14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft not only provided an upgrade for Office 2008 for Mac on July 20, 2009, but also updated a solution designed to bridge the Open XML standard with the file formats used by earlier versions of the productivity suite for Apple computers. Concomitantly with the availability of Office 2008 Service Pack 2, the Redmond company also went live with Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.1. The bits are currently up for grabs via the Microsoft Download Center. Essentially the tool allows Mac OS X users to make Office 2008 for Mac or Office 2007 for Windows documents play nice with earlier versions of Office for Mac.
“Open XML Converter allows you to convert Open XML files that were created in Office 2008 for Mac or Office 2007 for Windows so that you can open, edit, and save them in earlier versions of Office for Mac. Open XML Converter can convert Word documents, Excel workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations that are in the Open XML Format so that you can open and edit the files in Office 2004 for Mac and Office v. X for Mac. You can choose to convert and open one file, or convert a large number of files,” Microsoft stated.
According to the software giant, Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.1 comes with support for Mac OSX version 10.4.9 (Tiger), and all later version of Mac OS. Microsoft informed Mac users that they needed to be running Office 2004 11.4.0 or later, or Office v. X 10.1.9 or later already installed on their Apple machines in order to leverage Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.1 and be able to convert documents. Users are also advised to deploy the Office 2004 11.5.1 Update or a later update for Office 2004 for Mac.
“To verify that you have installed the Office 2004 11.4.0 Update or a later update, select the Microsoft Component Plugin file in Microsoft Office 2004/Office on your hard disk, and then on the File menu, click Get Info. To verify that you have installed the Office v. X 10.1.9 Update or a later update, select the Microsoft Component Plugin file in Microsoft Office X/Office on your hard disk, and then on the File menu, click Get Info,” Microsoft noted.
Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.1 is available for download here.