Publisher: importing existing word-files

[JoergR]

Hi there, 

I just bought Publisher and the is my first experience with e DTP-software. So maybe this is a "stupid" question:-)

However, there are several word files (eBooks, checklists, workbooks) I have created in the past. But the layout is not as professional I would like to have. Is there a way to import these documents to Publisher and to rework the layout there? 

Many Thanks!

br, Joerg

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums, Joerg.

Publisher supports importing text files in the .txt, RTF, or DOCX formats. So as long as you save your Word files in one of those formats you can bring them into Publisher.

Simply create a new Publisher document, put a Text Frame on the initial page, click inside it, then from the menu choose File > Place. Select your file and it should be placed into your Text Frame. It will overflow. Just press Shift and then click on the red triangle on the lower-right side of the frame and Publisher will create additional pages as needed to hold the overflow.

[JoergR]

many thanks, walt. That sounds great! I will try it that way!

[Granddaddy]

DOCX was introduced in 2007. For dinosaurs like me who are still using Word 2000, note that AFPub will NOT open DOC files from versions of Word before Word 2007. Such files will not appear in AFPub's File Open dialog. But if you rename the file to have a DOCX extension such files will appear. If you select the file to open it nothing at all will happen. You will not get even an error message like Invalid Format from AFPub. I have no particular complaint about any of this, I'm just including this for completeness in case others have files from older versions of Word that they might think about opening in AFPub.

For those who don't have Word 2007 or later for converting old DOC files, one solution is to print them to PDF and then open them in AFPub. Younger folks might be surprised to learn how many older files older folks might want to open. Older files in abandoned formats are like old recordings on reel-to-reel tape, or maybe wire recordings for those who remember them. They are frustrating reminders that some things get lost to progress. I have documents I wrote with Grandview some 30 years ago that I wish I could open today. I loved using the Grandview outliner for writing long reports. Word's outlining was a shadow of what Grandview offered.

[JoergR]

Thanks. Granddaddy - ".docx" is not an issue for me :-) Thanks goodness!