minor font incompatibility between MS Office and OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice Thread poster: Eyob Fitwi
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Eyob Fitwi 
Ethiopia
Local time: 13:03
English to Amharic
+ ...
I like LibreOffice (the successor of OpenOffice.org) and would prefer to work with it over MS Office anytime. However, I've come across a font compatibility problem.
There is no problem when I type in English, but there is when in Amharic. When I type Amharic in LibreOffice and save it in .doc format, MS Word would display the text but I'll have problems manipulating the Regulay, Bold, Italic and BoldItalic. Vice versa, however, any text written in MS Word will be edited normally in... See more I like LibreOffice (the successor of OpenOffice.org) and would prefer to work with it over MS Office anytime. However, I've come across a font compatibility problem.
There is no problem when I type in English, but there is when in Amharic. When I type Amharic in LibreOffice and save it in .doc format, MS Word would display the text but I'll have problems manipulating the Regulay, Bold, Italic and BoldItalic. Vice versa, however, any text written in MS Word will be edited normally in LibreOffice. The inconvenience I face here is that, as you know, most users use MS Word, and they may face problems editing what I wrote in LibreOffice.
Someone told me its because current Amharic fonts are constructed only in Regular mode and the Bold, Italic and BoldItalic are effected through 'software forcing'. (This shows MS Office' lesser capacity, but its monopoly doesn't help much).
My question is, is there a way I can go around this minor but consequential (since it forces me to either use MS Word for typing Amharic or go through a process of copying all the text into a text file and copying them again into MS Word with all formatting lost) problem? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Eyob Fitwi
Ethiopia
Local time: 13:03
English to Amharic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | minor font incompatibility between MS Office and OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice | Apr 4, 2011 |
Hey, I would really appreciate if someone would help me with this problem.
| | | | | LibreOffice, OpenOffice, MS Office | Apr 4, 2011 |
Eyob,
I saw your posting a few days ago; since I am also a regular user of OpenOffice from its very beginning, in some way I might be competent to reply to you. My knowledge ranges up to OOo only, as well as up to MS Office.
Several issues:
- doc format? What happens with rtf in LibreOffice? Can you "sell" it as a format to your clients?
- doc format is not fully supported in OOo. The need for full support is already subset by newer formats.... See more Eyob,
I saw your posting a few days ago; since I am also a regular user of OpenOffice from its very beginning, in some way I might be competent to reply to you. My knowledge ranges up to OOo only, as well as up to MS Office.
Several issues:
- doc format? What happens with rtf in LibreOffice? Can you "sell" it as a format to your clients?
- doc format is not fully supported in OOo. The need for full support is already subset by newer formats.
- the rule for a translator would be not to fiddle too much with conversions to and from, from and to. So, this rule implies some discipline, which is costly, i.e. expensive. In my case, it costs me MS Office on Mac, and MS Office on PC. All that, besides my dear OOo, with its limitations.
- Could you stay within MS Word only, and why not?
- Can you suggest odt format to clients?
- In case you have MS Word only, it can be an economic, reliable solution.
- The cost of purchase of some extra software, like MS Word of newest generation, or MS Office, can be partially overcome with use of other open applications. Did you try working in Linux under OOo or LibreOffice?
- Open (free) CAT like OmegaT, can help you much in compensation of purchasing costs for the remaining software.
Meanwhile, some discipline with word editors is really necessary, in order to furnish a correct translation to clients.
Have success with any of this, or in any other way, Dragomir
Eyob Fitwi wrote:
I like LibreOffice (the successor of OpenOffice.org) and would prefer to work with it over MS Office anytime. However, I've come across a font compatibility problem.
There is no problem when I type in English, but there is when in Amharic. When I type Amharic in LibreOffice and save it in .doc format, MS Word would display the text but I'll have problems manipulating the Regulay, Bold, Italic and BoldItalic. Vice versa, however, any text written in MS Word will be edited normally in LibreOffice. The inconvenience I face here is that, as you know, most users use MS Word, and they may face problems editing what I wrote in LibreOffice.
Someone told me its because current Amharic fonts are constructed only in Regular mode and the Bold, Italic and BoldItalic are effected through 'software forcing'. (This shows MS Office' lesser capacity, but its monopoly doesn't help much).
My question is, is there a way I can go around this minor but consequential (since it forces me to either use MS Word for typing Amharic or go through a process of copying all the text into a text file and copying them again into MS Word with all formatting lost) problem? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Eyob Fitwi
Ethiopia
Local time: 13:03
English to Amharic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | it appears i have limited options | Apr 5, 2011 |
rtf format; that sounds like the best alternative so far, though i'll have to check out the font issues first.
I could stay with MS Word but i pretty much prefer libreoffice. i like its simplicity and handy features.
anyway, i'll try out these suggestions. thanks for ur reply.
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Eyob Fitwi
Ethiopia
Local time: 13:03
English to Amharic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Seems there is a solution | Apr 6, 2011 |
It looks like working with either rtf or docx will overcome the incompatible font issue. All i have to do is ask them to accept either format, which i don't think will be that difficult.
Good point about not fiddling too much with conversions, though the fonts can be so problematic that i'm usually asked to submit a pdf format.
Thanks a lot!
| | | | | very good, Eyob, but | Apr 7, 2011 |
very good, Eyob, but pay attention to a fact that docx format is not so well supported in LibreOffice or OpenOffice. It is a proprietary MS format. So, if you jump into a newest kind of format, like this one and other from its group (MS Open XML, then you are obliged to move within MS Office, and your clients as well, in order to see complex docx files correctly.
Since rtf format is widelly used in IT world, in order not to push too much onto your clients' softwares, better suggest ... See more very good, Eyob, but pay attention to a fact that docx format is not so well supported in LibreOffice or OpenOffice. It is a proprietary MS format. So, if you jump into a newest kind of format, like this one and other from its group (MS Open XML, then you are obliged to move within MS Office, and your clients as well, in order to see complex docx files correctly.
Since rtf format is widelly used in IT world, in order not to push too much onto your clients' softwares, better suggest usage of it (rtf).
However, a good thing is presenting translation in PDF, as you do often. In LibreOfice/OpenOffice choose PDF/A-1a format, and check well other options.
Best regards, Dragomir
Eyob Fitwi wrote:
It looks like working with either rtf or docx will overcome the incompatible font issue. All i have to do is ask them to accept either format, which i don't think will be that difficult.
Good point about not fiddling too much with conversions, though the fonts can be so problematic that i'm usually asked to submit a pdf format.
Thanks a lot! ▲ Collapse
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