In the days of ActiveSync (which means before I upgraded to Vista), I could connect my mobile device to my laptop, and copy files across from one device to another. This hasn’t changed.
But ActiveSync didn’t just COPY the files. It would CONVERT them as well (something WMDC doesn’t do). ActiveSync would convert Pocket Word files to/from .doc files (a problem Nick Randolph has faced too), Pocket Excel files to/from .xls, and also tag PDF files so that my mobile device could view them in Reflow mode.
Like the Pocket Office formats (which are must more compact than the Office 2000 equivalents), Reflow mode is just so useful – but without the ability to tag the file, it makes reading PDFs on my mobile device a thing of the past.
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you are completely right. It is driving me mad. I upgraded to vista and now can no longer read my notes.
It is a serious problem that vista have no right to have created!!
If I knew about this when I went to buy a replacement PC, I would have avoided Vista like the plague and stayed with XP. Now I can only advise as many people who have PDAs NOT to touch Vista.
I just ‘upgraded’ to a VISTA PC. I am appalled at the absence of file conversion from Windows Mobile files to Word and Excel. Is there a third party conversion program?
I just ran into this problem.
I was only just told about the ability to use the conversion option (i’ve just been dragging and dropping to the SD memory card.)
Spewing that now I am on vista I cant do it.
I thought this was supposed to be an ‘upgrade’ rather than a downgrade.
I’m guessing a year on we are no further forward with this?
Yeah, unfortunately it’s not something I’ve ever heard a solution for.
I am at a loss why Microsoft keeps taking us users for a ride. I have always taken files from my PDA to laptop without any problems reading them on the latter. Not so anymore, since I installed WMDC, I have been unable to use files that I prepare on my WM 6.0 smartphone on the laptop. If ActiveSync could convert the files on the fly why can’t Windows Mobile Device Centre with its ‘ fancy name’ do the same thing?
Sorry Yomi – I’m at a loss as well. I still haven’t heard an answer for this.
Well here I am reading the original posted thread back in June 2007 – its now July 2009 and I’m still having the same problem!
Just got a new Vista laptop – and cannot open ‘Word’ documents created on my PDA – on my Laptop – as the ‘new’ Vista WDMC which has replaced the ‘old’ XP Active Sync – does not allow for conversion from the PDA Word – to the PC Word – UNBELIEVABLE!! What exactly were the Vista developers thinking when given the mission of creating a new and improved OS – “I know .. we’ll just DROP some features” !?
I am considering changing my operating system on my NEW Vista bundled notebook back to XP!!!
Anyone have any thoughts on SYMBION operating systems? or 3rd party sync software to overcome this problem!!?
While I’m complaining – the new WMDC also does not allow you to click on ‘connect’ or ‘synchronize’ like the old active sync did!! I just end up waiting and waiting until it feels like doing its thing which takes many minutes after connecting. There is also no way of viewing SMS’s through the viewer. The list goes on!