QuietMacFan
Level 1 (8 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Pages export to Word using NEWSLETTER template, 1st page spacing issue

QUESTION: Does anyone know if NEWSLETTER template (and or Museum Brochure) export correctly to .docx, and or how do I delete images and edit text boxes using these templates so that I am still able to export correctly?

 

I used NEWSLETTER template, which Pages can export to .docx then import from .docx (I don't know if it Word can do so, but Pages indicates it would.)

 

Problem: after NEWSLETTER header, i removed the picture and have only floating text boxes under it.  I have two pages, the 2nd page exports perfect (a page break separates it from the first).  On first page there are 12 small boxes in two columns under the header that liberally and easily fit on first page.  It's not unlike template I though, but with no pictures.  I saw many templates use these "boxes" to support text columns on a page, I didn't think the floating box would be a problem.  However I love the floating boxes wish to learn to use them so they "work".

 

I found immediately that the text boxes i added, when export and imported from .docx, loose their place and float under the Header (NEWSLETTER) (overlapped text, wrong layout).

 

I noticed Paragraph symbols (carriage return, Enter), while i moved text boxes around, had become intertwined between the boxes but not all - 1/2 way down page.  I next noticed that attempt to remove superflous Paragraph works in .pages (after repositioning all boxes), but made .docx worse, also that Pages would not even let me to delete the first symbol (this mystifies me, because the templates don't appear to use Paragraph at all except inside the floating boxes).

 

Finally, I added enough Paragraph symbols so that there there was one between each text box, but not so many that word would decide a blank page must be added.  I had to insure columns were not too wide - they had to be 1/4" apart let's say.  THAT APPEARED TO WORK.  Pages exported and imported it point for point I was happy.

 

But when my job advisor got it and opened it in Word (the one for Windows 7), the SAME problem I had before fixing the carriage returns appeared: the top two or four boxes were overlapping the Heading, and to fix it the person would have to have inserted carriage returns before the first text box to move it all down (which appeared to work - but failed as an export, and failed for practical use later).  "nice job".  Luckily i also attatched a PDF export, however the person had requested to be able to edit it using their older government dell top.

 

QUESTION: Does anyone know if NEWSLETTER template (and or Museum Brochure) export correctly to .docx, and or how do I delete images and edit text boxes using these templates so that I am still able to export correctly?

 

Thank you hope your next print job doesn't loose it's staples.

iMac with Retina 5K display, macOS Sierra (10.12), null

Posted on Sep 24, 2016 10:36 AM

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Q: Pages export to Word using NEWSLETTER template, 1st page spacing issue

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  • Helpful answers

  • by VikingOSX,Helpful

    VikingOSX VikingOSX Sep 24, 2016 12:21 PM in response to QuietMacFan
    Level 7 (21,500 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2016 12:21 PM in response to QuietMacFan

    Well, we have been saying for years in this community that if you want stressless, native document architecture interchange with Windows Word users that you need to be using the latest Word available on the Mac.

     

    Pages is not a Word clone, and Apple makes no guarantee that the open/export translation process from/to Word document architecture will remain faithful to the original formatted document.

     

    In answer to your questions:

    1. if you encounter document objects in a template with x's on their boundary, then the object is locked. You visit the Pages v5 Arrange tab, and at the bottom, you can unlock these objects for further editing, or removal.
    2. There is no advice that we can give here that will ensure that Pages exports more accurately to Word than it already does. The translation logic is wired into the application, and that is the price of roulette.
    3. Pursue the first paragraph.

  • by QuietMacFan,

    QuietMacFan QuietMacFan Sep 24, 2016 12:15 PM in response to VikingOSX
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2016 12:15 PM in response to VikingOSX

    You say "we" like you work for apple, interesting.

     

    Your answer doesn't surprise me i never suspected import/export to work well or much at all (Word export/import has been a problem since the early 90's with all other formats).

     

    I'm really looking for import/export tips.  The only TIP i know so far is "to keep it simple" (no text boxes), and to create a flowing document (nothing that relies on layout, save paragraph and indention).

     

    I was hoping for TIPS on use of Text Boxes "correctly", since for (book) layout they are a fantastic to work with.  Perhaps there are none.

     

    For editing fans: the floating boxes for laying out pages is very old technology called "Harvard Graphics" because an app developed by Harvard University first displayed the use of it.  xfig(1) has them too in a portable human readable document format.  It's the exchange of placement between editors that seems to be an issue.  (noting on ms platform, things are in the document are tied into the OS and even part of the os, so "nothing is for sure"; this is their .com format to simply dump OS objects into the document.  i knew this.)

  • by Peggy,

    Peggy Peggy Sep 24, 2016 2:22 PM in response to QuietMacFan
    Level 8 (38,937 points)
    Applications
    Sep 24, 2016 2:22 PM in response to QuietMacFan

    No, he means "we" as in we users who frequent this forum.

  • by PeterBreis0807,

    PeterBreis0807 PeterBreis0807 Sep 24, 2016 3:58 PM in response to QuietMacFan
    Level 8 (35,825 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2016 3:58 PM in response to QuietMacFan

    As part of the "we" here, I fully agree with Peggy and Viking.

     

    Also when you ask questions you have to say what it is you really mean in terms that someone else can understand, and what version of Pages you are referring to. They do not work the same. Pages 5 is missing a long list of functions that work in Pages '09.

     

    Who knows what you mean by "correctly"? State what that is to you.

     

    Also Pages 5 does not have Textbox linking so you not really going to be make a functional DTP layout with text flowing from Textbox to Textbox or Shape to Shape, ignoring the Export problems.

     

    Peter