LegacyFileConverter (Word for Word for DOS)


Word for Word for DOS file converters packed for 64-bit Windows

LegacyFileConverter is a 32-bit Windows application that make it easy to run the old Word for Word file converters in modern Windows systems. It uses the 1995-era Word for Word for DOS program, briefly released by Adobe in its Adobe File Utilities package, now packaged in a compiled AutoIt script. This package only converts files in formats in use before 1995; do not try to use it with modern formats like DOCX, ODT, Word 2007, etc.

You may download the LegacyFileConverter installer here.

The program is a compiled AutoIt script, and your antivirus software will probably warn you against using it. It also contains a copy of the open-source DocTo utility that converts RTF to PDF (and other formats), and also triggers many anti-virus applications.  If you don't trust my software, don't use my software. Please do not waste your extremely valuable time writing me an e-mail asking whether or not the software is safe.

For a version of this software that runs under current versions of macOS, see a separate page.

I do not know who owns the copyright to this software, which has not been available since 1997. If the copyright holder asks me to remove this application from my site, I will instantly do so! The original vendor was Mastersoft; Mastersoft was reportedly acquired by Frame in 1995; Frame was acquired by Adobe later the same year, and Adobe then released the versions of Word for Word included in the Adobe File Utilties. I have seen a report saying that Adobe sold the product to Inso in 1997, but that Inso (which had its own competitive product, Outside In) did not want to market the Word for Word product, so it was never distributed again. Inso later became Stellent, which was later acquired by Oracle. The Word for Word technology had reportedly been licensed by Inso to Sun Microsystems (later acquired by Oracle) which used it in 2002 in the commercial version of its StarOffice 6.0 office suite; it was also used in other products that used the same technology. I do not know if the technology has been in use since. (The Austrian vendor MasterSoft Software Solutions has no connection with the original Mastersoft.)

To use the program, simply drop an old document file on it (or its shortcut) and it will try to create a Word-compatible file with the same name as the original file, but with the additional extension ".doc".

By default, the program converts document files to RTF format (but gives the file the extension "doc" so that it can be easily opened and saved in Word and other applicaitons). By default, it attempts to detect the format of the file dropped on it. If it fails to detect the correct format, you can specify a format code from a list provided in a PDF file installed with the application.

If you run the program without dropping a file on it (or specifying a file on the command line) it will offer to open the Word for Word application in the vDosPlus emulator so that you can use its menus for converting one or more files. A user manual for the Word for Word application is installed with the program.

If you change the name of the application so that it includes the string "PNG" (as in, for example, LegacyFileConverter-png") it will automatically convert old graphic files to PNG format. If you change the name to include "XLS", it will automatically convert old spreadsheet files to Microsoft Excel format. If you change the name to include "DBF", it will automatically convert old database files to dBaseIV format.

Before the program tries to convert a file it displays a dialog box with the format codes that it will use for the input file and the output file, and the extension that it will add to the converted file. These should be correct by default, but if they are not, you can change the input and output format codes using the PDF file listing the Word for Word codes. If you change the output-file extension, make sure that the extension you choose is consistent with the output format that you specify.

Command-line usage (also applies to shortcuts to the application): You can run the program from the Windows command prompt, using these options:

LegacyFileConverter.exe d:\path\to\filename.ext

The command-line above automatically converts the specified filename to RTF (with a .doc extension). You may add any or all of these options.

To specify the input format if Word for Word fails to detect it automatically (replace CODE with a code from the Word for Word format code list):

/input=CODE

To specify the output format used by Word for Word (replace CODE with a code from the Word for Word format code list):

/output=CODE

To specify the extension of the converted file (replace EXT with a file extension used by Windows):

/ext=EXT

To run the program without displaying dialog boxes or messages (any already-existing converted file will be overwritten without warning!):

/silent

To use the Word for Word feature that embeds unrecognized codes in the document (see the Word for Word user manual installed with the application):

/embed

To create a PDF from a word-processing document file, using the included DocTo utility (this option only works with documents, not graphics, spreadsheets, or database files, and requires that Microsoft Word be installed on your computer):

/pdf


Word for Word format codes

The following table lists the format codes used by the Word for Word software.. You may use these when specifying input and output formats. These codes are also listed in a PDF file installed with the application.

