dear OpenOffice,
I had a final paper due today in college. I had finished writing it yesterday. Today when I went to print it off and go to turn it in I noticed my document was all pound symbols:
################
10 pages of my life gone in an instant. I searched very vigorously for hours trying to figure out how to solve this. I could find nothing except for apologies. So I would like to sincerely tell you that I hate you. Good day
############# Thanks.
Re: ############# Thanks.
And you have not any backup version of your document?
There are some important rules for usage of computer programs (not only for Office suites, and not only for AOO or LO).
1. make backups often in multiple copies ("Save as" with date-time string in the filename)
2. do not work on a removable device (it is for store)
3. do not work with a progam (Office suite) in foreign file formats. (use the native format(s), and export the document at end of editing, if necessary)
4. ...etc...
This is not a sarcastic remark: "it was a good lesson for you"
There are some important rules for usage of computer programs (not only for Office suites, and not only for AOO or LO).
1. make backups often in multiple copies ("Save as" with date-time string in the filename)
2. do not work on a removable device (it is for store)
3. do not work with a progam (Office suite) in foreign file formats. (use the native format(s), and export the document at end of editing, if necessary)
4. ...etc...
This is not a sarcastic remark: "it was a good lesson for you"
Tibor Kovacs, Hungary; LO7.5.8 /Win7-10 x64Prof.
PortableApps/winPenPack: LO3.3.0-7.6.2;AOO4.1.14
Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
PortableApps/winPenPack: LO3.3.0-7.6.2;AOO4.1.14
Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
Re: ############# Thanks.
While Zizi's post is good information for later, it doesn't help you with your current circumstance.
This type of thing has been reported many times in the past and there's a very good chance that you are SOL.
Options that might be able to help you include working with the .xml file that is generated when you save in the native format.
You didn't specify if you were using the native format (.odt for Writer files) or not.
If you did save as .odt, then rename the .odt to .zip, then open the .zip file and extract the .xml file that has a name similar to that of your original saved document.
You can then open the .xml file and, maybe, recover some of your work from there.
When you were working in Writer, did you have the auto-backup active? If so, then you might find a back-up copy of your document in the directory specified in your OO settings under Back-ups.
I don't know what operating system you're using, so I'm not going to try to describe how to find these settings, as they seem to differ depending on the OS.
If you are running Windows, then you might be able to get an older copy by doing a system restore to an earlier time when you know your document was good.
None of these options are guaranteed to work, but they are all possibilities. I have listed them in order based on what I consider would be the least amount of work to the most.
This type of thing has been reported many times in the past and there's a very good chance that you are SOL.
Options that might be able to help you include working with the .xml file that is generated when you save in the native format.
You didn't specify if you were using the native format (.odt for Writer files) or not.
If you did save as .odt, then rename the .odt to .zip, then open the .zip file and extract the .xml file that has a name similar to that of your original saved document.
You can then open the .xml file and, maybe, recover some of your work from there.
When you were working in Writer, did you have the auto-backup active? If so, then you might find a back-up copy of your document in the directory specified in your OO settings under Back-ups.
I don't know what operating system you're using, so I'm not going to try to describe how to find these settings, as they seem to differ depending on the OS.
If you are running Windows, then you might be able to get an older copy by doing a system restore to an earlier time when you know your document was good.
None of these options are guaranteed to work, but they are all possibilities. I have listed them in order based on what I consider would be the least amount of work to the most.
OpenOffice 4.1.7, LibreOffice 7.0.1.2 on Windows 7 Pro, Ultimate & Windows 10 Home (2004)
If you believe your problem has been resolved, please go to your first post in this topic, click the Edit button and add [Solved] to the beginning of the Subject line.
If you believe your problem has been resolved, please go to your first post in this topic, click the Edit button and add [Solved] to the beginning of the Subject line.
-
Hagar Delest
- Moderator
- Posts: 32658
- Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:07 pm
- Location: France
Re: ############# Thanks.
Sadly, quite nothing to do I fear, see: 22 pages term paper replaced with pound signs.
Check the temporary folder of the system (see in OO Tools>Options>OO>Paths). If there are folders like sgmlf.tmp with a file having the same name inside, make a copy of that file, rename it in .odt and cross your fingers. If you have not rebooted, you might have those files still there.
What OS?
If you want to help fix this problem, you can also do this survey created for this very problem: Document Recovery Survey.
Check the temporary folder of the system (see in OO Tools>Options>OO>Paths). If there are folders like sgmlf.tmp with a file having the same name inside, make a copy of that file, rename it in .odt and cross your fingers. If you have not rebooted, you might have those files still there.
What OS?
If you want to help fix this problem, you can also do this survey created for this very problem: Document Recovery Survey.
LibreOffice 7.6.2.1 on Xubuntu 23.10 and 7.6.4.1 portable on Windows 10