Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with OpenOffice

Would like to open these documents

amethysts — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:36:41 -0800

I have some .pages documents and do not have Apple Pages to open them with. This question was asked back in 2005 but I was wondering if anyone has solved this problem yet. Already tried a bunch of online doc->PDF converters, and downloaded OpenOffice, to no avail. I'm on Windows XP.

If worse comes to worse I can just wait for the person to respond to my email. If it was an emergency I would get on the train and go to my school's computer lab, but I don't have a lot of time and it's cold and dark out.

Is there a way to do this without going outside? Thanks for your help.

Using Base & numbering

Salmonberry — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:10:29 -0800

Auto-generated numbers using Open Office base. Can it pick up where I left off? Hi there. I'm trying to create a simple database for storing purchase orders. Right now everything is done in Excel and information has to be re-input in 4 different spreadsheets. So I am attempting to build something I can use.

Currently we're up to PO number 1525. Ideally I'd like to have Base start with order number 1526 & keep going from there. Is that possible? And I'd like that PO number to be the primary key to avoid dupes. Is that also possible? I've looked high and low and can't get it to auto-generate without getting errors when adding a new record.

Thanks!

How do I change formatting options in Open Office permanently?

Beep — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:51:58 -0800

Is there any way I can change the default formatting for Open Office? I usually have to write papers in a certain format for school (1"inch margins, double-spaced, 12-point font, and I use Arial). In Open Office, there is a "Default Formatting" button under Format which changes everything back to its defaults (Times New Roman, single spaced, different margins). Is there any way I can change those formats permanently so that when I open up a new blank document it will have my preferred options? I'm running the latest version on Mac Snow Leopard.

One fell swoop (rather than lots of shallow ones)

saysthis — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:56:43 -0800

I'm dealing with English/Chinese bilingual documents in OpenOffice, 100+ page ones, and I need to get all the Chinese characters out and into another document. I'm either looking at 2-3 hours of deleting, cutting, and pasting, or maybe there's a shortcut? I've got one Writer, one Calc.

The Writer, I just need to gut it all out so I have a clean English document without goofy GBK mucking up the formatting.

The Calc, I need to move all the Chinese out to a Writer document, strip out the cells, and get a clean Chinese-only document for a word-count.

H4LP! I don't want to be doing this all night!

My OOo, as far as I know, is up to date.

Inputting data

water bear — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:43:15 -0800

This should be super easy to do on Excel, right? An example data set looks like this:

{(0,1),(1,0),(2,0),(3,1),(4,0),(5,0),(6,1),(7,1),(8,0),(9,1),(10,1),(11,0),(12,1),(13,1),(14,1),(15,1),(16,1),(17,1),(18,1),(19,1),(20,1),(21,2),(22,1),(23,1),(24,2),(25,1),(26,1),(27,2),(28,2),(29,1),(30,2)}

I'd like to plot those points (x,y). In this example x goes from 0 to 20. In other examples x will go from 0 to a couple hundred. It's a slowly growing function.

Here's the kicker: I am using Open Office Spreadsheet on a mac.

There should be two vertical columns. Of course, there is not. There is one ginormous horizontal row. I chose "comma" as deliminator. I don't think it understands there are two types of commas. One of them should signify a column break and one of them should signify a row break.

How can I make the data appear as two vertical columns?

Thank you!!

How do I select the last number in a column in Open Office Calc?

tomble — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:41:09 -0800

How do I select the last number in a column in Open Office Calc? I have a column of numbers which I add to daily. I would like the bottom, most recent number to be automatically shown in a cell on a different tab.

So, on tab 2 I have column A filled with numbers, with today's number being the very bottom number.

On tab 1 I would have a field which would show that latest number.

The versions of this that I found online, such as

=INDEX(A:A,MATCH(1E+30,A:A))

give me a 508 error. What am I doing wrong? I have very little understanding of formulas like this as I've never really dabbled with them before.

number my pages, dammit!

crazylegs — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:48:41 -0800

How do I put in page numbers in OpenOffice? What's the deal with OpenOffice? Sure it's free, but man it has some wierd quirks! I'm trying to put in page numbers, which has always been totally easy in Wordperfect and Word, the other two programs with which I'm familiar. The only way I can figure out to put page numbers in OpenOffice is to insert a header and then type in each page number individually. Surely there must be an easier way to do it. I've searched the help files, I've done everything. It's really pissing me off. Help!

