[Solved] Writer corrupts RTF files

[neky]

Hello! I ran into the following OO Writer behavior. I have an RTF file and OO 4.1.10 after clean install (Windows 10). I opened the file and started editing it. Since it was after a clean install, during the editing process, I felt the need to change some settings of the application, which I began to do (with an open file). When I tried to open the file again, Writer wrote me an input/output error. The file perished. I saw a topic where a similar situation was described, but in my case, Writer began to damage any RTF file after that. Before changing settings everything was ok. I understand that this is a bug and the real solution is unlikely to prompt me here. I have the following question. Can anyone suggest which setting change could lead to this behavior.

[Hagar Delest]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Basically, RTF support is rather poor with AOO. You can try LibreOffice, it might do a better job (but not sure at all).
Now, if it corrupts all the file systematically, there may be something else.
You can try first to reset your OpenOffice user profile. Then try again but make copies of the files you open first, just in case.

[Villeroy]

Wordpad is the Windows application that handles rtf properly.

[John_Ha]

I felt the need to change some settings of the application, which I began to do (with an open file). When I tried to open the file again, Writer wrote me an input/output error. The file perished.

I think it extremely unlikely that changing any AOO settings affected a .rtf file, not least because the file is held in memory while being edited and any corruption in the file must occur at the time the file was written.

What is the exact wording of the error message?

It is far more likely something else caused the problem. The most likely cause is shutting the laptop lid while the file is being written as AOO has a bug where AOO does not prevent the shutdown causing a file to be truncated. Similarly a PC crash or power down occurring after the file has been written to the buffer but before the buffer has been flushed to disk will corrupt the file.

See [Tutorial] Differences between Microsoft and AOO/LO files for comments on rtf files - never use them to save your work.

See [Tutorial] How to find and un-delete AOO temporary files for more information on the bug. The bug report says AOO issues a General Error. General input/output error error message for a truncated .odt file.

If you upload the file showing the problem it can be analysed. Press POSTREPLY and click the Upload attachment tab below where you type (128 kB max); or use a file share site such as mediafire, Dropbox or Google Drive for a larger file.

[neky]

I found out that I was wrong in claiming that Writer corrupts any file. It turned out that it only corrupts files with tables, and only if you edit something in them. That is, if a file with a table is opened and something is edited in the contents of the table, after saving the file is damaged. I experimented with files created from scratch. Opened a file, created a table, closed the file. After that, the file was ok. Then I entered something into the table. After saving, such a file was always damaged.

[John_Ha]

What you describe works fine for me - see file.

Strange problems are often fixed by resetting the user profile - see Resetting the user profile.

[neky]

Strange problems are often fixed by resetting the user profile...Resetting the user profile.

Thanx! I cleared the profile, re-tuned. Now it's ok. As a result, I recommend, just in case, not to tune OpenOffice with an open file.

[Hagar Delest]

Thanx! I cleared the profile, re-tuned. Now it's ok.

Note that it was the very first advice provided in this topic...