Apple documents

[fielker]

I've been going through very old files, and many are now labelled 'Apple document'. A double click only reveals 'Import error: The document was created with an unsupported version of AppleWorks.'

I can open these files with TexEdit, but only the words, and these are interspersed with odd characters at random.

I cannot get at any diagrams that were originally in these files.

Is there a way of avoiding the spurious characters?

How can I retrieve the diagrams?

David

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Try opening the files in Pages, Numbers or Keynote depending on the type of file. You might have some formatting issues, but it might get the bulk of it right. LibreOffice is able to read the documents, but will not do anything about drawings.

 

[pigoo3]

As you may know...AppleWorks (and some versions known as ClarisWorks) first came out in 1984...and the last version released 2004 (end of life was 2007). Thus some of these files could be super super old.

I'm not sure if there's an app that could import those old AppleWorks files completely. One way to do it would be to setup an old Apple computer capable of running an older version of the Mac OS or Classic Mac OS...and installing a version of AppleWorks necessary to open the files.

You could also experiment with other word processing apps to see if they can import these files (older versions of MS Office, older versions of the various free Office suites like Libre Office, Open Office, etc.).

I would say that considering how old some of these AppleWorks files may be...the fact that TextEdit was able to actually open one of these old files & display at least some readable text...is a miracle in itself.

- Nick

p.s. Ashwin beat me to a couple of the suggestions.

 

[fielker]

Opening with Pages produces the same error message.

I had been able to open these old files on my previous computer, but some time ago that suddenly refused to turn on. Pressing the on button behind the screen has no effect. Is there any other way I can turn it on?

 

[pigoo3]

...on my previous computer, but some time ago that suddenly refused to turn on. Pressing the on button behind the screen has no effect. Is there any other way I can turn it on?

Can't really begin to answer this question until we have a general idea of what model Apple computer it is. Sounds like it could be an iMac.

I know this may sound like a crazy question...but have you checked to be 100% sure that the power cable is inserted fully (on both ends)...and that there are no issues with the power cable?

- Nick

 

[fielker]

Yes, the last computer is an iMac.

The power cable is attached at the computer end, and I have checked the connection, which seems to be OK. I thought it might be a fuse, but the plug is one of those integrated ones that doesn't open up! Everything else connected to the same multi-socket board is working.

 

[pigoo3]

If the power button on that computer has failed in some way...it is possible (from the inside) to cut the power button off and jump either the two power button wires...or...jump the pins in the socket that the power button cable plugs into. This of course is not for the "faint of heart". The much better solution (if the power button has failed)...is to replace it.

Do you have any reason to believe this computer failed to power on for any other reason than the power button failing? Many times the power button will "sort of work" before it completely fails.

- Nick

 

[toMACsh]

Give Libre Office a try - a free download.

 

[ferrarr]

Randy, a member here, created this site about macOS "Office Suites", Macintosh Word Processors. Something there might open those files for you.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I've been going through very old files, and many are now labelled 'Apple document'. A double click only reveals 'Import error: The document was created with an unsupported version of AppleWorks.'
...
How can I retrieve the diagrams?

Here is a very detailed guide for migrating old Appleworks files to something more modern:

Abandoning Appleworks - page 1

 

[fielker]

Thanks to all for your help. I've downloaded LibreOffice. I've tried it out on an AppleDocument which has a couple of pages of type plus photos, and everything is opened. However, photos are over the text, and what I can't do is:

1. Group, say, a photo with its caption and frame.

2. Wrap text around photos.

David

 

[MacInWin]

David, I don't think you are going to be able to edit the old documents. What you can do, however, is to capture the images (Maybe that they can be saved from the document in LibreOffice? If not, maybe you can use screen capture to capture them to a file?) and then copy out all of the text and insert it into a new LibreOffice document where you can then put the saved images in and do those edits on that NEW document. I think that is about the best you can hope for.

 

[ferrarr]

Maybe you only have "read access" to the document?

 

[fielker]

I suppose I was expecting LibreOffice to offer the same functions as Pages. In fact the particular files I was looking at I also luckily have as PDF. Otherwise, I think that practically all my old AppleDoc files I have deleted, so I can't get at them anyway except by going back in Time Machine. Still, if I do come across any more in my searches I shall know what to do.

Thanks again. David