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Can one "convert" an AppleWorks folder (WP files) to a Pages folder?

Using Target Disk Mode and a Firewire cable, my many AW (AppleWorks) word processing folders of files (documents) were recently moved from my PPC G4 eMac to my MC812LL/A (Intel) iMac. If I try to open an AW file on the iMac, I get this message: "You can't open the application 'AppleWorks 6' because PowerPC applications are no longer supported."


I can drag the AW file's icon onto the Pages'09 icon in the dock and this converts the file to a Pages document that I can then open. To do this one at a time with each of many files is very time-consuming. If possible to do a "mass conversion," how can I convert an entire AW folder with its many WP files to a Pages folder so that all its files are Pages files?


Thank you.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Feb 15, 2013 9:23 PM

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Posted on Feb 15, 2013 9:25 PM

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities


Have you tried to select all your WP files (open the folder, and go to Edit menu > Select All) and drag them to the Pages icon at the same time? This should convert them all at the same time, simplifying the process

12 replies

Feb 16, 2013 10:43 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

PeterBreis0807 wrote:


Does it matter, when you can open them as needed?


Peter


Fairira:

To do this one at a time with each of many files is very time-consuming. If possible to do a "mass conversion," how can I convert an entire AW folder with its many WP files to a Pages folder so that all its files are Pages files?

Maybe Peter missed this sentence...


Fairira:


Two points of information for you to consider:


The excellent treatise: Abandoning Appleworks by Roger Wilmut


and


Continuing to use Appleworks by Installing Snow Leopard (with Rosetta) in Parallels


User uploaded file

[click on image to enlarge]

Feb 16, 2013 11:09 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

Michael


I did not miss that. So long as you can access your AW files, you only need to convert those you really need, when you need them. If you need to update or change them.


I don't think the eMac is going anywhere and back then Apple made very solid Macs. My Indigo iMac is still going strong and I suspect will outlast my new iMacs.


It certainly has outlasted 4 much newer iMacs already.


Peter

Feb 16, 2013 11:43 AM in response to fairira

fairira wrote:


I can drag the AW file's icon onto the Pages'09 icon in the dock and this converts the file to a Pages document that I can then open. To do this one at a time with each of many files is very time-consuming. If possible to do a "mass conversion," how can I convert an entire AW folder with its many WP files to a Pages folder so that all its files are Pages files?


Try dragging the folder onto the Pages '09 icon in the dock (or onto the actual application in your Applications folder) and see if it will open and convert them in a batch. Be prepared for this to still be time consuming (depending upon how many files you have)...

Feb 16, 2013 1:33 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Peter:


Your suggestion is based upon two flawed assumptions:


1. That your Indigo Mac (or her eMac) will go on working indefinitely; and


2. That Pages' later updates will continue to import Appleworks files.


If the information is important to the OP, then she should convert them now, while she can.


In an analagous situation, last year I needed to access some financial information of mine from the mid-1980s. In that era I compiled my financial information on an Apple //-class computer in first Home Accountant and then Time is Money (a much faster program, but harder to export data).


Although I continue to have a functioning Apple //c and backup copies of all of my floppy data; I decided not to risk running these 5-1/4" 25+year old floppies through the many read cycles that would be necessitated by the original programs.


Instead, I purchased a hardware serial cable and some software that allowed me to connect my Apple //c's serial port to the USB port of one of my Mac Mini's and then convert each floppy to an image file on the Mac. I then purchased Virtual ][, an Apple //e emulation program for the Mac.


I was then able to access my Time is Money files for the mid-80s and "print" the necessary reports to the Mac in PDF files. I could then copy and paste this information into Microsoft Excel on the Mac and with some minor "cleaning" have a full spreadsheet of the financial data I required in a fully functioning spreadsheet.


I did not stop there: I converted all of my Apple // floppies (both 5-1/4" and 3.5") to Mac image files and to further "future-proof" myself, I went into each calendar year and "printed" a complete "detail" report of every financial transaction of that year into a PDF and converted that to a TXT file as well.


Although a little unwieldly, I now have access in today technology to all of my historical financial transactions and as technology continues to change, I can move them again to the next technological level.

Feb 16, 2013 5:07 PM in response to VikingOSX

Well, as long as we're getting nostalgic: My daughter had the green 99 iMac that was the first DV model. I purchased it for her so that she could add external Firewire HD's for her Final Cut Pro course she was taking in grad school. To keep costs low, we found a company in southern LA county that made a firewire enclosure (ADS Tech, I think) and we purchased discounted Seagate hard drives from Fry's to place inside of them.


She covered the iMac with Ariel stickers from The Little Mermaid!


As soon as we realized that the enclosed screen was way too small for FCP, I swapped my G3 Tower and external display with her and the iMac became mine: Ariel stickers and all!


Although the iMac died some years ago, I continue to keep it in a closet on the hope that some day I can find one working and swap the external case, and have a working one with Ariel stickers...


PS: I still use its green keyboard and hockey puck mouse (with the Kensington oval snap-on that made that mouse usable again) for my home entertainment Mac Mini.

Can one "convert" an AppleWorks folder (WP files) to a Pages folder?

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