[Not Solved] User folder corruption on AOO shutdown ?

[Lady Awinita]

Hey folks its me, I am having a really strange issue that is somehow connected to my user profile. Following the steps to start a new user profile I went and renamed the old profile to user.old1 and so on, this is the 3rd time it has occured when trying to pen a certain single file {any other files open just fine with no issues whatsoever, just this one file}

HOWEVER

When shutting down AOO, and turning off the computer for a restart, it happens again, Forcing me to start a NEW user profile just to open that one file. Now, I havent tried making an entirely new file with the same contents in hope of fixing the issue once and for all {if that is even possible ?} But I also want to know, should I delete the old user files ? {in this case user.old, user.old1, user.old2, user.old3} Or should I keep them ? This is becoming a repetive issue and it only happens on my windows 10 machine. Its not happening on my windows 7 machine at all. that said, should I remove thje old user profiles, and make an entirely new file with the same contents, or am I doomed to this loop ?

NOTE: No file recovery is required as no edits were made to the file at the time so nothing was lost. I am just fed up with the constantly having to make new user profile folders just to open this one file

[Hagar Delest]

Basically, keeping an old profile is only to put back in the new profile configuration files that you want to keep to avoid doing again the customization (shortcuts, toolbars, macros...). If there is no customization at all, then you can deleted the old profiles.

Can you upload or share the file or make a small file that could reproduce the problem (see: How to attach a document here)?

But what leads you to reset the profile exactly? If you get the recovery screen, cancelling once should be enough.

[Lady Awinita]

The only thing that happens when trying to access that one file is that it will start to load it, then it will hang, and then when I try to minise the program to my taskbar, it makes a ding noise, the windows default ding noise of not responding. But the file and program itself wont state {Not responding} No recovering panel even shows up. The only customisation i have is my word count extension and that's easy to reinstall.

I'd rather not share the file as its more of a personal fanfiction writing project chapter list. Im just wondering two things, its possible to delete old user profile folders, and should I remake the chapter list in a new file entirely and name it something different ?

As to what leads me to resetting the user profile, its that file, trying to open that file, the .~lock file appears and the program stops responding entirely. No recovery panel shows up at any time {though I am thankful that AOO has such because its been a lifesaver on many many levels}. So really just to access that one file, I need to make, constantly at that, a new user profile just to get that file to open.

But the really weird thing, it only happens on my winodws 10 machine.

[RoryOF]

You can safely delete any older User Profile files, as Hagar has said. If your problem is only on Windows 10, some housekeeping efforts may be useful.

With OpenOffiice closed, start TaskManager (Ctrl Shift Esc) and kill any "soffice" processes showing on TM's tabs. Note the initial "s" in "soffice". If there are any such processes (left-over processes) they may be causing problems. See if your troublesome file opens correctly. If it does, start a new OO Writer file. Switch between these two files with the "Window" menu item.

In your troublesome file Ctrl A to Select All, then Ctrl C to Copy the election, switch to the new blank file, click in it, then Ctrl V to Paste. Now, Save this new file immediately in .odt format, using a different name to the troublesome file, so that you don't overwrite the older file.

Creating this new file may undo any tangled formatting code and give you a stable file for further editing.

[Lady Awinita]

Oddly on windows 10, nothing shows up with the soffice name, its only Openoffice.exe 32bit will sahow up, its working now that I made a new user profile, and it only works until OpenOffice is completely shut down. Its like its not eliminating the .~lock file that sticks around, normally it just disappears.

I shall remove the old user folders as it is safe to do so, so that is one question answered.

One issue I might have with a copypaste is formatting, the file in question has everything in a table. So I dont think hte table will get copied over will it ? Or does AOO actually do that ?

[RoryOF]

One issue I might have with a copypaste is formatting, the file in question has everything in a table. So I dont think hte table will get copied over will it ? Or does AOO actually do that ?

As far as I know, the formatting should be maintained in the copy, Try it and see. If formatting is not preserved you still have your original file.

If everything is in a table, as you say, that may be the cause of your problem. Once tables get too complex this can have side effects on file stability.

If you must work in a table (Is this really necessary?) consider making a table for each page, rather than letting one table extend over most or all of a document.

If I were working on a page by page basis (as in FrameMaker or similar programs), I would consider doing my task in Impress, which offers less formatting abilities, but does work in separate pages.

[Lady Awinita]

Well, I am used to using a table for the formatting of columns as I never could figure out how to set coloums for keeping a chapter title, chapter summary then completion note, so its a table three cells wide, and 92 cells long {12 total pages}

The formatting fortunately stayed and copied over perfectly {even the font!} then I saved right away as .odt with a new file name instead of the old one, then shut dowen AOO and restarted it, the file opened up with no issue. So I am not sure if it is a formatting issue. Thgere are some bits of dialog notes with it outside of the table towards the start and under it. But 12 pages straight = bad idea right ? I think if I break this thing down into 3x20 {widextall} that would be best ? IE a list for each season instead of all in one file ?

But yeah, its working now, but I am used to working on chapter lists in a table format. And only one of them, the one giving me issues, is so big. So its table related so it might be my fault. However I am glad to know that there was a fix for it. So for now this is mostly solved. But not entirely. If its a too big of a table issue I may need some more advice on possible fixes. Because I think I hit the limit then on table size limits.

I never could get the hang of proper columns though. Like in a news paper, if there were a way to do that in AOO, there is right ? I* am used to having things on a single line for chapter title, chappter summary and then completion note. an example below {a table does this perfectly so Im not sure on columns}

|Title name and number|Summary|Completed ?|
|Title name and number|Summary|Completed ?|
|Title name and number|Summary|Completed ?|
|Title name and number|Summary|Completed ?|

And so on, in a columned setup, would each line aline or would they be set up like an actual news paper ?, IE when hitting the bottom it goes to the next colum instead of like the table set up I am using ?

[RoryOF]

A quick answer, off the top of my head (Real Life calls!); Columns in OO are Newspaper columns and go from the bottom of one column to the top of the next. The text in table columns does not move to the next column to the right, instead extending the height of the table cell in which it is.

I keep track of completed areas of text by use of Comments, with a leading keyword to indicate the status of the text - for example
"REVISE: Check where X got the axe to murder Y."

These leading keywords show up in the Navigator and permit easy movement about the text.

It might be that you will find a Writer's organiser of use. I suggest you search for and review Manuskript [sic], oStorybook, Plume Creator - there are others.

Now, I'm going offline.

[Lady Awinita]

Alright, thank you, I used Celtix, but I havent used it in a very long time so I dont remmerber the ins and outs of it. So for this moment, this is solved.... for now, i might need help again later.

And thank you for the help and advise you were able to give