Existing spreadsheet .xls opens in writer NOT calc?

Sinner · Blue Pill Joined: Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 1

I am trying to open an existing Excel spreadsheet BUT it opens in writer (and obviously displays garbage) not calc. Any suggestuions would be helpful.
I am new to neooffice so excuse me if this is a simple problem.

RoyFocker · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:59 am Post subject:

OH! I think this is not a "simple" problem!
Did you try opening the *.xls file from CALC (not double click on the file but first run CALC and File, Open, etc.?

Another option is to change manually the extension from *.xls into *.ods.

Hoping this can help!
Roy

sardisson · Town Crier Joined: Feb 01, 2004 Posts: 4588

Make sure that the file has a .xls extension, because the spreadsheet import filters don't have "extended type detection" that helps them determine what a file really is; they're dumb and only kick in when the file has the "proper" extension....

Smokey

Tenebrist · Guest

I am having the same problem. Changing the file extension hasn't helped. Its opening the file in NeoOffice Writer regardless.

Any other suggestions?

OPENSTEP · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject:

Try changing the extension and also selecting "Microsoft Excel XP/2000/97" from the "Format" popup menu of the open dialog to explicitly tell it which filter you want to use. This filter should allow only ".xls" extension documents to be opened.

ed

MattSh · Guest

I don't have a format pop-up menu in the open dialog. But I do have a file type. So, I change the extension to .ods, then select "file.ods" then select the "ods" filetype from the file type menu, click open, and it still opens in Writer.

papabean · Guest

I am having the exact same problem. There is no import option and I set the preference to have Excel documents converted to OpenOffice when loaded. Still opening .xls docs in Writer.

Any other suggestions?

I am running OS X 10.4.8 on a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo.

Lorinda · Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject:

You could try this as a work around:

Open Neo Office and choose New>Spreadsheet from the File Menu
Under Insert Choose "Sheet From File..."
Locate the file in question and click "Open"
If the file has more than one sheet, you will be asked to choose which sheet to open, just repeat the process for each sheet.

Not elegant, and not a long term solution, but maybe a stopgap while we try to figure out the problem.

When you "Get Info" (Command-I) on the file in the Finder, what does it tell you about type?

Are there any non-alphanumeric characters in the file name?
Is there more than one period in the file name?
Is the extension showing in the file name in Finder?

I realize that some of you have answered some of the questions before, but with more than one person reporting the problem, I wanted to be thorough.

shipsh · Guest

Not sure if anyone is still watching this thread or not, but I am having the same problem.

I exported a text file and want to import it into Calc. I used the file open menu, like I would in Excel. However, it opened Writer. So I changed the extension to .xls, but the same thing happend. Then, when I found "insert sheet from file" menu item, I tried that. Nothing happened. No error was reported, the program did not crash...nothing.

So, for me, at least, the work-around did not help. If there is any other direction, I would appreciate it greatly.

Seraphim Hipsh

Lorinda · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 1:39 pm Post subject:

Try this:

In finder, go to the txt file you exported/saved.
Change the extension from .txt to .csv
Go back to Neo and choose "open" from the file menu
Navigate to your document, select it, and click on "Open"

Neo Should now open a window titled "Text Import"

Make sure the "Separator Options" are set correctly; the bottom of the window will adjust as you change the settings so you can see if they are correct.

Click "OK"

It should now open in Calc.

Unfortunately this probably doesn't help those having problems with the .xls files.

mkaiserme · Blue Pill Joined: Feb 25, 2007 Posts: 2

I'm having the same problem with xls files opening only in Writer. The only way I've found to get into Calc is to copy/paste the Writer table into Calc.

It's weird though . . . I have some xls files that open in Calc when I double-click them and others that open in Writer. I haven't yet discerned a pattern to help me figure out what the "good" ones have in common.

Stranger and stranger . . .

Mike

mickeyinlalaland · Oracle Joined: Feb 18, 2007 Posts: 239 Location: LaLaLand

Can you list which version and patch number of NeoOffice you are using?

mkaiserme · Blue Pill Joined: Feb 25, 2007 Posts: 2

2.0 Aqua Beta 3 Patch 15

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

I suspect that it is an OpenOffice.org bug. Since Microsoft has never documented the specifications for their file formats (they consider their file formats to be trade secrets), applications like OpenOffice.org must reverse engineer the file formats.

Because of this, no application will likely ever be 100% compatible with Microsoft file formats. Why? Because as soon as an application gets close like OpenOffice.org has, Microsoft merely has to create a new file format and the game starts all over again.

What I would suggest that you do is file a bug in Bugzilla and attach a sample document after you create the bug. We can then determine if this is an OpenOffice.org bug (which is outside of our project scope) or a NeoOffice bug.

Patrick

Rich Schmidt · Guest

This is crap. It's happening to me, too. I don't remember it happening to me when I used to run Aqua Beta. Now I'm on 2.1, and it's opening an .xls file in Writer. Even if Calc is open, it opens it in Writer. This is why I *HATE* big integrated office programs like this. Why can't I just open Calc & then open a file IN CALC??? And how hard is it to open .xls files in Calc?!!

FWIW, the file is autogenerated by my credit card's website, so I have little control over how it's created. And in Finder, it shows up as a "NeoOffice Document" and has the .xls extension. It's not even a complicated file. Pretty straightforward.

Oh, and the Import Sheet from File thing worked. So I can get at it. But it's a pain.