Document created in OnlyOffice cannot be opened in other apps

A docx file created in OnlyOffice could not be opened by other people using another office app. When I tried importing the file in InDesign, it would not import. Apparently the DOCX and XLSX format of OnlyOffice is incompatible with the DOCX and XLSX format.

Hello @Edyap,
Please provide some additional information so we can analyze the issue:

  1. What is the version of the Desktop Editors?
  2. Please provide the file created with Onlyoffice Editor for which the above-mentioned issue occurs.
  3. Can the file be opened with other editors?

The Desktop Editors is the latest, from the site.
I am assuming the recipients of the DOCX file I sent were using MS Office.
I tried opening the file in Softmaker FreeOffice in my old computer, and the file opened.
But it is not recognized by Adobe InDesign.
Here is the link to one of the files:

Please check if DOCX files from other processors (try creating docx files in other Editors) can be opened with inDesign as InDesign does not support XML files (formats such as .docx, xlsx, etc.) for direct opening as a whole, thus the scenario is not clear. You can refer to this documentation on InDesign concerning supported file formats:
https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/supported-file-formats-indesign-cc.html

Yes, I have received DOCX (and XLSX and PPTX) files from other sources, most probably done in MS Office. I myself have been using Softmaker FreeOffice when necessary, and files from MS and FreeOffice open just fine in other apps, and import just fine in InDesign. The files from OnlyOffice open in FreeOffice, but don’t import into InDesign.

Please make a screen recording showing how you (step-by-step) manage to open .docx, etc. files created in other applications using inDesign

You have been very patient and helpful, Dmitrii. Nothing has worked. I can’t send a screen recording, but I can tell you I have been using InDesign for many years, since version 1, and never had a problem importing DOCX and XLSX files. I mentioned InDesign only to show that perhaps the reason MS Word can’t open my DOCX files created in OnlyOffice is that there is something in the XML header that makes it unrecognizable as a DOCX file. Softmaker and WPS, however, can open the files just fine. I am going to see if version 8.2, launched tomorrow, will be different.

@Edyap
Please share more details on the exact scenario as it is not quite clear how you import DOCX files into inDesign. Your trust level allows to attach video files to the post, alternatively you can upload it to any cloud storage to share the link with us

The video did not capture the InDesign menu. Here are screenshots of the process. Step 1 shows the InDesign menu FILE > PLACE which is the proper way to import text and photos into InDesign. Step 2 shows the DOCX files and one selected. Step 3 shows nothing, no file imported.

My point, Mr Dimitrii, in mentioning InDesign, is that the reason my OnlyOffice DOCX files cannot be opened in MS Office is that the file is not recognized as a DOCX file.

Thank you for sharing, now it is clear how the issue should be reproduced.
Please also clarify on which OS, which version of Microsoft Word the above-mentioned file cannot be opened?

I am asking the recipients what version of MS Word they are using. Apparently Softmaker is more forgiving of the format, it can open the O/O files without error. I will tell you tomorrow when I get a response.

Dimitrii, it seems to be the XML header that is messing up the identity. Here are screenshots of the XML opened in notepad. The first one (in English) is the header in OnlyOffice DOCX. The second one (in rubbish characters) is the header in MS Word DOCX and also in Softmaker FreeOffice DOCX.
onlyoffice
MS Word

Please still share the details considering the file being unopenable with Microsoft Office, so we could reproduce the issue ourselves

I will. I have been communicating with the recipients of the files, who reported that they could not open the file. I am assuming they are using MS Word. I have yet to hear from one of them.

Alright, thank you

We have registered the bug related to the inability to upload document content to InDesign but currently cannot identify the cause. We are still awaiting additional information regarding the file opening issue in MS Word to proceed with the analysis

Good day, Dmitrii. For some reason, an XLSX file edited in Softmaker FreeOffice was not recognized by InDesign. Strange, because the same file previously edited in a previous version of FreeOffice imported without problem. Same with an XLSX file edited in WPS.
I opened the file in MS 365 online, and MS 365 reported an error in the XML header, which it fixed temporarily. I saw an app on the Microsoft Store called Office Pack Editor Lite, and both DOCX and XLSX files created there imported into InDesign without problem. I found out that Office Pack Editor uses the LibreOfficeDev, so it seems to be a variant of LibreOffice.

Thank you for sharing, as I have already mentioned earlier, the relevant bug was created. I will inform you as soon as I have news regarding this issue