Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 121396
Track changes saved in OpenOffice not visible for Mac MS Word users
Last modified: 2012-11-26 23:00:33 UTC
Im a freelance proofreader and it's important for my clients to see the track changes in their docs. I don't have a problem with clients that are using MS word on Windows, but Mac users just not able to view the track changes, even if they try to view them with Pages. Recently, I had to convert all files to docx format using a file converter so the track changes would be visible to my client with Mac OS, still don't know if this works (waiting for response from clients). This 'incompatibility' is frustrating and time-consuming. I really hope this problem can be fixed without me having to convert back to MS Word. OOffice is convenient to me in every way especially in terms of PDF, so it will be much better if the mentioned problem can be solved.
I'm really glad that this problem is filed as a bug! (thanks naxwp) I'm an editor and I've been using OO since version 3.1, and I'm disappointed that this seemingly 'trivial' problem is still not being looked into. I actually have to 'select' my clients by prioritizing Windows Word users than the Mac Users, and this is not good for my main income as a mostly work-at-home senior editor.
@naxwp and @kinanzee: To be clear about this, is this your experience: You save from OpenOffice Writer to Microsoft Office 27-2003 .doc format and change-tracking does travel to Microsoft Office Word. The same change-tracking does not work when the document is opened with Microsoft Office Word on the Macintosh? (I assume the Macintosh user made certain that tracked changes were being shown.) You save from OpenOffice Writer to Microsoft Office .docx (OOXML) format and those tracked changes do appear to travel to the Macintosh?
*** This issue has been confirmed by popular vote. ***
These are correct except for whether track changes in .docx format are visible to Mac Word users (my client hasnt reply, should be later today).
@orcmid I can confirmed the problems experienced by naxwp and kinanzee. I'm using OpenOffice on HP Mini and Word 2008 on Mac. I saw the changed file, but not the track changes (no crossed-out texts) Only the comments were visible, which is not enough for the clients. I travel most of the time and it's better for me to work on HP Mini and able to send my work to clients.
In Malaysia most people used Windows, yet based on what I'm experiencing at the moment, two of my team members from India, and three from US, are using MAC. I'm working on a technical writing projects, and the problem always comes from my part because the others cant see my recorded changes. Is the docx format a solution to this problem? If so, how should I save the documents in that format using OO? I dont see any option to save it in docx. My OO is the latest version 3.4.1. Still, it will be much better if the track changes issue be fixed. I dont want to have to buy Word, I love the PDF tools of OO writer.
I have a MAC version 10.4.12 with Microsoft Word 2010 installed, the OO version 3.0 and higher cannot 'preserve' the track changes MAC Word.
I meant the changes are not visible in MAC Word. (In reply to comment #7)
(In reply to comment #5) > @orcmid > > I can confirmed the problems experienced by naxwp and kinanzee. > > I'm using OpenOffice on HP Mini and Word 2008 on Mac. I saw the changed > file, but not the track changes (no crossed-out texts) Only the comments > were visible, which is not enough for the clients. I travel most of the time > and it's better for me to work on HP Mini and able to send my work to > clients. On the HP Mini, what format did you save the OpenOffice Writer document in? Have you been able to make a change-tracked document in Word 2008 and come the other way? (Also, which format did you save in where that did/didn't work.) These details matter. PS: Also be sure that each product was set to show the changes and that change tracking was enabled.
(In reply to comment #7) > I have a MAC version 10.4.12 with Microsoft Word 2010 installed, the OO > version 3.0 and higher cannot 'preserve' the track changes MAC Word. When you save a Word 2010 document with change-marking, what format do you save in to bring it to OpenOffice ? [NOTE: Microsoft Office does not preserve change-marking when saving documents as ODF. It also does not recognize change-marking when reading ODF documents. As far as I know, the only path for interchange of documents with change-marking is via .doc format (the Microsoft Office 97-2003 format, in OpenOffice terms).]
(In reply to comment #6) > Is the docx format a solution to this problem? If so, how should I save the > documents in that format using OO? I dont see any option to save it in docx. > My OO is the latest version 3.4.1. You're correct. OOXML (.docx) export is not enabled in Apache OpenOffice. [Sorry - I'm so accustomed to having it in LibreOffice that I thought it had been enabled in the Apache releases also.] So the only possible avenue is using .doc (or perhaps .rtf) from Apache OpenOffice. If these open in Microsoft Word on Windows, but not in Microsoft Word on the Mac, it will take some effort to figure out what is different that has the Mac not recognize/show the change marking. Finding out if Mac documents with revision marking can come back to Windows and also to OpenOffice would help us narrow this down too.
(In reply to comment #11) > You're correct. OOXML (.docx) export is not enabled in Apache OpenOffice. > > [Sorry - I'm so accustomed to having it in LibreOffice that I thought it had > been enabled in the Apache releases also.] > > So the only possible avenue is using .doc (or perhaps .rtf) from Apache > OpenOffice. If these open in Microsoft Word on Windows, but not in > Microsoft Word on the Mac, it will take some effort to figure out what is > different that has the Mac not recognize/show the change marking. > > Finding out if Mac documents with revision marking can come back to Windows > and also to OpenOffice would help us narrow this down too. Macintosh docs with changes are visible to Windows MS word. My OO docs are always send to another proofreader whos using MS word on Windows, eventhough it supposed to be send to an editor first. Let me clarify: Mac Word <--send/receive--> Windows word = visible track changes Mac Word <--send/receive--> OOffice = non visible track changes OOffice <--send/receive--> Windows word = visible track changes So in my case, I have to do it like this: OOffice(me) --> Windows MS word(proofreader) --> Mac word(editor) So that the editor CAN see my track changes, which is only possible when the doc is open by the user of windows word who add more track changes of her own and saves it. She then sends it to the editor, and the editor will be able to see her and MY track changes together.
(In reply to comment #12) > Macintosh docs with changes are visible to Windows MS word. My OO docs are > always send to another proofreader whos using MS word on Windows, eventhough > it supposed to be send to an editor first. Let me clarify: > > Mac Word <--send/receive--> Windows word = visible track changes > Mac Word <--send/receive--> OOffice = non visible track changes > OOffice <--send/receive--> Windows word = visible track changes Thanks. That is very clear. Can you create a document in Mac Word which fails this case and add as an attachment here? A screen shot of what it looks like on the Mac would also be handy.
orcmid, here's another example of the problem from apacheforum last year NicholasB » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:24 pm I'm using OpenOffice 3.3.0 on Windows 7, trying to collaborate with a user of Word 8 on Mac 12.3.0. When he marks up text using track changes, I can see the deletions and insertions (and accept or reject as normal). But when I mark up text, recording my changes, the deleted text is not visible to him, and the inserted text is not marked as new. (The deleted text is in fact still in the document, but hidden, and can re-emerge e.g. on publishing to a pdf.) Is this a known incompatibility? Does anyone know of a work-around? OpenOffice 3.3 on Windows 7 NicholasB
Created attachment 79955 [details] doc in OO 3.4.1 windows
Created attachment 79956 [details] doc from OO to Mac