[Solved] OpenOffice malfunctions, read-only files

[lauren1056]

I have been using OpenOffice on Macs for years. I just bought a new mac, Big Sur. OpenOffice now opens all my docs was "read only" files. I have never locked any of them. How can I remove the "read only" lock?
Also when I use the "find & replace" function in my spreadsheet, it finds some of the terms I search for, other terms I search for it cannot find, even though I can see the search term in the spreadsheet.
OO also crashes sporadically. My necessary docs I have had to "open a copy
My business depends on finding terms in my spreadsheets. Can anyone help?

[RusselB]

You would've saved yourself time if you had searched the forum for the term Big Sur,
The search search.php?keywords=Big+Sur now returns these posts as well.

[Hagar Delest]

Indeed several topics about this issue, see this query (I prefer the sorting by topics).
You can either switch to LibreOffice, wait for the AOO 4.1.9 or install a RC for 4.1.9. See this post.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the *EDIT button if your issue has been fixed.

[robleyd]

OpenOffice now opens all my docs was "read only" files

Possibly the files show as owned by another user than the one on your new computer and/or have no permission to change content. Use whatever tool MacOS provides to check this; possibly a file manager will show file permissions and ownership and allow changes.

[Hagar Delest]

This issue is indeed a bit different from the other related Big Sur topics. Could it be another kind of problem linked to the Big Sur main one???

[RoryOF]

How were the files transferred to the new computer? It may be that they acquired "Read-only" attributes from the transfer process (often when using DVDs); Check that there are no hidden lock files, and that you are accessing them as the same User (spelling, capitalisation) as on the old computer. Also that the User has read write permissions to the target folder.

Edit: As Mac OS is based on linux, I mention that often when transferring files by USB from one linux computer to another, I have to change ownership of the files on the target computer from "root" to the logged on user before such files can be edited.

[MrProgrammer]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I just bought a new mac, …. OpenOffice now opens all my docs was "read only" files.

• Why do you believe the files are read-only?
• Are "all my docs" files which you transferred from an old Mac to a new one?
• If so, how were the files transferred?
You did not tell us any of this. It is hard to help with incomplete information.

The read-only status may be due to the manner in which the files were transferred. Look at instructrions to remove lock files in
Q16/A16: Open document read-only or open a copy … for editing

Could it be another kind of problem linked to the Big Sur main one???

My guess is that the problem is related to the transfer, not to Big Sur. However the OP could later experience problems related to OpenOffice on Big Sur since that release of MacOS was not available when any release of OpenOffice prior to 4.1.9 was created. This is why I don't install MacOS updates until a later OpenOffice version has been released. I do thank the others who test them for me.

Possibly the files show as owned by another user than the one on your new computer and/or have no permission to change content. Use whatever tool MacOS provides to check this; possibly a file manager will show file permissions and ownership and allow changes.

How were the files transferred to the new computer? It may be that they acquired "Read-only" attributes from the transfer process (often when using DVDs); Check that there are no hidden lock files, and that you are accessing them as the same User (spelling, capitalisation) as on the old computer. Also that the User has read write permissions to the target folder. As Mac OS is based on linux, I mention that often when transferring files by USB from one linux computer to another, I have to change ownership of the files on the target computer from "root" to the logged on user before such files can be edited.

These ideas might be the case since many details are unknown. The proper place to ask about changing MacOS file permissions is an Apple forum, not an OpenOffice forum. If the OP hs purchased the new Mac from Apple, they qualify for techincal support from the company for a period of time. If an Apple store is convenient, Apple wizards there can fix a "file permission" problem. Apple will not be familar with the lock files discussed in Q16/A16, though their technicians will understand the solution if it is shown to them. I acquired a new Mac about a year ago and did not experience read-only difficulties.
[Solved] User experience: OpenOffice 4.1.7 on MacOS 10.14.6


If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[lauren1056]

I am the creator of all of my files, no other user created or locked them. No one else uses my computers. I did not upgrade to Big Sur, I bought a new computer that came with Big Sur.
I backed up my files onto an external harddrive. I bought a new Mac, Catalina and transferred the files onto it. They all worked fine. I then bought another new Mac, Big Sur. Transferred the files from the same external HD to that new Mac and I get a message telling me it can only open the files as read only. But the message is random, some files it opens fine. These are all text or spreadsheet files I created over the years, all created using OO.
The bigger frustration is that the Find & Replace function (ctrl+f) is malfunctioning. I have to find entries in spreadsheets and when I search for entries, it will find some and others it will not find. I can be looking right at an entry in the spreadsheet so I know it is there, but it will not find it. I have tried dozens of time checking to be sure I am not misspelling, etc. I am searching for simple one word entries, nothing complicated, so it's not characters entered wrong.

[RoryOF]

If it only happens for some files, enable viewing of hidden and archive files (look it up if you don't know how), then look in the folder in which the files are Saved for a lock file. With OpenOffice closed, these may safely be deleted.

They have the form

Code: Select all

.~lock.MyFile.odt#

They have a size of a few hundred bytes, whereas the file they lock is typically several kilobytes - make sure you delete only the smaller file.

[lauren1056]

Thank you. It seems like that may have fixed the problem.

Edit: This topic was about read-only files. Topic locked due to introduction of an unrelated question. -- MrProgrammer, forum moderator

Do you have any suggestions on what to do about the OO Find & Replace function only randomly successfully finding terms I search for?
When I search for entries (simple one word searches), it sometimes finds what I search for, and other times it will not find my search term. Even when I can see the entry in the spreadsheet so I know it is there, it will not find it. The searches it successfully finds, it will always find on future searches. The searches where it does not find the term (even though it exists in the spreadsheet), it will never find. That it, it likes some of the data (will find it) and does not like other data. It see no pattern other than that. Some data entered into the spreadsheet BEFORE transferring the files to the new computer it will find and some it will not. Some data entered into the spreadsheet AFTER transferring the files to the new computer it will find and some it will not. The problem of not finding an entry is not limited to any specific column in the spreadsheet. Both text and currency formats have the problem.

[RusselB]

Please repost your last query as a separate topic.
Forum rules state one question per topic.