[Solved] Mac OS Catalina compatibility issue

[johnpmanuel]

Help! I've been using Opeoffice for years on my MacBook Pro. I've just updated my Os to Catalina (10.15.2) and now none of my hundreds of Openoffice files will open. The logo jumps in the dock, and when I tab through the apps it shows it as open, but I get no menus and the file I've double-clicked refuses to open in a window. I'm currently writing my 6th novel and I'm 15,000 word in, and now I can't open the files. Plus I use the spreadsheets to create invoices, and they too aren't now accessible. I'm really stressed!

[RusselB]

There have been a number of Catalina related topics.
Use the search at the top right to search the forum for related topics.

[johnpmanuel]

I did go through them, but seemed that none them related to the basic issue affecting me, unless I missed something.

[RoryOF]

I would immediately advise making backup copies of your OpenOffice files to some form of external backup (probably a USB hard disk); be careful to observe the Mac's USB removal protocol. This is just in case it becomes necessary to reinstall Catalina, and/or reformat your hard disk; if you are doing serious work, as "6th novel" would suggest, you should have such a backup procedure in place anyway.

I don't use a Mac, but I recollect that there is something about not using OpenGL fonts in OpenOffice on Macs; perhaps that may only have been in LibreOffice. The inability to open files is reminiscent of the Window's Defender problem on Windows 10. Can you start OpenOffice from an icon or program button, and then use Cmd F Cmd O to Open a file? (this is Ctrl F Ctrl O in linux - I think the Cmd key is the correct substitute)?

[MrProgrammer]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I can't open the files.

I would like to know if adding OpenOffice to the Full Disk Access list fixes the problem for you. I have not needed to add it, though I use MacOS 10.14.
 → System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Full Disk Access → + → OpenOffice.app → Open

[johnpmanuel]

MrProgrammer, you're a genius!!! I did what you suggested and - lo and behold - OpenOffice is now functioning normally on my Mac with MacOs Catalina installed. I do use the Mac apps Numbers and Pages quite a bit, but for invoices and book-writing I've grown so used to OpenOffice that I prefer it for those two activities. Thanks again for the advice, truly grateful.