# Convert Publisher Files In Open Office?



## links80 (Jun 30, 2007)

Help! My laptop totally crashed and my hard drive has been rescued. I have a new laptop but I don't have all the software I need and someone gave me a copy of open office.org so I can open my Microsoft Publisher files. I can't afford to buy the microsoft software, but I daren't load the version I had before because I've been told its illegal and that microsoft can track it on your pc! I have tried to open the publisher files with the open office draw program but it won't work. My business is based on designs i have created in these publisher files and most of my work over the last 18months I have created in Publisher. Does anyone know how to do it? I have spent the last 4 hours searching the net, including the open office and linux websites, but have found no information!


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

As far as I am aware, there is no other means of opening .pub files apart from Publisher.

Please explain what version your old copy of Publisher was, it may be less restrictive than you think regarding reloading?.


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## lavazza (May 15, 2006)

kiwiguy said:


> ...there is no other means of opening .pub files apart from Publisher


Kia Ora!

Bill Gates' spelling of programme might be contentious, but he has a virtual monopoly on the word 'propietary' 

I too am an OOo convert - albeit voluntarily - and have had similar frustrations re publisher

Open Office doesn't (really) have anything in the way of DeskTopPublishing

However, it does integrate with another Open Source product called Scribus :


> ... brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X, OS/2 and Windows desktops with a combination of "press-ready" output and new approaches to page layout.
> 
> Underneath the modern and user friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation...


Scribus has a wiki, with a page that might well be worth reading: Import Publisher to Scribus, esp if you have access to one machine with Publisher and Microsoft Word and another with OpenOffice Writer, OpenOffice Draw and Scribus


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## links80 (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks -well, my old version of publisher is on 2 discs with Office 2003 (with word,excel, outlook and powerpoint). I didn't buy it but my ex gave it to me from his work. My old laptop came with Windows xp already loaded, and my new one has Windows Vista and includes Microsoft Works. I haven't actually tried to reload it on my new laptop because someone told me it willl be illegal and that microsoft can track it when you are on the net. Is this true? Or should I just load it? What happens if they do find out anyway, is it a fine? On my old laptop when I used to get occasional messages about Microsoft updates and verifying my license so I always declined because I was worried about this.


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## links80 (Jun 30, 2007)

i will also look into scribus -thanks lavazza. I only have one machine though so dunno if it will still work?. ps -what's a wiki?


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## lavazza (May 15, 2006)

links80 said:


> my old version of publisher is on 2 discs with Office 2003 (with word,excel, outlook and powerpoint). I didn't buy it but my ex gave it to me from his work
> 
> I used to get occasional messages about Microsoft updates and verifying my license so I always declined because I was worried about this


There is a chance that your copy of Office IS genuine... and, I think, the simplest way to find out is to install it and then test it via Micro$oft's Office Genuine Advantage validation gizmo - I doubt if you have anything to fear re fines IF you do all you can to comply

There is a Micro$oft forum that might allay any fears: forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum



links80 said:


> ps -what's a wiki?


A wiki is a website sorta like a forum, where ANYONE can post content - but with one significant difference: ANYONE can edit the content too

<tangent>
Its widely regarded that the key strength of the Internet is that it has NO RULES - a concept that was embraced by the inventor of the web, Tim Berners Lee, who promotes the idea that everyone should be able to not only read what's on the Web but also contribute to it

If the web is Utopia, then maybe the wiki is Nirvana

I guess the most appropriate source for a defintion of a wiki would have to be Wikipedia - the "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit" 
</tangent>


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## letchworth (Jul 2, 2005)

links80 said:


> My business is based on designs i have created in these publisher files and most of my work over the last 18months I have created in Publisher.


If your business is based on designs created Publisher- you can buy Publisher alone (far cheaper than the whole M$Office Suite--- and legal).

I am interested in lavazza's comment/link regarding Scribus. It has been a while since I have tried Scribus and I hear they have come a long way-- I need to try it again.

Another FREE source of desktop publishing software is Serif
http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/
Their PagePlus software is an excellent introduction tothe genre. They give it away free to introduce you to their products-- obviously to get you hooked and interested in buying the newest versions with more features (It has worked on me-- I've been a user for several years).

Good luck in your project-- but I really think you might end up stuck buying M$Publisher to maintain your old files, if you plan on relying on them for any future revisions. If all you want is to archive them in their present form-- you could use a program like PDFCreator to turn them into un-editable pdf files. This could be done on a borrowed machine and walk away with our files in pdf format.

letchworth


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## links80 (Jun 30, 2007)

Thanks Letchworth -think I'll try the version I've got first.. and as lavazza suggested, check its legal. if not I shall have to get the real deal! will have a look at free serif software too.

Lavazza -thanks for the advice and net vocab lesson! Will try!


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