Over the time I've had my Microsoft Works page on the web, I've been asked questions by other Works users who have seen my page and figure that I'm some sort of a Works expert. I don't know if that's true, but I'm presenting the questions and the answers I gave.

Note: this page is not affiliated with the Microsoft Corporation or the Microsoft Works Web site any more than I am as a Works user. There's a lot of Works information to be found at the "official" Micrososft Works Web Site.

Also Note: these questions pertain to MS Works for Windows, unless otherwise noted.

• General Works FAQs
• Macintosh-specific FAQs
• Word Processor FAQs
• Spread Sheet FAQs
• Database FAQs

General Works FAQs

share.exe: I am trying to use some files that were created in works 3.0. I tried loading my works disc but it says I need share.exe. I looked in "find files" and was not able to locate it. I did not see it. Can you help?
Bruce, [email protected]

Yes, I can. share.exe was a program in DOS the allowed multiple programs to have the same file open; it wasn't used much in DOS, but was pretty well necessary under Windows 3.1. Since it was so important, Microsoft has Works 3.0 check to make sure it's there. The thing is, the functionality that was provided by share.exe under Win 3.1 is now provided by Win 9xautomatically, so Works doesn't really need to have the share.exe file. All it needs is a share.exe file. What you do is fire up notepad, or some other text editor, and save a blank file in your windows directory (usually C:\Windows) called share.exe. Works will be happy, because it will be able to find the share.exe file, even though it really doesn't need it.

Please see my laudations page for Bruce's response to my answer.

First off, no, I can't send you a copy. Microsoft Works, even the early versions, is a commercial piece of software, not freeware or shareware. If you want a copy of the software, you'll have to buy it. Having said that, no, I don't have any copies to sell. If I do ever run across an old version for fairly cheap, I might pick it up and offer it for sale here.

As for where you can find a copy to purchase now, your best bet for an old version is a software reseller that stocks old or used software, or an online auction site such as eBay! To search for Microsoft Works on eBay!, click the button below

The latest version can be purchased either from a reseller or directly from Microsoft

Which version of Works can import/export the X file format?

For more information about which file formats are supported by the various versions of Works, go to Marc Zimmerman's Works FAQ and follow the "File Compatibility" link.

What are the various version of Microsoft Works?

The following are the version of Microsoft Works that I know about, sorted by operating system.

DOS	1.05	2.0	3.0/3.0a/3.0b
Windows 3.1		2.0	3.0
Windows 9x/NT/ ME/2000/XP				4.0/4.5/4.5a/ 95/99	5.0/2000	6.0/2001/2002	7.0/2003
Macintosh		2.0	3.0	4.0

If you know of the existance of another version not listed here, please let me know.

I need to uninstall Works 2000. I did the Add/Remove Programs thing, but it still doesn't seem to be completely uninstalled.

Apparently, you're not the only one. Microsoft addresses the issue with this Knowledge Base article.

(Note: this also applies to other applications besides Microsoft Office. Many other programs can access data from Microsoft Works files if you use an intermediate file format, as described below.)

The simple answer to this is yes. Sometimes, depending on the versions of Office and Works with which you are dealing, Microsoft has file conversion filters available that will allow the Office apps to read Works files, or Works to read Office files; if these exist for your situation, they can be downloaded from Microsoft's web site. Most of the time, though, especially if you are "upgrading" from an older version of Works to one of the newer versions of Office (2000 or XP), you have to use an intermediate file format to move between the Office suite and Works.

To use an intermediate file format to go from Works to Office, you need to open the file in Works, do a "Save As" to specify a file format other than the native Works format, then open up the new file in Office. To go from Office to Works, you open the file in Office and do a "Save As" to specify a different file format, and then open up the new file in Works.

The table below outlines the best choices you have for intermediate file formats for compatability with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works.

