riverfreak

Q: Beware! Numbers (v4; Sierra) cannot open docs from v3.6 (El Cap)

I've just noticed that Numbers v4.0 (Sierra) seems unable to open docs created/updated on v3.6, the most current release on El Cap.

 

I found a dumb workaround: export the document as Numbers '09 on the El Cap machine. v4.0 is able to open these files, then save. You will be prompted to upgrade the document to the newest version.

 

I'm just glad I had an old machine still running El Cap/Numbers v3.6 around.

 

I don't know if this also applies to Pages and Keynote documents.

MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016), macOS Sierra (10.12), null

Posted on Sep 21, 2016 11:28 AM

Close

Q: Beware! Numbers (v4; Sierra) cannot open docs from v3.6 (El Cap)

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by SoldOnMac,

    SoldOnMac SoldOnMac Sep 22, 2016 7:28 AM in response to riverfreak
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 22, 2016 7:28 AM in response to riverfreak

    Ditto.  No error, nothing.  Shouldn't there at least be an error of some sort?  It's sad that I now have to use another program to view Numbers documents.  Really?

     

    Update:  Okay, "some" of my numbers files will actually open.  It just takes like two minutes for them to open.  Even after I save them from Numbers 4.0.  Hello, Apple.  Fix please.

  • by SGIII,

    SGIII SGIII Sep 22, 2016 7:49 AM in response to SoldOnMac
    Level 6 (10,782 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 22, 2016 7:49 AM in response to SoldOnMac

    SoldOnMac wrote:

     

    Hello, Apple.  Fix please.

     

    You can make sure Apple gets the message by going to Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

     

    SG

  • by Peggy,Helpful

    Peggy Peggy Sep 22, 2016 10:11 AM in response to riverfreak
    Level 8 (38,920 points)
    Applications
    Sep 22, 2016 10:11 AM in response to riverfreak

    As with opening a Pages 5.6.2 document in Pages 6, I had no problem opening a Numbers 3.6.2 document in Numbers 4. I was also able to open a Numbers 2.3 document in Numbers 4.

     

    Screen Shot.png

  • by Stoaty,

    Stoaty Stoaty Sep 23, 2016 2:02 PM in response to riverfreak
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iWork
    Sep 23, 2016 2:02 PM in response to riverfreak

    I have the same problem.  It is not all spreadsheets just some of them.  Those that I cannot edit on OSX 10.12, I can edit on an IOS 10 device.  Luckily I also have a machine running OSX 10.11 so I will try the method you suggest.

     

    Luckily the Apple programmers fully describe the error as UNKNOWN.

  • by Powmari1,

    Powmari1 Powmari1 Oct 13, 2016 4:03 PM in response to riverfreak
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 13, 2016 4:03 PM in response to riverfreak

    Similar issue.....With Sierra, Numbers v.4 could not open any spreadsheets created with v3.62..and El Capitan. Recieved a message "xml data missing" on every document I tried to open...including those in iCloud. Restored old Numbers application via Time Machine...no problem now

  • by Peggy,

    Peggy Peggy Oct 13, 2016 7:31 PM in response to Powmari1
    Level 8 (38,920 points)
    Applications
    Oct 13, 2016 7:31 PM in response to Powmari1

    That "xml data missing" message means you have tried to open a Numbers 3 or 4 document with Numbers 2 or even Numbers 1. You need to use version 3 or 4 to open them.

  • by Stoaty,

    Stoaty Stoaty Oct 14, 2016 6:17 AM in response to Peggy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iWork
    Oct 14, 2016 6:17 AM in response to Peggy

    Your responses are not very helpful and you have not read the problem.  There is an issue opening documents edited/created using Numbers 3.6.2 on Numbers 4.0.  The workaround, thank you riverfreak for the solution, is to open them using 3.6.2 and export them as Numbers '09 and then reopen them in Numbers 4.0.

     

    My experience is that it does not affect all spreadsheets only some, usually the larger ones, I suspect with some unedited content from even earlier versions of Numbers.  I assume the workaround succeeds because Numbers 4.0 recognises a Numbers'09 file and comprehensively coverts it to the new format, whilst 3.6.2 left older content in its original format until it was edited.

     

    I now keep Numbers 3.6.2, Numbers '09 and Numbers 4.0 on my machine just in case.

  • by SGIII,

    SGIII SGIII Oct 14, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Stoaty
    Level 6 (10,782 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 14, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Stoaty

    Stoaty wrote:

     

    Your responses are not very helpful and you have not read the problem. 

