Computer language instead of english

[rspruill]

I just downloaded this software as an alternative to windows offic. However now that I have downloaded it to read documents I had already downloaded as well as a new document after the download. The OpenOffice is displaying Computer gibrish in place of the content. I tried severaal documents and all came back the same. I am not a computer expert not even a novice. I just expect and hope that it works. How can I turn off this computer language and read the documents I desperately need to read?

[acknak]

Greetings and welcome to the community forum!

What software was used to create the documents you're trying to open?

If you're not sure about that, what are some names of the document files (NOTE: you may have to change an option somewhere to get the full name of the files, especially the last part of the name, that can indicate what type of file it is).

[RoryOF]

What you are seeing is not "computer language", but the compressed encoding of the data which comprises the files. To sort this out, we need to know first of all that your OpenOffice can make, save and reopen a file. Please start OpenOffice, select /File /New /Text document. When the blank text document opens. click the cursor on the page, type dt, then press F3 to insert some dummy text. Now use /File /Save As and give the file a name - Test might be good. Go with the default file type selection - this should be type .odt. Make sure "Automatic file name extension" is checked. Now use /File /Close. Your Test.odt should now show up on /File /Recent documents. If you click there, that file should reopen.

Please come back when you have done this, to tell us if the file did or did not open correctly. We can then proceed to the next stage.

[rspruill]

Some were word files others were PDF,S

[RoryOF]

PDF files will not open satisfactorily in OpenOffice; you should use a dedicated PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader. The Word files of type .doc made by MS Office 97/2000/XP should open satisfactorily; earlier versions such as made with Word 6 or Word for Mac can be very iffy. Have these files been transferred from another computer? If so, how?

[RusselB]

The Word files should open up in Writer by selecting /File /Open <then using the dialog box locate the file you want to open)
While there is a PDF extension for OpenOffice, there are two versions of it, and you have to have the correct version installed for the version of Open Office that you have installed.
The PDF extension has had very mixed reports regarding it's effectiveness and compatibility with OpenOffice 4.X

[RoryOF]

The PDF extension has had very mixed reports regarding it's effectiveness and compatibility with OpenOffice 4.X

I would not advise using OpenOffice for regular opening of anything but trivial PDF files - certainly not for large multipage documents.

[rspruill]

Looks like I just should have paid for the microsoft version of word instead of trying to save some money. I was told this was the best alternative... I was able to type into the writer, save it go out then reenter and was able to open it again without a problem. The other documents were downloaded some time ago into the new lap top when I didn't realize that it did not come with word. there are a multitude of contracts that I need to open but as stated it still opens the file in gibrish. The last file that I just downloaded was a word file that I was hoping to open and change data in bit again the gibrish problem...

[RoryOF]

It is possible that the downloaded files are damaged, in which case they will not open. Are you certain they were produced with MS Word, not with some other word processor such as MS Works or Word Perfect?

[RoryOF]

Please try the attached document

[Zizi64]

rspruill, please upload one (or two) of your problematic documents here.