# Frustrating lesson-how could I avoid this again?



## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I'll start by saying this issue was resolved by my DS2 but in case it helps anyone else.....

My hard drive crashed in a the hardware is broken and everything is lost kind of way. Yes, I had a back up of my files. Don't keep much on there but one important to me file is the ongoing journal of our move from city to rural in 2012. I really didn't want to lose that so I had it backed up on a thumb drive and saved in an email draft file.

And now the frustrating learning. None of the software on the new computer I bought could open/read my backed up file (.wps). I found several steps online and tried them - nothing. I downloaded a couple MS convertors that said they could read .wps - nothing plus an open-sourced write program - nope.

Finally DS2 found a way and we've got it saved as a pdf and a txt file plus the right format for my new write program.

My question now is -- I thought I was doing good having a current back up and never considered that 'new' software wouldn't be able to read the 'old' back up. Is there some file ending/format I could use to save files that would be more likely to be readable as software goes forward?

Thanks,


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Saving it as an .rtf file is universal for most all word processors.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Nevada nailed it. Rich Text Format can be read by every word processor program. That's why I use when sending files to folks and for my own back ups.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you everyone. I have learned an important and valuable lesson = it's .rtf now.
:clap:


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

*NO!!!*

Rich Text Files are Microsoft and Microsoft is KNOWN for changing file specs and breaking backward compatibility.

I don't normally quote Wikipedia, but it is correct in this instance:
"*Most* word processors are able to read and write *some versions* of RTF.[9] There are several different revisions of RTF specification and *portability of files will depend on what version of RTF is being used*.[7][10] RTF specifications were changed and published with major Microsoft Word and Office versions."

.txt is the default "safe" version of text files. No formatting, no object inclusions, just plain old ASCII text that can be read by anything that calls itself a word processor.

For spreadsheets, the safe DATA format is the DOS version of .csv (comma separated variables) Excel files are NOT universal.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

ok. I think this sort of explains how I got here in the first place. Sooooo, to be better safe than sorry - I am going to back up each word file as .rtf and .txt. Holy smokes, and I thought I was doing good having a current back up.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Harry Chickpea said:


> *NO!!!*
> 
> Rich Text Files are Microsoft and Microsoft is KNOWN for changing file specs and breaking backward compatibility.


That's true, and some formatting can be lost. But at least you have the prose. More times than not you'll need to do a little formatting to get it looking like the original document.

Years ago I had a bunch of Word Perfect documents to migrate to MS Word, so I saved them as rtf files. Formatting didn't come through well at all. But it didn't take very much effort to doctor them up with Word.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Best way to solve is not to use Word Perfect, its an outdated system that, in its original (WPS) format, is not readable by other programs.

And I did the same thing in the past with ClarisWorks - learned my lesson the hard way also.
You can get MS Word or the free OpenOffice which is compatible with MS Word.
Anything else is just not worth the hassle.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Harry Chickpea said:


> *NO!!!*
> 
> Rich Text Files are Microsoft and Microsoft is KNOWN for changing file specs and breaking backward compatibility.


Never seen anyone get this upset over rich text files. LOL

Everyone supports them and will continue to; some people support different iterations of it, but I have yet to work on any computer/OS/etc. that won't open an RTF.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Years ago Boston Computing migrated the VAX editor EDT to the PC. That program would open any file no matter what.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Kung said:


> Never seen anyone get this upset over rich text files. LOL
> 
> Everyone supports them and will continue to; some people support different iterations of it, but I have yet to work on any computer/OS/etc. that won't open an RTF.


My upset is less over RTF than the --- that MS has constantly done in changing data file specs. Multiple times, I have felt like Charlie Brown when Lucy snatches the football away. Try hand coding programs intended to import data into MS apps for a few years and you might be like me.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Well yeah, I can understand that, I suppose. Don't get me wrong - I have no great love for MS. LOL


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I'm still appreciating all the responses. I am learning a lot, even if not everyone agrees with one approach. Although it makes logical sense now, I just never thought about the fact that just having a back up was insufficient. Lots to learn and I appreciate all the pov's.
:thumb:


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