pages file is missing its index.xml file?

THANK YOU!

On Yosemite with Pages v5.5.1, its default file save format is a Single File (compressed folder with .pages extension). When you attempt to open this file with Pages '09, you get the dialog, "The required index.xml file is missing." and the document couldn't be opened.

Pages v5.5.1 also offers a Package file format (folder) obtained via File > Advanced > Change File Type > Package. When Pages ’09 tries to open this document, you get the now familiar dialog, "You need a newer version of Pages to open this document."

In order to access either of these documents in Pages ’09, you will need to first export to Pages '09 format from Pages v5.5.1.

Thank you so very much for this explanation!

It's hard for me to accept the fact that Apple has about lost my loyalty by doing things like what they have done to Pages and Numbers. My loyalty goes back to 1984 when I purchased 9 Mac Plus computers for my university department. Over the next 16 years I probably added another 100 units as we upgraded, etc. I always bragged that people could learn to use Macs without a lot of help.

I fear for the future of Apple computers.

Maybe they will just become a watch maker like Timex.

Do we know what version of Pages is current? It seems like 5.2.2 is the latest on Mavericks, and an update is available for Yosemite which I haven't been bold enough to install yet. I only had this problem inadvertently opening the iwork '09 version of Pages which for me is 4.1.

Thanks for being spot on with your diagnosis.

See my Nov 30 post below.

The last Pages update for Mavericks was v5.2.2. For Yosemite only, it was v5.5.1.

Any Pages v5 and derivative update version document that you attempt to open in Pages '09 will report a missing index.xml file. This is because the v5 documents do not use index.xml internally.

You are amazing, and this is terrible. Thank you so much!

Try removing the pages app from the dock and then downloading the pages app again (you should no longer receive "the required index.xml file is missing" error message. Apparently installing a new version of pages doesn't always update the app icon in the dock to the most recent version.

That is wrong advice and you appear to have repeated it all over the forum.

All Pages files no matter what version have the same file extension, .pages, despite being radically different formats and that is the problem. The System does not distinguish between them when you double click on the file, it opens the first version of Pages it encounters.

You need to right click on the file and choose the correct App version for the file. Unfortunately there are no clues to tell you which is which.

If you are unhappy with this and the removal of over 100 features plus the problems with transmitting files across devices, servers and different versions of OS X, rate/review Pages 5.5.2 in the App Store.

Peter

Oh no... Trying to reread all the posts here and I think I am more confused. Just completed 2 hour paper that needs to be emailed and am getting this error message... Tells you but doesn't advise what to do......... and I still do Not know how to correct this.

Does anyone have a simple explanation of what to do with your document that you simply cannot open?

Only looking for an answer.. please no opinions ! Thanks in advance for any help.

PeterBreis0807 wrote:

You have 2 versions of Pages on your Mac.

Pages 5 is in your Applications folder.

Pages '09/'08 is in your Applications/iWork folder.

You are alternately opening the wrong versions.

Pages '09/'08 can not open Pages 5 files and you will get the warning that you need a newer version.

Pages 5/5.01 can not open Pages 5.1 files and you will get the warning that you need a newer version.

Pages 5.1 sometimes can not open its own files and you will get the warning that you need a newer version.

Pages 5 can open Pages '09 files but may damage/alter them. It can not open Pages '08 files at all.

Once opened and saved in Pages 5 the Pages '09 files can not be opened in Pages '09.

Anything that is saved to iCloud is also converted to Pages 5 files.

All Pages files no matter what version and incompatibility have the same extension .pages.

Pages 5 files are now only compatible with themselves on a very restricted set of hardware, software and Operating Systems and will not transfer correctly on any other server software than iCloud.

As ever, open the correct version of Pages for your file.

Instead of double clicking on the file, right click and choose.

Peter

Thank you PeterBreis0807, I have solved a problem in work and now look knowledgeable in front of my colleagues because you were right on the money 😉

Great advice PeterBreis! I wish I figured that out sooner to right click to use an alternate version of Pages.

I also used another method, which may be more complicated..

but I emailed it to myself and opened it via google drive and used the app cloud convert to convert my file over.

This worked for me:

Go to https://cloudconvert.com/

Convert your pages files to .doc files and either use Word, or Open office, or open them back up in your Pages.app. When you save them, they will be in the correct format.

This Works. Thanks

Thank you that worked for me.