[jsmith99]

I downloaded Libreoffice yesterday, and I've been converting some Works files.

I created one database using a csv file (thanks to tealady) , and, later, another one from scratch.

The problem is that both files,when I attempted to access them after saving them, caused either Windows Explorer or LO to crash. I found that, in WE, even hovering the mouse over the filename was sufficient to cause WE to close down. Opening it using the LO menu caused LO to close down.

I found that the only way to delete these files was using Shift to select a range of files, with the LO file in the middle, move them to a temporary folder, move the ones I wanted to keep back to my LO folder, and then delete the temporary folder.

The reason I created a second file was to check whether it could have been a bad disk sector. This file had the same effect.

Is this a general problem with LO? I don't actually need databases these days, so I can ignore them ... or download Open Office instead.

Slightly off the main topic, I ran CheckDisc to check drive C: Now, on XP I used to find it easy to use Event Viewer to read the chkdsk report. I'm now on W7, and I just can't get the Event Viewer reports to work properly.

[anniebrion]

Do you have java installed? LO requires this in its database app.

I have Java 7 & Java 8 installed, LO can use either

[jsmith99]

I've no idea. I remember that on XP there used to be settings about Java in Tools|Internet|Options, but I can't find anything like that on W7 and IE8.

I do know that sometimes links will show up as "java script ()" at the bottom left of the screen,

[tealady]

Windows key\control panel\programs should show Java as an item.

There's this thread http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1713227 but as annie hasn't mentioned it, it may not be relevant.

[anniebrion]

Just download and install java 7u5 from here: http://java.com/en/download/chrome.jsp?locale=en

[jsmith99]

Originally Posted by tealady

Windows key\control panel\programs should show Java as an item.

There's this thread http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1713227 but as annie hasn't mentioned it, it may not be relevant.

It shows Java (32 bit), but my system's 64 bit. If I look at 'Uninstall', the only entry for Java is "Java (TM) 6 Update 14", dated 9/2009.

Originally Posted by anniebrion

Just download and install java 7u5 from here: http://java.com/en/download/chrome.jsp?locale=en

What implications would that have for anything else? My policy is to try to keep downloads to a minimum.

I've no commitment to LO, but googling it led to various reviews saying it was better that Open Office.

However, I could simply uninstall LO and download Open Office instead; would that give me the same problems?

The main reason I want to change is for the file password protection. Having tried TrueCrypt (too complex for my needs) and AxCrypt (tended to leave files open), neither of which I found satisfactory.

[shhftw]

Originally Posted by jsmith99

It shows Java (32 bit), but my system's 64 bit. If I look at 'Uninstall', the only entry for Java is "Java (TM) 6 Update 14", dated 9/2009.



What implications would that have for anything else? My policy is to try to keep downloads to a minimum.

I've no commitment to LO, but googling it led to various reviews saying it was better that Open Office.

However, I could simply uninstall LO and download Open Office instead; would that give me the same problems?

The main reason I want to change is for the file password protection. Having tried TrueCrypt (too complex for my needs) and AxCrypt (tended to leave files open), neither of which I found satisfactory.

My personal recommendation is to download build 3.5.5.3 of LO and use it with 6u33 of JVM.

There are issues with 7u5 on various sites and certain programs - I run this in 64-bit build in IE9x64 to compare.

You want to uninstall 6u14, it's outdated and insecure.

Java is required as separate 32 and 64-bit flavours even Adobe Flash is sorted into 1 d/l...

[jsmith99]

I've just found another problem with LO : I was writing a letter, and included a URL via copy+paste. I then couldn't get rid of the blue and underline effects, which continued on to affect the following words. I managed it eventually via Format Characters, but I'm not sure which of my trial and error fumbling had the desired effect.

Thanks for the advice about java, etc., but I'm going to try Open Office. Is having both on my laptop at the same time going to cause any problems, and are there any problems with uninstalling them?

[pi r squared]

It won't cause any problems, but Open Office has the same dependencies on Java as LibreOffice does, so it won't be an easy fix to your probkem.

To solve the URL problem, either Format > Default Formatting or clearing the hyperlink would have done the trick (you'll probably find you encounter the same problem in OOo too).

[jsmith99]

Originally Posted by pi r squared

It won't cause any problems, but Open Office has the same dependencies on Java as LibreOffice does, so it won't be an easy fix to your probkem.

To solve the URL problem, either Format > Default Formatting or clearing the hyperlink would have done the trick (you'll probably find you encounter the same problem in OOo too).

Thanks, I don't think I'll bother with database, then.

I've just loaded LO, and gone to the word processor. 'Format' doesn't give me an option of 'Default Formatting' - does it appear only if I have some fancy formatting?

[pi r squared]

Apologies, I think they changed the terminology a while back - it is now labelled as "Clear Direct Formatting" and should be the top option in the Format menu.

[IvanIV]

Crashing of Explorer means the LO installed some dodgy shell extension.

[jsmith99]

Originally Posted by pi r squared

Apologies, I think they changed the terminology a while back - it is now labelled as "Clear Direct Formatting" and should be the top option in the Format menu.

Yes, I remember seeing that. I may even have clicked on it (I tend to do that, just to see what happens) but nothing happened.

So I just position the cursor at the end of the 'special' formatting (in an earlier test conversion it was the superscription of "th" in the date) and click on "Clear Direct Formatting"?

I've tried the LO "Help", but I found that unless you do a search on the exact phrase the software uses, it's not very helpful.

[pi r squared]

You would highlight with the cursor all of the text you want to remove the blue underlining from, and then select it. Should work a treat (in theory!)

[jsmith99]

Thanks - and then presumably, text after that would be normal?

[pi r squared]

Yeah, it will take it back to whatever the default style is for that particular paragraph - which in theory should be identical to what you were using before you put the hyperlink in.

[jsmith99]

Thanks, pi r. I think I'm going to use LO just for the handful of files I want password protection on, and stick to Works for the rest.

I remember the last version of Word I had, 2003, and even that had hundreds of facilities I'd never use.