Sweet suites?

NekulturnY — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:04:00 -0800

Experiences with StarOffice? I'm thinking of switching from Office to StarOffice. The problem is, I have to mail word docs to people every day, and they have to be able to read those files hassle free. Also, I have to be able to work on them, save them and retrieve them hassle free.

I found an old thread back from 04 where StarOffice and OpenOffice were discussed, and there seemed to be a number of glitches still. I was wondering if those had been ironed out in the meantime.

I am not so much interested in the philosophical and moral qualities of the product (it's open, it's free, it's not evil MS, that sort of thing). Just the mundane: "does it work like MS office?" stuff.

Basic styling questions Open Office Writer

Meatbomb — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:04:41 -0800

n00b Open Office Writer: 2 questions 1. Page styles, they are driving me insane. I have a long doc. The first page is "first page" style, after that are "default" styles. I want, after a number of default pages, to set up a few landscaped pages. I am starting to cry, every time I try to do it, the god damned thing wants to go up and convert my first page. HOW DO I GET A NEW PAGE TO TAKE A NEW STYLE WITHOUT IT FUCKING ABOUT WITH PREVIOUS PAGES????

2. I would like to define text styles once, and have them become the defaults for subsequent documents. How do I tell writer that the default style of heading one, on any new document, should be 14pt centered Arial, just for example? Or that the default for any bullet list, on any new doc, should be checkmarks?

Please help me? Please? I am going for a walk now, before I throw my expensive laptop out the window in frustration. AAAAAARGH!!! I WANT TO KILL SOMETHING BY BEATING IT TO A PULP WITH A HEAVY STICK!!!

My office colleagues thank you in advance.

Make OOo Like Word

chrisalbon — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:46:17 -0800

Can I Make OpenOffice (Mac) look like Microsoft Word 2007 (PC)? My wife really loves the UI of Microsoft Word 2007 on the PC (screenshot).

Is their a way to change the UI of open office to make it look more like Word 2007's UI?

Quickbooks form letters without MS Word?

zippy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:27:06 -0800

I have Quickbooks Pro 2008 for Windows. How can I tell Quickbooks to use OpenOffice, or some other free non-Word app, when I want to print or edit Quickbooks form letters? Quickbooks lets you generate form letters via Company -> Prepare Letters with Envelopes.

It demands that I have Word installed to see / edit / print these letters.

I don't have Word.

How can I tell Quickbooks to use OpenOffice or some other free Word alternative?

I checked the preferences window and didn't see anything in this direction.

I'm tired of pixelated icons in ObjectDock

theichibun — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:52:38 -0800

How can I change the icons in the title bar for OpenOffice's Writer, Calc, and Presentation? I'm looking to fix this pixelated icon issue, so even if I can just change the icon on ObjectDock I'd be happy. Hell, at this point I'd be happy if I have to change it so that all OpenOffice programs

I've tried looking from the ObjectDock and OpenOffice end of things. Nothing has come up so far that would allow me to change the icon either on the dock or overall for OpenOffice products. And Google for the past few days has only showed me how to change the icons on the toolbars inside the program. Cool, but not exactly what I'm looking to do.

I also know that normally I could either right click and change the icon under the dock properties in ObjectDock or the executable's properties. The ObjectDock solution doesn't acknowledge the change and there isn't even an option to change the icon if I'm looking at the executable's properties.

I'm using XP, ObjectDock version 1.90 build 536, and OpenOffice version 3.0.1.

Changing author name in MS Word's "Track Changes"

nebulawindphone — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:16:14 -0800

I'm using "Track Changes" in MS Word (or, well, its near-clone in Open Office). I've already made a number of changes — under the wrong name! How can I get those changes attributed to the right name? When I registered my copy of Open Office, I did it under a goofy name rather than my real name. Now, years later, I'm helping edit a grant application with some big-deal researchers, and lo and behold, the changes I make are attributed to "Miles J. Handlebar" rather than my real name. Not the end of the world, but it's a little unprofessional — and it's likely to cause unnecessary confusion on a big project where we've already got dozens of real names to keep track of.

If I change my name in the "Preferences..." dialog, all subsequent changes I make are attributed to my real name. But the changes I've already made are still attributed to this Handlebar character.

