Retrieving past files

[Annette4u]

This isn't the 1st time I've had Open Office on my computers. I just downloaded it again on my laptop. In the past when I've downloaded it on a new computer, I've been able to retrieve old documents, etc. once I downloaded the program. This time I'm unable to do so. I'm not finding a place to login either, which if I remember correctly I've always done. I skipped over the registration part of setting up the download thinking I'd simply be able to login once the program was downloaded since I already have a username and password, but that's not the case. When I open the program from my desktop, there is no prompt or place to login. What am I missing? Should I have gone through the registration process when I completed the set up? I looked for a place to do that now, but can't seem to find anything. Can anyone tell me how to find past documents stored on Open Office and/or if I have to be logged in to do so? If I do need to be logged in, where do I do that? Thanks! Annette

[Hagar Delest]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

There is no OpenOffice in the cloud. Your documents are where you have stored them...
You've saved them on your former machine but have you copied them on another media like a USB key? Maybe they are still waiting on your former machine.

[RoryOF]

The list kept by OpenOffice in /File /Recent Documents is merely a list of pointers to the files. When you do not register, OpenOffice treats you as a new User and doesn't tell you about these files, which belong to a different user. The files will still be on the hard disk, in the folder(s) in which they were Saved. If you use /File /Open and the navigation buttons on that window, you can move to that folder(s) and select each file in turn. As you open them, they will once more appear on /File /Recent Documents of your new (unregistered) installation.

[John_Ha]

The list kept by OpenOffice in /File /Recent Documents is merely a list of pointers to the files.

AOO 4.1.8 has cleared the list for me (W10) and does not add new used files to it. [See next line]
Resetting the user profile - see Resetting the user profile fixed it though, of course, the list started life empty.

[John_Ha]

Can anyone tell me how to find past documents stored on Open Office

Annette

Documents are not stored in Open Office. They are stored on your computer disk. So you need to search your PC.

W10 has completely messed up the Search method. You used to be able to use it easily to find all files on a PC - I cannot now get it to show me all files!

1. Click the magnifying glass
2. Type in *.od* to find .odt, .ods, .odp. .odg etc. Or *.doc* to find .doc and .docx. or house to find myhousefile.odt
3. If you know a document has a word like zebra in the document text, then type zebra - it will find the document List_of_animals.odt which has zebra in it.

A marginally better method is to open a File Explorer window and type *.odt etc in the Search box. It at least does list all files in alphabetical order but you can't sort in date order

I have abandoned W10 Search and I now use Agent Ransak. It is like Windows Search used to be before the idiots in Microsoft ruined it.