Archived file can not be edited and saved

[toucango]

Hi, I've looked around this forum and can not see my particular problem - so here goes. I have backed up spread sheets originally developed in OpenOffice from a Tosheba Windows 7 machine and backed onto a 1T Seagate GoFlex drive. I have just retrieve a spreadsheet which I can modify in OpenOffice but when I attempt to save it my changes are not recorded. During the save process the long green line at bottom of sheet hesitates a few seconds before going off. This is my indication that changes are saved. However, upon attempting to load the file at a later time, Open Office tells me the file needs recovering. When recovered I have the old original data. When I create a new spread sheet and copy each tab from recovered sheet to new sheet, all is fine. What do I need to do to correct this situation? I did try changing the permissions on the folder for this subfolder but that also failed.

[John_Ha]

... when I attempt to save it my changes are not recorded

Try saving it to the desktop - does it save OK?

Now try saving it to the GoFlex drive. Does it save OK?

Download this file and save it to your desktop. Repeat the two tests above.

[toucango]

Tried both and the save function appears to work (BUT), long green line again hesitates, subsequently opening the file requires a retrieval with no change to data...

[Bill]

Do you mean that this happens with all files and is not limited to archived files?

[toucango]

No, as best I can determine it only happens to the file that I have recovered from the Seagate Drive. Other files that have not been sent to the Seagate Drive open and can be modified and saved. I have not had messages telling me that I can not modify or that this is a read only. AND if read only, I would not be able to change anything from my recovered file.

[John_Ha]

My Calc can read and write files to my GoFlex disk without problems.

If the file cannot be opened when on the desktop it sounds like the file is corrupted. Upload the file here (128kB max) or elsewhere so it can be analysed.

[toucango]

The data is sensitive so I'll pass on uploading to this site. I'll look at some other files to see if they may be less sensitive. Thanks for the offer.

[toucango]

Oh yes, saving the file on desktop and opening it in openoffice can be done. Also changing a data element which is coded to modify other cells does work but the attempt to 'save' or 'save as' if when the failure occurs.

[John_Ha]

... the attempt to 'save' or 'save as' if when the failure occurs.

Is this correct?

1. The file opens OK.
2. After making a trivial change (eg placing a number in an empty cell) the file saves OK to GoFlex or desktop
3. Changing a data element which is coded to modify other cells seems to work but the file will then not save.

Check the logic of that coding to modify other cells.

Also try creating a new empty spreadsheet and go Insert ..., and insert the broken file. Save. Is that file OK?

The data is sensitive so I'll pass on uploading to this site.

You can obscure the contents without affecting the structure too much (lines will spill differently because different characters have different widths) by changing every lower case alphabetic character to an " x ". Select all the text (Ctrl+A) and:

Edit > Find and Replace
Find box [a-z]
Replace box x
Options: Match case: YES, Regular expressions: YES
click Replace all

Repeat the above using [A-Z] and X to scramble the upper case letters.

The limit here is 128kB, or use a fileshare site like mediafire for larger files.

[toucango]

Responding to John:

1. The file opens OK.
YES IT DOES OPEN

2. After making a trivial change (eg placing a number in an empty cell) the file saves OK to GoFlex or desktop
IT DOES NOT SAVE ON THE COMPUTER NOR DOES IT SEEM TO SAVE GOING BACK TO GOFLEX

3) Changing a data element which is coded to modify other cells seems to work but the file will then not save.
CORRECT

LOGIC HAS BEEN SAME FOR 10+ YEARS SO I ONLY CHECK THE CELLS I SEE ON THE SCREEN

CREATING NEW SPREAD SHEET & COPY CONTENTS OF EACH TAB FROM ORIGINAL TO NEW DOES ALLOW THE NEW TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY

THE CHANGES YOU REFER TO ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I HAVE DONE (ADD A LETTER OR TWO, REMOVE DATA FROM CELL) BUT THEY WILL NOT SAVE.
ORIGINAL RECOVERED FILE IS 147kb THE NEW ONE THAT CONTAINS THE COPY&PASTE 10 TABS IS 136KB AND IS WORKING FINE.

ONE OTHER RECOLLECTION I HAVE IS THE FILE WAS ORIGINALLY SAVE TO GOFLEX FROM WINDOWS 7 LAPTOP. I RECOVERED IT TO A WINDOWS DESK TOP.
SHOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE BUT ...

I HOPE THIS HELPS
TOUCANGO

[Zizi64]

THE CHANGES YOU REFER TO ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I HAVE DONE (ADD A LETTER OR TWO, REMOVE DATA FROM CELL) BUT THEY WILL NOT SAVE.

It seems as an operating system problem. The storage device has become read-only somehow. This is may caused by a Windows 10 update, or by some other thing.
Try to copy a file to the storage device with an another application: Windows Explorer, Total Commander, Unreal Commander...
If the copying works, then the storage device is not in "read only" state generally, only the AOO lost the rights to write it.

