Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

Hi, all,

I use an ASUS K55VD laptop with windows 8.

For various reasons I am still using the 4.1.2 version of Apache open office (what a dinosaur). However, recently, whenever I open AOO I get offers to install the newer version 4.1.3. This makes sense as I am currently on version 4.1.2. Is it possible, though, for me to download the latest version 4.1.7 and install that instead of the offered 4.1.3 version, Ignoring versions 4.1.3 to 4.1.6? Or is it impossible or not sensible to jump from version 4.1.2 straight to 4.1.7?

I can't see much point in updating to 4.1.3 if a much newer version is able to be used.


Thanks

Download direct from http://www.openoffice.org/download/, selecting version 4.1.7

Thanks for your quick Reply, Rory.

Do you mean 4.1.7?

Would I need to uninstall my current 4.1.2 version? If I did, wouldn't it be wise to uninstall only after I've installed and checked that the new version is Ok?

Your help is much appreciated!

Sorry 4.1.7 - typo, early morning fingers not in gear. It will install over any previous version 4.

Thanks again, Rory.

I appreciate your help and quick replies!

Or you can try the LibreOffice 6.4.6 (The Still version of the LO today.)

https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/

undiscovered country wrote:Hi, all,

I use an ASUS K55VD laptop with windows 8.

For various reasons I am still using the 4.1.2 version of Apache open office (what a dinosaur).

It is 99.9% identical with the latest version because OpenOffice is hardly developed anymore. 4.1.2 is the second bug fix release for version 4.1. 4.1.7 is the seventh bug fix release for the same version. Not that many bugs have been fixed. Since 2011 https://libreoffice.org/ is the actively developed successor to OpenOffice, forked from version 3.4, now reaching version 7.0. Like Zizi64 I recommend version 6.4.

Zizi64 and Villeroy,

Thank you so much for the heads up about LibreOffice 6.4.6.

As I have not yet downloaded the latest version of AOO, I will definitely look into LO. If I'm going to go through the process of downloading and installing, it would be good to end up with something that's much improved on what I have now.

Am I in any danger of losing documents or files if I download and use LO instead of my present AOO? Is there anything I need to guard against or be aware of? Do I need to back up files just in case? I know LO and AOO are related, but...

Much appreciated, gents!

Files should open OK. You should always back up any files of importance - you may never need the backup, if if you do, and you haven't got it, you are in trouble!

Keep OpenOffice installed.

After installing LO, AOO will be the secondary office suite which means that a plain double-click on an ODF file will open the file with LO. You can still open any suitable file with AOO by using AOO's File>Open command or right-click>"Open With..."
ODF documents on the same system with the same fonts being installed should look the same. LO can handle more foreign file formats in better ways. In rare cases you may find a file that is better handled by AOO.

Any desparately needed add-ins (see AOO menu:Tools>Add-Ins...) should be availlable for LO as well. Download them from the LO site, just in case they differ and install them through LO's command Tools>Add-Ins.

menu:File>Templates>Manage... has an import button which lets you import templates from AOO's template folder (see AOO menu:Tools>Options>Paths)

Basic macros can be copied. Copy the entire Basic folder from AOO to LO (same base directory as the templates folder).

Walk through Tools>Options to adjust your personal settings. Writer specific settings appear when Writer is active, Calc specific settings appera when Calc is active etc.

Rory,

Thanks for the reminder about back-ups. They should be done "come what may!"

Villeroy,

I really appreciate your thorough and detailed advice about setting up LO. It will be very useful.

Once more, I'd like to thank all who have replied.

You should also consider installing, whether in OpenOffice or LibreOffice, the timed/dated backup extension which can be downloaded from

http://flowcont.hu/LO_oxt_store/oxt/tim ... v1-2-0.oxt

Note that you must invoke it separately using its button; it does not replace the standard save mechanism.

Thanks Rory,

Looks like a good idea. Very practical.

I've got a few things to think about and work through now. I will let the board know when everything is completed. Although I've been using computers for many years, when it comes to stuff like this I'm a bit of a novice. I will move carefully and slowly.

Thanks all.

Well, I have installed LO.

All of my documents seem to be ok.

Something called Microsoft Direct X (MDX) has popped up. I don't know if this is a normal part of the LO set up or not. Maybe I downloaded it unknowingly when I restarted my computer.

Can anybody tell me what MDX is? Is it essential, important, useful or none of those things? Is it a part of the LO set up? It's asking me If I wish to install.

Apart from that, so far so good.

Thanks for the link Robleyd,

Apologies to Robleyd, and the forum, because my question about MDX was quite lazy. It was quite easy to look up myself, which I did.

