thing that's supposed to patch up Word for you. But iWork accepts all the new files -- docx, pptx, and xlxx. (At least, iWork '08...)

[GeeGee55]

Here's something to try. My son has a Mac and I have a PC. He created a file, that, of course, my computer would not read. This is how we got around it. He copy/pasted the text into an e-mail and sent it to me. Then I copy/pasted the text into a Word document and saved it on the Desktop. It worked for us. Maybe something similar would work for you.

[ganstream1]

You could try Open Office.

[Erica75]

I bought a new laptop a few months ago with Windows 7 and the current MS Word. Sends and receives .docx. My older desktop does not open them whatever I do! I'll try these tips and hope something happens (just taking the x off did nothing for me). One thing I do just to switch between computers is to export to Adobe Buzzwords (a free Adobe Acrobat file), then import to the other computer, which automatically converts it to the appropriate Word document. Not super-convenient, but works in a pinch.

[Colonel Travis]

Erica, if you've got Office 2007:
1.) open Whatever.docx
2.) click Save As and choose Word 97-2003 Document

Now you'll be able to open it in an older version of Office. You can't just lop off the x. If you save as "Word Document" in Office 2007/2010, which is the first choice listed, that's the docx and it can only be read in Word 2007/2010.