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All,
I have a spreadsheet that stalls when I try to open it and when I try to save it. It does eventually open after a very long time. I don't know how long, I just walk away from the computer, eat breakfast, and then come back.
Are there any log files that I can look at to try and determine what is wrong with this file?
Is there any way to test the integrity of the file?
Thanks,
-Bill
LO 4.2.1
Just looking for confirmation the issue is with only one particular
spreadsheet?
Calc on Ubuntu does this to me fairly often with any spreadsheet. I filed a
bug report but I don't think there's active interest in it. When the report
was filed I got a suggestion to upgrade, did so and the problem stopped.
Now, a few Ubuntu patches later, and the stall when open behavior is back.
My work around has been Apache OpenOffice. When I get tired of the stalling
(and it's only Calc not Write or other programs) I start using AOO Calc.
Usually after a few LO patches are part of the Ubuntu updates the stalling
stops.
So... if is a problem with any spreadsheet, check if there is a newer LO
and install that to see if the issue is resolved.
If the issue isn't resolved by upgrading LO consider installing AOO and try
opening the spreadsheet with AOO Calc. If the problem persists when the
spreadsheet is opened with AOO Calc it is definitely the spreadsheet.
Regardless of trying AOO, if it is only one particular spreadsheet, a bit
more information would be helpful trying to diagnose the problem.
- did this spreadsheet always act this way?
- if no,
-- what changes were made to the computer between the time the
spreadsheet last opened normally and first opened slowly? i.e., add/remove,
upgrade, or patch software
-- what changes were made to the spreadsheet between the time it last
opened normally and it first opened slowly? ie, add borders to cells,
create new formulas, add more data
Hi
Just a suggestion from personal experience .
I use Presents quite a lot i was having problems with very slow opening of
certain ODP files like 2 to 3 mins .
I started having problems logging into my user on the system so bit the bullet
thought sod it created another user moved some important stuff to the new user
No more slow opening problems .
Like i said at the start just a suggestion from personal experience
Pete .
Hi 
Also wondering what the memory setting are like
Tools - Options - Memory
On most machines you can bump al those values right up. the defaults
are for very low spec machines.
How large/heavy is the spreadsheet? If it's over 10Mb then that might
explain it. Does it have lots of embedded images in it? Could those
be just linked to rather than embedded?
Have you tried using Gnumeric for that spreadsheet? Gnumeric is a
dedicated spreadsheeting program so it's far more sophisticated than
Calc/Excel for some things. Quite a few people have it alongside
LibreOffice or other office suite for use when they need something
really serious.
Regards from
Tom
I have a spreadsheet that stalls when I try to open it and when I try to
save it. It does eventually open after a very long time. IJust looking for confirmation the issue is with only one particular
spreadsheet?
Yes. Only one spreadsheet.
Calc on Ubuntu does this to me fairly often with any spreadsheet. I filed a
bug report but I don't think there's active interest in it. When the report
was filed I got a suggestion to upgrade, did so and the problem stopped.
Now, a few Ubuntu patches later, and the stall when open behavior is back.My work around has been Apache OpenOffice. When I get tired of the stalling
(and it's only Calc not Write or other programs) I start using AOO Calc.
Usually after a few LO patches are part of the Ubuntu updates the stallingstops.
So... if is a problem with any spreadsheet, check if there is a newer LO
and install that to see if the issue is resolved.If the issue isn't resolved by upgrading LO consider installing AOO and try
opening the spreadsheet with AOO Calc. If the problem persists when the
spreadsheet is opened with AOO Calc it is definitely the spreadsheet.Regardless of trying AOO, if it is only one particular spreadsheet, a bit
more information would be helpful trying to diagnose the problem.- did this spreadsheet always act this way?
No.
- if no,
-- what changes were made to the computer between the time the
spreadsheet last opened normally and first opened slowly? i.e., add/remove,
upgrade, or patch software
I Upgraded to LO 4.2.1 from 4.2.0.
-- what changes were made to the spreadsheet between the time it last
opened normally and it first opened slowly? ie, add borders to cells,
create new formulas, add more data
No changes were made to the spreadsheet. I'd post a copy of it somewhere, but it's my personal budget from last year.
I've always meant to open a bug to add an option to allow you to set these, rather than as a fixed number, as a percent of system/available RAM.
Ok, done...
Hi
Ok, so it's probably something in the upgrade or in the User Profile.
