Can't Open Some Word Documents On iPad

[rayroshi]

I have an Acer PC laptop and my son has an iPad (sorry, but I don't know which version). We need to be able to send files back & forth to each other (preferably in Word). I have an older version (2002) of Word. He has Pages on his iPad.

Our problem is that he cannot open some of the Word documents I send him on his iPad, using Pages.

Yesterday, I sent him four documents which I had composed on my Acer, using Word 2002, and he was able to open three of them, but not the fourth one. All four were composed on the same computer (mine) using the same program (Word 2002). And when I checked "Properties" of the four documents, they all showed that they are indeed Word documents. On his end, he was using the same iPad with the same app (Pages). So why would one of them open, yet not the other three? Any ideas? I'm stumped, although that's not saying much, as I'm certainly no computer whiz.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, a final question: Is there a better app for him to use on his iPad than Pages? Would it not simplify things a lot, if we could find a version of Word for the iPad, thus making our communications more consistent/parallel/"interfaceable"?

 

[giradman]

Hello - I'm not able to solve your issue w/o some further input from you. But just some basic information: 1) You have an old version of Word so compatibility is a potential problem; 2) Are you sending your documents to your son in the old Word format; and 3) Does he simply need to read these documents or are you both editing them and having to exchange the edits? The last question is probably the most important. If you simply need to read each other's files, why not, as an example, export them in PDF format - Pages has that function and I assume the old Word you use can do the same. Let me stop there for you to respond. Dave

 

[twerppoet]

There is a version of Microsoft Word available for the iPad in the App Store. You may find it a bit more compatible.

You can use most of the features in the IOS version of MS Word for free, though your son will need a free Microsoft account to unlock it. A paid account will unlock the more advanced features.

 

[rayroshi]

Hello - I'm not able to solve your issue w/o some further input from you. But just some basic information: 1) You have an old version of Word so compatibility is a potential problem; 2) Are you sending your documents to your son in the old Word format; and 3) Does he simply need to read these documents or are you both editing them and having to exchange the edits? The last question is probably the most important. If you simply need to read each other's files, why not, as an example, export them in PDF format - Pages has that function and I assume the old Word you use can do the same. Let me stop there for you to respond. Dave

Hi Dave. Thanks for that reply.

In answer to your questions: 1) Yes, I am sending him the files, using the old 2002 Word program; 2) Actually, he only needs to read the documents I send him, then do any needed editing by hand, but it would be nice, if he could also edit them on his iPad.

 

[rayroshi]

There is a version of Microsoft Word available for the iPad in the App Store. You may find it a bit more compatible.

You can use most of the features in the IOS version of MS Word for free, though your son will need a free Microsoft account to unlock it. A paid account will unlock the more advanced features.

Thank you for your help.

Does that free version of Word, found in the App Store, allow one to perform basic text editing, or does one have to buy the app, in order to edit text? Here is an example of what we need to do:

1) I send him ten sentences that contain spelling/capitalization/grammar errors.
2) He corrects the errors--either with a pen/pencil or on the computer
3) He then sends them back to me. (obviously, if he prints the sentences I send him, then corrects it by hand, he will have to scan it, before sending it back to me for evaluation)
4) I print his response for evaluation.

Nothing fancy needed, here; just simple text editing.

 

[twerppoet]

The free account version of the Words app has all but the most advanced features enabled, so yes, he can do basic editing.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word/id586447913?mt=8

 

[rayroshi]

There is a version of Microsoft Word available for the iPad in the App Store. You may find it a bit more compatible.

You can use most of the features in the IOS version of MS Word for free, though your son will need a free Microsoft account to unlock it. A paid account will unlock the more advanced features.

The free account version of the Words app has all but the most advanced features enabled, so yes, he can do basic editing.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word/id586447913?mt=8

Okay, thanks for that info. We'll have to give that a try and see if it works. I hope that my old, 2002 version of Word will be compatible with that iOS version that he will have. We'll see, I guess. Thanks again!

(you're in Walla Walla? You must be cooking. I'm on the west side of the mt.s, in Granite Falls, and we roasting even over here)

 

[twerppoet]

Okay, thanks for that info. We'll have to give that a try and see if it works. I hope that my old, 2002 version of Word will be compatible with that iOS version that he will have. We'll see, I guess. Thanks again!

It can be tricky going back and forth with different versions of any app. The general rule is that newer apps will almost always be able to read (or convert) older files. However, older apps can often have problems with newer files, since new feature that they were never designed to handle might be present. That means it will probably work fine when you send him files, but it might not when he sends them back.

Given that you're not dealing with any special formatting, it might be easier for you to use a basic text editor (.txt) files. Then it wouldn't matter what text editor you use, since the format is universal. (though extremely limited in formatting options). The next step up would be RTF (Rich Text Format) files. Both versions of Word should be able to save as RTF (though I haven't been able to test that with the iOS version).

(you're in Walla Walla? You must be cooking. I'm on the west side of the mt.s, in Granite Falls, and we roasting even over here)

We had a couple of nice cool days, even some rain, but it's building up again. I expect the next few days to be 100ish. I'll be spending most of them inside in front of the AC.