Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 25915
MSWord document filter handles Docproperties unexpectedly
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:41:03 UTC
See attached document. Documents created in MSWord that make use of user-defined document properties (File->Properties->Custom) do not get imported well through the filter in OOo's word processor. Specifically, the custom fields seem to magically become the predefined "Title" field on import. Opening the attached document in MSWord and OOo demonstrates the issue.
Created attachment 13450 [details] document demonstrating strange handling of docproperties in MSWord filter
reassigend to mru can you please take a look on this issue?
OpenOffice does not support custom document properties like MS Office does.
Is "OpenOffice does not support custom document properties like MS Office does" in conflict with (from the OpenOffice.org 1.1 - Product Description page) "You can of course continue to use your old Microsoft Office files without any problems - and if you need to exchange files with people still using Microsoft Office, that's no problem either."
*** Issue 27516 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 61855 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
The lack of this enhancement is preventing Word/OO document interchange, especially in corporate environments. The priority should be changed to P2.
*** Issue 64540 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
A similar issue is discussed in <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=55807">55807</a> regarding the import of MSWord document variables. As of v 2.0.2, these are being imported as user-defined metadata of value-type "string", but omitted on export back to MSWord file formats. MSWord document variables can only be set through macros, but custom doc properties are accessible through the UI in both MSWord and Writer, so I think they should get at least as much support. Having the data actually import properly would be the first step, then preserving the field structure on import (and export!) would be feasible. Ideally, instead of always being "string", the value-type used for the imported data should be "docvar" for the variables and "string", "number", "date", or "boolean" for the custom document properties, so that the exporter or other document converter could put the pieces back into place for greater MSWord compatibility.
OO Writer 2.0.3 is almost there. Until this compatibility is completely provided it is hard to switch from MS Word do OO Writer. 1. My company use MS Word format to produce documentation, as many companies do (view issue 5091). 2. Every document has at least 6 Custom Fields. 3. If I edit a document in Writer I will lose all these Custom Fields. Please check my simple test with Writer 2.0.3: Steps: 1. import Word document with Custom Fields to Writer 2. in Writer save document as Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP (.doc) Results: . After step 1: the Custom Fields are successfully imported to Writer as Variables and are dynamic in text in page. . After step 2: the Variables are successfully exported to Word as Custom Fields BUT ARE NOT dynamic in text, i.e., the variable text is all static in the page!
To grep the issues easier via "requirements" I put the issues currently lying on my owner to the owner "requirements".