[Solved] Pictures ALL not display any more

[AndrewTham]

I am using OpenOffice 4.1.13, Windows 11, version 25H2.
I have read some FAQ on this forum and Googled for solutions but not able to solve my problem.
I have about 30 pictures in the Impress document. Practically all of them were from screenshot/snipping tools and I drag and drop into the impress document.
These pictures were fine for quite a while, and suddenly ALL of them do not display anymore - leaving placeholders, with small red-blue-yellow icon on the top left corner. Please see attachment for sample of the placeholder
I have tried a number of ways to solve the problem: 1)restarted the OpenOffice impress 2)reboot the computer 3)clear cache
4)Increase OpenOffice memory: Graphics cache to 200MB, Memory per object to 25MB, number of objects to 80
5)A Google solution: Tools=>View=>Display=>Graphics and Objects and checked/unchecked this box - but I could not find the Graphics and Object box ?
Since these pictures were screenshots (PNG), I do not have them anymore.
KINDLY PLEASE HELP ME to get back these pictures.
Thank you very much !!

[FJCC]

Can you post the document somewhere so we can look at it? The images may still be in the document, though the link to them is broken. A cloud storage location set to be publicly available or a file sharing site would work.

[RoryOF]

There is a problem in OpenOffice which may result in the loss of pictures. This was investigated in detail some years ago by JohnHA. LibreOffice spent a large sum of money on having it fixed, and the easiest solution to your problem is to transition to LibreOffice.

I used suffer from this problem both while using Windows and later linux. I isolated it on linux to happen sometimes when the automatic making of an AutoRecovery copy started (/Tools /Options/ Load-Save: "Save AutoRecovery information every x mins"). I disabled that, and "always create a backup copy" and have had no further problem (on linux).

NOTE: I do not guarantee that this will work for you! It becomes the User's responsibility to regularly make backup and intermediate copies. The easiest solution is to transition to LibreOffice, which I have not done - I do not need the change in menu layout or any extra facilities that may offer, so I remain with OpenOffice.

[DiGro]

This way OpenOffice does NOT embed the pictures in the document!
It stores a link to the picture.
When opening the file OpenOffice has to look for the pictures in the link location.
If they are not there, they won't show anymore.

It is always better to embed the pictures in the document.
I store the pictures I made screenshots of in a dedicated folder and from there I embed them in the documents,
using Insert > Picture > From file.

You can break existing links with Edit > Links, which opens Edit links dialog. There is an option Break link.
Once the link is broken the picture is embedded in the document.

See this: https://amahanty.wordpress.com/2007/04/ ... documents/

[AndrewTham]

Thank you very much for all your prompt responses and help !!
I recovered significant amount of document/pictures from deleted older version in the Recycling bin.
I shall learn from these advises that you have given, and hopefully protected myself from this, and/or able to recover more promptly if it happens again.

[RoryOF]

Remember that Ctrl S will immediately Save any file; one should get in the habit of pressing CTRL S before walking away from a computer for any reason. That Save is of the current work in progress; one should also Save a timed/dated version at start and end of each major editing session. Regular backups have saved the sanity of many computer users!