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libwps is a Microsoft Works DOS/Windows's file format import filter based on top of librevenge, used in several word processors. Currently, libwps can import all word processing Microsoft Works formats since about 1995 and some spreadsheets.

How to use as an end-user:

This project produces a library (for programmers) and a console-based document converter, so most people should wait a while until libwps is integrated into a word processor, such as LibreOffice, Abiword, or Calligra. However, brave or impatient souls can check out git, compile it, and use the wps2html or wps2odt program.

How to contribute as a non-developer:

For regression testing of existing import libraries, we need sample documents. So if you own a copy of Microsoft Works, Microsoft Write, Microsoft Word for DOS, Lotus or QuattroPro documents which can be freely shared (see Document Liberation or Creative Common License), feel free to contact us.

Developers:

( see https://sourceforge.net/p/libwps/wiki/Developers/)

Recognized formats:

• Microsoft Works files:
  • Word Processing v1-v2000: retrieve almost all content (except some pictures and some DOS's character encoding),
  • Word Processing v5-8: retrieve almost all content,
  • Spreadsheet v1-v2000: may retrieve cell's content with cell's format
  • Database v1-v2000: may retrieve the main database's content but not the filters, frames, reports, ...
• Microsoft Write files: retrieve all content
• Microsoft Word for DOS files: retrieves all content. Style information, page numbers, line numbers are not recovered.
• Pocket Word files: basic filter: may retrieve the text and maybe some pictures.
• XYWrite v2 and v4 files: retrieve almost all content; may also convert v1 and v3 files, ...
• Lotus Wk1-Wk4 and 123 files: retrieve cell's content with cell's format and some graphics.
• Microsoft Multiplan DOS v1-v3 files: retrieve cell's content.
• Quattro Pro Wq1-Wq2, Wb1-Wb3 files: retrieve cell's content with cell's format and some graphics.
• Quattro Pro qpw (v9) files: retrieve cell's content with cell's format and some graphics. This filter probably also works for some newest version of qwp files.

Online conversion:

Using Emscripten (see http://kripken.github.io/emscripten-site/ ) and FileSaver (see https://github.com/eligrey/FileSaver.js/ ), I try to create a basic conversion tool which

• asks for a Microsoft Works, Microsoft Write, ... input file,
• tries to convert it in a ods/odt file,
• and finally opens a dialog to save the result or choose an application to open the result,

in http://libwps.sourceforge.net/convertWPS.html

** Notes:**

• as the javascript's file created by Emscripten is not small (~2MB), it is better to have a good bandwidth to test/use it,
• converting big files can take several minutes,
• this version was updated in 6/13/2018,
• if you use Safari, after converting the original file, Safari may save the resulting ods/odt file in the download repository using Unknown, Unknow-1, ... as filename ; then you must be able to open this file with LibreOffice, OpenOffice, ... :-~

Project Admins:

• Tomáš Chvátal
• Fridrich Strba
• Sean Young
• Andrew Ziem
• David Tardon
• alonso laurent

[David Tardon]

"Do you own a copy of Works or any Works documents, or Microsoft Write documents? I'm looking for a set of specially designed reference documents from certain versions of Works (see notes)."

It seems that the notes have been lost :-(

[alonso laurent]

The html page, which contained this note, was outdated, ie. it was not updated since 2006 :-~ So I try to rewrite this paragraph...