How can I convert all my Appleworks docs

I am running Mavericks 10.9.5 on a 2011 Core i5 iMac. I have legacy documents going back to System 7.1.1 which was my first Mac, most of them in Claris/AppleWorks format.

I made sure that the iMac I bought (in 2011) was reinstalled with Snow Leopard, down from Lion, which it could still be (later iMacs couldn't). I also heard that Lion and later did not contain Rosetta and therefore wouldn't open any of my legacy apps and documents. So in early 2012 I did the following:

1. Opened every important AppleWorks document and exported it both as RTF and either .doc .xls or .jpg
2. Bought a copy of iWork '09 (with Pages & Numbers 4) which would still open some AW documents
3. Ordered a copy of Parallels 10; and Snow Leopard Server (by phone from Apple)
4. Set up SheepShaver on my Mac which would run AW6 in Mac OS 8.6

I then considered myself 'future proofed'.

Since upgrading to Mavericks, I have installed Snow Leopard Server into Parallels and AW will run there if I ever need it (unlikely; though SLS / Parallels is also invaluable for Journler, VectorDesigner, and some PPC games that won't run in Mavericks).

SheepShaver also continues to run in Mavericks.

I have also downloaded the latest version of LibreOffice.

The point of this essay? If you keep in touch with what the future releases by Apple hold in store for your legacy software and files, you can do something about conversions as and where necessary. It's a good idea, as Apple are quite happy to take legacy data into account, as long as it doesn't hamper their uptake of the latest hardware and software evolutions (iTunes, for example, will go back a long way); as and when it does hamper them, they will put cutting edge solutions before legacy stuff, though when you look back, it's quite surprising how long such legacy material continued to run.

However, with apps like LibreOffice around, which will open a HUGE number of old legacy formats, you are protected to a great extent.

Try using LibreOffice to open them.

(145730)

Word Processing documents can be opened directly in Pages 4 (AppleWorks 6 only) but this is no longer available from Apple - the newer Pages 5 does not open AppleWorks documents. (The older version is contained in the iWork '09 box set which may still be available from Amazon and other independent retailers.)

Panergy Software's docXConverter v3.3 ($19.95) can convert Appleworks 5 and 6 Word Processing documents to RTF (though it has been reported that it can only handle documents which contain only text, not those which include images or frames). The latest version of the free LibreOffice has announced that it can open AppleWorks 6 Word Processing documents and an ability to open ClarisWorks documents has been reported: it does appear to be able to handle at least some embedded images.

Spreadsheets can be opened directly in the older versions of Numbers - the current version cannot do this. The old version is no longer available from Apple. (The older version is contained in the iWork '09 box set which may still be available from Amazon and other independent retailers.) LibreOffice can open spreadsheets though some adjustment after doing so may be necessary.

Alternatively, success has been reported in running Snow Leopard Server under emulation in Parallels - the method is described here: AFAIK Snow Leopard Server is still available in the Apple Store (by telephone) at a reduced price and is preferable to using ordinary Snow Leopard which is quite tricky. You can then run AppleWorks as an emergency measure.

I've written a detailed article on 'Abandoning Appleworks' which you may find helpful (the above information is drawn from it). http://wilmut.uk/aw

Although OpenOffice, NeoOffice and Libre are very similar and all drawn from the same initial codebase, only LibreOffice can open AppleWorks documents and you do need the latest version, http://www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-fresh/?version=5.2.2