Can't open rtf file with OpenOffice Witer

[LostForever]

I'm trying to open a rtf file from a website. If I click on "Open with", I get a list of choices:
Microsoft Word (I DON'T HAVE WORD. I use Apache OpenOffice.)
OpenOffice Calc (same as Microsoft Excel)
Internet Explorer
Imaging Devices Control Panel
Office XML Handler
Notepad
NoteTab Light
Windows Media Player
Windows Wordpad Application

I don't know why or how OpenOffice Calc made the list but I want OpenOffice Writer. How do add Writer to the list?

Any solutions?

[Bill]

What does "from a website" mean? Did you download the RTF file to your computer?

[jrkrideau]

Try opening the file with a text editor (Is Notepad a Windows editor?) and see what the file looks like.


Also, try to open the file from within Writer.

[LostForever]

What does "from a website" mean? Did you download the RTF file to your computer?

It's a website that has some stories that you have complete permission to download. Most are texts but some are rtf.

If you right click or left click, it will open a window that asks "What should Firefox do with this file?"
The 2 choices are "Open with" or "Save file".

If you chose "Save file" and go to "Downloads" and try to open the file, it will only open in "Office Word". I don't have "Office Word". I use "OpenOffice Writer" so I can't open it in that program.

I can open it in OpenOffice Calc but it changes the format so much it's nearly unreadable.

The list is in a previous post in this thread.

Did this answer you question?

[robleyd]

Set your file associations such that Writer is the default program for opening RTF files.

Here is a link with pictures showing ways of changing default programs in Win 10.

[John_Ha]

1. Start AOO
2. File > Open ... Navigate to fred.rtf. Select it. It will open.

See [Tutorial] Differences between Writer and MS Word files for why you should always work in and save files as .odt.

As a new poster you will find much useful information in the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials, the up to date Writer guide and the Writer Manual. May I suggest you bookmark the pages.

Press F1 to access the Help screen and search for your problem

The chapter headings in the manual are:

1 - Introducing Writer
2 - Setting up Writer
3 - Working with Text
4 - Formatting Pages
5 - Printing, Exporting, Faxing and E-Mailing
6 - Introduction to Styles
7 - Working with Styles
8 - Working with Graphics
9 - Working with Tables
10 - Working with Templates
11 - Using Mail Merge
12 - Tables of Contents, Indexes and Bibliographies
13 - Working with Master Documents
14 - Working with Fields
15 - Using Forms in Writer
16 - Customizing Writer – Keyboard shortcuts.

When a pop-up window opens, click the Help button for extensive help on that function - it is often more comprehensive than the manual.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

[LostForever]

What does "from a website" mean? Did you download the RTF file to your computer?

It's a website that has some stories that you have complete permission to download. Most are texts but some are rtf.

If you right click or left click, it will open a window that asks "What should Firefox do with this file?"
The 2 choices are "Open with" or "Save file".

If you chose "Save file" and go to "Downloads" and try to open the file, it will only open in "Office Word". I don't have "Office Word". I use "OpenOffice Writer" but I can't open it in that.

If I click "Open with", I get a list of choices:
Microsoft Word (I DON'T HAVE WORD. I use Apache OpenOffice.)
OpenOffice Calc (same as Microsoft Excel)
Internet Explorer
Imaging Devices Control Panel
Office XML Handler
Notepad
NoteTab Light
Windows Media Player
Windows Wordpad Application

When I use Notepad or Notetab Light to open the file, I comes out one line is just right and the next line looks like this "at8\qj\li5\fi235\ri5\sb0\sa0\sl-230\slmult0 \f9\fs20{\b0\i0\cf1\charscalex100\expndtw1\f9\cchs0\lang1033\fs" Needless to say, it's unreadable. The others try to use Microsoft Word.

I really need to add OpenOffice Writer to the list but I don't know how.

[Zizi64]

If you chose "Save file" and go to "Downloads" and try to open the file, it will only open in "Office Word". I don't have "Office Word". I use "OpenOffice Writer" but I can't open it in that.

Yes, you must download the file first, and then you need launch the OpenOffice Writer, and use the "File - Open" function of the Writer. Browse the file (you must know where you has downloaded it to) and open it.

Otherwise you must assign the .rtf filename extension to the OpenOffice instead of the (non existing) MS Word. Then you will able open the RTF files by a double click on the file name / file icon.

[LostForever]

Set your file associations such that Writer is the default program for opening RTF files.

Here is a link with pictures showing ways of changing default programs in Win 10.

Thanks for the link. There must have been about 40 different apps to choose from. The problem? WRITER WASN'T ON THE LIST! How can OpenOffice Calc be listed and not Writer? That's crazy.

I appreciate your help.

[LostForever]

Try opening the file with a text editor (Is Notepad a Windows editor?) and see what the file looks like.

They come out unreadable. When I use Notepad or Notetab Light to open the file, I comes out one line is just right and the next line looks like this "at8\qj\li5\fi235\ri5\sb0\sa0\sl-230\slmult0 \f9\fs20{\b0\i0\cf1\charscalex100\expndtw1\f9\cchs0\lang1033\fs"


Also, try to open the file from within Writer.

Even though I can open Writer and type on it and save it, it's like I don't even have it on my computer when it comes to opening the rtf files. It's not listed anywhere.

[RoryOF]

Use the system file search to search for swriter.exe; when found note the path to it, then set file association for .rtf, selecting other application (or words to that effect) and enter swriter.exe with its full path.

[YODA]

See if it can be opened with Wordpad. If it can you will know it was actually downloaded to your machine

[Bill]

If Calc is showing up in the Opens With list instead of Writer, then there's a corruption in the Windows Registry, a bug in the installer, a bug in Windows 10, or someone has manually changed what appears in the Opens With list. It seems strange to me that "Windows Media Player" is in that list. I'd reinstall AOO using the "Repair" option to try repairing the Windows Registry entries for OpenOffice.

[LostForever]

Use the system file search to search for swriter.exe; when found note the path to it, then set file association for .rtf, selecting other application (or words to that effect) and enter swriter.exe with its full path.

I found swriter. (not swriter.exe) It's path is Program Files (x86) > OpenOffice 4 > program > swriter I do a search for "Program Files (x86)" and it's nowhere to be found.

When I do a search for swriter.exe and right click, (to find the path), it doesn't give me the opportunity to find the path. If there is a way, please tell me how to find it.

[YODA]

Using file explorer go to C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\program scroll down to swriter.exe right click and set as the default to open .rtf files.

[Villeroy]

Why should a user of MS Windows want to open rtf with OpenOffice? The program named "WordPad" is the best rtf editor. WordPad is shipped with every copy of MS Windows.

By the way: https://diaryproducts.net/for/geek/micr ... _nightmare

[Bill]

Use the system file search to search for swriter.exe; when found note the path to it, then set file association for .rtf, selecting other application (or words to that effect) and enter swriter.exe with its full path.

I found swriter. (not swriter.exe) It's path is Program Files (x86) > OpenOffice 4 > program > swriter I do a search for "Program Files (x86)" and it's nowhere to be found.

It is "swriter.exe". You haven't turned on the option to show file name extensions. That option is somewhere on the Ribbon in File Explorer.

When I do a search for swriter.exe and right click, (to find the path), it doesn't give me the opportunity to find the path. If there is a way, please tell me how to find it.

Right-click the file and select "Properties". The path should be there. There should also be an option to "Open Containing Folder". When the containing folder is opened, the path will be shown in the File Explorer Address Bar.