     

    I think Peggy had in fact carefully read the problem–as expressed by Powmari1 immediately above–about the "xml data missing" message. Her reply is very helpful to people experiencing that particular problem, which seems "similar" but is in fact quite different..

     

    Glad you have found a workaround to your own particular problem.

     

    (I haven't encountered any of these problems, probably because I tend to build new documents from scratch rather than converting old ones.)

     

    SG

  • by Yellowbox,

    Yellowbox Yellowbox Oct 14, 2016 7:57 AM in response to Stoaty
    Level 6 (10,515 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 14, 2016 7:57 AM in response to Stoaty

    Hi Stoaty,

     

    This is a user-to-user forum. You are not talking to Apple here. Please address your complaints to Apple via Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

    The message  "xml data missing" is most likely that an older version of Numbers is trying (and is unable) to open a document created and saved by a newer version of Numbers. That is normal.

    Please make sure that you open a document from within the latest version (Menu > File > Open).

    Or in Finder, control-click on a document icon and Open With

     

    Regards,

    Ian.

  • by Powmari1,

    Powmari1 Powmari1 Oct 14, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Stoaty
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 14, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Stoaty

    You are correct, Stoaty...The spreadsheets that would not open with v.4 were created or edited with v.3.6.2. (some were originally iWorks 09 or 08..some had even survived Appleworks!!!) 

     

    I was able to export them, as 09 documents, into v.4 but that destroyed much of my formatting, so rather than the redo the headings, styles and texts, I simply "Time Machined" back to Numbers 3.6.2.

  • by riverfreak,

    riverfreak riverfreak Oct 14, 2016 9:29 AM in response to riverfreak
    Level 2 (213 points)
    iWork
    Oct 14, 2016 9:29 AM in response to riverfreak

    I just wanted to follow up on my original post.

     

    I was contacted offline by the iWork team at Apple requesting copies of the offending spreadsheets.

     

    My spreadsheets are financial data, with many sheets and lots of formulas across sheets. By process of elimination, I was able to whittle down the problem to a single of offending sheets.  I sent the data back to the iWork team but never heard anything back.

  • by Peggy,

    Peggy Peggy Oct 14, 2016 1:31 PM in response to Stoaty
    Level 8 (38,920 points)
    Applications
    Oct 14, 2016 1:31 PM in response to Stoaty

    This reply is addressed specifically to Stoaty. My reply was to Powmari1, not you, & addressed his/her specific problem, again, not yours.

  • by Stoaty,

    Stoaty Stoaty Oct 14, 2016 2:15 PM in response to Peggy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iWork
    Oct 14, 2016 2:15 PM in response to Peggy

    I am sorry if you misunderstood, I was trying to keep the suggested solutions relevant to the posted problem.  Answering a different problem is not helpful for those of us who are suffering with this issue.

     

    To recap, Powmari1 stated that "With Sierra, Numbers v.4 could not open any spreadsheets created with v3.62..and El Capitan". 

     

    How is suggesting to Powmari1 "That "xml data missing" message means you have tried to open a Numbers 3 or 4 document with Numbers 2 or even Numbers 1. You need to use version 3 or 4 to open them." helpful when Powmari1 stated they tried opening the file with Numbers 4.0?

  • by SGIII,

    SGIII SGIII Oct 14, 2016 2:34 PM in response to Stoaty
    Level 6 (10,782 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 14, 2016 2:34 PM in response to Stoaty

    Stoaty wrote:

     

    I am sorry if you misunderstood, I was trying to keep the suggested solutions relevant to the posted problem.  Answering a different problem is not helpful for those of us who are suffering with this issue.

     

     

    How is suggesting to Powmari1 "That "xml data missing" message means you have tried to open a Numbers 3 or 4 document with Numbers 2 or even Numbers 1. You need to use version 3 or 4 to open them." helpful when Powmari1 stated they tried opening the file with Numbers 4.0?

     

    From long experience with the "xml missing" message many of us in this forum know that many people think they trying to open with an updated version of Numbers when actually their machine is trying to open it with Numbers 2, which is still in their Mac. It's a common mistake that can fool even experienced users who don't realize (or forget) that the old version of the app is still there.

     

    So Peggy's message is appropriate and very helpful, perhaps more so than certain other messages in this thread criticizing the contributions of others.

     

    SG

Page 1 Next