I created some mini-dictionaries using .ods. I have never converted these files to Excel, have always used them as just .ods files. Did not use them for several months. Yet, suddenly I cannot open these .ods files without undergoing some conversion which apparently removes some undefined aspects which are apparently incompatible with Excel files. I do not want Excel interfering with these .ods files.
Why the interrelated involvement of Excel in my .ods files?
Which aspects precisely are the offending ones?
How to reconvert these ‘blended’ files back to pure .ods files?
How to avoid this unwanted blending in future?
I’m curious if anyone except Original Poster could ever decipher what “some conversion”, or “some undefined aspects which are apparently incompatible with Excel files” might mean specifically: what one could see on screen? Error messages? specific breakage of content/formatting? long opening with some on-screen text accompanying it? opening in different applications on double-click in file manager?
How could anyone attempt to provide any meaningful answer to “why”, “what”, etc. in these circumstances?
How could anyone attempt to provide any meaningful answer […]?
Attempt made … excellent opportunity to test my crystal ball which just returned from service.
It’s a good attempt - I give a standing ovation. The crystal ball was repaired well.
Thank you keme! I am not a sophisticated internet user, did not state my problem with total accuracy. But you figured out an appropriate answer anyway. I vaguely recall a page suddenly turning up on my screen where I had to choose the default spreadsheet. I clicked on Excel, never imagining that MS would take that to mean no other spreadsheet apps to be tolerated on this computer! Maybe that is when my .ods files got messed up. Have tried to find that particular default selection page again, no luck. I use LO for mini-dictionaries because it will alphabetize by non-English alphabets whereas Excel interprets ö ü õ and ä as ‘symbols’ rather than true characters of a foreign alphabet and treats them as English o u and a, creating a mess. That is why I could not state exact errors as criticized by the first person who responded. So, now I went file by file, right clicked, chose Properties, and chose Libre Office for ‘opens with’. Early days, but so far, so good. Thanks again!
Likely cause
Your system has been updated in a way which sets Excel as the default handler for ods files.
- This can happen if you install/activate Excel, in a number of ways, e.g. …
- Accidental click on the icon linked to a preinstalled click-to-run Excel
- Accept some system search result routed via Bing and using Edge
- Another possible event is a Microsoft security update which deems LibreOffice unsafe, and “resets” Excel as the ods handler application.
It happens more frequently with pdf (resetting from Adobe Reader to Edge), but I have had it happen to LibreOffice Writer files also. Personally I have never seen it with Calc files, but based on my experience I’d say it is not highly unlikely.
This does not mean that your files have been converted, nor changed in any way. They may appear differently (new icon) but the content is untouched by the events mentioned above. Note however that if you proceed to open the file using Excel, content is sometimes written back to the file without your asking, possibly rendering your file dysfunctional for your purposes. I observed this “rogue” behavior of Excel some 7-8 years ago. Not sure whether current versions still do that…
How to go back
If my guess is correct, the easiest way to fix it is to run the LO installer again and choose the repair option when it appears.
The repair option does not always appear, and does not always help for this even when it appears. You may then need to visit the settings for apps, and select default app for each ODx file type.
How to avoid
Use a different base system. Microsoft supplies the Windows operating system, and has complete control of its behavior. They can distribute a system change any time they like. You have the choice to block such changes, but then you might block important security and maintenance updates too.
Most major linux distributions are a better choice if you wish to avoid such things. Linux will come with its own set of limitations, so it may or may not be a good choice for you. Perhaps you are better served by knowing how to fix it again, instead of trying to avoid it happening.