[Solved] Documents are backwards in MacOS with OO 4.1.3

[Panaka09]

Hi guys,

I have the following problem. I downloaded OO4.1 for Mac OS and everything is working as a charm. However, because I am living in Saudi Arabia looks like I downloaded version which is ordering my old documents from right to left. I managed to change the settings for new documents and I can write in them from left to right which is my normal way on English.

Unfortunately, when open old documents everything is opposite and have to rearrange it. Since I have plenty of documents I am looking for easy solution for this. Any inputs are welcomed.

Have a nice day!

[John_Ha]

Welcome to the forum.

Search the forum with hebrew, which is written right to left, and you will find what settings to change - they are in Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages. Click Help on that window for information.

As a new poster you will much useful information (including the answer to your question in Chapter 2 of the Writer manual) in the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials, the up to date Writer guide and the OOo v3.3 Writer Manual. When a pop-up window opens, click the Help button for extensive help on that function.

If this solves the problem, please click the Edit button on your original post and add [Solved] in front of your subject.

[Panaka09]

Thank you for your response. I already changed the settings using this forum. Sorry I didn't mention that. It works with new documents. However, when I open old file and select the text and do these changes nothing happens. They still stay from right to left.

[John_Ha]

Can you upload an example file - just a paragraph or two will do.

[Panaka09]

Will do. Actual file and screenshot because I am assuming the file will be open properly from your side.

[Panaka09]

There you go. Half of my resume for example. Valuable data is removed. Funny part is that on the file menu preview the document looks OK.

[John_Ha]

That is very strange - it is right-to-left for me too.

It appears to be a "tangled" document. Edit > Select All. Edit > Copy. Now go File > New > Text document ..., and create a new, empty document. Edit > Paste ..., and paste in the old document. Save. That fixes it.

I think the document started life, or spent time, as a MS Word .doc (or .docx) and this is probably where the problem arose.

See [Tutorial] Differences between Writer and MS Word files for why you should always work in and save files as .odt.

NB I would offer you a job but I don't have a vacancy at the moment

If this solves the problem, please click the Edit button on your original post and add [Solved] in front of your subject.

[John_Ha]

You can delete your files if you edit your post - click the Edit button on the right.

Would you like me to delete my corrected file?

I have sent you a Private Message - click the messages link at the top of the web page.

[RoryOF]

I think the document started life, or spent time, as a MS Word .doc (or .docx) and this is probably where the problem arose.

Inspection of the internal structure of the file confirms an MS Word file format was used.

No adjustment I made to the RtoL or LtoR settings had any effect on the file. John_Ha's method seems the best approach for these files.

[Panaka09]

Thanks for the help! This really fixed the problem. Yes the document had many people worked on it so Word was used and certainly Pages(MacOS) was used too.