AOO 4: 'odt\content.xml does not exist '

[flywelder]

What does this error mean: 'odt\content.xml does not exist ' ?
It has started to appear this week, every time when I open a document I created with open office 4.0.1
the whole message reads: c:\documents and settings\user\documents\ about David\ 'odt\content.xml does not exist '

I use this document and add to it frequently, what do I need to do to correct what ever is wrong?
PS: I'm not a computer expert, just a open office user.
Thank you

[RoryOF]

What format are the files? .odt, .doc, something else? How did you select the format if not .odt?

[Bill]

From the message, it appears that the name of the document is 'odt. Is that the real name of the document?

Edit: After trying to reproduce the error by deleting the content.xml from an odt file, and finding that this error message does not appear, it now seems that you may have a folder named 'odt and are trying to open a file named content.xml, but content.xml is an internal file which users don't usually open directly, so I don't know why you would be trying to use that file name.

[lavfina]

Hi Flywelder,

did you get your problem solved? I have the same problem, and wonder how to fix that error message. I can see all my text - which was the most important though but it seems like different pics and stuff that I got from the internet doesn't work properly in my odt file after my computer powered off with the document open. And unfortunately I don't have a recent enough backup.

I attach a screenshot of the error message and icon.

If any expert out there know how to fix that particular problem without a backup they are welcome to chime in also

[John_Ha]

Can you give the exact steps that you when the problem happens. (eg Start Writer > File > Open > Navigate to fred.odt > OPen > message appears ...).

Can you upload an example of the odt file which gives the error message.

Also, try moving the file - it looks like it is diary.odt - to a different folder, and then see if the problem still happens when you open it in the new folder.

[lavfina]

My computer just powered off, and I have now figured out a SOLUTION:
When the odt file is open, choose View - Web Layout, then I got a chance to click on that OLE object - the power plug icon- frame and comment about author that AOO itself inserted when my computer powered off. I could click on those elements and delete them. Were actually the only things gone wrong because of the powering off (anything else I saw wrong in the document probably already been there).
So I guess that makes sense to correct some xml content error in web layout view, at least that's what I did. I didn't have to go to the source and correct in the coding, fortunately, as I'm no expert

[flywelder]

I have not had the issue appear again. So I guess this is corrected.. by itself most likely. Or Maybe it corrected itself after my closing of the writer program and may be also rebooting and maybe de-fragmenting the HDD, did something. I can't say with any certainty. But I have not experienced this issue since my earlier posting.

[KLML]

I just discovered one of my documents had the very same error. I had copied and pasted text off a website and inadvertently copied an image (or I guess an xml object link). It superimposed itself over the text of the document and I just could not get rid of it. Right-clicking the image (the electric plug) did nothing. I then played around a lot and found the following very easy fix.

The steps of the fix:
1) Press the F5 key. This brings up the 'Navigator' pop-up menu. It is also available on your toolbar as the circular compass icon and from the 'View' drop-down menu.
2) In the Navigator drop-down menu, expand the OLE objects option. You will see the offending Object1 listed here as 'Object 1'.
3) Right-click 'Object 1'. From the pop-up menu that appears, hover the mouse pointer over 'OLE Object.
4) You will now see three options: Edit, Delete, Rename. Select 'Delete' and the offending Object1 will be gone.

End.

[John_Ha]

I had copied and pasted text off a website and inadvertently copied an image (or I guess an xml object link). It superimposed itself over the text of the document and I just could not get rid of it.

See Item 13 in [Tutorial] Some useful hints on using images.

Also, it would be very interesting if you could upload the file showing the problem so that it can be analysed. Use the Upload attachment tab below where you type (128 kB max); or use a file share site, Dropbox or Google Drive for a larger file.