Alternate page headers don't import

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#1

Really hoped to replace MS Office on my new computer, but I’m ready to give up on LO regretfully. I’ve spent all evening trying to import a simple template from Word (in .dot format) that has different headers for the first page, the right hand pages, and the left hand pages. I even saved a document using that template as a .doc file and tried importing that into LO4. But no matter what I do, LO4 strips the second page text from the headers. Additionally, with another template that does NOT use alternate right and left headers, trying to save it as an .odt file or as a template in LO strips the graphics from the header. The graphics show up if I open a .doc file with that header, but again, the alternate right/left headers doesn’t import right. Is there any hope? I feel like I’ve tried everything.

90% of my printed work uses these headers, so this is really critical for me, and I love the idea of breaking free of MS Office!

EDIT: Uploading LOissues.jpg which should be renamed LOissues.zip and extracted containing the problem files and a readme.txt with explanation. THANK YOU so much for patience and help!

LOissue.jpg

LATE EDIT: Well, looks like I have to throw in the towel. Once owneg posted that it didn’t look like the .dot files would import right, I did spend hours in LO trying to recreate this template. I decided that I could just make the first page (with the big header) NOT have a header and just put the elements in there on the page and save it, and do the headers for page 2 and 3 (which have small headers and don’t need fancy text boxes) but I’m having no luck. Here’s some issues; maybe if I can get these solved, I can keep hammering away at this (obviously I don’t give up easily :))

  1. the graphics still don’t import correctly, and the elliptical text box is impossible.
  2. I can’t find a way to tell LO that I want NO header on the first page, just different headers for subsequent odd and even pages. You can uncheck “same first page” and “same right and left”, but there’s still a blank header on the first page.
  3. I can’t find out where to do a text box…I found “frame” but that isn’t it. The Help function does NOT work in my LO—it takes me to a website but with no relevant info there. How do I insert a text box? I need to use text boxes in the headers since they have to line up right with the graphic (IF I can ever get the simple gradient line graphic to import right).
  4. Still not finding out how to do my business cards—importing the .doc I made once the .pub wouldn’t work doesn’t work right—everything is pushed down the page. Is there a business card template somewhere? I have no templates in my LO directory.

LAST EDIT: Success! Totally recreated in Word first using graphics vs. Shapes, etc. and opened that in LO and it worked. See attachment workingOO3.odt.workingOO3.odt

#2

Thanx, ROSt52; I guess I can go through the hoops of recreating these (the graphics are NOT importing right) but that doesn’t solve the issue of not being able to get different left and right headers. I am very tech savvy, and understood that there would be a learning curve with any new program, but this really has me frustrated. I’d just assumed (uh-oh!) that LO4 would just import from Word well.

#3

The are known problems with graphics in headers of DOCX files (FDO#47545) that date back to the v3.5.x series.

#4

Thanks, oweng. Unfortunately, this is a deal killer for me; a lot of my printed stuff needs altrnate left and right headers and recreating even the main header in LO4 is proving to be a daunting task as the graphics aren’t coming in correctly. Coupled with the issue of business cards created in Publisher not importing as a business card but instead full page, greeting cards not importing correctly, etc. it’s looking like I’m going to have to bite the bullet and buy Office again. :frowning:

#5

Uploaded LOissues.jpg which is really LOissues.zip. THANK YOU!

#6

This is becoming a bit of a discussion, which is advocated against in the FAQ. Re. #2, you can use the First Page page style. Re. #3, View > Toolbars > Drawing. There comes a time in every business when it is easier to create new documents than continue using old documents. Changing from MSO to LO is a good example. It often requires business process re-engineering.

#7

Sorry. oweng; just had to do one last edit because I have had success by recreating everything. See last edit and attachment. Still many issues (business cards, greeting cards, etc.) but-the Geek Goddess in me couldn’t let this go :). Thanks for everything1

#8

Congratulation!!!

#14

I’ve just performed a rudimentary test on the header/footer import capability of LO for both DOCX and DOC (97-2004) format files under MacOS 10.6.8:

  1. Created a DOCX in Mac: Word 2011 (hereafter “Word”). Different first page (graphic in header, no footer) and different left/right header and footer (basic text) on subsequent pages.
  2. Open DOCX with Word and save as PDF.
  3. Open DOCX with LO (v4.0.2.2) and export as PDF.
  4. Open DOCX with Word and save as DOC.
  5. Open DOC with Word and save as PDF.
  6. Open DOC with LO (v4.0.2.2) and export as PDF.

