OpenOffice

[Eireann]

So I upgraded to the latest version. I thought this would be just wonderful, because now I can open .docm and .docx files.

Well, it's only about half as wonderful as I thought. I can open them, yes. I can even work with them. But when I save them, they aren't saved in the same formats. This caused a huge problem a few days ago, when I had been working with a file that contained pictures and graphics, none of which were visible when I opened it in OO. So, of course, they weren't there when I SAVED it, either.

One huge freakin' job had to be done over again. I have GOT to find out what the problem is here. Anyone know?

[MrSmiley]

I think that the setting which you're looking for is under Tools > Options > Load/Save > Microsoft Office . As far as I know these settings control whether the pictures and other embedded objects also get saved properly into the new file.

Open Office wiki link.

I've only been using the new version a couple of days myself but I haven't had any MS Office files that I've needed to convert since... well the end of summer.

Edit: Actually after a bit more hunting around... I'm not entirely sure that OpenOffice currently supports the SAVING of docm/docx files. In fact I found an article elsewhere that seems to indicate a 3rd party program named ODF Converter-Integrator is more accurate at LOADING the files into the OOO formats than the native filters... but there isn't necessarily a way back out to that same format.

Edit: I also enjoyed this post I came across that seems to suggest Microsoft themselves are having trouble dealing with their new format and will probably drop it in favour of ODF (which OpenOffice already supports).... http://user.services.openoffice.org/...st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[Eireann]

Oh, I HOPE they drop it! I'd be overjoyed to see the last of .docm and .docx.

[Eireann]

I just wanted to add: I already knew I couldn't save in those formats; I was saving in earlier versions of Windows. What really gets me is that though I can open .docm and .docx, it tends to screw me over royally as far as the document contents are concerned. Hence my inquiry - what to do?

[Bliss]

And dont forget that Open XML Document format is very new, recently defined (thank you so much corrupt voters) and not even MS supports the ISo defined std yet, support has just beed aded to OO so it'll take a little time to have it work perfectly....

There's nothing else to do about opening them... but saving, save them in office 97, all programs that read Office 2007 will read that too, and it's been worked on long enough to be better.

In response to you, wait a little while, I think that with integration being important to take over the market, and with more .docx documents surfacing, OO will quickly apply themselves to improve the support.

[Eireann]

I downloaded a Microsoft pack to update my system, then tried opening a .docm file. Same problem. This is REALLY frustrating.

[Bliss]

Do you mean the Office 2007 support package for windows? it lets you open Open XML files in Older offices via conversion... if that's what you did and you still don't have the image it's possible that the original document is corrupt. It's very possible for example the image was linked instead of embedded and the acompanying graphic file is missing....

[Eireann]

Either the support package or the converter package. I don't have Microsoft Word, just OpenOffice. I wish I could figure out what the problem is.