When momma's not happy--computer help needed!

[scottw]

My wife's computer [XP] crashed. We got another, Windows 7 OS. The new one didn't come with Microsoft office or Works. I suggested Open Office--I have used it for years, no problems.She downloaded it and now is in a panic that it will not open her ***very extensive*** wdb [Works Data Base] files, worth many thousands of $$ in embroidery designs.
Now, it is obviously my fault that the Open Office is failing her. Please,I need help from my tuba brethren!Any idea how to open and manage/convert wdb files into something Open Office supports? Obviously we are not particularly savvy with this sort of thing, so simple is good!
Thanks in advance!
ScottW

[Jeffrey Hicks]

Get this program for your open office and it should work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-oo

[gwwilk]

MS Office 2010 Beta is publicly available at no charge, although it will expire in October of this year. With this program you should be able to convert MS Works files to a suitable format that Open Office reads. I haven't tried this conversion, so I say should. It may take a while to download the installation program and figure out a conversion path/procedure, but the price is right.

Here is the link: http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx

[MartyNeilan]

Avoid Microsoft Works at all costs. Find a legit copy of Microsoft Office somewhere, anywhere, instead.

[Dylan King]

Avoid Microsoft Works at all costs. Find a legit copy of Microsoft Office somewhere, anywhere, instead.

Better to just avoid MICROSOFT at all costs. Period.

[Rick F]

You can download a free copy of Works (free for 90 days use) to gain access to the .wdb files. Then maybe convert them to Open Office.

I've used MSWorks for years... not the word processing portion, but MSWorks is fine for spread sheet and data base record keeping.

Here are 2 links:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4623987_downloa ... works.html

http://www.geek.com/articles/consumer-e ... e-2007083/

[MartyNeilan]

You can download a free copy of Works (free for 90 days use) to gain access to the .wdb files. Then maybe convert them to Open Office.

I've used MSWorks for years... not the word processing portion, but MSWorks is fine for spread sheet and data base record keeping.

Yes it is....
...until you need to share your files with someone else.

[Rick F]

When I need to share a SS (spread sheet) created by MSWorks with someone who uses Excel (or Lotus), I just click on 'save file as' and pick the file type. I've kept the spread sheet for "Friends of Symphonic Band" since 2000 and have had no problem sharing the file with others. This works for data base files also.

Converting file formats

To open a Works file in Excel, first open it in Works and use the Save As command to convert it to one of the file formats listed below. Then close the Works file and open the converted version in Excel.

* Works for Windows 2.0/Works for DOS SS
* Excel SS
* Lotus 1-2-3

To open a Microsoft Works database file in Excel, first save the file in Microsoft Works as a dBASE file, and then open the dBASE file in Excel.

Here's a link for a converter that might work for you. Not sure how many files she needs to convert to Excel or Open office, but there is a trial version.

R&L Software