Which file format to use?

[Nightcat]

OK I am trying to find what would be the best format to use for the next purpose

I am trying to create a system where users can upload their document. which would then be shared on line in the form of html pages. I need to pick a single format in which they will upload their documents. I was thinking using XML, but different word processors seem to be creating different XML code any other format I could look into. also considering microsoft's DOCX.

The format must be such that people can save the documents in it in any word processor and I must be able to read it in in PHP

Any ideas welcome

Cheers

[Charles]

RTF, I would go with RTF.

[Nightcat]

I'll start from this one, as there are some tools already available

But not stopping at this

Thanks for advice

[spufi]

PDFs are rather universal as well. Pretty much any word processor worth anything can create one.

[Nightcat]

Well, I do know some people that still use word97

But PDF was going to be the next standard implemented

[007Julien]

PDF format is adapted to preserve accomplished documents. There seems not to be the case...

RTF format presents the advantages : to be able to be read on a personal computer (including a Mac) without having Microsoft Word and to be build with PHP (It's easy with templates). It seems useful to propose drafts to finalize a document (for example to prepare a poster of classified ads from those published on a site).

Then the text format, like HTML files, seem the best response... But files with scripts ? with images ? An editor, like that used here, (which allow copy and paste) would maybe constitute the best solution ? Unless a form would be more adapted for register formatted data ?

NB : As far I know, PHP can read all files.