CurlyShavings

I was asked recently to explain how we converted all my wife's AppleWorks files to formats used by OpenOffice. We used DataViz Conversions Plus, a Windows-based tool, and it worked extremely well.

We don't have any Windows machines in the house so we used another useful tool to run the Conversions Plus software, CodeWeaver's CrossOver Mac.

First we installed the CrossOver Mac tool, then used it to install Conversions Plus. (If you have a Windows PC, skip the CrossOver Mac step and install the Conversions Plus on your Windows PC.) I assume you have knowledge for how to make your AppleWorks files accessible to the Conversions Plus software. (You can create a shared folder, burn them to a CD or any other mechanism for file transport.) Quickly read the Conversions Plus documentation (you'll be performing a batch conversion) and start converting your files!

You may want to consider what you're going to do with the originals and the converted files. Will you keep the originals? Archive them? How will you merge the converted files into your document hierarchy? Things like that.

For more information, you can find the software referenced in this article here:

CodeWeaver

CrossOver Mac lets you run Windows programs on your Intel-based Mac

DataViz

Conversions Plus is a file conversion utility that works well converting files. Useful in going from AppleWorks to OpenOffice

Apple, Inc.

AppleWorks was Apple's premier office suite for a number of years. Now discontinued.

It appears that if you have the right version of AppleWorks, you might be able to use some of the filters included to perform your format conversion.

And it appears that the old versions of AppleWorks will work on the newer Intel-based Macs.

And if you buy iWork `08, you can read your AppleWorks files directly.

OpenOffice

OpenOffice is an open-source, "free" (as in beer) office suite that can read and write Microsoft Office formats (among many other things).

I use it on all my personal computers (but not my employer's).