Problems getting my OpenOffice to work

[keithkris417]

I have been using openoffice 4.1.5 for 3 months with no issues til today. I have multiple spreadsheets saved with business expenses and reports that will no longer open for me to add, change or update. HELP

[FJCC]

How are you trying to open the files and what happens? Do you get an error or are the files in a read-only state?

[Zizi64]

I have multiple spreadsheets saved with business expenses and reports that will no longer open for me to add, change or update.

- What file format are you using?
- What operating system are you using?
- Can you upload a problematic file here?
- How you tried open the file (by double click on the file name/icon in a file browser, or from the AOO by usage of the File - Open... menu item)?

[RoryOF]

When OpenOffice files do not open, try starting TaskManager (ctrl Shift Esc) and kill any soffice processes shown on TM's tabs. Note the initial "s" in soffice!

Such "left over" processes can stop OpenOffice starting correctly. They can be left because of a program or system crash, or sometimes because of over-hasty power off of the computer before internal housekeeping has been written to disk.

[John_Ha]

1. Reboot the PC
2. Start AOO
3. File > Open. Navigate to a file.

Does it now open?

I have multiple spreadsheets saved with business expenses and reports that will no longer open for me to add, change or update. HELP

Please describe exactly what you are doing when you try to open the files and exactly what happens, together with any error messages you get.

[Wayne R]

I am having the same problem that OpenOffice will not start. I have been using for years but less so recently. I decided to check whether there is a newer version for general principles and found 4.1.6. I had 4.1.3. I downloaded and installed it from SoureForge, taking all defaults. It starts up and the bar goes about 40% of the way across and sits there forever.
I have restarted and reinstalled it several times. Several times I have manually used Windows task manager to kill soffice programs. The first several times I started it, it said that I had to close programs. That is when I restarted the system but now I get the hangs.
The second and third times that I reinstalled it, I chose the Repair option.
I am on Windows 7 Professional.
Under Task Manager it does not show up on the Applications tab but several show up under the Processes tab.

[Dramma]

OpenOffice 4.1.2 works fine on old Win7 laptop. Have new Win10. Installed OpenOffice 4.1.6 and Java. Wants a filter to open Word .docx files. What filter do I use? I've tired all of the Word filers.

[RoryOF]

If by "filter" you mean you are getting an ASCII Filter message, this is usually a sign that OO cannot understand the file structure, usually because the file is corrupt (damaged).

Can that file be opened on the Win 7 machine? If so, a fresh transfer to the Win 10 computer, observing the USB removal protocols, may solve the problem.

[Dramma]

The Word doc opens on my Win 7. When I open the file I get a "Filter Selection"box with a long list of formats to choose from. Never had this with Win 7.

[Dramma]

I just tried successfully to open an Excel document. This opened with no problem.

[RoryOF]

The Word doc opens on my Win 7. When I open the file I get a "Filter Selection"box with a long list of formats to choose from. Never had this with Win 7.

When an OO document opens with the ASCII filter message, this means the document is corrupted. Use a backup copy. To prove the corruption, try opening the document with the system archiver or Winzip. If it won't open with that it is definitely corrupt.

[John_Ha]

If you get a box titled ASCII Filter Options as below it is because the file is not a .doc file, is not a .docx file and is not a .odt file, each of which are ZIPped files.

Any file bringing up the ASCII filter box is a flat ASCII file.

[Dramma]

John, It's not an ASCII filter Option box, just a Filter Selection box which has many programs and versions to pick from. I have since been able to open other Word files with no problem. There is something in the document that this new version of OO doesn't like. I have asked the author which version of Word she uses.

[Villeroy]

The filter selection box indicates that OO can not recognize the file type because the file is damaged. Restore it from a previous version if you can.

[John_Ha]

1. Temporarily rename your file fred.odt to fred.zip.
2. Double-click fred.zip.

Does it open to show a folder of files as in the image? If it does not the file is broken and corrupt.

[Bill]

John, It's not an ASCII filter Option box, just a Filter Selection box...

Please upload a screen shot of the Filter Selection box to help us identify it.

[Dramma]

I will try..How do I place the "print screen"image in this box?

[FJCC]

To upload an image, click Post Reply then look for the Upload Attachment tab just below the box where you type a response. There is a size limit, so you may need to crop the image.

[Dramma]

Hope this works and you can read it.

[Zizi64]

Hope this works and you can read it.

Please upload a well optimized, cropped IMAGE file to upload screenshot.
A PNG filetype image with 256 color depth, and with cropped content will appropriate. In this case not needed to decrease the pixel resolution.
You can use the free IrfanView to optimize the pictures for this forum, and for your documents.

[John_Ha]

First: What happened when you did this?

1. Temporarily rename your file fred.odt to fred.zip.
2. Double-click fred.zip.

Does it open to show a folder of files as in the image? If it does not the file is broken and corrupt.

Second:

The Word doc opens on my Win 7. When I open the file I get a "Filter Selection"box with a long list of formats to choose from. Never had this with Win 7.

Please describe in mind numbing detail exactly what you are doing. Something like

1. AOO is closed
2. I start AOO and go File > Open.
3. I navigate to fred.odt and select it.

Now describe exactly what happens and post an image which we can read!

Third: Download the attached test.doc to your desktop. Does it open OK?

[Bill]

Check the file size and make sure it isn't an empty file. I have been able to get the Filter Selection window by trying to open an empty file that has been renamed with a .docx extension.

[Dramma]

It seems to be this file on my new Win 10 laptop. It opens on old Win 7 laptop. BTW I just worked on an Excel file using OO. Worked good.

[John_Ha]

It seems to be this file on my new Win 10 laptop. It opens on old Win 7 laptop.

1. Right-click the file > Properties > General. Click Unblock if it is present.

2. Check the security and ownership of the file. Make sure that the user on the new PC has full access rights to the file.

[Dramma]

It's just a note from a friend. Will do on unlocking.

[John_Ha]

It's just a note from a friend. Will do on unlocking.

That may well be true but Windows doesn't know that!

As far as Windows is concerned the file comes from a different PC so it could be a threat. It may therefore be marked as blocked.