[Solved] Calc crashes on copy/paste

[N1MM]

Same problem here. Try to mark text in a spreadsheet I have been updating since 2009, and as soon ass I select copy of a moderate amount of columns, Calc freezes. About 160 columns of 15 rows. Large, but not crazy large.

I am right up to date with Win 11 versions, so it looks like an interaction between Windows and OpenOffice. I update this spreadsheet every month on the first, and last month it worked. In fact, this morning I was able to do the copy, and the app hung later in the update process, just pasting data into single cells.
I upgraded from .7 to .13. No better. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, no help. I renamed the user file. No improvement.

Tom

Edit: Split from Calc crashes on copy/paste. Hagar, Moderator.

[John_Ha]

Same problem here. Try to mark text in a spreadsheet I have been updating since 2009

Thirteen years of editing the same file suggests the file is now horribly tangled. Copy the contents of your spreadsheet to a new, empty spreadsheet. Does that new spreadsheet work OK?

[N1MM]

That worked. I was a bit put off by the term "tangled" which I take to mean that pointers are so disorganized that there isn't room to handle them.
My process each month is to copy all the columns for the last 13 years * 12 months and paste them one column over. I then enter this months results in column B and copy it to the first column in the 13 years of data. Apparently, if you do that enough, it causes "tangling". The spreadsheet on disk is small - only 68 kb.

I was unable to even copy the 13 years worth of data, much less paste it, so I copied it in two parts to a new spreadsheet, then copied the 2nd sheet to that new spreadsheet as well. Now it works again.

Thanks for the tip. I would not have tried that.

Tom

[John_Ha]

We don't know precisely what "tangled" means. However, a heavily edited file has very complex XML coding and the copy/paste seems to get rid of the complexity and simplify it. I have seen large files become hundreds of kB smaller.

My process each month is to copy all the columns for the last 13 years * 12 months and paste them one column over. I then enter this months results in column B and copy it to the first column in the 13 years of data.

Three better methods.

1. Use Insert > Column. It probably produces simpler XML than copy/paste.

2. Set up the spreadsheet the other way round and use Window > Freeze ..., to freeze the leftmost column. Add the next month's data at the right. You can scroll back through the hidden columns.

3. Use a simple database - it's what databases are designed to do.

[RoryOF]

I suspect that a "tangled" file may have many redundant formatting codes embedded in it, perhaps overlapping, and the process John_Ha suggests rationalises these. Someday, when there is spare time, perhaps John or I will examine such a file to ascertain the true cause.

[John_Ha]

And a fourth method.

4. Use one sheet for each year. That way, each sheet is only changed 12 times. You can calculate with cells from other sheets.

[N1MM]

The portion of the spreadsheet being copied is pretty simple. I am copying 29 rows of 156 columns, adding a column each month. I am doing it "wrong" in that the operation I really want to perform is cut/paste, but I do it with copy/paste then I specify "replace".

I'll try cut/paste in the future and get back to you in 13 years with the results .

Thanks again for the help.

Tom

[RoryOF]

I always prefer Copy/Paste and later deletion of the source, just in case something goes wrong and the source, having been Cut, is lost, say by a system crash (power failure induced)

[John_Ha]

The portion of the spreadsheet being copied is pretty simple. I am copying 29 rows of 156 columns, adding a column each month.

Don't do that. Just go Insert > Column ..., and insert a new, empty column for this month's data.

[Bak Mei]

SOLVED: Using Open Office 4.1.13 and Win 11 Home, updated. Had same problem re: copy column and/or specific cells and freezing worksheet when trying to paste elsewhere on spreadsheet. After trying everything on this forum, it dawned on me that a printer software, that I added about a week before I discovered my spreadsheet problem, may be the cause. I went into CONTROL PANEL and REMOVED a recently added printer software, (SELPHY 1300 printer). Now, I'm a "happy camper" again. So far, spreadsheet is working well.

[John_Ha]

That's quite bizarre and a very good catch. The AOO copy/paste is a bit flaky but I cannot imagine why a printer driver would affect it????

[xraywhf]

Windows 11 and Calc from OO 4.1.14 locks up tight if I right click on any cell and "Cut". I have to shut down and restart the page after "recovering" my spreadsheet. It also locks up if I try to highlight a block of cells for any reason.

[Hagar Delest]

See: [Solved] OpenOffice Calc freezes and becomes unusable when using copy.

[us71na]

I updated recently to Open Office 4.1.14 and the problem no longer occurs. I haven't made any other changes to my computer settings. It even works in older large spreadsheets that have be manipulated many many times including multiple copy and paste moving multiple cells at a time and from sheet to sheet.

[xraywhf]

I am currently using OO 4.1.14 on a Windows 11 OS tablet. I can't even right click on a cell without the entire application locking up. I have to use Task Manager to shut down the app. Is there a patch out there somewhere that I'm missing? Or does OO just not work on Windows 11?

[Hagar Delest]

The .14 version should have fixed it I guess. Have you tried to reset your OpenOffice user profile?
If no luck, try LibreOffice.

[xraywhf]

My Windows "Clipboard" is OFF.

[JPMarkle]

Same issue as everyone else with the Copy /Paste failure.

Machine has 64 GB of RAM and 1.47 TB free on the system drive running Win 11 with the latest SP and an i7, so it's really doubtful that it's the hardware causing it.

Any time I try to cut and paste, it locks up and it pops up with a Not Responding message.

[Hagar Delest]

Is your Clipboard history turned off?

[xraywhf]

Yes. I see a lot of fixes for Win 10 but nothing for Win 11. Am I sol?

[Hagar Delest]

I was answering JPMarkle actually.

Have you cleared the history of your clipboard?

If you still have the problem then it will be at least the 2 of you. Maybe the bug has not been fixed for Windows 11 but I guess that there would be a lot more topics about that here then.

[JPMarkle]

According to the folks at Microsloth, it clears after a reboot, which I have restarted on many occasions, gone straight into Calc and had the problem occur after a fresh reboot. When I arrive home this evening, I'll verify with a manual clearing of all cache, clipboard included.

[JPMarkle]

Verified that the clipboard is empty with Windows-V. Tried to cut and paste with same result. Rebooted fresh again, verified that the clipboard was still clear, opened Calc, same result again.

[xraywhf]

I concur. One right click on any cell kills the program and I have to perform a file restore. I Save a lot.

[robleyd]

Some users have had success with this problem by turning off clipboard Suggested Actions, as mentioned in the link above by Hagar Delest.

[JPMarkle]

Turned off Clipboard History, rebooted and same result.

For those who wish to turn off Clipboard History, here's the quick and easy walkthrough.

Press the Windows key
Type 'clipboard'
Click on 'Clipboard Settings'
First selection will be 'Clipboard History' -> change to off
Third selection will be 'Clear clipboard data' -> click clear if it's active

Reboot your device and run through the steps again, just in case the fools at Microsloth have set it to re-enable without your permission.

Maybe it'll fix the issue for you, but it didn't for me.

[Hagar Delest]

Try LIbreOffice (at least a portable version) to see if it does better.

[orionstar]

JPMarkle & xraywhf: Turning off Windows 11 Clipboard history and clearing past history is part of the solution. Turning off Suggested Actions is the other part as noted by roblyed above, and John Ha and others in
viewtopic.php?p=534803#p534803

[xraywhf]

I’ll give it another shot. I long for the old days before web-based applications.

[Hagar Delest]

What's the link with web-based applications???