Is there any way I can change the attribution on the changes I've already made? Or has my imaginary friend Mr. Handlebar left his mark on the project for good?

Help with Open Office Impress?

lobstah — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 07:52:24 -0800

Using Open Office Impress...need a little help with making a navigation bar. I have all the slides ready, just can't figure out how to add a visible nav bar with the usual buttons or arrows ie: First, Previous, Next, and Last. I can make it so that when anyone clicks, the next slide appears, but I would like to dress it up a bit if possible. BONUS : Understand that I've never used this, or PP before...and I'm kinda dumb.

Migrating Macros

Amby72 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:02:35 -0800

I have been asked to convert some Word Perfect Macros to Open Office, and am looking for any ideas, or resources would help with it. Any thoughts on how you were able to complete the task would be great. We are moving to open office from Word Perfect 11. Any help would be great.

Simple database software with boomer usability

skwt — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:25:53 -0800

Database software for "what does right-click mean"? I work for a company that handles a lot of clients. It's run by a middle-age couple who don't really know what right-clicking means. They can use a web browser and Outlook Express. All our data is currently on paper and it's insane.

I'd like to digitize everything, but I'd like to keep it usable for both of them. I myself don't know anything about databases, but I have 1st-year university-level comp sci abilities. I've been experimenting with Openoffice's Base, and it looks like it would do the job, but I'm wondering if there's a way I could do it that:

- has a more warm and fuzzy GUI? (You know those kindergarten GUIs on grocery store displays?)

- is even simpler to manage? (Although Base seems pretty straightforward so not a big deal.)

- does fast searches? I'm worried (maybe totally groundlessly, I have no idea) about how doing searches on an .odb file will perform when there's 1000 entries in it. I need to be able to search it and get results within a second or two. The office computers are decent (average 2007 desktop PCs).

- does concurrent multiple read/write? Another huge bonus would be if there was an easy way to create a database that could be accessed by more than one computer on a local network (or over the internet). I'm not sure how read-only multiple-user stuff would work there. Is it possible for two users to read and modify a single database at the same time?

Thanks

How do I persuade OpenOffice to show when a space has been typed?

Lionel d'Lion — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:01:18 -0800

How do I persuade OpenOffice Writer to move the cursor when a space is typed at the end of a document? It's driving my neighbour mad and he's kindly sharing this madness with me. When typing a document, the cursor simply doesn't react when the spacebar is pressed but moves ahead once a letter key is pressed. What this means is that my neighbour doesn't know whether the software has registered the space bar until he carries on typing and has to go back to insert spaces if it hasn't (there's a separate issue here about the spacebar on his keyboard).

I found what I thought was the answer but while this has stopped the problem of getting multiple spaces when he presses the spacebar repeatedly - unsure whether it registered the first, second or nth time - the cursor still doesn't move until a character is typed (at which point it shows the space and the character).

I know this all sounds like a very minor niggle but I can only say that it's hard to appreciate just how annoying it is until you've experienced it for yourself.

There must be a way to get OpenOffice Writer to behave in what I'd think is a more user-friendly manner but I just can't find it.

OpenOffice Impress newbie question

Meatbomb — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:40:35 -0800

OpenOffice Impress (PowerPoint alternative) - an emergency time-sensitive basic NEWB question... I cannot figure out how to do this!

I have a bullet list, or maybe a few lines of regular text, on a slide.

I want to be able to click or spacebar during the presentation, so that these items appear one by one, sequentially, as I am giving my talk...

This must be possible? But I am trying to work this for the first time, the presentation is tomorrow, have no idea how to search for help on this topic... PLEASING VERY MUCH YOU TO HELP ME!!!1

If you have any other power user tips for this software, big bonus!

Resources for programming highly formatted documents?

Pontifex — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:51:58 -0800

Is there a solution for producing highly formatted documents programmatically, that is an alternative to ReportLab? ReportLab is a python library for creating highly formatted PDF documents.

It seems to be one of the only Open Source libraries / programs that can be manipulated programmatically to produce highly formatted documents.

I've already tried the macro interface to OOo and found it lacking (to put it lightly).

Are there other open source, or low cost solutions, that I can use to programmatically create a highly formatted document? Think writing letters, creating resumes, etc; When I say "highly formatted".

In relation to this question.

Thanks for your help.

