This tool is a standalone tool that will allow users to extract all embedded Open XML Format objects from a document as standalone Open XML Format files that can be opened and edited. With the release of Office 2007 came the introduction of new default file formats, called Office Open XML Formats, for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. By default, these new file formats are not backwards compatible, meaning older versions of Office cannot open, edit or create the Office Open XML Formats. To solve these compatibility issues, Microsoft released the Office Compatibility Pack, which when installed would allow users using older versions of Office to open, edit and create Office Open XML Formats. Unfortunately, the Compatibility Pack does have limitations. One major limitation is that the Compatibility Pack is unable to open and view embedded Office Open XML objects. Users who attempt to open an embedded Office Open XML using older versions of Office will be unable to do so and will receive a generic failure error. As mentioned in the following KB article, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932121, there is no work around these users can perform without opening these files in Office 2007. This tool provides a workaround for those users who run into this issue in older versions of Office.

.net port of Apache POI