i was a tad put out when i initially couldn't find a decent solution for reading .doc files under os2008 due to repository problems, lack of available clients, etc. (i do like using docreader under os2007)

(converting and then transferring the files to my n800 was another easy solution, but i like being able to download a file and then convert on my n800)

fortunately, for me, it was a simple fix thanks to antiword's author, Adri van Os... antiword compiles and builds quickly and cleanly under maemo's chinook SDK with no errors whatsoever... (the SDK was installed by running three command lines on my x86 Ubuntu notebook, and now that i see how easy it is to use, i'll probably be playing with it some more in the upcoming months)...

after building, i copied the requisite .antiword directory under /home/user, then added the antiword program to my /home/user/apps directory...

i then created a short .desktop file under /usr/share/applications/hildon, naming the menu entry Extras->Doc Convert, which points to a script named msdocconvert.sh under /home/user/apps

my simple-minded script uses antiword to loop through and convert any found .doc files under MyDocs to .txt format (although .pdf may also be created)... i prefer .txt format for my use (files are roughly 40 percent smaller than .doc or .pdf), although antiword does a *very* nice job at PDF creation for many of my documents...

here's the script (i'm sure someone can shorten it even more):

#!bin/sh
# msdocconvert.sh
# convert all *.doc files in /home/user/MyDocs to .txt
# does not delete original .doc files
cd /home/user/MyDocs
for file in *.doc
do
/home/user/apps/antiword $file >$file.new
mv $file.new $file.txt
done
# now rename foo.doc.txt to foo.txt
for file in *txt
do
mv $file ${file%doc.*}txt
done

- have a happy!

p.s. here's the antiword home page

antiword 0.37 package for os 2008:
http://www.debernardis.it/n800/antiword-0.37_chinook_0.1.armel.deb
Works from commandline of course.

very good! definitely makes life easier for folks...

tks!

There is still an error in my deb: the /home/user/.antiword directory should be owned by user:users instead that root:root. I'll correct tomorrow; one can chown it also now if he likes.

EDIT: now should be good. Please test and let me know.

You probably already know it works fine. I downloaded your antiword, and then downloaded docreader for OS2008 (https://garage.maemo.org/projects/docreader/), and opening MS Word files seems to work great. Thanks!

(I just noticed elsewhere people are asking about just how effective antiword is with graphics, so I should mention that my .doc was pretty simple, some titles and some italics and some right-margin justifications, but that's about it.)

Well that does not help for .doc files containing graphics, tables and so on. Maybe abiword will be stable enough soon to open .doc files. Another solution I am currently trying out is to use Basilisk II and WordPerfect 3.5e or MS Word 5.1. Maybe there is a possibility to open .doc files in these applications. Has anyone succesfully done that?

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Just install easy debian and use openoffice. Then you'll be able to open any ms office file.