Writer Crashs

[martin]

I have downloaded ver 2.3 and i find it is beset with bugs or it doesnt like my comp. I use XP Pro and have been using OO for many years.
This latest version is slow to load from the start bar,frequently stops responding and is very slow when u paste a message either from or to thunder bird.
2 days ago i removed it from the list of programs[add and remote programs] and downloaded the same version again .It still has all the problems i mentioned above .What ever changes you made from Ver2.3 to this have not been good as far as my work is concerned. The older versions were a dream to work with Cheers
Martin

[grabro]

Hi

I must agree. I've used OOo since it came out and it was a revelation and was conducive to me finally dumping Windows. I have had a few problems with this version though the latest one being a complete inability to access Mail Merge. I have a letter one page long that I wish to mail merge to about 25 people but as soon as I click on the mail merge tab OOo completely crashes. There is no backtrace because "gdb" is not loaded.

Can Anyone help?

grabro

[martin]

I have loaded ver 2.3.1 and it is no better. Is there a site where i can download Ver 2.0 > so that i can isolate whether the problem is in my comp or the new version . Ver 2.> was a dream to work with.The latest is so slow to load when compared with earlier version . Is it becoming to bloated
Cheers
Martin

[foxcole]

All previous releases of the portable version are available on SourceForge.net:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfile ... _id=133951

This is the full office suite (without the Java package, but if you already have a Java runtime environment installed, you don't need it). You can run it from an iPod or CD or USB flash drive, or locally on your hard drive.

I thought I remembered a link on the Download page of OpenOffice.org to a repository of prior versions, but I'm not finding it anywhere, including the site map, so I might be dreaming. Could have sworn it was there, though, especially because I believe I used it once, before I switched to the portable version (which is always a release or two behind the current one, at least if you get it from PortableApps.com; but I find it worth the wait). I'm also relieved that it appears they took my warning about 2.3 seriously and may be working on 2.3.1 as the next portable release. Versions older than 2.2 may require you to specify the Java version each time you open it, though, if you try to use a Java-based feature. Most of the time, that's not a problem for me. I'm hanging on to 2.1 until 2.3.1 Portable comes out.

[foxcole]

2 days ago i removed it from the list of programs[add and remote programs] and downloaded the same version again .It still has all the problems

If the problem is in your user settings, perhaps some corruption there, it won't improve by installing new versions. Try closing OOo, then renaming or moving your user folder (in WinXP that's found in C:\Documents and Settings\your userID\Application Data\OpenOffice.org2). OOo will create a fresh new one when you start it again.

[Bill]

For old Windows versions of OOo: search for "filehippo".

[martin]

There naming or moving your user folder (in WinXP that's found in C:\Documents and Settings\your userID\Application Data\OpenOffice.org2)

.You cant change the user name like you suggest
My frustration with 2.3.1 is increasing . Almost every time i open a .doc the write it gives me a not responding message and the windows task manager cant fix it either> Its a forced shutdown reset button or cold boot grrrrrr .
As for a site suggested by Bill for older version where is this file mentioned or to be found.
Perhaps there was one download where i forgot to disable my AV program . What do i do it fix this down load and reinstall with the Av disabled.
The spell check is extremely slow to respond sometimes i wait 5/6 seconds before it appears .
What is portable and why should i down load it onto a laptop compared to a non-portable version
I have Java installed for use mainly in chat programs.Dont even know what is purpose is in having it in writer

[Bill]

There naming or moving your user folder (in WinXP that's found in C:\Documents and Settings\your userID\Application Data\OpenOffice.org2)

.You cant change the user name like you suggest

You don't change the user name--you change the name of the user profile folder. Right-click the "OpenOffice.org2" folder in your Application Data folder and select Rename from the context menu.

My frustration with 2.3.1 is increasing . Almost every time i open a .doc the write it gives me a not responding message and the windows task manager cant fix it either> Its a forced shutdown reset button or cold boot grrrrrr .
As for a site suggested by Bill for older version where is this file mentioned or to be found.

Which file? Searching the forum currently finds only two posts--one of those has a link to the suggested site. Clicking the link opens the page on that site which has a list of about 35 old versions of OOo available for download.

[foxcole]

Perhaps there was one download where i forgot to disable my AV program . What do i do it fix this down load and reinstall with the Av disabled.

Just download a fresh copy from openoffice.org. Disabling your AV might depend on which one you're running. Usually you'll be able to find its icon in the system tray (on the right end of your Windows taskbar), right-click on it and choose Exit. Some AV programs require you to open the program from your Windows Start menu and de-select an option to protect in real time. If you need more help with that, you'll need to let us know what AV program(s) you're running.

The spell check is extremely slow to respond sometimes i wait 5/6 seconds before it appears .

Deleting unnecessary dictionaries and de-selecting the "Check in all languages" option should help that. Creating a fresh user profile as already described may also help. See the sticky tutorial [Tutorial] Spell check and Language configuration for more detail on deleting dictionaries.

What is portable and why should i down load it onto a laptop compared to a non-portable version

Portable means you don't need to install it to run it. If you download a portable version, all you do is extract it to whatever drive you want it on. If you extract it to removable media (such as a USB flash drive or an iPod) you can take it and use it on another computer, complete with all your settings, templates, etc. There are technical reasons for avoiding the registry, but that's another discussion. But it does mean you won't be leaving bits and pieces of settings and other data sitting around on your computer, and it means nothing else can accidentally affect your registry settings, because you're not using registry settings.

I have Java installed for use mainly in chat programs.Dont even know what is purpose is in having it in writer

There are a few features in Writer (as well as in many, many other programs**) that use Java. Writer uses it specifically for wizards, database functions, and features that would otherwise work differently on different platforms, meaning with Java they'll work the same on any platform. The majority of OOo will function just fine without it, but you may occasionally run across a feature that needs it.

**For more information on on the ubiquity of Java, see http://www.sun.com/java/everywhere/index.jsp

[Hagar Delest]

As this is rather an installation issue, I move to the MS Windows forum.

Thanks to add '[Solved]' in your first post title (edit button) if your issue has been fixed.