Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

I have just installed Apache Open Office Update version 4.1.10, replacing 4.1.9, on my Lenovo laptop (with Windows 10 Home Version 1909 which was installed 2019).
All my ODT files come up with "This file is locked for editing by … Unknown User … Open as Read Only or Open Copy"
All files (opened as copy) have changed page format to 2cm top, bottom, and both sides.
What has gone wrong?
How can i get back to previous correct working?
Note: I am 86 years old, so not very computer literate!

If you're using Avast as your antivirus, see that post: Files locked by unknown user.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the *EDIT button if your issue has been fixed.

It may be that you updated from OO 4.1.9 to 4.1.10 while your OpenOffice files were open. If that is the case, with OpenOffice closed, in the root of the OpenOffice User Profile, alongside a folder called user, will be a hidden file ".lock".

John_Ha, in this posting
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=105102&p=510084#p510071
shows how to find the OO User Profile

You should see a folder called user, and beside it (the hidden file) .lock. If you get a list of folders "autocorr, autotext etc etc", you need to go up a level. If you get a folder "4", you need to go down a level - click on it.

You will need to enable viewing of hidden files to see this. With OpenOffice closed it may safely be deleted and should solve your problem. The margins on the copy files are probably set by the default template OO uses for them, so I wouldn't worry about that at present - if we get the files opening directly, all should be well.

I have followed Rory's advice to rename my user profile and can open the OpenOffice files as before, but they are still locked.
I haven't found a 'lock' file; how can I enable hidden files to be shown?
As I said before, I'm not computer literate, I need simple instructions.

Open Windows Explorer. Click Organize>Folder and Search Options or Tools>Folder Options (depending on Windows version). Click the View Tab and check the radio button Show hidden files, folders and drive. Click OK (screenshot in this post).

But if all your files open read-only, I fear that the issue is not with the profile but with something like your antivirus or rights on the folder.

[SOLVED} Files locked. Updated 4.1.10 and all my files are locked. I have tried to do everything suggested but like previous user, I am not computer literate (age 77) and have failed to cure the problem. If I open a copy of a file, and resave it under another name, it seems to open correctly, but I do not want to do this every time I use a file.
Positive comments please, I am very frustrated. Alternatively how do I reinstate 4.1.9?
IGNORE THE ABOVE - SUCCESS. I have been using AVG Antivirus Free and it was blocking all Open Office Files. I have adjusted the settings/Exceptions in AVG (is remove Open Office from the list of blocked programs) and Open Office seems to be working correctly.

When you Save a file under another name, does that open subsequently?

All previous topics about that error message show that it comes from the antivirus, be it Bitdefender, Avast and maybe even Windows Defender. Check the settings of your protection software, especially if there is a ransomware feature.

Thank you all for your help.
All my Open Office files on my laptop are locked; if I transfer them to an external drive or memory stick they become unlocked, but as soon as I return them to the laptop they lock.
This shows the problem lies higher up than the individual file proerties, I think.
I didn't find the file unlock tag, following your advice: I can find "Organise" but using file properties it is shown that the "Open Read Only" option is not checked, so the problem must lie elsewhere.
My File Explorer has under "Organise" only Move to; Copy to; Delete; and Rename. A separate section heading gives Properties. Show Hidden Files is not an option here.
In the Properties window, all the permissions are shown with a tick, but greyed out, and I cannot change them.
The file seems to be owned by System; I have tried changing this to my own name but this doesn't help.
RoryM has reported exactly the same problem.
Refering to a previous suggestion that this occurred because I had files open when updating - I can assure you that I did not.
I booted up and updated, checking that no files were open, as advised during update.

AGAIN and AGAIN, have you checked the security settings of your system???
I understand the file lock issue on a single file. But if a whole folder is impacted, especially when moved from an external drive to the local drive, then it must be a system issue. So please check the security settings; it has been advised several times already.

Crossleyan wrote:All my Open Office files on my laptop are locked; if I transfer them to an external drive or memory stick they become unlocked, but as soon as I return them to the laptop they lock.

This sounds like your anti-ransomware or anti-virus program is not allowing OpenOffice to access folders on your pc. You need to add OpenOffice to the list of allowed apps. I don't use Windows, so I can't help you with that. The tutorial may help:

[Tutorial] Problems with Windows Defender under Windows 10

.ODT files are locked; .ODS files are not locked.
My Antivirus (AVG) does not block Open Office - shows nothing blocked.
All was well when using version 9, so the problem arose when OpenOffice was updated to version 10.
This clearly shows that the problem lies with OpenOffice, I think.
Also, files on external drives are not locked, so it seems that the ones on the hard drive were locked when the updtae was installed.
As other users have had the same problem, this needs to be attended to quickly before others are affected.

If you start OpenOffice from the Program button, in /Tools /Options /OpenOffice ?User Data, have you entered the same name and initials you used for your older files? Are you also logged on to your computer as the same User?

Further to my post today, I seem to have solved the problem, without knowing why.
First I found that only files in my folder Diary were locked.
I looked at the properties on this file folder and found that the Security window showed greyed out ticks for all Allow permissions, and also a blank square box for all the Deny options.
I ticked all the Deny options and then unticked them. This seems to have cured the problem.
Thank you all, I hope this helps others.
Crossleyan

Thanks for the follow-up.
Seems weird but who knows with MS Windows...

Fixed by removing Open Office 4.1.10 from the AVG 'Block' list. It must have been added automatically when OO was upgraded.
Thanks to those who suggested it.