Office App
Works App		Word	Excel	Access
	WP	Rich Text Format (RTF); should preserve most formatting; images might not make it)
	SS		tab-delimited ("Text & Tabs") or comma-delimited ("Text & Commas", .CSV); will only transfer data; formulas will be lost NOTE: Works 6.0 uses the Excel file format, so no intermediate format is needed in that case.
	DB			tab-delimited ("Text & Tabs") or comma-delimited ("Text & Commas", .CSV); will only transfer data; formulas will be lost

Word Processor FAQs

I am trying to insert clipart or a picture into a word processing document WITH THE TEXT WRAPPING AROUND the clipart/picture. I can get the object into the document with no problem but can't get the text to wrap.
Tom Lively, [email protected]

The way to get text to wrap around a picture is kinda weird. When you place a picture in a document, select the object and go to the Format menu. The last line in the menu will be Picture/Object. Selecting that gives you a two-tabbed dialog box. Go to the Text Wrap tab.

There are two ways that text can be wrapped in Works, In-Line and Absolute. Having the text wrap set to Absolute allows the text to wrap all the way around the object, but the position of the object on the page is absolute. In other words, the measurements in the Position box are the exact location of where the object will be. So, what you have to do is play with the object's position with wrap set to Inline. Once you have the object in a spot where you think it will look right, change the wrapping to Absolute. The Position box will contain the measurements of the object that were determined by moving it around while wrapping was set to Inline. So, what you're doing is using Inline wrapping to get the numbers you need to position the object Absolute-ly on the page.

Remember the measurement in the Position box will not change, so the object will not move with the text around it, i.e. if you add something to the document before the object, the text will move down the document, but the object will stay in the same place.

I use Microsoft Works quite a bit for writing letters and such. Well, here recently my spacebar has been deleting letters instead of shifting them over. It is working like a forward backspace. I can also not go back and add words in a line or edit because when I type it types over what I have already written. If you know of anything that will help me please let me know.
Michael, [email protected]

Sounds like you've got overtyping turned on by mistake. I don't know what version of Works you're using, but in 3.0 for Windows, under Tools,Options in the Word Processor section you can turn on overtyping with a check box.

Here's an excerpt from the Help file that talks about overtyping:

... you can set Works to automatically replace the characters to the right of the insertion point with the new text you type, using the Overtype option.

So, if you're not using 3.0 for Windows, look up overtyping in Help and see if that's it.

Spread Sheet FAQs

I have a friend who finds that when trying to start a new s/sheet file, it always loads a template, even tho that function has not been selected. I've even deleted Works & reloaded it again, but it still does it...Any ideas?
Adrian Wallace, [email protected]

First of all, make absolutely sure that all of the SS templates have the "Use this template for all new spreadsheet documents" box un-checked. You might also want to look in the msworks.ini file ( in the Windows directory ). Look in the

[Template Section]

section for a line that says something like

DefaultSS=12;818;0

( this is actually the line that is set when the Sales Invoice template is set to be the default SS; the numbers will change for the different SS templates ). Removing any lines that look like that will cause a blank SS to come up when you start a new one.

Adrian later sent the following:

Hi Mike, thanks for the tips, I looked deeper into it & found a template auto load option set. So, well done!

Database FAQs

In a Works data base I want:

Field A - Field B = Field C, if Field B = 0, Field C = 0.

I cannot escape from Field A - Field B (if B is blank) =Field A.

Apparently Works abhors a vacuum and treats blank cells as a 0.
Jerry Allinger, [email protected]

You didn't say which version of Works you're using, but in Works 3.0 for Windows, the online help says that the format for an IF function call is

=IF(Condition,ValueIfTrue,ValueIfFalse)

So, I think you can accomplish what you want by sort of twisting your thinking and put the following in C

=IF(B=0,0,A-B)

This is a known bug in almost every version of Works. See this Microsoft knowledge base article to work around it:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q136320

Works Templates
Works FAQ
Works Web Utils
Books about Works
Works Links
Web Site Help
My Works Home

Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Works, their logos and likenesses are copyrighted by and trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. Any other trademarks/logos/likenesses `re property of their respective owners.