[Solved] PDF and ODT files no longer readable

[thompsonjk]

I've used Open Office for several years with no issues. This week, OO has stopped properly reading PDF/ODT files. I get the ASCI Filter options window. I was using 4.1.1, so I downloaded and installed 4.1.3. New PDF files are readable (the ASCI Filter box pops up), and I also tried old files that have previously been okay that can no longer be read. I even opened an old text file, "Exported it as a PDF" from the OO menu, and then when I tried to open that recently converted document I still get the ASCI Filter box and a document that opens with symbols instead of text. I have not made any recent changes to my computer or operating system. Not sure why all of the sudden this does not work? Any ideas? Thanks!

[thomasjk]

Joe T.
AOO has never been able to read PDF files. They are Adobe files that are not intended to be edited. Having said that the PDF Import Extension https://extensions.openoffice.org/en/pr ... openoffice allows minimal editing. I don't know how you were able to open PDF files previously but I suspect that you did so with different software than AOO. Did you download your original install from http://www.openoffice.org/download/? If not you have installed something that claimed to be the original Openoffice but was not. AOO can export any of its files as a PDF but cannot read them.

[thompsonjk]

Thanks for the quick response Tom. I guess I'll just say, I hate getting old! I think what happened is that somehow on my computer one of my kids, ......or my wife,......(or honestly, I suppose it could have been me?!) inadvertently switched the settings, and all PDF documents were trying to be opened by AOO by default. I have switched it back to Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default for all PDF files now. I remembered using AOO for ODT documents and then exporting them as PDF documents. I guess I just thought/remembered that they would then open when I clicked on them, even while I was still "in" AOO. But I guess that when I clicked on them, Acrobat kicked in and automatically opened them. Well, boy do I feel like a big dummy right now ! But I also feel relieved that I think I have figured out my problem. Thanks again for the help and the quick response - and for this awesome, helpful forum for awesome Apache Open Office !!!