I have uploaded the results as a ZIP file (renamed with JPG extension to allow upload). The only difference is the position of the graphic in the DOCX (open by LO) is not quite accurate (the DOC is identical). It may be that my DOCX > DOC path is giving different results. It may alternatively / also be that the particular formatting you are employing is what is causing problems. How are the graphic objects anchored? What is their positioning? Are there multiple / overlapping objects? This may assist you to track down the specific element/s that are causing you problems.

Note: I realise this is not a template (DOT) test. I also realise it is a basic test. Hopefully it is some help.

EDIT: I have conducted a further rudimentary test by saving the DOCX as a DOTX and DOT file. Both of these open with LO v4.0.2.2 as shown in the PDFs (which is to say in the same manner as described above - the DOTX has a minor positioning difference with respect to the graphic).

#15

Thanx for hanging in there! If I could figure out how to upload the .dot file here, I would so you could see. I suspect at least part of the issue is as you suggested: the anchoring and overlapping of graphics and text. I’d really love to get this solved, both because the Geek Goddess in me hates admitting defeat :slight_smile: and because I’d really like to support this project!

#16

You should be able to edit your original question. Place a comment like “EDIT: My test file is here.” at the end. Highlight the word “here” and click the paperclip icon. The rest should be straightforward. I think you are right in that the problem is likely to be the elements and how they are arranged. Word can do some very strange and often inconsistent things with positioning values.

#17

oweng, I was excited to see your instructions to attach my .dot file so you could see the issue, but when I went to upload it, the dialog came up listing the permitted filetypes, and .dot (nor .doc, nor .pub) is not allowed. Only LO formats and graphics. Not even .zip files, or I would zip it up. If you’re really willing to take a look at this (and maybe the business card in .pub that isn’t importing right) I would be glad to upload them to my server and include a link to them? Thanx!

#18

You must think I’m clueless and I’m usually quite the opposite! Between this and trying to get my business card template to import (it comes in messed up), I’m just frustrated. Calc and Impress seem to be fine, but Writer is my main interest, and it’s thwarting me :).

#19

No, I don’t. None of us know everything. I forget that certain file types (extensions) are disallowed. You will have to rename the file to use an allowed extension (e.g., JPG) before uploading it. Just let us know what extension it should be. If you poke around this site you will notice others use the same technique. Hang in there! Hopefully we will find a solution.

#20

Thank you once again, oweng!!! Running out now but when I get back later I will try this upload. I think one of the problems is that main header uses a tall graphic with a text box in it to allow typing in it. I tried a workaround this morning: I uploaded the .doc file to zamzara.com and had them convert it to .odt, and much more worked ok, but far from everything. Yet just opening the .doc in LO didn’t work as well at all. I will write a note in the zip file I upload (with a .jpg extension.)

#21

Unfortunately your existing template / letterhead contains too many elements in very specific overlay arrangement to make it LO compatible. I would recommend either: a) starting again using the ODT format; b) separately creating a single graphic for the header along with a single text box. This is the best advice I can offer.

#22

Regrets, oweng! Please see my “LATE EDIT” of the original question. Still fingers crossed!

#9

I also experienced a year ago problems with importing dot-files into Writer. Some templates I created newly in Writer, some I repaired, some imported without a problem.

If the import doesn’t work, I recommend to repair the template(s) and if this fails, create it(them) new. It doesn’t take much time. Additionally it helps you to understand the various style features. They are really great in LibO and were a disaster for me in WORD. You can define different styles for each template if you want.

#10

Left and right different headers is very easy.
Format / page / tab Header (or Footer) and uncheck “same content left/right”

You also can include this in your page styles - that’s what I would do.

#11

Yup—for headers I’m creating from scratch. This issue was importing a document with the alternate headers in place—the don’t import correctly (graphics issues, no text or fields in the right header). Spent all morning trying to recreate these from scratch in LO, but the header is very inflexible compared to Word—pasting a graphic in there seems to make it not a header (it’s pretty tall, though I did check “autofit”). I’m usually super-patient learning new stuff, but this has me frustrated.

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