Ananda Sim's dashboard

Ananda Sim replied on October 06, 2008 03:48 to the problem "Saving to .xls in Excel 2007 increases the file size by 5x" in Microsoft Corporation:

Ok, so we have identified the cause of the bloat. Excel 2007 is adding metadata and data from the enhanced formatting functions and this data is probably XML not binary (which the original Excel BIFF format was).

Simply, someone or Microsoft could develop a more efficient stripper for the down-rev files - Word files saved as HTML are pretty much yecch! because there are all kinds of mso formatting and metadata - eventually after several years, Microsoft designed a HTML save that stripped nearly everything and so did third parties.

Maybe the Excel MVPs
http://www.exceluser.com/explore/link...

will have something cooking. You could ask whether anyone has a project going:

http://groups.google.com/group/micros...

Ananda Sim replied on October 05, 2008 23:11 to the discussion "Excel Hang Up" in Microsoft Corporation:

I run several "toys" like Office Live Save Dialog extensions. These extensions can interfere with simple file saving and pause a quick file save. Virus checkers can also interpose. You might try an Office Repair or examine your system for virus checker or anti-malware actions, disable those for a shot time and see whether any effect.

Ananda Sim replied on October 05, 2008 23:09 to the question "What is themeManager.xml ?" in Microsoft Corporation:

Maybe this MSDN article will help:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libra...

Ananda Sim replied on October 05, 2008 23:04 to the problem "Saving to .xls in Excel 2007 increases the file size by 5x" in Microsoft Corporation:

I haven't tried it Saqib, but how about having a blank .xls file (could could a template) from Office 2003. Work with it in Office 2007 but stay away from the funky table formatting or any theme based formatting. Be careful to only use classic commands. Then save it and compare.

A comment on the problem "Saving to .xls in Excel 2007 increases the file size by 5x" in Microsoft Corporation:

The benefit is not to making your old .doc and your .xls even better. I bet MS didn't even put that on their agenda. The benefit is that the new .xlsx and .docx have more features. Think of it this way. You buy a new large wide, flatpanel TV. It won't fit on your dinky classic TV table. That's not the point - you need to get a new TV table.

Excel 2007 is a strong product. It uses all the CPUs in your dual core or quad core system (AFAIK). It supports heaps more rows and columns. It calculates faster. The table formatting also sneaks in table control of regions so that newbie users don't break their data by sorting one column without carrying the other columns. – Ananda Sim, on October 05, 2008 23:02

Ananda Sim replied on August 23, 2008 10:31 to the question "tab bar for Word 2007" in Microsoft Corporation:

The Tab Bar interface is way later than the original Office design. "Classic" Office used an MDI interface in Windows 3.x - each document was in a window within the big window for the main program. Then IE 3.0 came out and people asked "why not SDI?" So, Office programs started littering the Windows Task Bar with one panel per document. Frontpage started having a tab bar before Microsoft gave up on it. But it was easier to modify because it was a simpler program.

In the meantime, we've often used Ctrl+F6 to switch between documents. Another technique is to use the Switch Windows command - I was just training a class and introduced the idea that they could put the Switch Windows command in the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar).

I'll write up that tip soon on my Office blog

Ananda Sim replied on August 23, 2008 10:22 to the discussion "Excel Hang Up" in Microsoft Corporation:

Not sure why Dee. Could be anything. I have Office 2007 on two personal machines and in office as well. No hangs so far. Does it hang before it opens the File Save dialog or after?

Ananda Sim started following the discussion "Excel Hang Up" in Microsoft Corporation.

Ananda Sim started following the discussion "Excel Hang Up" in Microsoft Corporation.

Ananda Sim replied on August 23, 2008 10:20 to the idea "Excel 2007!!! I've been using it since it first came out - digging the million rows (really have only used up to 700k). Would be great to start discussion with other user on what they are finding useful." in Microsoft Corporation:

Hi LesliesMom,

I am an Office developer and trainer. I've just started an Office 2007 blog - it's designed as a resource for people I meet and to about things to muse over. Feel free to visit.

Regards
Ananda

Ananda Sim replied on August 23, 2008 10:16 to the problem "Saving to .xls in Excel 2007 increases the file size by 5x" in Microsoft Corporation:

Hmm. Thanks for the heads-up Saqib. Themes are an extension to Office "classic" - in Office 2007, the thrust is to allow a "consistent look" to all of Word, Excel, Powerpoint. They also had to support the classic features and data. So, they extended Office by creating themes - which is not easy - because Word, Excel and Powerpoint's roots are from those days when they were standalone programs, not designed to work as one. Obviously theme data must be stored somewhere.

I was testing Word document save as "classic" .doc vs docx. Docx appeared to be a smaller file as well. These xml format files are zipped - that explains why the actual file is small even though the original naked xml file may be bigger. The "classic" Office document datafiles were optimised for fast loading, not smallest size.

I've just started an Office 2007 blog - feel free to visit.