I recently ran into a problem when I created a file with OpenOffice Calc and later tried to read it with Microsoft Excel. I had this problem before and for some reason I didn’t associate it with OpenOffice. Since I have had the below described problem two times now I thought I would alert you to it so you can be careful if you do anything similar.
The last time the problem arose was when I created the data file for Nowlin Cemetery. I find OpenOffice easier to use than MS Office so I was using it to create the data file for the cemetery. I always save the cemetery data files in the MS Excel format so other people can use them when I’m done. Everything looked great in OpenOffice Calc, the files were done so I prepared the DVD’s to give to the various genealogy groups and people that wanted them. I delivered the DVD’s and for some unknown reason I opened the file in MS Excel. BIG PROBLEM. None of the dates, which were formatted as Dec 31, 1999, were there. They were all shown as "##########" instead.
What did I do wrong. I still don’t know. I formatted the dates in OpenOffice and saved them to the Excel format. Then I tried to read them in Excel. Still bad. I tried to expand the column width in Excel. That didn’t help. I just couldn’t get the dates to read right in Excel. Finally I just used Excel to enter the dates, there were only about 25 or so, and saved the files. This solved the problem. I burned new DVD’s and made the rounds to everyone again.
Just before I wrote this I tried to duplicate the problem using four columns with different date formats in each and using ten different dates in each column. There was no problem with reading them in Excel. Why? I have no idea. I did something different while creating the data files for the cemeteries and have done it more than once.
The moral of the story is this. If you use OpenOffice Calc to save dates, and want to be able to read them in Excel, check them often as you proceed to make sure everything is going as planned. If you don’t have MS Excel, send a copy to a friend or take it to the library and check them there. Nothing is worse than creating a thousand entry database only to find out that none of your dates read correctly when opened in MS Excel. If you have no need to ever, and I mean ever, open the file in Excel you don’t have to worry about it.
I hope this saves you some time and work.
Bob Jones
