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Publisher - Can you export a file to Word?


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AFAIK nope, official supported export formats are limited to PDF, PSD and common raster graphics formats. - Though selected text can maybe (with chance ) exchanged over the system pasteboard, you have to try.

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13 hours ago, v_kyr said:

exchanged over the system pasteboard,

For me (in Windows) transfer via Clipboard is OK. But must be selected text, not Frame (this is copy as bitmap). 

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Thanks for the comments. I note Microsoft Publisher can export to Word, but I guess that makes sense. I have a complex document of images and text created in Affinity Publisher and need to send for a professional proof read. The suggestions here are all I could think of too but effectively undoes the work I have done in AP.

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I think people are expecting or wanting way to much. Publisher is a page layout program, word is a word processor. IDML support is there, but not flawless. Exporting a Publisher file for Word would just be a disaster. 

If your text is all linked I would just copy and paste into Word. If you need to have people proof read through word I would do all your text there, get the proofing done and then bring into Publisher. Or give them a PDF they can mark up and you make all the corrections on your end. 

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The easiest is it to export as pdf - everybody can read it. If one uses Acrobat DC instead of Publisher, one can as well make notes and changes and so could you merge the reult in your final file. Let me add that I am glad that word cannot do the same as publisher and vice versa.

Kind Regards,

Uwe

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9 hours ago, Merlin said:

I have a complex document of images and text created in Affinity Publisher and need to send for a professional proof read.

Usually the file is send as PDF, and they can add notes on the file as said by Uwe, or better print it, add clear comments and corrections in the margins and send you the scan (our favorite, since annoted PDF is not fast and as easy and visual when you need to report corrections).

They can also copy and paste in an email or a Word document if there's few corrections. What's interesting in this is that the text structure is kept (line by line) and if they copy enough text and add corrections in red, it's easy to compare and applythe corrections at the right line.

The worst is the "treasure hunt" corrections with indications like: page 12, column 3, paragraph 4, line 4 from the bottom, replace "this" by "that".


Sending Word file is the best way to have clients rewrote the whole article instead of simple corrections!

But this can be an interesting feature when they need to update yearly a document, or to send final text for books if needed.

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  • 8 months later...

I just discovered this export deficiency myself. First, an import of a Microsoft Word document originally created in Markdown in iA Writer and then cut and paste into Bear to get an export file with proper line breaks that iA Writer does not support, I ended up with an Affinity Publisher file with zero hyperlinks. After I tediously relinked the entire file, I know realize that that there is simply no way to export the text from Affinity Publisher in RTF or Microsoft Word with hyperlinks intact. What a cluster...k that is!

Now, I'm going to be forced to use InDesign again, even though that program is also beset by bugs. InDesign lost the footnotes of my first book and now the index of my second one. What a world we live in. How does anyone get anything done? 🙄

Edited by ubercool
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9 hours ago, Catshill said:

It is surprising how many people I work with are unaware of the commenting , highlighting and pop up functions within free pdf readers that make proof reading a breeze.

That's no substitute for being able to synchronize your work across work platforms. I plan to release my books using the Apple Pages authoring platform plus KDP, using Vellum. That requires a unified base of interchange text files, something not possible without text export with hyperlinks intact.

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15 hours ago, ubercool said:

hat's no substitute for being able to synchronize your work across work platforms. I plan to release my books using the Apple Pages authoring platform plus KDP, using Vellum. That requires a unified base of interchange text files, something not possible without text export with hyperlinks intact.

I can see for your context that is important. For us (magazine publishers) the workflow is based on collaborative text using cloud applications. Next is the design and layout stage where pdf is output.

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On 1/23/2021 at 5:46 AM, ubercool said:

How does anyone get anything done? 

By proper planing beforehand.

d.

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It looks like you need a proof reader. 😀

I raised the original question and I specifically needed to export to Word and I never managed to do that. Editing in pdf is not effective for me. What I needed was not just a proof read but advice of laying the page out and as they don’t have Affinity they wanted to show me in Word. But that was a while ago.

Thank you @ubercool I agree with your comments.

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21 minutes ago, Merlin said:

they wanted to show me in Word

I would have likely told them I'd rather prefer a hand drawing on paper:D

19 hours ago, ubercool said:

being able to synchronize your work across work platforms

In that case Publisher is likely not the right tool (yet) for what you need to do.
Much like you wouldn't want to repair a watch with a Swiss Army knife, even though you might even have some success with that.

47 minutes ago, dominik said:

proper planing beforehand

^ This.

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8 hours ago, dominik said:

By proper planing beforehand.

That is a ridiculous comment. Try the real world. EVEN with a "proper plan" you will often be FORCED to alter it. It is so obvious that this is a forum dominated by amatuers.

And I could mention a lot of scenarios where export of the text content in rich text format is necessary and expected.

That's what lacks in your comment. Knowledge - and especially knowledge about real life scenarios.

