Can't open MS Word documents under OOo

[cdplayer]

I've installed version 3.3 of OpenOffice under a Windows XP SP3 operating system where it works perfectly. I am able to effortlessly open Microsoft Word (MS) and OpenOffice (OO) documents.

I've installed OO version 3.3 under a Windows 7 operating system. The software overall works great with the exception that I am unable to effortlessly open MS documents. OO does not recognize MS Word documents.

I vaguely remember when installing the software on the XP box there was an option I was able to select so that OO would recognize and open Word documents under OO.
Now that I've installed the software can I turn on an option within OO to enable OO to recognize and open Word documents on the Windows 7 computer?

Thank you!

[RoryOF]

When you say that you are not able to open MS Word documents, do you mean that opening OpenOffice Writer, then / File / Open mydocument.doc doesn't work? Or is it that when you double click directly on mydocument.doc Windows doesn't know how to open it?

[cdplayer]

When you say that you are not able to open MS Word documents, do you mean that opening OpenOffice Writer, then / File / Open mydocument.doc doesn't work? Or is it that when you double click directly on mydocument.doc Windows doesn't know how to open it?

Once the MS Word file is under the Windows 7 operating system which has OO 3.3 installed, OO does not recognize the the MS Word file type so it doesn't know what to do with that file. OO does not recognize the Word document.
BTW, I am using version 2007 and 2010 of Microsoft Word.

Thank you for replying RoryOF!

[RoryOF]

Try / Tools / Options : Load/Save / Microsoft Office settings. You may need to restart OOo after making changes here,

[cdplayer]

Try / Tools / Options : Load/Save / Microsoft Office settings. You may need to restart OOo after making changes here,

Under the XP SP3 operating system I did not have to make such selection. I reviewed your suggestion and looked at Tools / Options : Load/Save / Microsoft Office settings.
None of the "load and convert the object" or "convert and save the object" options were selected on the XP box. OO is able to recognize and open MS Word documents without any tweaking. Why is that?

Could this problem have something to do with having OO installed under Windows 7 versus windows XP?

[RoryOF]

I can't say as I have no experience with Windows Vista or 7.

[aqualung]

Those settings are actually for OLE (Object Linking and Embedding).

cdplayer, are you sure that your problem occurs with .doc files and not .docx files? Make sure you save as .doc (Word 97 / XP / 2003) format, not .docx (Word 2007 / 2010) if you want to give Writer a chance to open the file.

Also check in Windows Control Panel what default applications are registered there for the .doc extension.

[Bill]

I vaguely remember when installing the software on the XP box there was an option I was able to select so that OO would recognize and open Word documents under OO.
Now that I've installed the software can I turn on an option within OO to enable OO to recognize and open Word documents on the Windows 7 computer?

You should have seen the same option when installing OOo 3.3 on Windows 7. You can either run the installation again and select "Change" then enable the option, or use Start > Default Programs in Windows 7 to have Windows 7 make the change.

[cdplayer]

I vaguely remember when installing the software on the XP box there was an option I was able to select so that OO would recognize and open Word documents under OO.
Now that I've installed the software can I turn on an option within OO to enable OO to recognize and open Word documents on the Windows 7 computer?

You should have seen the same option when installing OOo 3.3 on Windows 7. You can either run the installation again and select "Change" then enable the option, or use Start > Default Programs in Windows 7 to have Windows 7 make the change.

Thank you for the additional information! If I use your first option "run the installation again and select "Change" then enable the option" will the installation of OO run in its entirety? Will I lose anything? Under Windows 7 you suggested that I use " Start > Default Programs in Windows 7" I'm assuming that I am making OO a default program under Windows 7? I guess I don't understand the second suggestion can you elaborate?

Thank you Bill!

[cdplayer]

Those settings are actually for OLE (Object Linking and Embedding).

cdplayer, are you sure that your problem occurs with .doc files and not .docx files? Make sure you save as .doc (Word 97 / XP / 2003) format, not .docx (Word 2007 / 2010) if you want to give Writer a chance to open the file.

Also check in Windows Control Panel what default applications are registered there for the .doc extension.

Thanks aqualung for replying! I thought I was moving files with the extension of .doc not .docx to the Windows 7 box. That I will have to check.
Checking may take a while since I am not where the Windows 7 box resides.

[cdplayer]

Those settings are actually for OLE (Object Linking and Embedding).

cdplayer, are you sure that your problem occurs with .doc files and not .docx files? Make sure you save as .doc (Word 97 / XP / 2003) format, not .docx (Word 2007 / 2010) if you want to give Writer a chance to open the file.

Also check in Windows Control Panel what default applications are registered there for the .doc extension.

I've checked by placing a Microsoft Word file on the Windows& computer. OO didn't recognize the .doc file. by the way the other word documents were also of the .doc format.
I would think is a way within OpenOffice to recognize Microsoft Word documents...

thank you for being so patient!

[aqualung]

cdplayer, I haven't seen where you replied to Rory's questions.

In your Windows 7 system, what happens when you:

1. doubleclick a .doc file in Windows Explorer?

1.1 Nothing
1.2 Error message (please post it)

2. attempt to open a .doc file in OpenOffice.org, via File > Open?

2.1 Nothing
2.2 Error message (please post it)

If you don't see Default Programs when you click on the Windows orb, you can get there via Control Panel and then click on Default Programs. There you should be able to either select OOo as a default program and determine which file extensions "belong to it" (i.e., clicking on a file with that extension will open it in OOo) or determine for individual file extensions separately which programs are associated with them.

If for some reason setting OOo as your default program for .doc files is not working via Windows' Default Programs, you can also go here and download the free tool. The website is reputable (it is run by a Microsoft MVP) and the tool has been available for download for more than a year with no ill effects reported. In the tool, click on "Fix Files (I-Z)" and then click on the icon labeled "TEXT", then restart the computer. Just to be safe, take the tool's advice and set a System Restore point before you use it.

[cdplayer]

Tonight I am going to attempt to recent set those parameters using the initial stage of the installation procedure.
If I am not successful I will move to Plan B which is to go with in Writer try applying the options described.
About Plan B:
looking at options|load/save | Microsoft Office
selecting either an "L" or "S" the L represents load and convert the object and the letter "S" converts and then saves the object

I guess my basic question is what if I don't want to convert but I want to be able to use the document as a Word file?
Suppose you just want OO open the Microsoft word file for an example do whatever it is that you wish to do save the document as a Microsoft Word document.

Is that possible?

[aqualung]

Is it so hard to answer questions from people who try to help you?

[Bill]

Now that I've installed the software can I turn on an option within OO to enable OO to recognize and open Word documents on the Windows 7 computer?

I would think is a way within OpenOffice to recognize Microsoft Word documents...

You keep using the term "recognize".I thought that you wanted Writer to open Word documents when you double-click the document and gave you two ways to set your system to do that, but you don't seem to have tried either yet. If by "recognize", you mean something else, what is that something else? As far as the Load/Save options go, I've never used them, and Writer will open Word documents with no problem.

[jrkrideau]

I can't say as I have no experience with Windows Vista or 7.

I doubt it. I've used both with no problem. Perhaps a corrupt installation? You might want to run a repair or possibly reset your profile.