[Solved] Draw document is uneditable after export

Discuss the drawing application
Post Reply
CraigItsFryday
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:37 pm

[Solved] Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by CraigItsFryday »

Hi everyone,

I'm brand new to using OO Draw, so I'm assuming I messed something up. I've created an image using Draw and chose to export the file as a PNG. I did this work yesterday (not that it should matter). When I returned to the file to make a change, I found some odd behavior. After opening the .odg file I noticed the page setup had reverted back to portrait. The graphics that I created are now being shown as one object. When I select it, it refers to it as a bitmap. None of the text is editable and nothing can be moved. It's as if all the elements were grouped as one object and there doesn't seem to be a way to ungroup them. I've verified the file is not set to read-only, but I'm not sure what to do. I'm I missing something simple?
Attachments
2020-09-17 12_42_39-Clipboard.png
Last edited by MrProgrammer on Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Tagged ✓ [Solved]
OpenOffice 4.1.7 on Windows 10
FJCC
Moderator
Posts: 9248
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by FJCC »

I have hardly ever used Draw but I would expect that after exporting to png, the file could no longer be edited in Draw. It is similar to exporting from Writer to PDF. That PDF file cannot be edited in Writer. Did you save the odg file from which the png was exported?
OpenOffice 4.1 on Windows 10 and Linux Mint
If your question is answered, please go to your first post, select the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the beginning of the title.
User avatar
keme
Volunteer
Posts: 3699
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Egersund, Norway

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by keme »

What FJCC said ...

Save to odg for "native content": All features are preserved. You have a file containing your drawn objects, contained in layers, named, linked and grouped if that's what you did.

"Export" is the path to foreign territory: you sacrifice features for the sake of compatibility. Generally, visual appearance is preserved, but some underlying features will be lost. The nature of loss depends on the export you chose.

Exported to png, your graphic is "flattened" to a single bitmap. Transparency may be preserved (but most likely isn't, because a full export includes the representation of paper, and Draw page cannot be set transparent). No individual object info is stored. You just took a picture of your Draw document.
User avatar
Zizi64
Volunteer
Posts: 11352
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:55 am
Location: Budapest, Hungary

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by Zizi64 »

Always use the native, international standard ODF fileformats to store your documents, what you must edit in the future.

And you can try the LibreOffice.
The LO can create hybrid PDF file: it will be open to read in a PDF reader software, but you can edit and re-edit in the Writer application. It is a improved feature, but ALWAYS better to use the ODF file formats.
Tibor Kovacs, Hungary; LO7.5.8 /Win7-10 x64Prof.
PortableApps/winPenPack: LO3.3.0-7.6.2;AOO4.1.14
Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
CraigItsFryday
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:37 pm

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by CraigItsFryday »

I guess I'm confused. I was thinking export to PNG (or any other format) was similar to export in say Photoshop, where I was saving a copy as a new file format. It's odd to me that reopening the source file after export would have saved the png settings to the source. To be clear, I have two separate files. The original source and the PNG I saved out. I get that the PNG has been flattened. What is odd is that the source is now also flattened and all editable objects are lost.
OpenOffice 4.1.7 on Windows 10
FJCC
Moderator
Posts: 9248
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by FJCC »

CraigItsFryday wrote:What is odd is that the source is now also flattened and all editable objects are lost.
You are right, that should not happen upon exporting to PNG. I just tried that process on my system and the odg file remains unaffected after PNG export.
All I can think of is having you upload the odg file here and see if anyone can figure out what happened. To upload a file, click Post Reply and look for the Upload Attachment tab just below the box where you type a response.
OpenOffice 4.1 on Windows 10 and Linux Mint
If your question is answered, please go to your first post, select the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the beginning of the title.
User avatar
Lupp
Volunteer
Posts: 3542
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 7:05 pm
Location: München, Germany

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by Lupp »

(Might the word "export" sometimes be misused when having done "convert"?)
On Windows 10: LibreOffice 24.2 (new numbering) and older versions, PortableOpenOffice 4.1.7 and older, StarOffice 5.2
---
Lupp from München
CraigItsFryday
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:37 pm

Re: Draw document is uneditable after export

Post by CraigItsFryday »

I'm certain I did "something" wrong to mess it up. I'm just not sure what. I have another graphic I created and followed the same flow and the original is still editable. I'm wondering if I could have inadvertently exported the PNG and then opened it in Draw and saved it overwriting the original. In either case, I can't seem to reproduce my issue so I'm going to assume its user error. Thanks for tips. :crazy:
OpenOffice 4.1.7 on Windows 10
Post Reply