Application versions selection

[jb]

My OS is 9.1.

I have been using MS Word 5.1a and MS Excel 4.0. I just installed MS Office 2001. Now when I open an MS Word or Excel documents made with the previous versions, they open with the new 2001 versions, with the request if I want to save them as 2001 documents when I close them.

Well I would like my previous documents to open with their original versions without me having to open the previous app versions first.The reason for this is to allow me to continue using the old versions while I practice with the new 2001 versions until I am familiar with them. I don't know if I like the new versions,  as I find them to be not as user friendly and in fact quite cumbersome.

I also  find the 2001 versions to take a long time to open with my current setup, and I expected that. But until I get accustomed with the new versions I would like my old documents to open with the earlier versions, and of course when I make new documents with the new versions, I would expect them to open with the new versions.

Is it possible to use 2 versions of the same app, one for the old and one for the new?

jb

[kbeartx]

jb -

AFAIK, no.

Once you install a newer version of an application, it automatically becomes the default application that the OS calls when you double-click on a document of a particular type  (which is associated with that app).

Before the older Word or Excel docs are converted to the newer formats, it is still possible to 'manually' open them with the older apps.

A fairly easy way to do this is to place aliases of the older apps on the desktop and train yourself to drag the older files onto the older apps' aliases instead of double-clicking to open the files.

hope this helps,

 - kbeartx

[Thomas S. England]

As I understand it, you have both versions available, right? Using Os X, right?

So couldn't you do a Get Info on each document and then use "Open with" to specify which version you want to be used?

[tacit]

Get out of the habit of double-clicking on documents to open them. (Yes, I know, it's a hard habit to break!)

Put an alias of the old versions on your Desktop. When you want to open a document, do not double-click it. Instead, drag it onto the alias.

[jb]

Thanks kbeartx. And tacit, especially with a 2 button mouse with the right button set as a double click!

(Psst. Thomas, LOOK and read the first line of my first post. Gotcha!        )

jb
 
 [ 02-18-2003, 12:50 AM: Message edited by: jb ]