Conversions Plus (Version 6.0) by DataViz, Inc.

(Reviewed by Fred Sabin, President, NJCC)

I get a lot of data files, especially e-mail attachments, that can’t be opened or read when I click on them. There are usually three reasons for this. First, the file may be in a program format that I don’t have on my computer (as a WordPerfect document when I only have Microsoft Word). Secondly, the file may be from a newer version of a program that I do have on my computer (as a MS Word 2000 document when I have MS Word ’95), but won’t open on my older version. Third, the file may be a Mac file (or on a Macintosh disk) when I have an IBM PC with a Windows operating system.

Prior to using “Conversions Plus” I would therefore do the following:

1. First, I would try to “import” the file directly into a program I already had on my computer. This meant that I had to know the type of the file (word processing, spreadsheet, database, graphic, etc.) AND my program had to have a built in converter for it. Unfortunately, older software programs usually can not import/convert newer formats AND the “converted” program is often significantly changed from the original (typeface, bold, italics, underline, etc.). Thus, I could import/convert an older WordPerfect Version 5.1 document into my Microsoft Word ’95 program (with formatting changes), BUT could not import a newer WordPerfect Version 7.0, 8.0 or 9.0 document.

2. Second, if I could determine what format the program was in (as Microsoft Word ’97) I could often download a “free viewer” for that format only. This would allow me to view and print the file, BUT NOT modify it. I might then be able to “cut and paste” into my program, or scan (and OCR read) the printed document into my program. This was very time consuming; the results were never as good as the original; and my computer was getting filled with “viewers”.

3. Finally, I would “copy” the file as a “text” file and view it in a word processing program (as Word or WordPad). This would usually show unformatted text inside a lot of “garbage” (the file program formatting language). This often let me determine the general content of the file (and often the file source), but it wasn’t usually worth much else.

“Conversions Plus” from DataViz, Inc. (http://www.dataviz.com/) eliminates all of this. It quickly and directly opens files from most currently popular programs (including most program versions) in both PC and Mac formats, and will allow you to view, print and convert the file. It gives you a lot of info on the file (including the program and version used to create it), and offers many options for converting or transferring the file directly into another file format you can use with no (or minimal) loss of formatting.

Typical formats supported include MS Word (2.0 to 2000); MS Works (2.0 to 4.5); WordPerfect (5.x to 9.0); Excel (4.0 to 2000); Lotus 1-2-3 (WKS to Millennium); Quattro Pro (1.0 to 9.0); dBase (II to IV); FoxPro; and many more (see http://www.dataviz.com/ for a full listing). The program supports graphic formats for EPS, GIF, JPEG, PICT, PCX, TIFF, BMP, WMF, and WPG; compression support for Zip, Z, Gzip, and TAR; and encoding support for Binhex, MacBinary, MIME, and uuEncode.

System requirements include Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0 or 2000; and 20 MB of hard disk space. Installation from the CD took less than 5 minutes, and everything worked after rebooting my computer. The program boots from a desktop icon or the “Start > Programs” menu, and comes with a 56 page “User’s Guide” and program “Help” menu (although neither are needed).

Pricing:  The list price is $69.95, but NJCC members may purchase Conversions Plus for $59.95 (go to the “members only password restricted” section of our web page for details). Upgrades cost $39.95.

    DataViz, Inc. has been an APCUG (The Association of Personal Computer User Groups) sponsor, and supports user group activities (such as our NJCC). If you want any additional information you may call me at my home at 732-469-3843.