Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

Hello, please be gentle and very basic.

When I try to open a previously saved file in Writer I get the dialogue box

[
Document in use
Document file 'example document file name because it's the same with all of them' is locked for editing by:

Unknown User.

Open read only or a copy of the document for editing
]

It is quite infuriating and I can see no way of becoming a known user - I have regisetered on the program already, and always allow the PC close down properly (These are suggestions I have seen {and understood} in the forums)

If anyone can describe how to resolve this issue to a complete novice I will be grateful and extend whatever this platforms positive kudos is.

Thanks in advance,
Stu

Edit: Changed subject, was Unknown user? It's me! WTF!  Make your post understandable by others  Added text of message to allow others to find this topic  -- MrProgrammer, forum moderator

Further - opening the read only version and clicking the edit button gives
[
This document cannot be edited, possibly due to missing access rights. Do you want to edit acopy of the document?
]

I don't want to back to using Jarte, but this is quite inconvenient.

Thanks again

You have some stray lock files that need to be deleted. First, shutdown OpenOffice. Open the folder that contains a file you want to edit and make hidden files visible. To do that, click the View menu near the top left of the folder window then select the Hidden Items box. Now look for files whose names starts with .~lock. Delete all of them.
In the address bar of the folder that shows which folder you are in, enter
%appdata%\OpenOffice\4
That will take you to a folder containing a folder named user. Look for a file named .lock and delete it. This .lock file is also hidden, so be sure you have enabled viewing hidden objects in that folder.
Restart OpenOffice and check that the problem is solved.

"Unknown user" in the error message often means that the problem is caused by an anti-virus, anti-ransomware or some other program, not by a lock file.

Files locked by unknown user

Thanks both for your input.
@FJCC I appreciate your style, very clear and easy to follow instructions, however it yeilded no results, no hidden files, nothing in the subfolders with the .~lock nor the parent folder. I was sure to follow your directions to the letter, so again, thanks for the attempt.

@Bill, thanks, too to you. The post to a long thread was less instructive but does seem to suggest that my issue might be my AV. I'll look further into that when I can, but being a bit luddite it will take me a while.

Cheers to you both