--Pontifex

ODF reader for iPhone?

perrce — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:17:53 -0800

Is there an ODF reader for the iPhone? I'm looking at getting an iPhone any day now and one of the things I'm looking forward to is ditching the thumbdrive on my keyring in favor of an iPhone application like Air Sharing that turns your iPhone into a network drive via WebDAV.

On my iPhone I plan to store hundreds of OpenOffice documents saved in Open Document Format (mostly *.odt). I'd like to be able to read (or at least preview) them on my iPhone. I know that there are readers for the various MS Office formats, as well as PDF, available for iPhone, but is there one for Open Document Format?

How do I make an OpenOffice spreadsheet display a cell in bold if the date in the cell is in the past?

jesirose — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:56:21 -0800

How do I make an OpenOffice spreadsheet display a cell in bold if the date in the cell is in the past? The cell currently contains a formula to display the date which is one week after the date in another cell:

=DATE(YEAR(B3);MONTH(B3);DAY(B3)+7)

How can I use the IF() and STYLE() functions to make the cell bold if that date is today or in the past? I've used the IF() before so I understand how it works but I can't figure out STYLE() or how to compare dates. Or if this is even possible.

How can I better track my kid's feeding schedule and progress?

The Giant Squid — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:10:22 -0800

NeoOffice (or OpenOffice) Filter: Can anybody point me to the NeoOffice/OpenOffice formulas for comparing time (in minutes or seconds) between two dates? Sorry for asking this, AskMeFites. Normally, I'd tackle this one myself, but, as my son is a whopping 12 days old right now, I'm not getting a heck of a lot of sleep these days. I'm trying to generate a graph of the time between his feedings, and the length of each of his feedings.

I've been meticulously tracking all of it so far, but I could use a little help with the NeoOffice/OpenOffice functions. So:

How do I calculate absolute time (in seconds or minutes) between two dates/timestamps in NeoOffice?

Mac word processor for academic writing in the humanities?

synecdoche — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:13:39 -0800

I don't like Microsoft Word much; it feels really bloated to me, and has so many features I never use. I've been looking for an alternative for some time. What word processor does the hivemind recommend for academic writing? I am a graduate student, about to tackle the beast that is my dissertation, and am hoping to find one word processing program (that is hopefully not Word) that I can use for it as well as the other articles and such that I need to work on. I've been waiting on the official release for OpenOffice 3 (for the native Mac support), but in the current lull in the school year, I was hoping to test the waters and find what works best for me.

My writing is usually pretty straightforward. I have no need for elaborate figures, mathematical symbols, or anything like that. I'm in the humanities, and if it works with MLA format, with occasional forays into, say, Chicago, that's good enough for me. But, on the other hand, I'd like something that produces documents that are portable enough that, if need be, I can use Word or OpenOffice on the school's computers, and can easily send something off to a journal without having to re-format the entire document because it got garbled in translation. I also occasionally receive (and provide) feedback from professors and colleagues who use Word's "Track Changes" and "Insert Comment" features; support for these things would be nice, too.

Oh, and I also use spreadsheets as part of my research workflow.

Am I stuck with keeping Office on my computer? Or can I switch to something else completely? What about Mellel?

Cheap is good, too.

Splitting Strings in Spreadsheets?

l33tpolicywonk — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:49:20 -0800

Using OpenOffice Calc (Spreadsheets) - Is there any way to divide the strings in one column into two by the space in each cell? I've got a contact list formatted in CSV - only problem is that the whole name for each contact is connected in the one column and I want to. Is there any way to automate this?

Autocomplete in Pages?

spaceman_spiff — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:14:29 -0800

How can I get Pages to mimic Open Office's autocomplete? I've recently made a partial switch from Open Office/NeoOffice to Pages. I like the way Pages does styles, and it's a lot lighter weight on my Powerbook than OO/NO. But it's missing my absolute to-die-for favorite feature - autocomplete.

In Open Office, as I type, words longer than a certain threshold are added to a list; if I type the first 3-4 letters of a word in the list later on in a document, the rest of the word appears highlighted after my cursor, and I can choose to hit enter and complete the word, or just keep typing. It's absolutely fabulous, and my wrists are complaining bitterly about Pages' lack of a similar feature. Is there a plugin or hack - or best of all a checkbox I missed - for Pages that would replicate this feature?