Help please with an Excel program.

TUVOK

I am running a PC with Window 10.
I use excel at the moment via a "free" program called "Apache", but I do have a problem with it as sometimes a file saved will open but not to Excel 93/97 which I have saved it too, the reason seems to be that it saves it to a unknown program.
A few friends who are quite PC literate are unable to find out why this occurs.
It's a real pain as some of the files are important and their loss is a great inconvenience to say the least!
Can you buy a PC only Excel program and do you have to pay a yearly subscription or is it a one off payment.
Any help would be most appreciated.

Neil_Jones

Apache Openoffice is what you're using, Apache on its own is an entirely different thing

Not entirely sure what you're referring to, no such thing as Excel 93 (there was Excel 5, which was released in 1993 but it wasn't labelled as Excel 93.  That label only started with Excel 95).

mksysb

You should switch to libreoffice, it's much more up to date and supports more file types

https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/

Heedtheadvice

I too struggle to understand your post but...

Assume you are using the Apache OpenOffice (AOO) (as writ by Neil) and you are saving in an earlier (than current) file version that you are hoping is compatible with current (ish) proper Excel program?

Do the files still open in AOO?

Can you save them in other formats ( Excel early formats are a bit old hat now and usually does files are current)

If you can explain a bit more there could well be a solution for you.

TUVOK

Hello, thank you all for your replies.
My apologies for my initial thread, I'll try to clarify my problem.
The program I have for office work (s/s, note pad etc) is Apache Open Office TM 4
I have this morning found a way to open some of the files in question by going to the Apache opening image and going to open file , selecting one and it will open.
The way that I used to be able to open a file was via file explorer, click on pc, click on drive, click on folder , click on file. This does not seem to work now, but it would seem that I can open the vast majority of files as I described above.
However some file will not open, an image does come up then which is labelled "TEXT IMPORT" with some options on it.
I use my PC for a lot of financial records so it's very important that I do not loose any info, I save to an exterior hard drive and a memory stick but have found that the saved items will not open on them either.
I would like to ensure that the method/program I use for saving information is secure, does this mean that I should invest in a Windows Office suite or even just Windows Excel as s/sheets are 99% of what I use.
Apologies again for tech details/clarification, but I use my PC a great deal but need use to be simple and secure as I am not PC savvy having come very late into PC work in my late 50's and now into my 70's so any help is most appreciated.

TUVOK

A follow up to what you can save files to. As members have pointed out, no excel 93.
You can save to M/S Excel 97/2000/XP, 95 x/s. there are also many others, i.e. ODF S/S, OPEN OFFICE XML, SYLK, UNIFORM OFFICE 2 , HTML DOC  AND 2003 XML , THERE ARE A FEW OTHER S AS WELL

Neil_Jones

I've read this two or three times now and i'm still not entirely sure what the issue is.

Are you saying you're trying to open files that weren't made in OpenOffice?

If you're getting the "text import" thing than that normally means you're trying to open a file that OpenOffice can't understand for whatever reason so it asks you what you want to do with it, as the assumption will be that you want to extract the core text from it.

You shouldn't as a general rule have to save as a specific file format unless there is a reason to - if you're the only one who's going to open these files, then  the default normally works fine.

TUVOK

Sorry, I'll try to clarify.
Normally I open a file going through the sequence of clicking on file explorer, PC, drive, folder and file and the contents of the file open, I can no longer do this, the file will not open.
I found a way this morning by clicking on the open file on the Apache front page, this works.
Yes, it would appear that the files that I cannot open either way are due to the reason you have stated.
Yes, the default has normally worked, but cannot understand why the method that I have used for many years will suddenly not work.
But over and above this, would it be a good idea to purchase a Windows excel program and then to be assured of security and ease of usage?
Thank you for your help

Neil_Jones

Sounds like the default programs have changed and the files aren't opening in OpenOffice.

You can change them back as per here: https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=12918#p417022

TUVOK

Many thanks for your help.
Could I ask for your opinion on buying a pukka Windows excel program? It should surely stop this type of problem for me?

Neil_Jones

TUVOK said:

Many thanks for your help.
Could I ask for your opinion on buying a pukka Windows excel program? It should surely stop this type of problem for me?

If what I linked to has fixed the issue, then the problem wasn't caused by your OpenOffice.  The problem was caused (more likely) by Windows trying to be helpful.  This is a known "issue" as such with OpenOffice, though its not an "issue" as such. Office is not free, you have to pay for it.  If you migrate you may have to revise your formulas for Excel and maybe your way of working, since the two are not 100% the same in the way they work.