problem saving docx

knussear · Captain Joined: Jun 19, 2003 Posts: 61 Location: Las Vegas

Hi

Can't find this noted in this forum so I'll ask.

I'm finding that neo 3 doesn't write docx files that MS word will open. I can repeat it every time. Here is the symptom. I create a file (file1.docx) in word (I'm using word 2008 for mac version 12.5 (081119), saving as native docx file. I open in NeoOffice 3 ea 2 patch 0 (but was the case in Neo 3 ea 1 also, Intel mac 10.5.6) and the document looks fine. With or without making any changes at all i save the file as file2.docx using the Word 2007 docx option. When trying to open the file in word I get the following error: "The open XML file file2.docx cannot be opened because there are problems with the contents. Details...The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" with an OK box. Selecting OK gives another dialogue that states" "Word found unreadable content in "file2.docx", Do you want to recover the contents of this document? If you trust the source of this document click Yes". when clicking yes I get yet another error stating: The Open XML file file2.docx canot be opened because there are problems with the contents. Details Microsoft Office cannot open this file because some parts are missing or invalid.

Ken

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

Like NeoOffice 2.2.5, NeoOffice 3.0 Early Access uses the open source odf-converter project's code to export to Office 2007 format. While the odf-converter project's code does work for really simple documents, it is unlikely to be totally compatible for documents with complex formatting.

Right now, there is still only one application that handle the Office 2007 file formats and that application is Microsoft Office. While those file formats may be an ISO standard, no open source code exists that imports and exports those file formats even remotely as good as Microsoft Office does.

This is why NeoOffice won't allow you to save directly to save your changes to Office 2007 format and, instead, tries to get you to save to a new file using the ODF file format.

If you really must save in a Microsoft Office format, I would recommend that you save it in the Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP format as the export code for those file formats is much more mature and complete.

Patrick

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

OK. I found what is happening. It appears that NeoOffice is by passing the odf-converter code and is saving the .docx file in .odt format!

I will look at this. In the meantime, a workaround is to save as a 97/2000/XP .doc file as recommended in my previous post.

Patrick

narf · The Anomaly Joined: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 1075

I have submitted Bug 3397 to track this issue in Bugzilla.

Please add yourself to the cc: list in the bug to follow its progress.

--fran

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

FYI. I think that I have fixed this bug. I have posted links to a test patch in my last post in Bug 3397.

Please note that Microsoft Office 2008 may warn you that any .docx files saved in NeoOffice need to be repaired, but after Office does its repair file operation, the .docx file should open in Microsoft Office 2008.

Patrick

knussear · Captain Joined: Jun 19, 2003 Posts: 61 Location: Las Vegas

I Just tested it with the new patch, and it appears to still be slightly off, and I recognize that this may be due to the external converter. The first error still comes up, but the second "recover file" part brings in the document.

Ken

narf · The Anomaly Joined: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 1075

knussear · Captain Joined: Jun 19, 2003 Posts: 61 Location: Las Vegas

alanterra · Agent Joined: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 10

Sorry, not sure if I should continue this discussion or start a new one.

I am working on a document that needs to be processed by another app (Sente). This app can process .rtf and .docx documents, but not .odt.

Saving as .rtf and .docx introduces errors in the document that are annoying (.rtf is better than .docx).

My questions are

* Is NeoOffice using the latest odt -> docx code for conversions? Is there any hope for a better conversion if I fire up Windows and install the SourceForge code there? (I don't want to do this)

* Is there any way to more reliably convert .odt files to these other formats than a Save As?

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

alanterra · Agent Joined: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 10

Thanks for all the info. I don't own Word, and don't want to purchase it.

But you helped me realize that another option for me is to

* Save as doc
* Open in Pages and save as Pages
* Process Bibliography in Sente
* Open in Pages and save as .doc
* Open in NeoOffice for final editing

Complicated. But it may help work around some problems I am having with .rtf format.

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

Wayne · Blue Pill Joined: Nov 21, 2009 Posts: 2

This may be mostly of academic interest, given that it's not recommended, but I'll pass it on for whatever it might be worth. I opened a .docx from work and saved it in .docx format. After quitting and restarting NeoOffice (to get the latest patch, though I doubt that's the issue), formatting like centering and page breaks disappeared. This isn't a big deal for me as I can just paste the text edits back into Word when I get back to work and I'll know better for next time to save to the Word XP format.