I don't understand this message on my new Pc?

TUVOK

I have a bought a new PC and have opted for files to be saved in ods.
A message comes up every time I open a saved file, the message reads:

Default file not registered .
The following file formats are not registered to be opened by default
.odp  .odt  .ods

Select OK if you want to change default file format registrations.

Then there are two tick box's cancel and OK

As you can gather I'm no PC expert, in my very late 70's and although having used a PC daily for over 20 years, I do not really understand a lot of the file working.

This message coming up evert time I open a file is annoying, I currently muddle through but I'm vary wary of losing a file as important information is stored on them.

Can PC literate members please advise me on the solution to this problem and how to stop this message coming up, but ensuring the files are safely stored.

Thanks for any help.

Keep_pedalling

Those are Open document formats used by OpenOffice or more likely these days LibraOffice. .ods is a spreadsheet (LibraOffice Calc) .odt is a text file (LibraOffice Writer) and .odp is a presentation file (LibraOffice Impress). These are the equivalent of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

First off do you have Libra or OpenOffice installed on your PC? If not you can download LibraOffice for free from here.

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

Secondly are these files you have created or files you have downloaded or been sent?

On-the-coast

Agree with @Keep_pedalling,
but I’ll add - do you have Microsoft office 365 or similar on your PC? Because when you first open it on a new pc you’re asked what format you want to save in. Open office or office XML.  

Confusingly for a beginner it doesn’t really explain the significance of that choice. If you intend to use Microsoft product then it’s simpler to stay with XML.  Although you do have to pay a licence fee to keep using it. 

p00hsticks

TUVOK said:

This message coming up evert time I open a file is annoying, I currently muddle through but I'm vary wary of losing a file as important information is stored on them.

The most important thing I take from this is to make sure you are backing up your computer on a regular basis - it can be as simple as copying the contents onto a USB stick from time to time ...

Neil49

Is there any particular reason why you originally selected ods? 

As mentioned above, Libreoffice saves files in that format by default but, if you don't want to go to the expense of buying Microsoft Office you can change the settings within Libreoffice for it to save files in the Microsoft xml format.

Libreoffice is free to download and I have used it for over 20 years (but always saved files in the Microsoft format). 

TUVOK

Keep_pedalling said:

Those are Open document formats used by OpenOffice or more likely these days LibraOffice. .ods is a spreadsheet (LibraOffice Calc) .odt is a text file (LibraOffice Writer) and .odp is a presentation file (LibraOffice Impress). These are the equivalent of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

First off do you have Libra or OpenOffice installed on your PC? If not you can download LibraOffice for free from here.

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

Secondly are these files you have created or files you have downloaded or been sent?

I have open office.
I have created the files.

TUVOK

On-the-coast said:

Agree with @Keep_pedalling,
but I’ll add - do you have Microsoft office 365 or similar on your PC? Because when you first open it on a new pc you’re asked what format you want to save in. Open office or office XML.  

Confusingly for a beginner it doesn’t really explain the significance of that choice. If you intend to use Microsoft product then it’s simpler to stay with XML.  Although you do have to pay a licence fee to keep using it. 

I do have Microsoft 365 installed but would prefer not to pay a license for it, so I'm using open office.

TUVOK

Neil49 said:

Is there any particular reason why you originally selected ods? 

As mentioned above, Libreoffice saves files in that format by default but, if you don't want to go to the expense of buying Microsoft Office you can change the settings within Libreoffice for it to save files in the Microsoft xml format.

Libreoffice is free to download and I have used it for over 20 years (but always saved files in the Microsoft format). 

So is the opinion that I should download Libre and convert all files from open office to Libre.

I have a external hard drive and memory sticks which I use to back up all files.

400ixl

Go to www.office.com and sigh up to a free account and use Office online for free. Combine it with a free OneDrive 5Gb of online storage and you are good to go, complete with backup.

bob2302

I don't see any reason to change, as  long as it's not the discontinued openoffice.org version, just change the file associations.

Bonhomie

TUVOK said:

Neil49 said:

Is there any particular reason why you originally selected ods? 

As mentioned above, Libreoffice saves files in that format by default but, if you don't want to go to the expense of buying Microsoft Office you can change the settings within Libreoffice for it to save files in the Microsoft xml format.

Libreoffice is free to download and I have used it for over 20 years (but always saved files in the Microsoft format). 

So is the opinion that I should download Libre and convert all files from open office to Libre.

I have a external hard drive and memory sticks which I use to back up all files.

Download and install. Downloading does nothing but save the uninstalled program to your PC. So you would need to install Libre Office. But that should not be necessary unless you are using an outdated version of OpenOffice.

As I understand it, you should be able to manipulate your current .ods files by 'right clicking', choosing 'open with' and then choosing Open Office Calc as the program. If you are offered the offered the option of always choosing Open Office for those files, then take it. 
Just like you did here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6494352/message-upon-opening-a-file

If, when you do that, Open Office Calc is not offered as an option, try this:

Example.  Let's say you want to default .ods files to open with Open Office Calc, but in "Default Apps" your only choices are Notepad, and WordPad.    

Step 1. From "File Explorer", Right-Click on the File_Name.ods and Select "Open With". 

Select "Choose another app".  Then, the "How do you want to open this file?" dialog box, pops up. 

Click on "More apps [down-arrow]". 

After you clicked on Click on "More apps [down-arrow]", a bigger list of apps should be displayed.

Check the "Always use this app to open [.fileType] files" check-box, and

Scroll to the bottom and Click, "Look for another app on this PC".

Browse to the relevant programs .exe file(I guess it will be the .exe from Calc and double-click it (or left-click and then click the Open button).

Your file will open in the app you selected, and from now on all files of that type will open with that app.  In this case all .ods files will open with Calc. 

The issue you are having is opening them by 'double click'. Is that correct?