Author Topic: SoftMaker Office 2012 BETA testing (Read 96,315 times)

Curt · « **on:** August 17, 2011, 04:53 PM »

http://softmaker.com/english/blog/
http://softmaker.com/english/blog/?p=270

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The SoftMaker Blog
Thoughts and rants about SoftMaker Office

Posted in August 15, 2011 ¬ 5:52 pmh.admin

SoftMaker Office 2012 will be released this year. Right now, we are preparing the public beta test which will soon be announced.

To whet your appetite, we will be talking about the new features and improvements in SoftMaker Office 2012 in the coming weeks here at the SoftMaker Blog. Be sure to come back regularly to find out about the latest news.

Let’s start with PlanMaker 2012. It closes the last remaining compatibility gaps with Microsoft Excel:

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What’s new in PlanMaker 2012?

XLSX import now also allows seamless access to XLSX files created in Microsoft Excel 2010.

PlanMaker 2012 can now also save in XLSX format, which means that Excel 2007 and 2010 can access your PlanMaker calculations without taking the detour to XLS format.

User-defined number formats are now fully Excel-compatible. Even the most complicated user-defined formats will now be imported and exported correctly.

Finally, we added the format Format/Cell/Text that lets you format cells as text even if you enter numeric values.

PlanMaker 2012 supports charts not only on worksheets but also on separate chart sheets.

But better compatibility was not the only thing we worked on. We also added new features, such as data consolidation, a command to split cell contents to multiple columns, new chart types, and commands for automatically removing empty rows and duplicate values.

And Excel diehards will gladly find that the commands Copy down and Copy from left are now also supported by PlanMaker.

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All customers who purchase SoftMaker Office 2010 for Windows at list price after August 15, 2011 will receive a free upgrade (delivered by download) to SoftMaker Office 2012 for Windows when it is released.

cgl · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2011, 12:18 PM »

Please suggest that a mailto link be activated in the new version. It worked in the Ashampoo 2010 version but when I "Upgrade" to Softmaker 2010 the links stopped working.

Gary Larivee

Curt · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2011, 02:18 PM »

Quote from: cgl on August 22, 2011, 12:18 PM

Please suggest that a mailto link be activated in the new version.

-would that be a link it is creating, or reading, or both situations?

Curt · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2011, 10:03 PM »

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Formatting made easier in TextMaker 2012 @ The SoftMaker Blog

Curt · « **Reply #4 on:** September 04, 2011, 08:54 PM »

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Many small improvements in SoftMaker Office 2012 @ The SoftMaker Blog

It’s not only the big things that make a new version easier to use. Many small things taken together can bring a significant step forward in ease of use, too. And SoftMaker Office 2012 adds many small improvements. So, let the parade begin…: (read more at http://softmaker.com/english/blog/?p=340 )

Curt · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2011, 05:10 PM »

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Dear SoftMaker customer:

SoftMaker Office 2012 for Windows just entered public beta testing, and
we invite you to download and try out this new version of our office
suite.

Some of the major improvements are:

1. All applications read and write DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files seamlessly.
2. Integrated eM Client manages your e-mails, contacts, calendars, and tasks.
3. Built-in Berlitz dictionaries for easy translation

Find out more:

http://www.softmaker.com

Curt · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2011, 09:40 PM »

Softmaker Office 2012 will be offered in two versions, Standard and Professional, as Softmaker is going to launch an email client. I don't know how this can be named version 3, I never heard of 1 or 2. And I don't know what other differences there may be, because I don't do betas any more, if I am not sure I can afford to also purchase a license ;-).

[attachimg=#]

40hz · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2011, 11:08 PM »

@Curt - Since I've recently begun making a concerted effort to walk away from as much of Microsoft as I possibly can, I'm gonna give it a shot. Thx for the heads up!

MerleOne · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2011, 12:39 PM »

Recently, the 2010 version was offered by Ashampoo (minus the macro language) for $4.99, so I'll wait until it reaches a reasonable price.

40hz · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2011, 02:10 PM »

^FYI - the very capable 2008 edition is still available for free with no restrictions on either personal or business use. If you're in the market for a very nice spreadsheet and wordprocessor - and don't need the new features in the latest edition (and many won't) there's no need to wait at all.

