OO 2.3 on OSX 10.4, Can't Open Files, Like Everybody Else

[SRudolph]

A few months ago I installed Open Office on my G4 Power Book, running OSX 10.3 and used it a few weeks successfully. Then I upgraded to 10.4, and since then am having the same problem as others -- I get Open Office in the menu bar, and X11 also, but cannot open any files. I can quit X11 but have to force quit Open Office.

To back up slightly: when I upgraded to OSX 10.4 and found that OO wouldn't work, I uninstalled OO -- I hope properly -- by searching in Spotlight for anything named Open Office and deleting it. I deleted X11, too, not realizing it wasn't a component of OO.

Then I downloaded OO again, from here -- http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/download/ -- and followed the instructions to re-install X11 from my OSX 10.4 install disc.

Still wouldn't work. I found a post in one of the forums (I'm sorry I can't find it again, or I'd link to it) that recommended killing doodads in a terminal with the text "soffice" in them; and though I couldn't find any that said soffice, like the guy to whom this was recommended I deleted all those with PID numbers with four digits.

So this still didn't work, and I gave it up and went to bed. Now I'm at it again. I have tried opening X11 first, as recommended in another post, but that just opens X11 and nothing else happens.

I'm opening both Open Office and X11 from the Finder, not yet having put them in the dock; but this doesn't make any difference, does it?

Please help me and please be as simple and specific as possible, since from my use of the term "doodads," you can tell I'm not technical. (Not stupid, just ignorant). THANKS!

[James]

Try NeoOffice. IMO it's easier to download, install and use than the current official OOo builds, although hopefully that's set to change in the not-too-distant future.

[SRudolph]

Thanks, James, it's good of you to answer. I'm working at installing Neo Office now.