Failure to open a file? (I figured it out, but still...)

[Dronz]

I just encountered what seems to be a new bug for me.

I did something a little bit unusual when saving files under different names, and now when I try to re-open a file I saved before, it doesn't actually open that file.

I wonder if this is "by design" and so I don't understand the design, or some weird bug.

What I did:

Open file Writer file A01.odt.
Save As A02.odt.
Edit file.
Save.
Save As A03.odt.
Edit file.
Save.
Save As A04.odt.
Edit file.
Export As A04.pdf.

So far, so good. But I then realize I forgot to export the first two new versions as PDF, so I:

Open A02.odt.
Export As A02.pdf.
Open A03.odt.
Export As A03.pdf.
Open A04.odt . . . WHAT?!?!?! It FAILS to change from A03.pdf to A04.pdf!!! Writer just still shows A03.pdf!??!? Why? What?

After writing this out, I notice what is happening:
Checking my windows, it seems that Open opens a new window if the file in not open in a Writer window already, but if the file is already open in a window, Open does NOTHING... seems like it should shift to the open window with the file I was asking to open, or at least tell me "it's already open in another window", not just do nothing. Especially in this case where the files are all quite similar, I could have messed up quite a bit if I hadn't noticed it hadn't shifted to show the file I tried to open.

[John_Ha]

It's because you are giving contradictory instructions to Windows and AOO which cannot be reconciled.

First, if the window for A04.odt is open (by which I mean not minimised to the Taskbar) when you double click A04.odt, AOO brings the window to the front and activates it, which is what you want.

But you are not doing this.

First, you have instructed Windows to minimise the Writer window with A04.odt to the taskbar so it does not show.

Secondly, you then tell AOO to open the file. Well, the file is already open so what more do you expect AOO to do, especially considering you have instructed Windows not to show it?

So, not a bug and definitely not an AOO problem. It's user misunderstanding of how Windows and other OS work.

As a new poster you will find much useful information in the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials, the up to date Writer guide and the Writer Manual. May I suggest you bookmark the pages.

Press F1 to access the Help screen and search for your problem

The chapter headings in the manual are:

1 - Introducing Writer
2 - Setting up Writer
3 - Working with Text
4 - Formatting Pages
5 - Printing, Exporting, Faxing and E-Mailing
6 - Introduction to Styles
7 - Working with Styles
8 - Working with Graphics
9 - Working with Tables
10 - Working with Templates
11 - Using Mail Merge
12 - Tables of Contents, Indexes and Bibliographies
13 - Working with Master Documents
14 - Working with Fields
15 - Using Forms in Writer
16 - Customizing Writer – Keyboard shortcuts.

When a pop-up window opens, click the Help button for extensive help on that function - it is often more comprehensive than the manual.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

[Dronz]

It's because you are giving contradictory instructions to Windows and AOO which cannot be reconciled.

First, if the window for A04.odt is open (by which I mean not minimised to the Taskbar) when you double click A04.odt, AOO brings the window to the front and activates it, which is what you want.

But you are not doing this.

First, you have instructed Windows to minimise the Writer window with A04.odt to the taskbar so it does not show.
...

I did? When did I do that?

All I did was Open anther file. I assumed that would use the same window, but it doesn't, which is ok, but I didn't tell it to minimize the window.

Do you mean Writer minimizes documents when you open a new one? Let me test... no, when I open a document in Writer, then Open another document, then close Writer, the first Writer window is still there full-size on top of other windows.

Testing in other programs, I am not seeing any other program which does what I saw, which no doubt is part of why I was so surprised.

i.e. I just tested this using:
Notepad
Notepad++
Firefox
various PDF viewers
Microsoft Word
Visual Studio (this one does my originally-expected behavior, re-using the window when loading a new project)
Android Studio (also works as I expect, and asks what you want to do when you load a new project)
Irfanview (works as I originally expected, re-using the window when loading a new file)

I can't remember EVER seeing a program do NOTHING when using the Open command on a file.

The expected behavior is that you get a non-minimized view of the window with the requested file brought to the front of the windows on the desktop.

[John_Ha]

Open [double-clicking a .odt file] opens a new window if the file in not open in a Writer [Windows] window already ...

Correct

... but if the file is already open in a window, Open [double-clicking a .odt file] does NOTHING...[/u]

Not correct.

If the file is already open in a window, Windows transfers focus to that window. If the file is iconised the file remains iconised.

We cannot change the program - merely give you advice on how to use it as it is delivered.

[John_Ha]

This could also be a multiple copies of soffice.bin problem - search for posts.