How to save to .doc or .rtf without loosing formatting

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Level 1

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How to save to .doc or .rtf without loosing formatting

Hi, I have to submit academic assignments with either .doc or .rtf file extensions. However, in the University there is a protocol for headers and footers so that the assignment is anonymous and when quoting from reference documents we have to indent paragraphs. When writing this is pages and exporting to .doc or .rtf all of the formatting gets lost. If I submit these without the right formatting, I will get marked down. They will not accept .pdf, which works OK - how can I save in .doc or .rtf without loosing the formatting?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Sep 6, 2011 4:34 AM

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Answer 1

fruhulda

Level 6

15,167 points

Sep 6, 2011 4:44 AM in response to UK-Kev

The conversion isn't 100%.

When it comes to indentations for the paragraph I guess it depend how you create it and how it is created in Word. I don't use Word so I can't give any instructions. Only a suggestion that if it can be created in the same way in both programs the conversion will be better.

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Answer 2

UK-Kev Author

Level 1

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Sep 6, 2011 7:02 AM in response to fruhulda

Thanks for your suggestion but I use tabs to create the indents in both Word and Pages. However, the conversion from pages to Word does not keep preserve this. I have an old PC laptop (which takes 10 minutes just to boot up and this drove me to get a MacBook) so I can e-mail from my Mac to the PC and then correct the document before sending on but I had hoped to solve my problem in Pages.

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Answer 3

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,200 points

Sep 6, 2011 7:45 AM in response to UK-Kev

If you have to be totally compatible with MS Word, try the free Open/Neo/LibreOffice clone. Otherwise you may have to get Word for Mac.

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Answer 4

Sep 6, 2011 7:49 AM in response to UK-Kev

I have just run tests setting indents with both tabs and first line indents (the better method).

Both exported from Pages in .doc and .rtf and opened in MsWord.

They don't "loose" either format and work as expected.

I also opened them in iText Pro, same thing. Don't lose the indents.

Are you perhaps talking about some other formatting issues?

Peter

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Answer 5

fruhulda

Level 6

15,167 points

Sep 6, 2011 7:49 AM in response to UK-Kev

You could try to use the Paragraph indent in the Inspector palette > T tab > Tabs

I did not use the tabs here. I exported to MS Word and opened the .doc document in my ancient Word X and it worked.

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Answer 6

Sep 6, 2011 7:51 AM in response to fruhulda

Fruhulda,

I tested both Indent Level and Layout Margin with Layout Breaks, and neither translates as desired.

Jerry

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Answer 7

fruhulda

Level 6

15,167 points

Sep 6, 2011 8:01 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Indent level in the Inspector has to do with lists but it still worked for me. Here a screen shot from my old Word X. A tab was added in the conversion, which it wasn't when using the Firstline/Left Paragraph indent.

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Answer 8

Sep 6, 2011 8:57 AM in response to fruhulda

Fruhulda,

I used the list indent level feature also. I exported to .DOC then opened in Quick Look and in Pages. In both those apps the indent was lost. When I tried the Layout Margin approach, I the indent was preserved, but each Layout Break resulted in a new page.

Jerry

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Answer 9

UK-Kev Author

Level 1

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Sep 6, 2011 8:59 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Hi Peter Breis, you have suggested soemthing that works which is the first line and left paragraph indents but this still does not work with tabs. The .rtf is not a solution becaue of the need for headers and footers (with pages numbers). In the .rtf file they just appear at the end of the text rather than a header and footer.

Anyway, in summary, thank you Peter, you have given me a solution that works which is to indent using first line and left paragraph indents and to export into a .doc document. The headers and footers export without a problem using this method. I will nominate all the extra marks that I will get from following the University's protocol to you!, Thanks!

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Answer 10

fruhulda

Level 6

15,167 points

Sep 6, 2011 9:24 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Jerrold, the OP wanted it to work in Word or in a .rtf document. RTF doesn't work with using indent level. I didn't have any problem with the .doc when opening it again in Pages.

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