Living in a post iWork ’09 world

Thank you for this strategy!
I downloaded the Apple iWork 9.3 updater to my iWork '09 DVD installation. The documents I need to edit and open are still not accessible, and still show "The index.xml file is missing" error. I did research what it could mean to apply the updater to the iWork '09 DVD installation, in case it's something else other than downloading the updater, but didn't find anything.

I found this thread, which you also provided support for:

Re: Pages 09 4.0.3 will not open documents

I'm wondering what it means that "One can however, export to Pages 09 format, and these documents will open appropriately. Pages for iCloud, and Pages for iOS currently create documents that are compatible with Pages v5.5.3 and later, but not Pages '09. You must download/email these documents as Word for compatibility with Pages '09.

Here is a Pages '09 v4.3 document format compatibility table. Unfortunately, one cannot detect the version of Pages document by icon appearance alone. I have an AppleScript that can do that."

I have just gone to the Apple Store to update to a 6 Pages, following someone else's suggestion on the thread, though it seems to have replaced my DVD downloaded iWork, and the icon is till a blue inkwell and pen like '09. Also, when Apple support walked me through a factory clean and re-set up of my computer, we did do something with iCloud but honestly, I don't even know how that is functioning for me. Is that what could be messing me up because I'm using iCloud now (and Time Machine?)

Thank you for any additional insight!

Hi there - I am just coming up against a problem where I purchased the iWork 09, and created lots of stuff on it. Since then, I've had to do a factory swipe and just re-installed iWork 09, but cannot open any of my pages documents.

Have you figured out any less time sucking ways to deal with this problem? I'm afraid somehow their newer pages is back on my computer, but I can't find it. Ie, there are not TWO versions in my applications folder.

All that is happening is you have double clicked on a Pages 5 or 6 document and it has opened Pages '09 instead, which can not open the later documents.

Follow the instructions:

right click on the document and open it with Pages 5 or 6 (the orange icon

If you want to use Pages '09, you will need to open recent version documents in Pages 5 or 6:

Menu > File > Export > Pages '09 (I suggest you label them p09 or similar to distinguish them)

and then open the Exported versions with Pages '09.

Peter

What Peter said.

When Apple released Pages v5, and continuing with Pages v6, the internal document architecture is different (incompatible) than Pages '09, and earlier documents that contained an index.xml file. Pages '09 expects the internal index.xml file, and when absent, you get the familiar dialog.

Also, clicking the red traffic light on the document title bar does not quit the Pages '09, v5, or v6 applications, and if you then double-click, or in any way attempt to open a Pages v5/v6 document, while Pages '09 is running, it will generate the missing index.xml dialog — because it, not the new applications, intercepts the file access.

Apply the Apple iWork 9.3 updater to your iWork '09 DVD installation. This will bring the individual applications to their last revisions, and they will work again on recent OS X/macOS installations.

This is a very thoughtful and helpful post.

Just one important caveat to add to it. Like dwb, I am heavily reliant on Dropbox. And Dropbox will sync Pages 5.0 files fine, across various Macs. However, Pages 5.0 files stored on Dropbox are NO LONGER accessible to Pages in iOS7.

If you access a Pages 5.0 file in the iOS version of Dropbox and then try to open it in the new iOS version of Pages, Pages for iOS will fail to open the Pages 5.0 file. This holds true for Google Drive and Skydrive as well. As far as I can tell, the only way to get access to your Pages 5.0 files while on your iOS device is to have the files already in iCloud (or otherwise to "send them to yourself").

I have thousands of Pages files on my Dropbox (I'm not moving them all to iCloud), and if I open and save any of them in Pages 5.0 on my Mac they are now no longer accessible to me, through Dropbox, on my iPad.

This makes it even harder to try to incorporate the new version of Pages into one's workflow.

And unlike some others, I am less critical of Apple for taking away features in Pages 5.0, as I recognize the future upside of having seamless compatibilty between iOS Pages and Mac OS Pages. However, I am appalled that there are basic text editing bugs in Pages 5.0 (see my other post, or just test this out: type something in italics, then hit return; then, before typing on the new line, try to toggle italics off; can't be done).

I now have to revert to Pages 4.3, but even that is hard to do given that all Pages files opened on my iPad will be "updated."

Sorry, I spoke too soon. Let me clarify:

1) If you craete a brand new Pages 5.0 Document on your Mac; save it in Dropbox; access it in iOS 7 Dropbox, you then CAN OPEN it in Pages on the iPad.

2) However, if you open an older Pages 4.3 document (at least a long one) in Pages 5.0; then save it as a 5.0 Document; place it in dropbox; access it in iOS 7 Dropbox; try to open it in Pages for iPad, you will get this error message: "Document Can't be Imported. The document was created with an unsupportd application version."

3) If you open your Pages 4.3 document, copy all text, past into new 5.0 document, then you can work around the problem in no. 2. But that's a REAL PAIN.

We had this problem with old pages documents too, open the old version then create a new file from a new version template, copy the text and data from the old to the new.

Done.

The problem , i think, is actually a feature. Pages for mac has the ability to open old pages format and save it in the old format. Pages of iOS can only open and save new pages format.

Mix the two and you are in trouble.

Having read your post, I have the following points to make below :

1. We all have our own field of profession, and I don't think it's ethical for Apple to dump that responsibility to users.
2. It's Apple's responsibility to make sure their updates don't cut the features that users of the old version had invested their precious time / money in -- especially if Apple pushes users to upgrade to the point of harrassment.
3. It's been **** ever since my upgrade to new iWork. Long story short, I was back to iwork 9, after trips to apple store, many hours reading forum discussion and trying out various suggestions, and much headaches and loss of productivity....
4. After all that, you think Apple would leave you alone? Last week, I could not open my pages I need for my work beause an automatic update was running for me DESPITE the fact that a genious bar guy helped to select No AUTOMATIC UPDATE in my system preference.
5. Now I still see the notification from Apple urging me to update everyday. I am frustrated, worried that the new version will be back on me, causing disruption again ...
6. How to tell Apple to stop harrasing users to update to their lousy new iWork ? How to hole Apple accountable ?

Prescribing responsibility and accountability to Apple are utopian at best. The software licenseagreement for Pages is 7 pages (English) long. Want to bet that they have the end user at the top of their protection list?

There is no categorical imperative beyond the installed operating system, that Mac ownership mandates Apple software application usage. Other applications and free will remain choices.

It's not that long. I think you are looking at the multilanguage version, should be around 20 pages anyway, not that anyone reads it.

Updated my post.

I think it will just install the new version not overwrite the old one. Even if it downloads, the old one is safe.

Also you can "Get Info" on a file and the "Open with:" select the old Pages app and click Apply for All.

Make sure you do this for every type of file, pages, numbers and keynote and you should be safe with new versions never being used to open documents.

I don't hate the new version that much, it's a lot easier to use than the old one but features are missing like you said. I noticed the new version has a very fast development pace, updates are coming every month or so. I susspect we'll be seeing comparable features by the end of this year. That's what I hope anyway. I will probably change then.

What features are you missing the most?