|    File Conversion Software - FileMerlin™ vs. WordPort™WordPort™ is an older product, while FileMerlin™ is a newer and much more capable product, developed from the ground up with the latest versions of Windows in mind. Choose WordPort™ only if you need to convert to an older file format that FileMerlin™ does not write to (see supported file formats). Otherwise, FileMerlin™ is superior in every way: FileMerlin™ converts from all the file formats that WordPort™ can, and many more. For example, it can convert Office 2007, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, dBase and many other file types which WordPort™ cannot handle. Similarly, it can convert to PDF and Office XML, which WordPort™ cannot. FileMerlin™ converts more completely and accurately than WordPort™, specially when dealing with newer file formats. For example, it can handle font color, background shading, borders, bookmarks, hyperlinks and many more functions which may be compromised in WordPort™. Tables convert much better with FileMerlin™, particularly horizontally and vertically merged cells, shading, selective borders and other advanced features. Customization is much more extensive and easier in FileMerlin™. Common customized parameters can be easily accessed and specified through a tabbed interface, while advanced users may customize over a thousand parameters using the InterScript™ language. FileMerlin™ provides for automatic font translation. This is specially useful if converting from Dos programs whose fonts are not available under Windows. WordPort™ also provides this capability, but not as extensively as FileMerlin™. When converting to MS Word, FileMerlin™ directly creates .DOC files in the latest Word 97 thru 2007 formats, making full use of the advanced functions they provide. WordPort™ creates Word 95 files which provide less functionality, and though readable with later versions of Word, they involve an internal conversion to the newer format. FileMerlin™ converts content in Word text boxes, including the formatting as well as graphics in text boxes and drawing groups. It also does a much better job of converting graphics than WordPort™. FileMerlin™ can convert as well as Word 97 or higher documents.. WordPort™ converts only full-saved files. When converting to MS Word, FileMerlin™ can embed or link graphics into the destination files (your choice). WordPort™ produces only linked graphics. When converting to HTML, FileMerlin™ can produce HTML 4 formatting using CSS styles. WordPort™ converts to HTML 2, which is simpler and loses a lot of formatting. FileMerlin™ provides the option to automatically generate and insert a and an Index into HTML files. It can also automatically embellish web pages with color, background textures and extensive customization. WordPort™ does not have these features. FileMerlin™ provides many more options when converting to plain text, such as the option to use Unicode for special characters. And text enhancement translations provided by FileMerlin™ are much easier and far more extensive than available with WordPort™. FileMerlin™ provides many options for handling documents with revision markings and "track changes" coding. For example, you can ignore or accept revisions automatically, or mark them in a customized manner. WordPort™ does not offer this facility. FileMerlin™ converts mail-merge codes much better than WordPort™. FileMerlin™ provides a last-resort text recovery option which can recover recognizable text from any file, even unknown or corrupted files. WordPort™ has no such feature. When converting tables to formatted text, FileMerlin™ has an auto-compression feature which reformats the table layout to best fit in the converted text file. WordPort™ does not have this feature. Although a 32-bit Windows application, WordPort™ uses an older 16-bit conversion engine. Some Windows 2000 and XP installations limit 16-bit code, and future Windows versions may limit it further. Some anti-virus products also have problems with 16-bit code. FileMerlin™ is completely 32-bit and has no such compatibility issues. FileMerlin™ converts much faster than WordPort™ - typically three to five times faster, in some cases as much as ten times faster. With an AutoServe license, FileMerlin™ can be set up to stay in the background and automatically convert files as and when they arrive in specified folders. WordPort™ does not have any such feature.
There are many other conversion and ease-of-use features in FileMerlin™ that surpass those in WordPort™. For the best comparison, you may download these products and evaluate them on your own files. There is no better way to evaluate which product would better suit your application.
Click the links on the left for more information on FileMerlin™ and WordPort™. |
