formatting problems with rtf files

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Level 1

8 points

formatting problems with rtf files

I am losing formatting when I save my Final Draft script as an .rtf file. I send the .rtf files to my boss, and they open them with MS Word. I work on a Mac. I have successfully sent .rtf files WITH formatting from my computer, but now something isn't working correctly. The files that I save are viewed on my computer in the Text Edit program, where they used to be opened with Appleworks. (I'm not sure how Text Edit became the default, but it seems to be now.) Thanks.

iMac Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on May 23, 2006 11:51 PM

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Answer 1

Ken.

Level 6

10,225 points

May 24, 2006 2:56 AM in response to philiplehl

RTF is the default file format for TextEdit. It's a bit limited in what it can do with formatting. When you save a file as an RTF whatever formatting it cannot translate is lost. This is not a program issue but a limitation in the RTF spec.

Think of it this way: RTF is pretty much the same file format as Mail. You need to save in a more feature rich format, like .doc. If your boss does not need to edit your file, then send a PDF. (Save the original in native format for editing.) That's the best solution.

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Answer 2

Sagesse

Level 5

6,685 points

May 24, 2006 3:48 AM in response to philiplehl

Do the files lose formatting on your computer too, or just when viewed with MS Word? Unfortunatley most (all?) of MS Word don't handle RTF correctly.

If you can view the files fine, your choices seem to be having your boss view RTF files with a different program (Open Office may be better) or to save the files in a format that MS Word reads correctly.

If the files don't look right on your iMac even when viewed with the program that created them, you will have to find another file format to save in.

Good luck.

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Answer 3

May 24, 2006 7:05 AM in response to philiplehl

The files that I save are viewed on my computer in the Text Edit program, where they used to be opened with Appleworks. (I'm not sure how Text Edit became the default, but it seems to be now.

Well, that is easy to fix, at least. Click once on the icon of a closed .rtf file, press command+i for the Get Info window, choose Appleworks for "Open with" and then change all.

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Answer 4

philiplehl Author

Level 1

8 points

May 24, 2006 12:43 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

The files that I save are viewed on my computer in

the Text Edit program, where they used to be opened
with Appleworks. (I'm not sure how Text Edit became
the default, but it seems to be now.

Well, that is easy to fix, at least. Click once on
the icon of a closed .rtf file, press command+i for
the Get Info window, choose Appleworks for "Open
with" and then change all.

tried the get info route. Appleworks 6 is not highlighted when I try to choose the new application! In other words, I can't select Appleworks 6 to open my .rtf files.

The only way I'm able to use Appleworks is to start the app, then use Open to select a file that's already been saved as a Text Edit document. And I suspect that Appleworks retains more formatting than does Text Edit (I could be completely mistaken about this!)

However, somehow I did once save a Final Draft document as an .rtf file that retained the formatting my bosses need!!!!

I'm pretty sure it opened up in Appleworks when I saved it. Now when I save as rtf, files open in Text Edit.

Thanks, anyway, all of you for the help, even if I haven't yet solved this.

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Answer 5

Brie Fly

Level 5

7,925 points

May 24, 2006 4:04 PM in response to philiplehl

I'm not sure what you're expecting, Philip. The document you prepare in AW should be saved as an AW (.cwk) file. Make an RTF copy of the document if it is to be shared. Once sent, you can discard that copy because you can always make another one from the source document. if it becomes necessary. There should be no reason for you to have to work with an RTF copy of an AW file you created (although you could certainly open it from the "Open..." dialog, as you have described). Or am I missing the crux of this thread?

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