Easiest one to check is the User Profile so please rename it
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/UserProfile
Bumpnig the memory settings up would still be a good plan imo. I
really liked Tanstaafl's bug-report/feature-request
"
I've always meant to open a bug to add an option to allow you to set
these, rather than as a fixed number, as a percent of system/available
RAM.
Ok, done...
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=76118
"
It hadn't occurred to me but now he's suggested it i'm not sure why it
hadn't. Hindsight is cool.
Regards from
Tom
All,
I tried Tom's suggestion and opened the file with Gnumerics. This awesome little program opened the spreadsheet and let me know what was wrong with it:
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif’.
Unable to load the file ‘https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/static/netbenefits/common/images/nb_footer_logo.gif’.
At one time I had copied & pasted some information from my retirement account into the spreadsheet. Unless I'm logged into my Fidelity account, none of these URLs will work.
Now I have 3 questions:
1) Why doesn't LO tell us what the problems are like Gnumerics does instead of stalling for 20 minutes or more?
2) Why is the timeout period so long? 20 minutes? Really?
3) When we copy & paste a webpage why is LO storing links to images instead of the actual images?
Anyway, at least now I know how to fix this.
-Bill
All,
I tried Tom's suggestion and opened the file with Gnumerics. This awesome
little program opened the spreadsheet and let me know what was wrong with
it:Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.
fidelity.com/images/savings2/alert.gif'.
Unable to load the file 'https://retiretxn300.fidelity.com/static/
netbenefits/common/images/nb_footer_logo.gif'.At one time I had copied & pasted some information from my retirement
account into the spreadsheet. Unless I'm logged into my Fidelity account,
none of these URLs will work.Now I have 3 questions:
1) Why doesn't LO tell us what the problems are like Gnumerics does
instead of stalling for 20 minutes or more?
Not sure, maybe he is just trying to open them. But these images load
fine without being logged anywhere (I can see them), so I'm not sure that
the problem is there. It might be related to another resource on internet
anyway.
2) Why is the timeout period so long? 20 minutes? Really?
My previous statement kinda invalid the idea of a timeout (unless the
website was down all the time you tried to open the file...). But if the
issue lies in Calc behing unable to open a file with https links, the
timeout "per file" isn't insanely high: 2-3 minutes is a fairly reasonable
value to accomodate with dead-slow connections.
But since the images load correctly... moot point 
3) When we copy & paste a webpage why is LO storing links to images
instead of the actual images?
I believe it's by design: it is not always desirable to create multiple
copies of the image source; especially if it's not a static image, that is
used to convey "updated" informations for example; or if you are working on
a document where graphic designers can update their work, put placeholder
in places, etc. In this regard, it keeps the URL as the image source as it
would keep the abolute file path from a file source.
Note that you can see and "kill" these links by going in the Edit menu:
Edit->Links. There you can select all links and hit "Break Links".
If the issue lies in Calc loading a file with linked images on the web,
this can avoid the issue (given you do it before saving, of course).
However, since these links are publicly accessible, a failure to load them
by Calc is likely a bug if it is confirmed.
Did you try embedded those images in a LO spreadsheet to see if they load, or did you just open them in your browser?
-Bill
Tom,
This was indeed a helpful post (beyond just this thread). I didn't know it worked that way and didn't realize it could get corrupted. Nice to know!
Carl
I opened them in a browser, which, if everything was working correctly,
should not be different from the point of view of the server, meaning it
should provide the requested files to both. And I copy/pasted a page from a
website containing linked images into a calc file, which closed and
reopened just fine.
Now, I can't link these image specifically, as Calc just won't paste them
at all if they are not on a "complete" page (which is weird in itself).
Maybe there's something in the image format, or the fact that it's https,
that Calc just don't like. Saldy I can't test this extensively.
Hi
[Bows]
Thanks. It's good to have a 1 magic "cure all" to cure all (well
almost) weird problems that 'shouldnt' happen. It's usually some
combination of Extensions that has gone wrong (apparently).
Some programs have a button or automated process to check
Extensions/Add-ons/Plugins are still valid just after upgrading the
main program. Firefox does it automatically and that waiting for it
to do so drives my colleagues up the wall. Joomla does it by giving
you a polite message and a little button to press but lets you get on
with other stuff. LO devs are probably planning to implement
something like that one of these days (although it might be good to
scout around bug-reports and maybe post it as a feature request if
it's not already posted).
Regards from
Tom
