[Upstream] Can't open formatted html files with extension xls in Libreoffice 3.5.3

[Julian Alarcon]

Using the LibreOffice PPA 3.5.3 in 10.04:
https://launchpad.net/~libreoffice/+archive/ppa/+packages

or 12.04 proposed repo 3.5.3, I got a wizard to import text to file opening the xls file https://bugs.freedesktop.org/attachment.cgi?id=57213 .

This does not occur in Ubuntu 12.04 LibreOffice 3.5.2, so this is a regression.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: libreoffice-calc 1:3.5.3-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.37-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue May 8 10:22:47 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha amd64 (20120306)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=es_CO:es
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=es_CO.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: libreoffice
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Origin (origin)]

Created attachment 57213
Bank's xls info file

Hi!
Just look into attached file!
Open it in MS Word 2003 and do the same in LibreOffice 3.5!
See the great difference :-(((

[Origin (origin)]

Seems that everything looks good but it is not what I expected from 3.5 release!

[Libreoffice-z (libreoffice-z)]

Does not look good is a too vague description.

With a WIN 3.5.0 RC I see a rather useful spreadsheet (see screenshot comparison), "LibreOffice 3.5.3.2 (RC2) German UI/Locale [Build-ID: 235ab8a-3802056-4a8fed3-2d66ea8-e241b80] on German WIN7 Home Premium (64bit) shows text source with lots of HTML tags.

@reporter:
Thank you for your report – unfortunately all relevant information is missing.
May be hints on <http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/BugReport> will help you to find out what information will be useful to reproduce your problem? If you believe that that is really sophisticated please as for Help on a user mailing list
Please:
- Write a meaningful Summary describing exactly what the problem is
- Attach screenshots with comments comparing expected view and view in your
  LibO versionif you. Best way is to insert your screenshots
  into a DRAW document and to add comments that explain what you want to show
- Contribute a step by step instruction containing every key press and every
  mouse click how to reproduce your problem (due to example in Bug 43431)
– if possible contribute an instruction how to create a sample document
  from the scratch
- add information
  -- what EXACTLY is unexpected
  -- and WHY do you believe it's unexpected (cite Help or Documentation!)
  -- concerning your PC
  -- concerning your OS (Version, Distribution, Language)
  -- concerning your LibO version (with Build ID if it's not a public release)
     and localization (UI language, Locale setting)
  –- Libo settings that might be related to your problems
  -- how you launch LibO and how you opened the sample document
  –- If you can contribute an OOo Issue that might be useful
  -- everything else crossing your mind after you read linked texts

Even if you can not provide all demanded information, every little new information might bring the breakthrough. Is your problem the one visible in screenshots?

May be you can test <https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/bug/> for submitting bug reports?

Please file Bug reports with status UNCONFIRMED if your are not absolutely sure that you contributed all required background information, that the problem will be reproducible with information you can provide or that your enhancement request will be accepted! Thank you!

[Julian Alarcon (julian-alarcon)]

Maybe this is related to this bug that was fixed: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40021
resolved CSV import got confused by erroneous HTML detection

[Björn Michaelsen (bjoern-michaelsen)]

Assuming a xls file to be read as HTML is not valid or sane requirement. see http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/core/commit/?id=a5eadc6aaafec92df23c57e258882a2c98ece0ad => WONTFIX

[Björn Michaelsen (bjoern-michaelsen)]

User assumes xls-file containing html-data to be read not as CSV. I would assume that defaulting to import as CSV in Calc is sane in cases where the file could contain multiple forms of data (while storing html in a .xls-File clearly isnt).

Dropping importance and severity for pathogenic cornercase and adding regression keyword.

CC'ing erack for maybe thinking of an even more sophisticated DWIM-logic for a further 3.5 release or closing as WONTFIX by own judgeing.

[Eike Rathke (erack)]

Setting the correct release version (here regression in 3.5.3) sometimes helps the developer to not waste time ...

[Libreoffice-bugs (libreoffice-bugs)]

Eike Rathke committed a patch related to this issue.
It has been pushed to "master":

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/core/commit/?id=803b5513eff8f8c185a91e91aee235dfab38d3bc

resolved fdo#46233 value >12 with AM/PM can't be clock time

[Eike Rathke (erack)]

Damn, that was a fix for bug 47149 instead.

[Libreoffice-z (libreoffice-z)]

@Eike:
"Bug 49639 - FILEOPEN html content .xls files shows text.csv with html tags instead of Spreadsheet contents" seems to be a DUP?!

[Eike Rathke (erack)]

*** Bug 49639 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Eike Rathke (erack)]

Actually bug 49639 is not a duplicate of this.
1. The submitter talks about difference between MS Word 2003 and
   LibreOffice 3.5, so this does not seem to be Calc.
2. Submitted on 2012-02-17 it can't be the regression of bug 49639
   introduced with 3.5.3
3. Bjoern's comment #3 is a wrong assumption then because in 3.5.0 the
   file wasn't imported as CSV.

=> Submitter should clarify what he actually expected.
Removing regression keyword, setting NEEDINFO, back to default owner.

[Libreoffice-z (libreoffice-z)]

*** Bug 50046 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Andrej (andrej004)]

Have the same problem.
My spreadsheet is generated as HTML on web server, it is given extension .xls.
This file can be automatically opened by MS Office, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice~<3.5.3. LibreOffice3.5.3 handles these files as plain text files.
Historically, spreadsheet applications can save spreadsheets in HTML format, and automatically open these files, if they are given .xls extension.

[Eike Rathke (erack)]

Please don't change the Version field to newer, it indicates in which version the problem was first perceived.

Andrej, it seems your problem is a different one, as you indicated it worked for versions <3.5.3 it sounds pretty much like bug 49639, please check if release 3.5.4 fixes that for you.

[Julian Alarcon (julian-alarcon)]

This bug is still present on LibreOffice 4.0.2-0ubuntu5 and Ubuntu 13.10.

[Gracz (gracz)]

I have experienced the same or similar problem. I have a generated .xls file with HTML content (see attached file: test_gracz.xls).

Environment:
- OS: win7
- LibO: 4.2.5.2

Steps to reproduce:
1. Open the attached file (test_gracz.xls)
2. Choose one of the option (it is irrelevant) from the "Import option" pop up window.

Result:
Few random character is generated in cell A1.

Expected result:
LibO should import the file correctly.

[Gracz (gracz)]

Created attachment 102372
test file by <email address hidden>

[Momonasmon (momonasmon)]

(In reply to comment #13)
> I have experienced the same or similar problem.
No, that's another problem. Please open a new bug for it.

> Result:
> Few random character is generated in cell A1.
Those aren't "random" characters, but the UTF-8 BOM (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte_order_mark#UTF-8).

Actually this bug should be in NEEDINFO status, because the original reporter didn't answer Eike's question (comment 9).