The reason I asked about it was because the download offer of MDX came up as I was installing LO. I really wanted to know if it was connected to that. Anyway, as I am not a gamer, I don't think I really need it.

LO seems to be working fine. I've experimented and so far I have been able to perform all the tasks with it that I did with AOO.

My next concern is uninstalling AOO.

I know it could be useful having two programs to back up my files. However, I used two programs for my files on a relative's computer, once, and found it a bit of a headache trying to remember to save three versions (one on USB) of every file I modified and the resulting mess when I didn't remember (I modify many files daily). Added to that was the fact that the files saved did not always show up on both programs.

To summarize:

I've been using Apache open office 4.1.2, only, on my computer on windows 8, for my files for about five or six years. Yesterday, I downloaded Libre office (LO) successfully, on the same computer. I now have LO 6.4.6 and AOO 4.1.2 on the same computer. I can access my files on both programs. I have about 800-900 files, most saved in doc format (I'm aware of the dangers of not using ODF on LO and AOO by the way but have a good reason for using doc).

My questions are:

1. Is there any danger that I will lose files if I now uninstall my AOO program which I will no longer use? I don't want it taking up band-with unnecessarily.

2. Is there anything I should know or do before I uninstall AOO, to guard against losing files?

Thanks all.

1: No; but AOO doesn't use any "bandwidth" as in sending/receiving data across your internet connection. It does of course occupy space on your computer's storage device (rotating hard disk, SSD, other).

2: Backups? Backups? And most importantly, Backups, stored externally. For insurance against any unexpected event, such as losing or stolen computer; storage media failure; computer crushed by meteor or falling aircraft; <beverage> spilled on computer; human error, etc. etc. Not just for uninstalling software.

I have about 800-900 files, most saved in doc format

The AOO and LO can work with the native fileformats only.
This case means a conversion at opening, and means a conversion at saving of a file. (Stored in .doc -> handled as an .odt while you edit it -> .doc again when you save it.)
You will lost some formatting properties at every conversions.

It is better to work with the ODF type document (store the documents in ODF format, open the ODF version to edit it, and at end of editing you can export one (or more) copy into the desired foreign (and maybe obsolete) file formats, like the binary .doc, .xls file format.

Note: the LibreOffice can save into the OOXML file formats .docx, .xlsx (the AOO can not), but always better to use the native file formats.

Thanks Robleyd,

Regarding hard drive space versus bandwidth, I should have known that! Also, yes, backing up files is par for the course. Thanks for the reminder!

Zizi64, thanks, too for your detail about the problems of not using ODF.

I only became aware of the dangers of not using ODF formats on AOO recently, when I started researching regarding the installation of LO. The reason I have mainly used doc formats is because my office computer is equipped with Microsoft and in the early days I found many ODF files could not be opened at work. Thus I was stuck in situations at work where I couldn't print the doc that I needed after spending days preparing it. Also, many colleagues complained of not being able to open documents I sent them in ODF...

Anyway, I'll look into it and see if I can make it work using mostly ODF files.

I haven't uninstalled AOO yet. I find that every file I modify or every new file I save on LO is automatically saved on AOO. At first I thought that meant I had a back up copy for every file. However, I think it's the same copy appearing on both programs and there is not automatically more than one copy.

Two programs one set of files appearing on both programs! Correct? This means If I lose a file in LO it will also be lost in AOO. It's the computer that saves them. Correct?

If they were separate copies then I could see a good reason for keeping AOO, because I would have backed up files. But, if not..

Thanks, again for your replies. Your help is always appreciated.

every new file I save on LO is automatically saved on AOO

No, they are saved on your computer, not on a particular application in your computer.

It's the computer that saves them. Correct?

Yes, as mentioned above.

colleagues complained of not being able to open documents I sent them in ODF

MS Office since 2007 or thereabouts is capable of opening ODF files; but persons only using MS Office will probably not have a file association pointing to MS Office for ODF files, and thus think the files can't be opened because double click doesn't automatically open an application to handle the files. Of course, using File | Open from within MS Office would work, but that is apparently above the pay grade of some people

Thanks Robleyd,

Your patience is appreciated.

Of course, using File | Open from within MS Office would work, but that is apparently above the pay grade of some people.

Lol!

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.- Albert Einstein

My problem has been solved. In the end, I installed Libre Office (LO) 6.4.6 successfully, without losing any files and there were no other problems. I haven't, yet, uninstalled Apache Open Office (AOO) 4.1.2, but should I wish to, I know how to do it.

I would like to thank all who replied to my question. All advice was helpful and is much appreciated.