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For anyone finding this post in the future

(as opposed to finding it in the past @Alfred)

Adobe has a free PDF to Word convertor here...

https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/pdf-to-word.html

Does a good job at converting Affinity generated PDF files to Word

 

I use it all the time to edit un-editable PDF files sent by clients to me (Grrrrr)

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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1 hour ago, carl123 said:

I use it all the time to edit un-editable PDF files sent by clients to me (Grrrrr)

Grrr indeed.

But once upon a time in a Serif product - a good one - made this possible. Lets hope it will be again in a future (!) version of Publisher.

image.png.fe6933318a86b68234b70661c92707e3.png

Then via File - Export text this is possible:

image.png.788d21436013b36f0a704240cc7058e5.png

And lets see how cloud solutions will make review processes easier. At my work the older generations are challenged by the new generation using online tools that are lighter products - for now - but the online collaboration features makes working in teams and projects with external participants possible and easy. It simply makes working easier and faster. And months of lockdown didn't slow us down one bit either. That - lockdown - by the way made changes to "proper planning" overnight. 

Creative destruction will be coming (or did arrive already) to pulverize file exchanges and legacy products. Remember that state of the art weapons introduced in 1944 - 45 where outdated in 1947. Todays progress is even faster.

This topic already has a foot in the grave.

  • "The user interface is supposed to work for me - I am not supposed to work for the user interface."
  • Computer-, operating system- and software agnostic; I am a result oriented professional. Look for a fanboy somewhere else.
  • “When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.” ― Confucius
  • Not an Affinity user og forum user anymore. The software continued to disappoint and not deliver.
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6 hours ago, Catshill said:

I can see for your context that is important. For us (magazine publishers) the workflow is based on collaborative text using cloud applications. Next is the design and layout stage where pdf is output.

Bingo. Creative destruction coming to pulverize old school products.

All those products will then be lost. Like tears... in the rain. 

  • "The user interface is supposed to work for me - I am not supposed to work for the user interface."
  • Computer-, operating system- and software agnostic; I am a result oriented professional. Look for a fanboy somewhere else.
  • “When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.” ― Confucius
  • Not an Affinity user og forum user anymore. The software continued to disappoint and not deliver.
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2 hours ago, carl123 said:

For anyone finding this post in the future

(as opposed to finding it in the past @Alfred)

Adobe has a free PDF to Word convertor here...

https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/pdf-to-word.html

Does a good job at converting Affinity generated PDF files to Word

 

I use it all the time to edit un-editable PDF files sent by clients to me (Grrrrr)

Finally, something from Adobe that actually works! Thanks so much for this tip, I was able to get the Affinity Publisher PDF to convert properly with links intact, what a lifesaver!

BTW, currently, Adobe InDesign's export to RTF produces a crash or blank documents. Amazing, considering how much money people pay this company for such crapware. Thanks, again, great tip! 🥳

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3 hours ago, Merlin said:

It seems people are being unreasonable. I asked a question which I have the answer to. Affinity cannot export word files. I don’t need to be lectured that I don’t plan my work properly.

Yes, the original comment was offhanded and unnecessary. I do very heavy pre-planning of content, here's my workflow:

  1. Scrivener - Original content compiled in Scrivener, which produces master layout sections for output to Vellum for creation of Amazon KDP electronic books.
  2. iA Writer - Written content produced with iA Writer in markdown.
  3. Bear - Markdown files are then cut and paste to Bear, which produces Microsoft Word files with proper paragraph breaks because iA Writer does not respect proper paragraph breaks.
  4. Affinity Publisher - Microsoft Word files are then imported into Affinity Publisher for final print version and also used as platform layouts for the creation of Mac Pages based Apple Book.
  5. Vellum -The final, edited Word files are then also destined for final KDP production.

During the entire process, files must maintain content consistency. You think this process requires any pre-planning? 😏🙄

BTW, feel free to download a free preview chapter of my new book: “LOCKDOWN – True Story: How the novel coronavirus escaped Wuhan, China and terrorized the world." I think you will enjoy it: https://michaeltchong.com.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 5/8/2020 at 1:45 PM, wonderings said:

I think people are expecting or wanting way to much. Publisher is a page layout program, word is a word processor. IDML support is there, but not flawless. Exporting a Publisher file for Word would just be a disaster. 

If your text is all linked I would just copy and paste into Word. If you need to have people proof read through word I would do all your text there, get the proofing done and then bring into Publisher. Or give them a PDF they can mark up and you make all the corrections on your end. 

I disagree, it depends on what you are using Affinity publisher for, if other people need to be able to access and edit files you create then being able to convert it into a word format is incredibly useful. E.g. a teacher may want to use AP for engaging Home learning but other teachers may need to adapt this for their class but not use or know how to use AP, in this case it would be very useful indeed.

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19 hours ago, Joêl D said:

I disagree, it depends on what you are using Affinity publisher for, if other people need to be able to access and edit files you create then being able to convert it into a word format is incredibly useful. E.g. a teacher may want to use AP for engaging Home learning but other teachers may need to adapt this for their class but not use or know how to use AP, in this case it would be very useful indeed.

Word and Publisher are completely different programs. Expecting a page layout program like Publisher to act like Word and vice versa is a bit crazy in my opinion. So many things can go wrong with a file when exporting for Word, you are just asking for headaches. 

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