[Solved] The password is incorrect ...

[vstuart]

I can no longer open my password-encrypted LibreOffice Calc file -- nor hourly/daily/weekly/monthly/... rsync backup copies of that file, on a separate (local) hard drive.

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"The password is incorrect. The file cannot be opened."

I was able to access that file two weeks ago (end of Jan 2021).

I recently (coincidentally around but just after that time) replaced my main hard drive and restored it using the most recent rsync backup. However, relative to this issue that HDD only contained data files.

My Linux system (hence, LibreOffice) is installed on a separate (pre-existing) SSD/partition, and the backups reside on another (separate, pre-existing) HDD/partition.

Thus, as far as I know the HDD replacement should have nothing to do with the ability of LibreOffice to open the password-protected .ods file (or the backups). That suggests that a recent version of LO has mangled the password protection on files it has processed (protected)?!

It is not a Caps Lock, nor a file permissions ... issue (I checked), and the fact that I cannot open open older archived backup copies indicates that it is a LibreOffice Calc issue.

Interestingly, I can open older copies of LibreOffice password-protected files (rsync archived backups, albeit password-protected using older versions of LibreOffice.

I downgraded my Arch Linux LibreOffice installation to some earlier versions (most distant tried: libreoffice-still-6.4.7-8), without success in opening that LibreOffice password-protected file.

What is the issue/solution?

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uname -a
  Linux victoria 5.10.16-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT
  Sat, 13 Feb 2021 20:50:18 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux

libreoffice --version
  LibreOffice 7.0.4.2 00(Build:2)

pacman -Ss libreoffice | grep installed                                                                                                
  extra/libcdr 0.1.6-3 [installed]                                                                                                                              
  extra/libreoffice-still 7.0.4-1 [installed]

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Bug report filed [2021-02-16]: https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/sho ... ?id=140456

[RusselB]

The quickest, though maybe not the best, solution is to use an older version of LibreOffice that does work.

[robleyd]

Same question asked at AskLibreOffice.

If you cross post, please let us know that you have done so, otherwise it leads to several discussions and a waste of time because several identical answers may be posted by different users.

[vstuart]

SOLUTION.

I managed to download, build LibO 7.1.0.2, which worked. While exploring this further, I found the solution.

I am pretty embarrassed to admit / nearly mortified to discover that it was a [wrong] password issue.

Mea culpa; my profound apologies for the disruption caused to various Readers / Developers.