Future Attachments with *.MDI extension

What is a MDI file? It's a Microsoft Document Image ... kinda like a PDF, but Microsoft's version. When you get Microsoft Office 2003, this is one of the free installs. The installation creates a printer driver for MDI files. "Great... but why uses MDI?" you ask? Let me explain a little scenario to convey my thinking:

I'm doing some research on building a utility application to fill in the admin task gaps that a particular product we're using doesn't provide out of the box... But the functionality is in the SDK. As I research what's possible and things in the SDK, I want to take some notes on pages/posts I find on the internet. Usually I'd just print it out and whip out the highlighter. But there's no indexing or anything with that. So.. I'll print the document as a MDI file, then I can highlight, annotate, etc. And it's in electronic format so I can put it in my personal file share, I can search using any indexing service, etc. Just makes my life easier. Yes, I still use OneNote, another MS product, but that's for taking notes. MDI's are great for duplicating content. "Why don't you just copy it to OneNote and then highlight/annotate?" Because I do it this way and I like the Microsoft Office Document Imaging IDE.

Anyway, in the future I'll post things that I've annotated in MDI format. Those who have Office 2003 are in good shape and can read them. Those who aren't, sorry for now. Until Microsoft provides a free viewer for MDI files (which they should, and if they already have one, please let me know because I haven't found it yet).

posted on Monday, July 26, 2004 10:24 AM

Feedback

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/19/2006 5:18 AM Giorgiño

Great! Thank you, TJN!
Although in Russian...CTRL + O is there to be seen..!

Gñ

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 9/22/2004 10:14 AM matt

What do you open a .mdi with? I have Office 2004 and I can't find anything that'll open it

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 9/22/2004 10:24 AM Andrew Connell

Office 2004? Latest version I'm aware of is Office 2003 (for PC)... dunno about MAC.

When Office 2003, you get a program called Microsoft Office Document Imaging as I mentioned in the original post.

# Attachments with *.MDI extension 5/25/2005 5:58 AM TUDOR NICOLAE

Which program open files with *.MDI extension ??
Thanks

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 5/25/2005 6:04 AM Andrew Connell

Microsoft Document Imaging... it's included with Office 2003.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 7/3/2005 1:13 PM Elizabeth

What about XP??? I've been searching the web and Microsoft website. The only download I found was a help file for Microsoft Office Document Imaging Visual Basic Reference....

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 7/7/2005 3:00 AM Wimle Go

For all of you too lazy to search, here's a link that can help you find out what software to use to open MDI files...

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP062193601033.aspx

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 9/16/2005 12:33 AM passerby A

The above link do not contain programs to open mdi file for those who doesn't have M$ Office 2003.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 1/6/2006 8:22 PM TJN

http://www.hot.ee/mdiviewer/
MDI viewer

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 1/10/2006 2:45 PM jerold

the only way to open a .MDI file is to have an office 2003..... bit im still searching for an alternative program...

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 2/8/2006 10:30 AM gary

That little Russian utilty works brilliantly - everythings in the normal place, even if the characters seem a bit garbled.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 2/22/2006 4:07 PM thanful

thanks TJN for providing a solution, rather than the 1st link which is the 1st page that pops up under a search and offers no solution.

works perfectly over here. nothing jargled. CNTL-O is all i need to know.
;)

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 3/4/2006 5:06 PM kirsner

I downdowned the russian propram but my computer wouldn't open it. Error msg said: this is not a Win32 application. Is that a security setting block?

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 3/14/2006 11:44 PM Dave Knaack

I have found that both the russian MDIViewer application and Microsofts MDI application both have the capacity to save the contents of the document to TIF Format. However, Adobe PhotoShop, Google Picassa, Adobe Album, QuickTime and Windows Image Viewer are all unable to view the resulting image. The error message is something to the effect of (from memory)"This image uses and unsupported colorspace".

The fastest way I found to get the document into JPG format at high resolution was to simply use the MDIViewer application to print the document, then rescan it.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 3/27/2006 1:02 PM Mark Nagel

Does MS have a viewer that I can download to view MDI files?

Mark Nagel

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/4/2006 7:16 PM Leslie

Great so now we have to upgrade all the PC's in our office to office 2003 because MS invents a new file format and won't provide a free reader? Thanks Microsoft, you have the reputation you deserve.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/4/2006 9:32 PM AC [MVP MCMS]

Leslie - Typical... did you not read the other comments? There are other MDI readers out there.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/11/2006 3:38 PM Darren

Leslie does have a point. I'm running Office 12 beta and from what I can see MS have dropped the MDI format for PDF. Had to hunt around and finally found this page. The selling point of MDI is that it's portable. My Arse!

A lot of hassle, I have now dropped MDI in favour of good old working PDF.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/20/2006 3:21 AM OZz

MDIViewer, any English language aailable ?

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 4/22/2006 7:11 PM Office12 user

Thanks TJN !!!

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 12/22/2005 6:10 PM terri

ditto on the another way to get your money ... sigh...

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 3/12/2006 7:01 PM mark

Thanks TJN, you're a life saver.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 2/7/2006 11:23 AM chris

thanks TJN. Although it's in russian, you can still get around if you know where things usually are.

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 12/9/2005 1:26 PM alex

the "informative" link and the explanation above is just another good example of a narrow thinking M$ customer ...just look at this again:
"What is a MDI file? It's a Microsoft Document Image ... kinda like a PDF, but Microsoft's version."
:-))) they want your money bud, that's all that they want...keep you in M$ cage as long as possible

# re: Future Attachments with *.MDI extension 8/4/2006 8:04 AM steve

thanks TJN. i've been looking for it though its in russian little square which i dont understand.. the menu and itemmenu are in the right place.. easy to use.

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