[Solved] Can't save with password OO 4.1.7 *ods «Q08»

[pedalmegone]

Hi all, I continue to have problems applying passwords to new files on my Mac Os X El Capitan 10.11.6. Copied files do not accept a password.

I have tried creating a new file (an ODF file saved as [name].ods) as well, using OO 4.1.7 . But the new file, before anything is there, can't be saved with a password, whether it's the same as I use on many files or a new password.

The error I get is "Error saving the document [name]: General Error. General input/output error."

Files I've created in the past continue to have their passwords function.

But not the new ones.

It's a bit annoying.

I have full read/write control of all files on the computer.

Any help would be appreciated.

[RoryOF]

Can you create a new file and Save it without password?

[pedalmegone]

yes, no problem.

[Villeroy]

I can't reproduce the problem with AOO 4.1.7 on a Linux box. Do not overwrite the original file (choose a different name or location) and save it somewhere in your home directory (not on a cloud drive nor USB device nor any weird path on your disk).

[RoryOF]

I can't reproduce the problem with AOO 4.1.7 on a Linux box. Do not overwrite the original file (choose a different name or location) and save it somewhere in your home directory (not on a cloud drive nor USB device nor any weird path on your disk).

One's Desktop should allow Saving of any file. If Desktop allows Saving of a passworded file, then the problem may be one of permissions.

[MrProgrammer]

I continue to have problems applying passwords to new files

Study [Tutorial] Mac FAQ Q08/A08. I sent you this same information a year ago. If you continue to have trouble read Q28/A28. If necessary use the method in Q44/A44. Since you have had trouble with passwords previously, that procedure may be safer for you. You can put all of your secured files in the same disk image, or you can create multiple images, as you prefer.

But not the new ones.

I am unable to reproduce your problem with MacOS 10.14 and can create, then open, password protected files without "Error saving the document". I have never had trouble with password protected files on any of the MacOS releases I have run.

… on my Mac Os X El Capitan 10.11.6

Your signature was wrong. I fixed it for you and moved the topic to the Mac OSX forum.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[pedalmegone]

Hi all, update:

I saved to a new file name in a different directory but still could not add a password.

I tried logging on as a guest and WAS ABLE to successfully save and reopen an OO spreadsheet with the password.

This tells me that there is something wrong with my permissions perhaps? but I have complete read-write permissions to my entire computer.

I emailed myself a copy of the file and open/saved it on my mac laptop; I successfully saved it with a password and sent/emailed it back to the desktop (macmini). I saved to the macmini but I could not open it because it said it was the wrong password. (and yes, I was VERY careful to try this several times and be sure I was typing the correct password).

This password has cap letters, small letters, numbers, and an ! and *. I tried creating a new password with just small letters, numbers and cap letters but had the same problem : could not save with a password and got the same in/out error.

My macmini has a Logitech solar keyboard. Without symbols in the password, I don't see how this could be the problem. Could it? I will research this too.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

[MrProgrammer]

I tried logging on as a guest and WAS ABLE to successfully save and reopen an OO spreadsheet with the password.

Thank you. That is good information to have. It confirms that your problem is Issue 125431.

was VERY careful to try this several times and be sure I was typing the correct password).

This password has cap letters, small letters, numbers, and an ! and *. I tried creating a new password with just small letters, numbers and cap letters but had the same problem

Neither of these is your problem.

This tells me that there is something wrong with my permissions perhaps?

No. Running OpenOffice on the The Guest User account creates a new profile. One possibility is that your other OpenOffice profile is damaged and you could fix the problem by creating a new one on the account you normally use on your desktop Mac. This procedure is described in Q02: How do I create a new profile on a Mac?. While this would be simple, the more likely problem is described next.

If you read Issue 125431 in Q08: Why can't I open my password protected document on a Mac? it says that this problem can be caused by a bad Mozilla profile. Mozilla is a organization which produces software, specifically Firefox and Thunderbird. It is separate from OpenOffice, but the issue says that OpenOffice password protection can be affected by Firefox/Thunderbird. Like the OpenOffice profile, each account on your Mac has a separate Mozilla profile, thus when you use the Guest User account you get a new one which has not been damaged by the problem causing your password issues. The save works with the undamaged Mozilla profile, as described by issue 125431. OpenOffice does plan to make a change so password protection works even with a damaged Mozilla profile, probably in release 4.2. No one on this forum (we are all users like you, not the developers) knows when that will be available.

This is not a Mozilla forum. I do not know how you can locate your Mozilla profile, nor how you can create a new one, however a web search should provide that information. Maybe Mozilla has fixed the problem with their bad profile and if you delete the Mozilla profile (or create a new one), the problem will be gone. If that research proves to be difficult for you, there are other ideas:
• If your use of password-protected file is infrequent, use your laptop when working with them.
• If your use of password-protected file is infrequent, you can use the Guest User account on your desktop Mac when working with them. You'll have to save changes to a USB drive (or read Q29: How can I access a file of mine from the Guest User account without a USB drive?) since all of the Guest User files are deleted when you log out.
• A more permanent solution is to create a new account on your desktop Mac for working with password-protected files. This is done with  → System Preferences → Users and Groups. Consult Apple's documentation if you need additional assistance with the process. Don't use any Mozilla software with this new account.
• If you no longer use the Mozilla software you could migrate all of your files to the new account. After a year, if you haven't used anything from the old account, you could delete it. Consult Apple's documentation if you need additional assistance with the process.

Thank you all for your suggestions

Finally, let me repeat the idea that you can keep secured data in a password-protected disk image and not use password-protected spreadsheets (Q44: How do I create a password-protected folder on MacOS?). This will bypass the problem since password-protected disk images are not affected by the Mozilla profile. Consult Apple's documentation if you need additional assistance with the process. Just as with password-protected spreadsheets, if you lose your password for a protected disk image, your data is gone forever. Good luck.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Hagar Delest]

Solved in AOO 4.1.8.