Microsoft Word
CrossEyes 3.0

Even when you use Word's Reveal Formatting task pane, it still keeps many secrets. For example, you can't search and replace some characters, especially when opening WordPerfect files in Word, because Word stores them as symbol codes without giving any clue that it's doing so. Word also makes it difficult to zero in on overlapping bookmarks and other conflicting formats. CrossEyes 3.0 ($39.99) exposes Word's secrets with clear identification of symbol names and fonts. CrossEyes displays hidden codes, but doesn't provide a way to search for them, an inconvenience in large files. (Levit & James Inc., )

If you need to turn an Adobe Acrobat PDF file into editable content, complete with formatting, look no further than Abbyy PDF Transformer 1.0 ($49.99). The utility converts PDF documents into Word files using text-extraction technology, producing near-perfect results if the PDF was created directly from a word processor or spreadsheet. PDF Transformer can also use OCR technology if the PDF was created from a scanner, though results will vary based on the scan quality. (Abbyy, )

Scansoft's PDF Converter 2 ($49.95) can't convert scanned images unless you have separate Scansoft OCR software installed, but it can recognize fill-in PDF forms and convert them to Word files that also work as forms. (Scansoft Inc., )

Your company just changed the name of its main product, and now you have to revise the text of hundreds of Word files. Your options are (1) find another job, or (2) get a copy of WordPipe 4.4.1 ($199), a standalone program that roars through multiple Word files, opening each in turn, with a password if necessary, and using Word's find-and-replace feature to modify the documents. You can search or ignore headers and graphics, and use Word's Find All Word Forms command if required. WordPipe can also find/replace within document properties and perform multiple find/replace operations at once, changing all instances of a company name and its URL, for example. (DataMystic Corp., )