using gnome gui I clicked an open office spreadsheet file to open. While open office was opening the file it asked me if I wanted to open recovered word processor file. On being asked I selected that I did what the recovered file opened. Both files opened, the word processor file and the spreadsheet file . . . but both with the name of the recovered word processor file. I thought I might just close the spreadsheet file, which is not the one that was recovered and open it so that it would be opened with the proper name. Open office asked me if I wanted to discard changes and i declined . . . I hadn't done anything I just wanted to reopen the file.

The file closed and the icon in the file directory - open visably behind the open office window - disappeared . . . right before my eyes. It no longer exists. What can I do, except the loss or can I recover the file? More importantly, what did i do wrong?

Thankyou for your time.

Sounds more like you want to file a bug report to openoffice.org:

http://qa.openoffice.org/issue_handl...ct_issues.html

Samsara

I agree that it sounds like a bug. I've had files in OpenOffice.org that had to be "recovered" for reasons usually unknown to me, but never had this happen (and I always open both a spreadsheet and a word processing document at start-up time automatically).

Possibly something like this might be avoided in future by saying "yes" to "discard changes." That's my policy whenever I wonder: "What changes are they talking about?!"

An automated backup routine can be useful, too, though it's no guarantee of anything much, with files that change often. Still, better than nothing.

thanks fo your help, I see that i wrote something wrong: I meant to say that It asked me if I wanted to save changes and I declined. so I did actually discard changes. I will report the problem to openoffice and try to find a program to perhaps recover the file. once again, thanks for your response.