Removed !! Softmaker Office 2008 25MBpet cutdown english

[charlie6]

Hi,

Is a database app included?

have quickly tested Softmaker-french:
(thanks esmourguit for the french 25MB pet ! given on the french Puppy=Toutou's forum )
textmaker includes a database (click on "complement" in the menubar): it can create, modify or associate an existing database. It can read .dbf files
(I could import a database exported from MS Works in .dbf format (except that accentuated characters are not recognized...): very usefull and fast to perform mail merging.

Cheers
Charlie

[Frank Cox]

How hard is it to make a pet from the program I downloaded from their site?
I have used nlight to re master windows, is it all that much different?

[pemasu]

Not difficult at all. I used dir2sfs to make it sfs. It works ok. It is even on my menu under jwm. Dir2pet should make pet as easily. Not used it myself because I try make apps easily installable and uninstallable sfs. But process should be as easy.

I am sure someone can give you more info howto use dir2pet. Or use search dir2pet.

[davec51]

I like Textmaker, too, but when I try to format and use its envelope facility, the font comes out at 24-point or larger no matter what I do. Most of the text is off the envelope. I asked for help on their forum, but I have not had a reply for five days.
Does anyone here have a solution?

[Frank Cox]

Hi

I don't have a printer compatible with Linux yet to test it tonight but there is an A above that sender and recipient fields that is suppose to let you change the fonts. It does not seem to though. As soon as you unclick the window it says 10p..

[John_C]

OK.. I was one of those who was only able to download less than 4mb of the pet for Softmaker Office Suite.


What is the best way to install Softmaker's version (linux from their web site) in Puppy?
It's pretty easy to see I want a way of avoiding the work of changing it into a pet install. Yes I have a License.

[rameshiyer]

Installation of Softmaker Office 2008 (Pet file) is very simple. However, I have a problem of printing. I have installed Network Printer Toshiba eStudio452. But the same is not listing in Textmaker (softmaker office 2008). Whereas, the my printer is available in Open Office and Browser etc and other applications.

[John_C]

Well the problem is the "pet" file I downloaded is no good....

I have a License but I'm not sure which download to get from Softmaker, or how best to install it in Puppy. SoftMaker doesn't have a download that is just for Puppy. I have installed previous versions in other Distros though.

OK call me lazy but I don't want to make a pet install myself..

[MrToad]

John_C,

Two weeks ago I downloaded the generic ("Other LInuxes") softmaker-office-2008.tgz file from the SoftMaker website, clicked it, which brought up Puppy's Xarchiver program, selected all files within it (there were just just two - an installer file called installsmoffice and a big office.tgz), extracted them, and clicked on the installer file. It all went astonishingly easily, which alarmed me as I felt sure it couldn't be this simple!

I've been using SO since, and have had no problems. This is in Puppy 4.21.

Hope this helps.

MrToad

[John_C]

Thank you MrToad -- that's a big help. This shouldn't be too difficult, even for an old guy.

Would be nice if SoftMaker would just put a Puppy Pet on their download site though.... I did ask about this a while back and got a somewhat generic reply.

[vovchik]

Dear Puppians,

Softmaker have a Linux beta Office2010 package ready. The word processor handles docx nicely, and is very, very fast. I say this because I am a beta tester. I have run it successfully in 3.01 and 4.10 (jaunty). The installation archive is 138 MB - but this could certainly be cut down for any future Puppy. I am impressed.

With kind regards,
vovchik

[Frank Cox]

As soon as I am at a high speed line I will download 2010 and see how far I can trim it without losing function.

[Frank Cox]

Downloaded the tgz file,made a copy to work on, opened it with archive manager in Ubuntu and trimmed all the locals. Went from 137 mgs to 56 !

Works great so far. I was disappointed the beta test only lasts a month.
I was hoping they would give the beta testers a copy. Maybe they still will.

For the fellow who did not get the pet download the tgz file, open it with puppies archive program and remove all the languages you don;y need. I left the Spanish dictionary and all the English files [save the UK En} and it worked fine. Be careful when you close the program to click on the button that says to update! You should be able to open it in terminal and then the install is automatic. It put the buttons in the Office menu on Ubuntu. The pet put them in the Puppy menu but you need to ask someone more capable than me if the normal install program will do the same in Puppy .