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2011, 05:03 PM »

I saw that email client mentioned, but I haven't been able to dig up any details. Have you spotted anything?

Curt · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2011, 05:48 PM »

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This free beta works until October 31, 2011. By then, either the full SoftMaker Office 2012 or a new beta will be available. You can install this beta in parallel to any older SoftMaker Office.

Known problems in this beta:

SoftMaker eM Client is not yet included.

The Berlitz dictionaries are not yet included.

Help files and manuals are still from SoftMaker Office 2010.

http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofw12betareg_en.htm

You need a serial number to install this beta. Please enter your name and e-mail address to receive an e-mail message with your personal serial number.

But, hey, BasicMaker will be finally be available!

That has really taken some years!!

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #12 on:** October 13, 2011, 05:51 PM »

Quote from: Curt on October 13, 2011, 05:48 PM

But, hey, BasicMaker will be finally be available!
That has really taken some years!!

I think BasicMaker has always been around (if you buy it from Softmaker rather than the Ashampoo package). You're probably thinking of the database product that's been in development for so long.

Curt · « **Reply #13 on:** October 13, 2011, 05:53 PM »

-yes, at first I typed "DataMaker", but then I realized the name was BasicMaker, and confused the two.

40hz · « **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2011, 07:31 PM »

Quote from: CWuestefeld on October 13, 2011, 05:03 PM

I saw that email client mentioned, but I haven't been able to dig up any details. Have you spotted anything?

Got the beta. So far so good. Seems to work as advertised. The mail client is not in there yet. They had a notice on the website about it being delayed and should be available shortly.

MerleOne · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2011, 08:09 PM »

Hi, did you try to open a .pptx file ? With 2010 version this usually doesn't work. Thanks.

Curt · « **Reply #16 on:** October 13, 2011, 09:58 PM »

Quote from: MerleOne on October 13, 2011, 08:09 PM

Hi, did you try to open a .pptx file ? With 2010 version this usually doesn't work.

http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/pdc08/PPTX/PC54.pptx doesn't open in 2010 or 2012_Beta

40hz · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2011, 10:31 PM »

Quote from: MerleOne on October 13, 2011, 08:09 PM

Hi, did you try to open a .pptx file ? With 2010 version this usually doesn't work. Thanks.

I did up a simple text slide using PPT 2010. The saved pptx file opened up without a hiccup.

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Don't know if it would work as well with a more complex example. I'll have to try that when I get more time.

40hz · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2011, 10:42 PM »

Quote from: Curt on October 13, 2011, 09:58 PM

Quote from: MerleOne on October 13, 2011, 08:09 PM
Hi, did you try to open a .pptx file ? With 2010 version this usually doesn't work.

http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/pdc08/PPTX/PC54.pptx doesn't open in 2010 or 2012_Beta

Opened for me. Most of it looks ok:

[attachthumb=#]

But it had a problem with the Callibri text block on a few of the slides:

[attachthumb=#]

MerleOne · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2011, 06:39 AM »

OK, thanks for trying it out.

lekieunhu · « **Reply #20 on:** October 15, 2011, 10:55 AM »

How could i get a beta key? Couldn't find it on the home page

40hz · « **Reply #21 on:** October 15, 2011, 11:37 AM »

Quote from: lekieunhu on October 15, 2011, 10:55 AM

How could i get a beta key? Couldn't find it on the home page

You need to request the key. Theres a short form to fill out. They then email your key to you.

lekieunhu · « **Reply #22 on:** October 15, 2011, 01:14 PM »

i tried to follow the link on softpedia.com to request a key (http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofw10betareg_en.htm) but the page doesn't exist any more! So please help. Thanks

40hz · « **Reply #23 on:** October 15, 2011, 02:16 PM »

Quote from: lekieunhu on October 15, 2011, 01:14 PM

i tried to follow the link on softpedia.com to request a key (http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofw10betareg_en.htm) but the page doesn't exist any more! So please help. Thanks

Try here:

http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofw12betareg_en.htm

Tuxman · « **Reply #24 on:** October 16, 2011, 12:19 AM »

I probably could give it a run, too. Latest version I tried was 2008, notably faster and smoother than OpenOffice.

But I sometimes need to handle Office XML files, so I'm not sure if it is worth it. Let's see...

How are its OpenDocument filters?