Saving as .docx with TM 2016 and saving as .docx with TM 2018. What is the difference?

[ecbritz]

I read the following at the Softmaker blog: "SoftMaker Office 2018 sets new standards in terms of compatibility: The modern Microsoft formats DOCX, XLSX and PPTX are now natively supported, i.e. you can now share your files with Microsoft Office users without any conversion."

It is possible to save documents to the .docx format with TM 2016 -- by default if one prefers that. What is the difference between a .docx file saved with TM 2016 and a similar .docx file saved "natively" with TM 2018?

The matter is no deal breaker for me. I would simply like to understand the phrases typed in bold & underlined above. No "conversion" was necessary when I produced .docx files with TM 2016.

[martin-k]

The DOCX/XLSX/PPTX filters in SoftMaker Office 2018 have been greatly improved, so that we can confidently say that they provide high-fidelity reading and writing of such files. So much that we have given up on our own file formats .tmd and .prd (for PlanMaker, we made the switch from .pmd to .pmdx already with SoftMaker Office 2016).

The .tmdx, .prdx and .pmdx files are (slight) supersets of .docx, .pptx and .xlsx, respectively.

Yes, setting the default file format in TextMaker 2016 has the same effect as using .docx by default in TextMaker 2018, but the results in TextMaker 2018 are vastly better.

[ecbritz]

Thanks! Das ist vielleicht die wichtigste Verbesserung in SM 2018.

[Jossi]

Just to make it quite clear for the slow ones (like me ):
When I save as *.tmdx, I get a *.docx supporting the (few) additional features only TextMaker has.
So, if I'm sure my document will stay within the SoftMaker realm, I'm better off with *.tmdx. Otherwise, *.docx is the format of choice.
Right?

[ecbritz]

Yes, that is how I understand it too, more or less . If you save as .docx with TM 2018, only those formatting features compatible with MS Word are saved -- or something to the effect. Whatever improves compatibility with MS Word sounds like a real improvement.

Where do I find the "Compatibility Assistant" touted in the Softmaker blog? I have been searching the TM 2018 menu's for the Compatibility Assistant, but no luck. With this assistant one can make quite sure that all of your files will by compatible with MS Office.

[Jossi]

Where do I find the "Compatibility Assistant" touted in the Softmaker blog? I have been searching the TM 2018 menu's for the Compatibility Assistant, but no luck. With this assistant one can make quite sure that all of your files will by compatible with MS Office.

It's quite well hidden: File > Properties..., tab "View", button "Compatibility...".

Edit: Sorry, I misunderstood your question. The "Compatibility assistant" dialogue box you referred to is only shown during installation (or when saving a document for the very first time – I'm not quite sure about this). To change the default file format afterwards, go to Tools > Options..., tab "Files" (as announced at the end of the box). There is a list box "Default file format" (with even more options).

[vikingson]

Am I correct in thinking that if I use the default .tmdx file format it can only be read and opened by Textmaker? For instance, if I uploaded and tried to open that file in Google docs it would be unreadable by Google Docs?

[ecbritz]

I can't speak for Google Docs but theoretically you are correct in your assumption. The advantages of using the Softmaker formats are so small that I won't use those formats myself.

[martin-k]

Am I correct in thinking that if I use the default .tmdx file format it can only be read and opened by Textmaker? For instance, if I uploaded and tried to open that file in Google docs it would be unreadable by Google Docs?

Correct. Google Docs does not recognize .tmdx, .pmdx or .prdx files. You can just upload them as files to Google Drive, but you wouldn't be able to edit them online.

[vikingson]

Thanks guys!
I suppose there must be some advantage to Softmaker having its own file format, but I'm wary of that idea and being stuck with a file that could potentially be impossible to open. One reason I really like the open file formats. Nevertheless, really loving Softmaker and especially Textmaker.