iphone won't open docx files created and sent via Entourage

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Level 1

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iphone won't open docx files created and sent via Entourage

Can't open docx on iphone.

Our Macs in our office were recently updated to Mac OS 2008. We use Entourage.

Now, our word documents are automatically saved as docx.

Many of us have iphones and frequently use them to open and view documents. We can't open the docx files.

I found a 2009 discussion online regarding this. It was said the problem only exists when docx is created in Entourage. This is not practical to have to save again as doc and send (which supposedly will cause formatting problems.)

Supposedly if you send through normal mail instead of entourage, the problem does not occur. Not a practical option for our company.

Is there an easy, practical workaround for this? Why is this an Entourage only problem? Are they or apple working on fixing this?

Mac OS X, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Mar 20, 2010 9:25 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 20, 2010 10:13 AM in response to carlberg

If this occurs with sending an Office 2008 Word file with Entourage only, this is a Microslop problem and Microslop's responsibility to fix 100%. If this occurred when sending an Office 2008 Word file with the Mail.app only, this would be Apple's responsibility. Why on earth did Microsoft change the extension for Word files anyway? Dumb.

You need to contact Microslop customer or technical support regarding when they will fix this problem with an Entourage update or if they have a work around.

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,291 points

Mar 20, 2010 12:36 PM in response to carlberg

I cannot specifically address the use of Office on a Mac, but the file extension for newer Office files being docx means they are Office XML files. The extension is the same for Office 2007, the Microsoft version for the PC. The x is appended to the file extension for the other Office products as well (for the PC). I have no trouble opening a Word file with the docx extension when created in Word 2007 on my PC.

There is a setting in Word that allows you to change the default save if you want to change it back to doc. That would put the file in compatability mode. It can be opened by newer and older versions of Word, however a docx file cannot be opened by an older version. If you go to the settings section, then save section, you can change the default file setting.

I cannot address Entourage, since I'm not using a Mac, but it could have to do with how it handles an XML file

Hope this helps you.

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Answer 3

stweath

Level 1

55 points

Mar 20, 2010 6:46 PM in response to carlberg

To save Word 2008 as .doc (previous format) rather than .docx, do this:

Open Word. Go to Preferences->Output and Sharing->Save, and change Save Word files as: to "Word 97-2004 Document (.doc), and click the OK button. Just to be sure, quit and restart Word.

Let us know if that solves your problem.

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Answer 4

Mar 21, 2010 2:03 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

As said in another thread here, the problem is related to sending docx via Entourage only. No problem with docx on Office 2007 or Office 2010 on a PC.
Rather than having multiple file versions around, the simplest thing is send your docx file by Apple Mail, or Google mail. The iPhone has no problem with viewing the files then.
MS should sort this out ASAP.

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