Clarisworks vs. Appleworks

My husband has been using a Mac computer for his personal business for about 10 years. He has been using ClarisWorks. I am trying to switch him over to a PC (due to the fact that he has increased questions about his Mac as it ages and I am not a Mac expert). My problem is in trying to take his processes from ClarisWorks to something compatable on a PC. He is not very excited about learning a whole new program, with new processes. Does anyone have any advise they can offer please?
Thank-you.

Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier, Clarisworks

Posted on Jan 7, 2008 4:30 PM

22 replies

Jan 9, 2008 1:34 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

As far as I am concerned, and because I may never have to do much to my dbs except perhaps make pdfs or html from them the solution for me might be to get Bento, swap stuff back to Numbers if I need to S&R and then re-import.

Clunky, but might work for me. But it hardly makes Bento a contender.

Cheers, Colin

Peggy

Level 8

41,829 points

Jan 9, 2008 5:57 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

I'm with Barbara on this. I've let my feelings about Bento be known on the Bento forums. The FileMaker moderator has admitted there is a strong demand for direct AppleWorks database import. My biggest "complaint" is that Bento creates a single database file. There is no way to separate databases/collections to share some but not all with others. This has also been acknowledged recently.

Jan 10, 2008 1:43 AM in response to Peggy

I can see that having only the one db could be a problem - and I bet it will be difficult to fix as it must be fundamental to its architecture.

For myself I have limited needs and search and replace just happens to be one of them.

The trouble with databases is that they are potentially so powerful that they are difficult to use - the ClarisWorks one was not that easy - and in making it easy you cut off lots of options.

I only found Bento difficult as I was trying so hard to do something that it actually did not do!

Cheers, Colin

Amber W. Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 10, 2008 7:47 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

Hi, this is Tyler, I want to clear up some things about this issue and perhaps help solve the problem. My father already has a PC and getting him to go to a possible Mac Users Group wouldn't work anyways. Also considering how he has setup his files in Clarisworks he needs to be able to export his information to a format that will keep most of the formatting such as repeating fields. Word would not work as an alterntive to Clarisworks, I was thinking of exporting his file as a .dif since Access will open that file and it retains 90% of the formatting. My final issue with this is transfering the data from his Mac to the PC, all of the floppy disks that I have used have had errors and won't work correctly. So, any ideas on how to move his files? Thanks.

Jan 11, 2008 1:49 AM in response to Amber W.

Not sure I quite understand the problem - and I don't think CW can export .dif anyway.

As for the disks giving errors every Mac with a floppy (or with an external floppy) going back I would guess to about 1990 can read PC floppies transparently, but will only write in Mac format unless you specifically format them for PC in the first place.

I no longer have a Mac with a floppy, but I think you need to go to Erase and then choose the format.

Cheers, Colin

Amber W. Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 12, 2008 4:49 PM in response to Colin Cohen

Hi, Tyler again, the problem is basically trying to get, if at all possible, my fathers Clarisworks files exported to a newer program. As in Access or Filemaker Pro 9 or MS Works on a PC. I DO know that CW will export to .dif because I did it, and my issue with the floppies is when I attempt to format them on the Mac about half way it spits the floppy out and says there was an error. No clue what the issue is there. Thanks again.

Barry

Level 9

60,023 points

Jan 12, 2008 8:37 PM in response to Amber W.

Hi Tyler,

Three possibilities suggest themselves:

1. Format the floppies on the PC. Your day's Mac should be able to read and write to the PC formatted floppies.

2. Transfer the .dif files via enthernet or vial email.

3. If the Mac has a CD rw drive use a CD rather than a floppie for your sneakernet transfer.

Regards,
Barry

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Clarisworks vs. Appleworks