Thanks for the reply Sandy!
Perhaps I am giving too much information, but I hope that it is interesting
to everyone who reads it?
I want to provide my CD book customer with a way to use spreadsheets if
he/she does not have Execl(r), and want to include an install open office
option on my book CD.
I have written a book on CD using web style pages with many hyperlinks.
Hyperlinks open a copy of an application file in a temporary folder. This is
ok for html pages. However, I want to call spreadsheets from hyperlinks, so
I must link to a batch file which will call the spreadsheet file, so that it
can have its full pathname, and open there. This allows a spreadsheet to be
saved to its correct folder and with the same filename.
If I did not do this, the normal web browser operation will cause the
customer changed spreadsheet file to be saved to the correct filename the
first time (but not to the original file, only to a copy, in a temporary
folder). For any additional save, it will be assigned a new random file name
(to prevent two files from having the same filename).
So, if I use a command window batch file that forces the spreadsheet to open
in its original folder, and write to the original application filename, the
customer's modified spreadsheet will be saved properly.
Installation of my book CD is by an autorun.inf file, which copies all the
html, png, xls files to the customer's computer. Now whenever a spreadsheet
file is opened, it must have the columns of data cells to be in the same
unprotected state as when the spreadsheet file was originally created.
If the Excel(r) file is opened by open office as write protected (read
only), or with input data cells protected, it is unusable.
In a previous version of open office 1.1.5 this worked properly, and my
spreadsheets open ready for input data. But in verison 2.0.4, I have seen
two problems. Files open with cells protected. I tried unprotecting cells,
and once I was able to do it with some extra work (which my customer would
not appreciate!).
The next time I opened a spreadsheet file in open office, the format cells
option was greyed out, and I could not find a way to change to unprotected
cells.
While searching for a way to do this, a window said that the file was read
only (box checked). But when checking the file in Windows Explorer, the file
is NOT read only (box unchecked).
I am about ready to give up on open office as an option for my book
customers.
If this is a bug that can be easily fixed, then I do still want to include
an open office install option. But to do so, I must create new book CD's
including open office install option.
Thanks for any Help!!!
Hubert Fitch
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sandy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 1:03 AM
Subject: Re: [users] Excel spreadsheets should not open with cells protected
Hubert Fitch wrote:
My Excel spreadsheets must open like they were created, with desired
columns of input cells unprotected.
How can I change the behaviour of open office which adds protection when
spreadsheets are opened, so that my customers can immediately use their
spreadsheets as they have always been able to do in the past?
Hubert Fitch
Perhaps you could clarify what is happening.
You use OpenOffice Calc to create an .xls spreadsheet. When someone uses
Excel to open the spreadsheet, cells have somehow become protected. Is
that it? (I cannot test it myself but others who have both software
applications may do so.)
--
If you're seeking, check out http://www.rci.org.au
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