Automatic Recognition

AUTO

Ami Pro 1.x - 3.1

AMI

Ami Pro Graphics SDW

SDW

ASCII (Smart), PC

SAS

ASCII (Smart), PC - CP 850

SAS850

ASCII (Smart), MAC

SASM

ASCII (Smart), UNIX

SASX

ASCII (Smart), Windows

SASW

ASCII (Standard), PC

ASC

ASCII (Standard), PC - CP 850

ASC850

ASCII (Standard), MAC

ASCM

ASCII (Standard), UNIX

ASCX

ASCII (Standard), Windows

ASCW

ASCII (Stripped), PC

STA

ASCII (Stripped), PC - CP 850

STA850

ASCII (Stripped), MAC

STAM

ASCII (Stripped), UNIX

STAX

ASCII (Stripped), Windows

STAW

ASCII (Comma Delimited), PC

CSV

ASCII (Comma Delimited), WIN

CSVA

ASCII (Comma Delimited), MAC

CSVM

ASCII (Comma Delimited), UNIX

CSVX

ASCII (Comma/Quote Delim), PC

QSV

ASCII (Comma/Quote Delim), WIN

QSVA

ASCII (Comma/Quote Delim), MAC

QSVM

ASCII (Comma/Quote Delim), UNIX

QSVX

ASCII (Tab Delimited), PC

TSV

ASCII (Tab Delimited), WIN

TSVA

ASCII (Tab Delimited), MAC

TSVM

ASCII (Tab Delimited), UNIX

TSVX

AutoCAD (DXF,DXB)

DXF

AutoCAD (DXF)

DXF

CEOwrite 3.0

CEO

Claris Works 3.0

CLWKS

Communications Format

COM

CompuServe GIF

GIF

Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM)

CGM

CorelDraw Preview

COR

CTOS DEF

DEF

CTOS DEF (Word Processor)

DEFW

DBase IV 1.0

DB4

DBase III, III+

DB3

DCA/FFT - Final Form Text

FFT

DCA/RFT - Revisable Form Text

RFT

DCA/RFT - DisplayWrite 5

RFT2

Digital DX

DX

Digital WPS-PLUS

WPL

DisplayWrite 5

DW5

DisplayWrite 2,3,4

DW

EBCDIC

EBC

Enable 1.1, 2.0, 2.15

EN

Encapsulated PostScript Preview

EPS

Encapsulated PostScript Bitmap

EPS

FrameMaker (MIF) 4.0 - 5.0

MIF4

FrameMaker (MIF) 4.0 - 5.0 Win

MIF4W

FrameMaker (MIF) 4.0 - 5.0 Mac

MIF4M

FrameMaker (MIF) 4.0 - 5.0 Unix

MIF4X

FrameMaker (MIF) 3.0

MIF

FrameMaker (MIF) 3.0 Win

MIFW

FrameMaker (MIF) 3.0 Mac

MIFM

FrameMaker (MIF) 3.0 Unix

MIFX

Framework IV

FW4

Framework III 1.0, 1.1

FW3

HP AdvanceWrite Plus

AWP

HP PCL

HPPCL

HP Graphics Language (HPGL)

HPGL

HTML Level 3

HTML3

HTML Level 2

HTML2

HTML Level 1

HTML1

HTML Level 3 – Netscape

HTML3N

HTML Level 2 – Netscape

HTML2N

HTML Level 1 – Netscape

HTML1N

IBM Writing Assistant 1.0

WA

IGES

IGES

Interleaf 6.0

ILF6

Interleaf 5.2

ILF6

Interleaf 5.2 - 6.0

ILF5

Interleaf Publisher 1.1

INTL

JPEG

JPEG

Legacy 1.x, 2.0

LEG

Lotus 123 4.0 - 5.0

123v4

Lotus 123 3.0

123v3

Lotus 123 1A, 2.0, 2.1

123

Lotus Freelance

PRE

Lotus Manuscript 2.0, 2.1

MS2

Lotus PIC

LPIC

Macintosh QuickDraw (PICT)

PICT

Macintosh Paint

MPAINT

MacWrite Pro 1.0

MCWPRO

MacWrite II, 1.0 - 1.1

MCW2

MacWrite 4.5 - 5.0

MCW

Mass 11, Version 8.5 - 9.0

MASS

Mass 11, Version 8.0 - 8.33

MASS

Micrografx Designer (DRW)

MGX

MS Access 2.0

ACC2

MS Excel 5.0 - 7.0

XL5

MS Excel 4.0

XL4

MS Excel 3.0

XL3

MS Excel 2.1

XL

MS Excel Mac 4.0

XLM4

MS Excel Mac 3.0

XLM3

MS FoxPro for Windows 2.5

FOXW

MS RTF

RTF

MS RTF (WinWord 6)