[Villeroy]

It could be a backup system where the backups are write protected in order to preserve integrity.

[John_Ha]

THE NEW ONE THAT CONTAINS THE COPY&PASTE 10 TABS IS 136KB AND IS WORKING FINE.

That suggests the original file was corrupted in some way and inserting it into a new empty file got rid of the corruption.

LOGIC HAS BEEN SAME FOR 10+ YEARS SO I ONLY CHECK THE CELLS I SEE ON THE SCREEN

It sounds like the file had been edited many, many times. What does File > Properties > General ..., say?

Files which are edited many times seem to get "tangled" but we don't really know what "tangled" means but it is probably the XML gets very complicated and redundant information is stored. I think it is probably that a different, better stricter filter is used to process the file when it is copied into another file, and so discards any redundant data, than is used to save the file or to open the file. Search the Writer forum with tangled for a number of posts.

I take it the problem is now solved.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

[toucango]

ok, looks like I have a few tests to do to investigate several items mentioned above. At this point I do not consider the problem solved as my workaround allows me to save a newly created file but not the original file. From the comments made, problem appears to be with permissions. I'll check that too.

Thanks,
toucango

[RoryOF]

Turn on viewing of hidden and archive files (your operating system Help will tell you how) and verify that there are no lock files in the folder in which you are Saving on the Goflex drive.

Lock files are of form

Code: Select all

    .~lock.MyFile.ods#

The .ods extension above will change according to the type of file. These may be deleted with OpenOffice closed. They are left in position if OO or the computer crashes, or if a transfer is made to an external drive (such as the Goflex) while a file is open on the main hard drive and that file is backed up to the Goflex.

[toucango]

RoryOF, Thanks actually I am trying something similar to your comment. I think I've ID'ed a problem when file has the .xls extension but OK with .ods extension. However, not all .xls are problematic. Onward I go.

[RoryOF]

With OpenOffice closed, kill all lock files in the target folder.

[John_Ha]

At this point I do not consider the problem solved as my workaround allows me to save a newly created file but not the original file.

1. You say that when you inserted the problem file into a new file it saved OK and now works OK. So we have solved your problem.

2. The original file is corrupted - delete it. There is no way to fix it other than Step 1 (or a systematic deleting of function till it works followed by redoing what was deleted).

[toucango]

Thank you everyone who posted a response. I have considered each and attempted something regarding your solutions to my problem. The reason I did not consider this problem SOLVED is b/c I have not identified the reason for the failure. Yes, I have found a workaround but that is a lot of work for dozens of files in this situation. It is a workaround not a solution. HOWEVER, further investigation indicated that when recovered this file was in an Excel 5.0 format. When I changed it to a more recent Excel version, the altered data DID save properly. Saving it as an ods document ALSO seems to save properly. In my testing I choose another much smaller Excel 5.0 version and interestingly had NO problem with it. I can not tell why. SO , given that it seems easy enough to modify the file type version in order to work with it, I will agree to consider this problem SOLVED.

Thanks everyone,
Toucango

[RoryOF]

Excel 5 was 1993! Why use so old a version?

[Zizi64]

Try to open those Excel 5.0 files with the LibreOffice. The LO has a higher compatibility level with the foreign, obsolete, never standardized file formats. Get at least a portable version of the LO.

[toucango]

Those documents were not saved as version 5.0 by me so I have no idea where they came from. I simply can not remember the order in which I performed those activities. The documents in question result from using Office 97, which documents I then moved into OpenOffice when the then new version of Windows no longer supported that file version.

[RoryOF]

I would suggest changing the formats of all the files from Excel 5 to Excel 97/2000/XP, which is a more readily readable format and well supported by OpenOffice. It is possible (I haven't checked) that the free online service at http://www.zamzar.com will change files from excel 5 to excel 97/2000/XP. If the files open with LibreOffice, Save As and select the newer Excel format.

[toucango]

RoryOF, That is exactly what I have done. That is simpler that the cut and paste of each tab !

thanks,
toucango

[John_Ha]

See [Tutorial] Differences between Writer and MS Word files for a description of differences and for why you should always work in, and save Writer files as .odt, Calc files as .ods, Impress files as .odp etc.

[RoryOF]

Just out of curiosity: are the Excel 5 files that save under 64k in size? At back of my mind is an old memory that this problem came up years ago on Forum and it was something to do with the file size.

[toucango]

RoryOF:
Just off memory, I do know some of the Excel files were smaller and I only tested a couple that were on the screen & since they all acted alike, I counted this as a solution. The only large one was what I was working and caused my initial contact with this forum.

When I get back to working that file, I'll check some of the sizes and let you know.

Thanks,
toucango

[Zizi64]

toucango,

please upload one or two sample file/s/ here. Then we will able to examine it, we will able to trying it in various versions of the AOO and LO, and on various operating systems; and (maybe) we will able to determine the root of the problem. Orherwise we can guessing only.