Stuck up with new docx files. Here is how you can open them.

Recently I received some text content for a website project from a client. Unfortunately the file was in .docx format. This is a new format for the latest Microsoft Office ( word ) application. As I run older version of office application I could not open this file and was stuck up. The problem was I could not tell my client to send me the file in older version, thinking that would create a bad impression at the same time I was asked to add the content to the site on priority basis.

After searching the net and other sources, I found the following options. You too can adopt any one of them in case you get stuck up like me.

1. Download Microsoft Compatibility Pack from Microsoft website

2. Use online facility. Websites like docx2doc.com and zamzar.com are some popular sites that provide the facilty to convert files from .doc to .docx. In case of zamzar it is a simple 4 step process.

a. Upload the .docx file.
b. Choose from the various conversion options.
c. Add your email address.
d. Submit the request.

Docs2doc.com has a two step process. Upload the .docx file and add your email address. Thats it. It takes upto 24 hrs to get your converted file back, which I think is such a waste of time. They have a premium service too. It gets you unlimited file conversions with faster response time.

3. Desktop Widgets – There are many Desktop Widgets available online.

4. The fourth method is the quickest and involves some labour. Here are the steps.

a. Change the file extension of the file from .docx to .zip.
b. Extract the content using unzipping program.
c. Once extracted you will find a word folder. Locate the file document.xml in this folder and open it in wordpad / notepad or Internet Explorer latest version ( 7.0 ) OR use XML VIEWER from Mind fusion. Here is the brief description of what the viewer is about.

MindFusion’s XML Viewer is used to examine the contents of an XML file in an easy-to-use environment. In addition you can make modification to the XML such as insering and deleting items as well as adding and deleting properties to existing items. MindFusion’s XML Viewer offers you also drag-and-drop option to manipulate the files more easily.

I have not personally tried this software, so use it at your own risk. I have tried notepad / wordpad method. It requires editing / deleting of unwanted tags and characters to extract your content.

5. Use OpenOffice – It has an XML Translator.

So choose the method which suits you and curse Microsoft for making our lives miserable.

Internet Explorer 7.0 – features and addons

Parent website – articles/tutorials

Internet Explorer 7.0 has come a long way since its inception ( Windows 95 days ). The new version is definitely better and more secure. It has many facilities added to it like tabbed windows, integrated RSS feed reader and more.

Download link

Internet Explorer 7.0

To compliment this new generation browser from Microsoft, developers and companies have created many addons from paid to free versions. One of the most important and free addon for Internet Explorer 7.0 is the IE7Pro. Here is the complete list of features and tweaks which come with IE7Pro.IE 7.0 PRO features

1. Tabbed Browsing Management
2. Crash Recovery
3. Proxy Switcher
4. AD Blocker
5. Spell Check
6. User Plug-ins
7. Flash Block
8. Super Drag Drop
9. Tab History Browser
10. Webpage Capturer
11. Inline Search

Some other useful and must have addons are

1. FeedsPlus – only IE 7 – If you are using browser to read your feeds then this addon is a must. It also lets you know when a new feed is added

FeedPlus

2. ieSpell – Spell check for text input boxes – forum posts, blogs, mail3.

iespell

3. LeechVideo – IE addon that lets you download favorite videos from popular video sharing websites (i.e. Youtube, Google Video, DailyMotion, etc.).

LeechVideo

4. Amigo is an application which allows you to manage your favorites list in a very fast, flexible, and powerful way. The main application Amigo sits in the system tray and does not block any part of your screen. There is a plugin for IE which can ease bookmarking simply by right clicking the Web page in Internet Explorer. Amigo tries its best to automatically check for dead links, re-directed links therefore keeping your bookmarks current. Allows you to share your links with the rest of the world if you want them to be shared. Alerts you when you have not visited a Web site for a long time. You could then decide to delete the old and least frequently visited links. Version 3.7 includes keywords auto detection for Manage links field and new field detecting Java version. Version 3.8 autodetects keywords for URL and adds options to easily manage URL information simply by right clicking the menu item.

amigo

5. Child Web Gardian – Filtering software designed to provide Internet child safety. This program keeps track and checks the content of every web-page the child browses through in the Internet Explorer. If the program finds some obscene content, ChildWebGardian will immediately block viewing such pages. ChildWebGuardian is a whole software package that is integrated in Internet Explorer and consists of some controlling functions.Version 2.6 may include unspecified updates, enhancements or bug fixes.

ChildWebGuardian