RTFW6

MS RTF (MacWord 6)

RTFM6

MS RTF (ANSI Char Set)

RTF

MS RTF (Codepage 850)

RTFINT

MS RTF (MAC Char Set)

RTFM

MS RTF (PC Char Set)

RTFPC

MS Word for Windows 6.0 - 7.0

MSWW6

MS Word for Windows 2.0

MSWW2

MS Word for Windows 1.x

MSWW

MS Word for DOS 6.0

MS6

MS Word for DOS 5.0, 5.5

MS5

MS Word for DOS 4.0

MS4

MS Word for DOS 3.0, 3.1

MSW

MS Word for DOS 5.x (Mail Merge)

MSWM

MS Word for Mac 6.0

MWM6

MS Word for Mac 5.0, 5.1

MWM5

MS Word for Mac 4.0

MWM4

MS Word for Mac 3.0

MWM3

MS Works for Windows 3.0

MSWK

MS Write for Windows 3.x

MWW

MultiMate 4

MM4

MultiMate Advantage II

MA2

MultiMate Advantage I

MMA

MultiMate 3.3

MM

Navy DIF (GSA)

GSA

Navy DIF (WordPerfect)

DIF

OfficePower 7

OP7

OfficePower 6

OP6

OfficeWriter 6.0 - 6.2

OW6

OfficeWriter 5.0

OW5

OfficeWriter 4.0

OW4

OS/2 Bitmap

OS2B

OS/2 Metafile

OS2M

Paradox 3.5, 4.0

PDX

PC Paintbrush (DCX)

DCX

PC Paintbrush (PCX)

PCX

PeachText 5000 2.12

PT

PFS:First Choice 3.0

FC3

PFS:First Choice 2.0

FC2

PFS:First Choice 1.0

FC

First Choice 3.0 Data Base

FC3DB

PFS:WRITE Ver C

PFS

Professional Write 2.0 - 2.2

PW2

Professional Write 1.0

PPW

Professional Write Plus

PWP

Portable Network Graphics (PNG)

PNG

PostScript

PS

Q&A 4.0

QA4

Q&A Write 1.x, Q&A 3.0

QA3

Quattro Pro DOS

QPD

Quattro Pro Windows

QPW

Rapid File 1.2

RF1

Rapid File 1.0

RF

RGIP

RGIP

Samna Word IV & IV+ 1.0, 2.0

SW4

Signature 1.0

SIG

Sun Raster Graphics

RAS

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

TIFF

Total Word 1.2, 1.3

TW

Volkswriter 3,4

VW3

Volkswriter Deluxe 2.2

VW

Uniplex V7 - V8

V7

Uniplex OnGO

ONGO

Wang PC, Version 3

WANG

Windows Bitmap (BMP)

BMP

Windows Clipboard (CLP)

WINCLP

Windows Metafile (WMF)

WMF

Windows ICON

ICON

Windows Paint 2.x

WPAINT2

Windows RLE

WRLE

WiziWord

WIZI

WiziDraw

WIZID

WordPerfect for Windows 6.1

WPW61

WordPerfect for Windows 6.0

WPW6

WordPerfect for Windows 5.x

WPW51

WordPerfect 6.0

WP6

WordPerfect 5.1

WP51

WordPerfect 5.0

WP5

WordPerfect 4.2

W42

WordPerfect 4.1

WP4

WordPerfect Graphics 2 (WPG)

WPG2

WordPerfect Graphics 1 (WPG)

WPG

WordPerfect Mac 3.1 - 3.5

WPM31

WordPerfect Mac 3.0

WPM3

WordPerfect Mac 2.1

WPM21

WordPerfect Mac 2.0

WPM2

WordPerfect Mac 1.0

WPM1

WordPerfect 5.1 (Mail Merge)

WPMM

WordStar 7.0

WS7

WordStar 6.0

WS6

WordStar 5.5

WS55

WordStar 5.0

WS5

WordStar 4.0

WS4

WordStar 3.45

WS3

WordStar 3.3, 3.31

WS

WordStar for Windows

WSW

WordStar 2000, Rel 3.5

WS2R35

WordStar 2000, Rel 3.0

WS2R3

WriteNow 3.0

WNOW3

XEROX - XIF 5.0, 6.0

XIF

XIF Graphics (Interpress)

XIFG

Xwindows PixMap XPM

XPM

XyWrite for Windows

XYW

XyWrite IV

XY4

XyWrite III Plus

XYP

XyWrite III

XY3


Edward Mendelson (edward [dot] mendelson [at] columbia [dot] edu)