Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

Welcome beginner. Please answer all of the questions below which may provide information necessary to answer your question.
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Which version of OpenOffice.org are you using? 2.4
What Operating System (version) are you using? Win xp home
What is your question or comment?

How do I open a .xls email attachment in Open Office. Sorry if this sounds a basic question but I have only just downloaded OO and I can't get it to work.

The file must be associated with the program. That could be a problem for your email client, or for your Windows setup. Windows will allow you to associate files several different ways. Try saving one of your own file creations on the desktop, for example, and th double click that. If it opens up the program, then the general association exists. If not, it might then give you the option to search for the program [browse your HD for swriter.exe]. Look for the "Always use this program" option when accepting your choice. There are also free 3rd party programs to help with association.

If the file DID open in the program with a double click, th association exists generally, and you might then have to set up your email client to recognise and deal with it.

David.

Ricardo wrote:
How do I open a .xls email attachment in Open Office.

I have only just downloaded OO and I can't get it to work.

Have you tried this: In you email program, save the xls file to your hard drive. Note where that location is.

Then start OpenOffice. Use the File>Open menu and navigate to that location.

If you still experience problems tell more about what is happening.

Thanks for the replies. I did as you suggested and saved the attachment on to My Docs and the clicked on open with and selected Open Office and it worked. Is there any way now to make it open direct from the attachment to eliminate having to save everything and then open it?

Ricardo wrote:Thanks for the replies. I did as you suggested and saved the attachment on to My Docs and the clicked on open with and selected Open Office and it worked. Is there any way now to make it open direct from the attachment to eliminate having to save everything and then open it?

Someone may have found the answer already. I did a search for "open email attachment". Click on the link or use the search box at the top right of this page.

http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/search.php

You could be more specific in your search (Thunderbird, Outlook, etc.) but that could also screen out your answer.

If you do find a way, it will probably open as "read only," which is good for reading it, but of course you could not edit it and reply.

It is not too much of a problem by saving it first as it is only an occasional use. I have had a quick search through other similar questions and it seems it is better to save it and then open it, something to do with the file from outlook only saved in the temp folder and can disappear if changes are made.

Absolutely. If later in a hurry you forget that you've opened a file from the mail client and you make important modifications, quitting the mail client will delete the temporary files.

So better get used to save in a safe location.

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

NB: I move the thread to the Setup & Troubleshouting forum.