Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

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Joanthebone
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Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Joanthebone »

I have been using Open Office for a long time. Never had any problems before. I use it mostly for typing out song lyrics, and sometimes I attach these to an email, today I sent one to my husband and he can't open it, its got a big 'W' in a blue box and its an odt. What is that all about? I have never had a problem before, now I can't send anything.

Title Edited. A descriptive title for posts helps others who are searching for solutions and increases the chances of a reply (robleyd, Moderator). Was odt. (newbie)
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Zizi64
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Re: odt. (newbie)

Post by Zizi64 »

its got a big 'W' in a blue box and its an odt.
It means that the .odt file type is assigned to the Microsoft Word software.
And (maybe) your husband has not MS Word.
Or (maybe) the version of the MS Word software is too old.

Suggest your husband to install the LibreOffice or the Apache OpenOffice. These softwares are free and open source applications. Every person and corporation has the rights to install and them.

Or (maybe) it is enough to reassign the file associations (crocked by some upgrade of the MS Windows) back to the existing AOO or LO.
Last edited by Zizi64 on Thu Jul 08, 2021 9:49 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
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robleyd
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by robleyd »

Assuming the spouse uses Windows, it may be that the file associations are not set up correctly to handle .odt files. Does the spouse have Apache OpenOffice on their computer?
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RoryOF
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by RoryOF »

Unless the recipient needs to edit the file, best to send it as a PDF (in OpenOffice, use /File /Export as PDF).
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Joanthebone
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Joanthebone »

He doesn't need to edit the file, only learn the words! He does not have Open Office, never has had it and has been able to read the email attachments I send before now. I don't have the option to 'choose' odt. and not sure how to make it a pdf, I just type! I don't understand why it's assigned to Word? I use Open Office so I don't have to fork out for Word (Pensioner!) Why do they have to make these things so difficult? It seems every day something has changed, I get updates on my laptop (2 years old) Husbands desktop only 6 months old, and every time these updates seem to cause a problem? Or is it just coincidence? I just want to weep!
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robleyd
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by robleyd »

It seems not to be coincidence; many users have found Win 10 upgrades change file associations for the (user's) worse.

As far as creating a PDF, as RoryOF said, just go to the File menu and select Export as PDF. This will create a PDF file but leave your existing Writer .odt file available for you to further change if needed.
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Villeroy
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Villeroy »

Joanthebone wrote:... its got a big 'W' in a blue box and its an odt. What is that all about?
The file icon displayed by MS WIndows does NOT represent the type of file. The icon represents the application that is set up to handle the file when you double-click on it (the "default application"). He should have received an exact copy of your file, but it is just displayed with a different file icon. If MS Word (big "W") is the one and only installed application to open your text document, then he should double-click and see.
If the receipient of your file has many suitable applications to open your text document, right-click>Open With... lets him choose between suitable applications.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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Hagar Delest
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Hagar Delest »

robleyd wrote:As far as creating a PDF, as RoryOF said, just go to the File menu and select Export as PDF. This will create a PDF file but leave your existing Writer .odt file available for you to further change if needed.
+1. There is also a (white and red) button in the toolbar to export the file to PDF. Just click it and send that file to your husband, much less trouble.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the *EDIT button if your issue has been fixed.
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Joanthebone
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Joanthebone »

Thank you all for your help. I don't know if computers are getting more complicated or maybe the dementia is creeping up on me! lol...
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Villeroy
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Villeroy »

Joanthebone wrote:Thank you all for your help. I don't know if computers are getting more complicated or maybe the dementia is creeping up on me! lol...
The way how file types are associated to applications is the same since decades (Windows 95 at least). And no, it has nothing to do with dementia. You can not forget something you have never learned about.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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Villeroy
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Re: Receiver can't open ODT email attachment

Post by Villeroy »

We still do not know what the problem is anyway. The big "W" icon on the other computer is certainly not a problem at all as long as the receiver can open the file with MS Word. In the subject line you state that he can't open the file. However, you do not tell us what actually happens when he tries. We can not draw any conclusions from things that do not happen.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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