Formula Operators Not Converting to Word

[beaucheming]

Hello Forum and Forum users,

I run Open Office 3.2 on Windows XP Home, and when I write a formula in Open Office, and save as a Word document in the .doc format, the Word document shows little boxes where the functions are supposed to be (such as + or √). Since I must be able to save my documents as .doc for my schooling, this is a big problem for me.
My search for help on various Open Office sites turned up dozens and dozens of reports, forum discussions, and emails about this issue, yet I could not determine if there was a solution. Some users installed new fonts, which I tried, but once I installed the font in the C/Windows/Fonts directory, the new font was available in Open Office but not in the Formula font options window. Another solution I found mentioned the saving/loading options, which I tried, but the results are the same. Still others install macros, which I can not do, as I do not have Word. Also, I saw suggestions to export in pdf format, but I must have the .doc format so this does not work for me.
Please, can anyone tell me if there is a solution? Nothing I have tried has worked. I can not find an answer that works, and if it is somewhere I apologize for not being able to find it.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this,

Rebekah

A few of the issue #s that I found for this:
http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=50126
http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=53223
http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=106784
http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=79037

[Hagar Delest]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Have you seen that one: [Solved] Wrong symbols in Math?

Do you create the formulas in OOo or do they come from MS MathType? Anyway, that's the problem using such ill formats like .doc. The key point is now to use a true open format like ODF rather than obscure ones made to propagate the vendor lock-in policy. But I know, easy to say, not the same to convince teachers, ...

[beaucheming]

Thank you for your welcome
I create the formulas in OOo, and when opened in Word in the .doc format the operators show up as little boxes. I certainly wish I could convince my teach to accept ODF! Perhaps in a few years the world will wake up and discard Microsoft...
I did see that post you mentioned, but I do not use Linux (sadly) and the whole discussion made little sense to me beyond realizing that a font was installed and solved the problem. I do not know what or where the Home directory is. Could you be more specific if you would be so kind?

Thank you very much,
Rebekah

[TheGurkha]

As a long-winded workaround, you could create the formulas in OOo, take screen shots and then trim them, and insert them back in as images. that would preserve them in the Word format.

[Hagar Delest]

You should try to download the OpenSymbol font (Google should find it easily) and put it in your C:\Windows\Fonts folder (or something like that). Then reboot the machine and see if that helps.

[beaucheming]

Thank you very much,

Gurkha, I am going to try to find a way to fix the font, but I will certainly keep your idea in mind, it is very clever.

Hagar, I downloaded OpenSymbol as suggested and went to install and discovered it was already in place in the Font directory. I had previously attempted StarSymbol. I created a formula in OOo, changed the font to OpenSymbol, and saved as a .doc format. If someone would be kind enough to open this document in Word and tell me what it looks like, I would be very appreciative.

Thanks!

Rebekah

P.S. I am scanning this document with McAfee first, so no worries.

[Hagar Delest]

The "problem" is that formula hasn't been made first in OOo but in MS Word or at least with the MS Math editor.
- If I open the document in MS Word 2003, double-click the formula and quit immediately (no modification), it displays fine again
- If I open the document in OOo, double-click the formula and quit immediately (no modification), then save it, it displays fine in MS Word.

[beaucheming]

I'm sorry, I don't understand. You stated "that formula hasn't been made first in OOo" yet I only have OOo.

Could you explain please?

Thank you very very much!
Rebekah

[Hagar Delest]

When I double-click the formula, I don't get OOo Math but the MS equation editor.

[beaucheming]

Is that good or bad?

Which version of Word are you using please? Is it the W2000 on your reply?

Thank you!

[Hagar Delest]

Is that good or bad?

Don't know. I would say bad. Check that in Tools>Options>Load/Save>Microsoft Office, the MathType to OOo... options are unchecked. It will prevent other users from editing the formula but it may better preserve the fonts.

Which version of Word are you using please? Is it the W2000 on your reply?

MS Word 2003 (see my post).

[beaucheming]

Strange that you are able to view the document and the formulas, I emailed them to my husband, who uses Word 2003 also, and he sees the + sign as a box, and my math teacher is still seeing boxes as well...I wonder if there is some option on yours that is different. I'm sorry I missed which version you were using. Thank you for your help!

[Hagar Delest]

I wonder if there is some option on yours that is different.

My W2k system is a corporate install, so no customization at all (except OOo install).

Have you tried with the Load/Save options unchecked (or checked if it was unchecked, who knows)?

[beaucheming]

Yes, I have tried both ways. I think I'm about to give up on this program - I love the idea of it being free, but I only need it for the formula editor, if I can't save it as a .doc document that others can open and read in Word, I can't use this program

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me - it is so kind of you.

Rebekah

[Cambirder]

As a long-winded workaround, you could create the formulas in OOo, take screen shots and then trim them, and insert them back in as images. that would preserve them in the Word format.

That is long winded, much easier just to cut the equation and paste as a image (GDI metafile).

Interestingly Word 2007 converts all equations to images when saving as a .doc file because its equation editor is not backward compatible.

[Daiwe01]

I have not used Office for years. But from a similar problem a few years ago with Firefox 0.x, I seem to recall MathType uses a subset of TeX fonts.
Perhaps installing these TrueType fonts may help.
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/mathml/ ... cm-ttf.zip

[gbullock]

if I can't save it as a .doc document that others can open and read in Word, I can't use this program

Would they accept .pdf instead of .doc? Others can at least open and read that format.

[Daiwe01]

. . . I am going to try to find a way to fix the font . . .

Are the MS Word systems using the same type face and font type in their equation editor that you are using in your formula editor?
Even "the same" fonts from different foundries may not "play well together" in some instances.

[glvz86]

I have an idea. Why dont you just attach the images? ... Well create the fomulas either with OOffice or with the other software.. thats what I do.. you can also take screenshoots and use them.. This is just to avoid using other softwares.

[Zizi64]

Code: Select all

 size 12{ {  {"5" "+" "65"}  over  {"35" div "5"} } }

It is works fine for me in OpenOffice Writer 3.2.1 and in converted Word97... type file in MSWordXP(2002) too: The plus sign typed in "as string".

[keme]

Strange that you are able to view the document and the formulas, I emailed them to my husband, who uses Word 2003 also, and he sees the + sign as a box, and my math teacher is still seeing boxes as well...I wonder if there is some option on yours that is different.

It displays as a box for me too, but if I follow Hagar's suggestion and double click the formula, it displays correctly. It also stays OK when I exit the formula (click outside).

Perhaps converting to images is the best option, though, unless the teachers need to edit/comment inside your formulas. The reason for this is that Microsoft Office is not fully compatible with Microsoft Office

[jeffergj]

just to cut the equation and paste as a image (GDI metafile)..

Sorry to drag up an old thread -- but this solution does not work, as the GDI metafile is not a bitmap and you end up with the same font problem. Is there (OR why ISN'T there) a simple way to convert an equation to a plain old bitmap?

Exporting documents that are portable (and editable) to computers without special fonts installed is just essential for lots of people.

Interestingly Word 2007 converts all equations to images when saving as a .doc file because its equation editor is not backward compatible.

FYI Word2007 still has the old mathtype-based equation editor which you can acess via insert object.
(called Microsoft Equation 3.0) It saves properly to .doc and sort of converts to OO Math if you set the Mathtype to OpenOffice conversion option.

[jeffergj]

Solution Found

cut/paste special as GDI metafile
...
then do it again, cut/ paste special, now you get a 'bitmap' option.

Now if I can make a macro to do that for every equation in a document I'll be happy