From my experience no, Numbers will not open Appleworks documents. But as long as you stay with Snow Leopard or earlier, you can use Appleworks via Rosetta. And yes, an update of iWorks is long overdue.
That is plan A for the moment but still getting a bit bummed that Apple is dead ending software and not making the next generation compatible with the casualties.
I was surprised to find that Pages opens AppleWorks word processing documents, even though I thought it wasn't supposed to be able to. It won't open stuff created in the Draw layer, however, but regular AW word processor docs, no problem. Working in OSX 10.7 Lion.
But not when booted into any OS X later than SL 10.6.8 in my experience unless the AW SS file had been saved to some other format.
I find it interesting that that the general Mac community's anti MS application bashing, yet and it and even it's old MS Office Excel SS files etc. still work, yet Apple's own apps just can't seem to cope for some reason.
And Apple's iWork and Numbers updates??? That's a big joke and they are almost as old as anything to do with AppleWorks!!
AppleWorks word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation files can be opened in Pages, Numbers and Presentations respectively. Command-I on a document of each type to set the Open With to the appropriate app.
iWork is updated regularly via the Mac App Store, they have simply ceased to distribute the apps through traditional numbered bundles... The apps available now (which can be upgraded for free if you purchased the original boxed iWork) are significantly different from what originally shipped.
That is good news, but how does one update Pages for example? I bought the box set when it first came out, but can find no way to even check for an update, never mind actually obtain an update. Whenever I go to the App store it wants me to pay for pages again and I refuse to do that. Once is enough. I would also like to have Pages on my iPad, but the same issue prevents me from doing so.
That is good news, but how does one update Pages for example? I bought the box set when it first came out, but can find no way to even check for an update, never mind actually obtain an update. Whenever I go to the App store it wants me to pay for pages again and I refuse to do that. Once is enough. I would also like to have Pages on my iPad, but the same issue prevents me from doing so.
Thanks G-Mo, since I ran Snow Leopard, Lion and now Mountain Lion and installed all updates, my copies must be current. That noted, I must say that I do not ever recall seeing an update for any of the iWork package programs in the past three years. I am still miffed at having to buy Pages a second time to use it on my iPad. That is just a rip-off by Apple.
That would because there have been no updates in the past three years. The reason I suspect Apple may be phasing out the suite.
That said Pages does open AW word processing documents easily, however these are the easiest ones to convert.
The issue for me is having to maintain Spreadsheets in both AW form where I use them and a copy as Excel so I can still open them when/if this computer does give up the ghost. Decided against just moving them into Excel as it is way too obnoxious having it continually trying to anticipate my intent. Worse 9 times out of 10 it is wrong. Not to mention the needless screen clutter. For the moment I have two other computers which can be used to do the Save AS on AW Spreadsheet and Draw files but these are both somewhat older than the eMac so that does not give me a lot of confidence either.
Yup. To date that's as far as you can go with Snow Leopard... Unless they release a security update, I suspect that's it for you SL folks. Most of the updates in recent versions are changes to address emerging technologies in Lion and ML not present in SL anyway (e.g. iCloud, full screen).
These discussions always amaze me.
I do not understand what the expectation of people are when it comes to keeping "compatability" with very aging (old) apps that have out grown there original design and usefullnes with today's modern Operating Systems.
Change and acceptance of change is necessary.
When managing YOUR data and the applications that you choose, you must always plan for change and obsolescence.
Just my two cents.
It isn't the change, it is the amount of work that goes into it.
For example if this computer were to die today I would have to find another older OS X computer. Launch everyone of about 100 AW Spreadsheet. Save them in Excel format. Move them over to the ML computer open them again in Numbers and do anything from minor to major clean-up. Using Excel is not an option, the clutter and endless clicks telling the app it once again it has mis-anticipated my needs make it far too annoying.
AW Draw documents as mentioned would prove even more tedious if not absolutely impossible.
I only have a handful of AW Databases. No doubt these would have to be rebuilt entirely, the data probably re-entered by hand from hard copy back-ups. Not a huge deal given the relatively small number.
Compare the previous to AW Word Processing documents which will open cleanly in Pages. My MP3, AAC files which will still be easily opened no matter how much damage Apple chooses to do to iTunes. And of course the 10s of thousands of photos which I will still be easily able to open even though my outdated version of PhotoShop Elements will no longer run under Mountain Lion.
AppleWorks was for 20 years a lifesaver for people who could not afford expensive hard to learn proprietary software for their personal needs. Seems to me Apple could have done more to make the transition easier.
Of course those of us who do not have the big bucks to replace our computers and software every three years fall quite low on Apple's 'Must Please' list.
Such created Apple OS application files using their applications should be supported and work properly and easily with Apple's 'ease of use" with any recent "update/upgrade" IMHO, and without any Mac user having to "adapt" or do any manipulations or translation/conversion type stuff etc.
Isn't that one of the main reasons that such most Apple Mac users use Apple Macs and Apple OS and their application software??
And yes, unfortunately I know that I'm dreaming hear as to what I have witnessed over the last few years and any actual use/user support.
Have and enjoy a good proper Remembrance Day tomorrow Nov. 11th and remember....
So FWIW. Numbers 09 will open AW spreadsheets directly with a long pause for conversions. There are some AW functions such as 'ISNUMBER' that are not supported by Numbers and exporting to Excel first does not resolve that conflict.
Sadly for me my most complex Spreadsheets use ISNUMBER as part of an IF function. If cell An is a number cell Bn acts on it, otherwise Bn displays text or stays blank according to the formula. Will have to re-write all of these before converting them to Numbers. Gotta love that learning curve.
Good news for me at least is that the version of iWork 09 I found runs in Tiger on the G4 or in Snow Leopard on the new guy.
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