On new M2 MacBook Pro, existing files open as if new (blank)

[BillLibre]

I installed JDK 17 and LibreOffice 7.5.2.2 on my brand-new M2 MacBook Pro, which is running macOS Ventura 13.0.

java -version
java version “17.0.6” 2023-01-17 LTS
Java™ SE Runtime Environment (build 17.0.6+9-LTS-190)
Java HotSpot™ 64-Bit Server VM (build 17.0.6+9-LTS-190, mixed mode, sharing)

Version: 7.5.2.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 53bb9681a964705cf672590721dbc85eb4d0c3a2
CPU threads: 12; OS: Mac OS X 13.0; UI render: default; VCL: osx
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

I opened two existing files that I had created and updated many times on my older iMac. One of these files is a Calc spreadsheet (.ods), the other is a Writer text document (.odt).

Both files open correctly on my older iMac, where they display the content I last saved. However, on my new MBP both files opened with no content! It is as if I had created new Writer and Calc files, though the correct filenames appear in the title bars of their windows.

Did I overlook something during installation? Is there additional setup required?

How can I begin updating these two files (and other LibreOffice files) on my new MBP?

[Wanderer]

Sounds quite unusual… How did you transfer the files to the new computer? USB-drive?
.
When you create a new file on your new computer. Can you save and re-open them without issues?

[BillLibre]

The problem turned out to be a user error, and the clue was @Wanderer’s question, “How did you transfer the files to the new computer?"

The files are both on my Dropbox, which is shared between my old iMac and my new M2 MBP. When I installed Dropbox on my new M2 MBP I told Dropbox to make all of my files “Online only.” Dropbox thus created the folder and file structure on my M2 MBP, but each was only an alias to the file’s online location. Therefore, when I opened the 2 files, either by double-clicking them in Finder or by choosing them in LO with File > Open, I was actually opening only the alias, not the “real” file.

I confirmed that this was the situation: In Finder, right-clicking on each file I told Dropbox to “Make available offline.” I then opened each file in LO. They both opened correctly, displaying their contents.