I may just live with 2008 in Puppy until I find out if they are going to cut the beta testers a deal.

[Colonel Panic]

Is this still active? I thought the free download ended on New Year's Eve.

[Frank Cox]

Is this still active? I thought the free download ended on New Year's Eve.

As for now some of those who downloaded a key were given an opportunity to beta test the 2010 version.

We hope the 2008 version goes GPL . If you have no key it is over for now.

Never know though, you could write them an e-mail and ask if they would make an exception, all they can do is say no.

The 2008 pet I downloaded was 59 mg , it still had all the locals, when I build my new puppy I will cut it down as well.

[Colonel Panic]

Is this still active? I thought the free download ended on New Year's Eve.

As for now some of those who downloaded a key were given an opportunity to beta test the 2010 version.

We hope the 2008 version goes GPL . If you have no key it is over for know.

Never know though, you could write them an e-mail and ask if they would make an exception, all they can do is say no.

The 2008 pet I downloaded was 59 mg , it still had all the locals, when I build my new puppy I will cut it down as well.

Yeah, I need something better than Abiword for opening Word documents with as it crashed and burned with an application form recently.

My guess is that Softmaker would say no if I asked, they presumably rely on the income from their suite to stay in business.

[Frank Cox]

Yeah, I need something better than Abiword for opening Word documents with as it crashed and burned with an application form recently.

My guess is that Softmaker would say no if I asked, they presumably rely on the income from their suite to stay in business.

Again, all they can say is yes or no. They rely on windows users for their income, Linux is a tiny fraction of the market so I would try if I was you.

They might let you try it for a month and then offer you a very low price, the only reason they gave it away at all was for advertising their 2010 version. If they give you a 2008 version there is a chance you will buy the 2010 and if not what have they lost?

You would be amazed at the things I have gotten , not just software , from lots of companies just by asking.

The other alternative is open office. If you have enough ram it will run fine and if you get the sfs file for it you don't have to boot it every time.


[/quote]

[Colonel Panic]

Thanks, I'll consider it. I've got Open Office 3.1 but it's quite big and unwieldy so a smaller suite which opens Word documents properly would be a great asset to have.

[Tui]

Yes I took this Softmaker package for a test using a layout
that I have used in the MS 2003 office package which included a
a jpeg pix I had no problem in it's use and on finishing I saved it in
the dot.doc format and sent it off too an MS Windows machine that I use for client support which has the MS Office suite.

On reading this doc file, the text came out as a different font and
all out of alignment. - So I have to conclude that it's not a prog
that one could use in the everyday business via electronic exchange
of information.

I would like to see if the prog Open Office gave the same or similar
results.

As for using the spreadsheet prog and saving as a dot xl would it have same result ?

Your comments please

Thank you Tui

[Frank Cox]

Hi Tui:

So far I have not had a problem with that . There are several possibilities. It may be that when the pet file was created that particular font was eliminated and it is also possible you did not save it in the proper format. It may be it needs to be added.

The program will save in word 97-2000,2003 , 6/95.and 2007 formats..
Did you try all of them?

I had trouble with the pet, one of them I downloaded was almost 60 mgs, the other only 4 so I downloaded the tarball tgz and cut it down to 34 mb.
So far no worries. I would try saving it in the different formats and if that does not work download the tarball. Open it with pupzip and be sure to to work off a copy . Delete all the language files you know you will not use and if you are absolutely sure the fonts as well.
When you are through deleting close the file and be absolutely sure you tell it to update itself, it will ask you.
I left Spanish and English and 95% of the fonts and ended up with 34 megs.

To install extract both files to a temporary folder and click on the tarball, the file that says install just leave alone. It will tell you the file installed and it is listed in Utility in the Menu bar at the lower left of the desktop. You won't find it there but you will find near the bottom of the list a button that says-Gexec-execute a command. Type in Textmaker and it will bring up the screen for your name,e-mail , and install key.
Once you give it that information it will automatically ad a button to menu/document for Textmaker , graphics,SoftMaker Presentations and
business ,PlanMaker.

The icons for the desktop are in share/icons I think. I used a pic from one of their ads and replaced Abiword as default write.

If the file is not confidential post it on the softmaker forum or here and maybe someone can find a work around.

Hope this helps.