Files created in other applications do not always display in OpenOffice.org exactly as they did when they were created. Why is this, and what can be done about it?

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Files created in other applications do not always display in OpenOffice.org exactly as they did when they were created. Why is this, and what can be done about it?


OpenOffice.org provides the best file filters currently on the market, allowing users to read and edit files from other applications. The OpenOffice.org filters support macros from Python, BeanShell, and JavaScript.

One of the main goals of OpenOffice.org is to encourage the adoption of open and fully documented file formats and APIs so that in the future, users will never have a problem opening any file. However, until the OpenOffice.org file formats are fully adopted, users should keep in mind the following when opening, reading and editing files from other applications:

  • Hard formatting. Files which rely on hard formatting such as hard returns, hard page breaks, etc. rather than soft spaces, carriage returns, soft page breaks, or tab characters will yield better results.
  • Fonts. Opening files from different applications which use uncommon fonts with few metric equivalents can give the impression that the file formatting is jumbled in OpenOffice.org. Formatting will be best maintained when importing documents using common fonts such as, Arial, Book Antiqua, Bookman Old Style, Century, Century Schoolbook, Courier New, Lucida, MS Mincho, Monotype Sorts, Symbol, and Times New Roman.
  • Unsupported features. Not all features are supported by the file filters, for example, some Table of Contents functionality, some fields, and some footnotes functionality.
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