[Solved] OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Issues with installing under all versions of MS Windows
Post Reply
AllynTal
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2018 9:11 am

[Solved] OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Post by AllynTal »

I was running OpenOffice 4.1.4. I mostly use Writer. It would crash every once in a while. No big deal. I can be a little clickity-click sometimes and I wasn't worried about it since it happen so seldom; I figured it was me. This one particular time it crashed, and when I reopened it, it launched the Welcome dialog like I had just installed it. I input my user data into the "Welcome to OpenOffice" wizard and then set up the workspace like I like it. In View, I turn off the sidebar, the text boundaries, and the ruler, and then resized the window. Those settings won't save. Every time I open OpenOffice Writer, I have to click through the "Welcome to OpenOffice" wizard, turn off the View items, and then resize the window. It also won't remember recent documents. It will remember the recent documents I worked on in that particular session, but once I close OO and relaunch it, the recent docs list is empty.

I went to the OO site and saw that there is a new version (4.1.5), so I downloaded it and installed it. The new version behaves the same way. I have to click through the "Welcome to OpenOffice" wizard, turn off the View items, and then resize the window. I uninstalled it through the Control Panel and reinstalled it. Same behavior. I tried inputting my user data in the Tools>Options>OpenOffice>User Data, but it won't save between sessions. I also have OO4.1.5 install on my laptop and it works as I expect it to. The settings are saved and the program remembers my recent documents between sessions.

Is there a setting somewhere that was toggled in that crash that wipes my OO clean every time I close it? I combed through all the Options and couldn't find anything like that, but it has to be something because it works fine on my laptop (also Windows 10 Home). Any insight y'all can give me is much appreciated. Thanks.
Last edited by robleyd on Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Tagged [Solved] [robleyd, Moderator]
OpenOffice: 4.1.5
OS: Windows 10 Home
User avatar
robleyd
Moderator
Posts: 5037
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:47 am
Location: Murbko, Australia

Re: OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Post by robleyd »

All your personal settings are stored in a set of files and directories referred to as the "user profile"; yours appears to be damaged based on the symptoms you describe..

Try renaming the profile - in Windows do this:

Close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter. Open File Explorer. Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer Address Bar (not the search engine) and press Enter. File Explorer may also be called Windows Explorer. Rename the "user" folder, say to user.old. Start OpenOffice. When you restart OpenOffice, you should be prompted for name/initials on next startup of OO.

More on the profile in [Tutorial]The OpenOffice User Profile if you are interested.
Cheers
David
OS - Slackware 15 64 bit
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15
LibreOffice 24.2.1.2; SlackBuild for 24.2.1 by Eric Hameleers
AllynTal
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2018 9:11 am

Re: OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Post by AllynTal »

Thank you for your prompt response. That took care of most of my problem. I had to redo my toolbars (of course). The View settings and recent docs are saving and it no longer launches the "Welcome" wizard now. However, I still have to resize and reposition the window every time I open it. Is there anything for that?
OpenOffice: 4.1.5
OS: Windows 10 Home
User avatar
robleyd
Moderator
Posts: 5037
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:47 am
Location: Murbko, Australia

Re: OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Post by robleyd »

Try the process mentioned in this post - substitute the size you want instead of full screen
Cheers
David
OS - Slackware 15 64 bit
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15
LibreOffice 24.2.1.2; SlackBuild for 24.2.1 by Eric Hameleers
AllynTal
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2018 9:11 am

Re: OpenOffice Won't Save Settings

Post by AllynTal »

You know...I'd seen that thread when I was researching this in the forum to see if I could solve it myself. I discounted the information there because I don't want it to open full screen. I followed the directions there just so I could come back here and tell you it didn't work because I don't want it full screen.....but it worked. I maximized the window at the splash page, closed the program, then relaunched it and resized the window. Now OO remembers my window size and position when I launch the program.
Image
Thank you for your help. It wasn't a catastrophic issue, but it was really rather annoying after a while.
OpenOffice: 4.1.5
OS: Windows 10 Home
Post Reply