Pages need help - won't open.

[Patth9]

All was fine until I tried to export Pages as a DOC using via LibreOffice, though this has worked many times. The next thing I see is Pages along the top apple menu, but the dropdowns are mostly greyed out. and I am greeted with the messages below.


I have the DVD for Pages, is it all right to re-install over the top of the current Pages application? Of course, I don't know if this is necessary, perhaps someone has a better fix.

I didn't lose any data because my data is saved on a different a volume, of course the program is on the HD.


Below the 1st response (Don't Re-open / Reopen), the document feature comes up same time as 1st response, either choice don't/do gives me the 2nd option (Pages quit unexpectedly...).

Thanks for viewing,
Patt

 

[casperes1996]

All was fine until I tried to export Pages as a DOC using via LibreOffice, though this has worked many times. The next thing I see is Pages along the top apple menu, but the dropdowns are mostly greyed out. and I am greeted with the messages below.


I have the DVD for Pages, is it all right to re-install over the top of the current Pages application? Of course, I don't know if this is necessary, perhaps someone has a better fix.

I didn't lose any data because my data is saved on a different a volume, of course the program is on the HD.


Below the 1st response (Don't Re-open / Reopen), the document feature comes up same time as 1st response, either choice don't/do gives me the 2nd option (Pages quit unexpectedly...).
View attachment 693278 View attachment 693279

Thanks for viewing,
Patt

Throw the .app to the trash and reinstall from the DVD

 

[Patth9]

Boy, I was hoping someone would give that advice. Just needed that push. Thank you very MUCH!

 

[Patth9]

Bummer! Just trashed all the iWorks parts I could find, installed iWords using DVD as directed, but all that happens is a
"Problem Report for Pages", and the other two items as well.


A message reads: "Pages cannot be opened because of a problem. Check with the developer to make sure Pages works with this version of OSX. You may need to reinstall the application. Be sure to install any available updates for the application and OSX."

Click "Send to Apple: to submit the report to Apple. This information is collected anonymously."

So, any other ideas you would like to share? I do have a back-up HD...

 

[treekram]

It looks like you have an older version of Pages (by the look of the logo in your first post). Certain older versions of the iWorks programs don't work with the newer Mac OS's. Did you upgrade the OS or move to a new computer since running Pages last? You may try and see if you can update pages via the App Store (it will give an update option instead of showing the price). The problem there is that there have been major changes in Pages and certain features will be different or not be present in the new version vs. whatever version you used before.

I think there were some versions of iWorks that could be made to work with some Mac OS's by doing a simple workaround. You'd have to search the Internet with the specific version of iWorks (it should be on the DVD or the package) and the specific OS you have.

 

[Patth9]

It looks like you have an older version of Pages (by the look of the logo in your first post). Certain older versions of the iWorks programs don't work with the newer Mac OS's. Did you upgrade the OS or move to a new computer since running Pages last? You may try and see if you can update pages via the App Store (it will give an update option instead of showing the price). The problem there is that there have been major changes in Pages and certain features will be different or not be present in the new version vs. whatever version you used before.

I think there were some versions of iWorks that could be made to work with some Mac OS's by doing a simple workaround. You'd have to search the Internet with the specific version of iWorks (it should be on the DVD or the package) and the specific OS you have.

Thanks treeKram, for the ideas. I've been using the same iWorks for about 3 years on the same Mt. Lion OSX. Now that I look at the paperwork that came with the DVD, I see that the soft ware suggested is Mac OSX version 10.4.11 or Mac OSX version 10.5.6 or later. Hardware is A Mac computer with an intel, PowerPC, or Power G5. or PowerPC 64. Ha, I still use a PowerG4 Tiger, as it has my old programs that I use for art.

This is really odd??? Looks like I've been using the wrong iWork program for a long time. I never updated, as I don't think it's ever been offered. My husband is using the same Pages on his older Mac Mini and still has necessary elements to use AppleWorks. Guess I need to by a different Pages. Assuming I find the correct version, do you think it would still open up my Pages Data?

Ha, I still use a PowerG4 Tiger, as it has my old programs that I use for art.

Again, thanks for your help. Please feel free to send any other tips my way if you please.

 

[treekram]

So you haven't updated the OS recently and Apple probably hasn't had an update for Mountain Lion for some time now. So my best guess is that there was just some glitch that caused your first problem.

From looking history of iWork and what you've described, it looks like you have the iWork '09 DVD which was released in Jan. 2009. Mountain Lion was released in July 2012. My guess would be that there was some sort of update on your computer to one of the following: iWork 9.04, 9.1, 9.2 or 9.3 and your original iWork '09 DVD was not used to install the program when you had Mountain Lion on your computer.

If you have a Time Machine backup, you might try to go back to before you had the problems and try again. The problem is that you would need to know either 1) which files you have updated since then and save them to another disk before restoring or you can try just restoring the iWork folder in the Applications directory, but there's no guarantee that that would encompass all the files you need to run the program. You can try the App Store and see if there is an appropriate version (probably iWork 9.3, there have been update every year since iWork 9.3 in 2012, the 2013 update and later will not run on Mountain Lion) that it will allow you to download, which may not be free. There are probably sites on the Internet that will allow you to download a specific version of iWork but you could be downloading something that is potentially harmful so you should probably avoid that.

I've mainly used Numbers and the version before the version I currently use would not read an older format (to read it, I had to use an older version of Numbers and convert the file to Excel) but the version I use now does read that older format so its something of a crap-shoot as to file compatibility unless you use the same version you had originally.
[doublepost=1490333931][/doublepost]I have an even older version of iWork ('08) running on an old MacBook with Lion. In the App Store, I said buy and it said I already had a version (very old - 1.0.3, installed via the CD) installed but it offered to install version 4.0.5 (for $19.99), which is the latest version of Numbers. So it looks like for Mountain Lion, if you try to get it from the App Store, you will be offered the latest version, not an older version. If you previously installed or updated via the App Store, it may offer to re-install whatever version you had.

 

[Patth9]

I hope my reply isn't too hard to follow, I read (studied) your well written suggestion.

I've tried to color code my replies.

Black is you
Blue is me
Green is internet.

1. iWork 9.04, 9.1, 9.2 or 9.3 and your original iWork '09 DVD was not used to install the program when you had Mountain Lion on your computer. When I installed iWorks 09, the iWork DVD is a 9.0.3 version, so says the DVD cover, and Mountain Lion was all ready installed on my Mac Mini 2012 (later) and is 10.8.5.

2. 2013 update and later will not run on Mountain Lion) I have iWork 9.0.3.

3. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7737821?start=0&tstart=0
Is Pages 6.0.5 still compatible with Pages ’09?
Specifically:
A. Will it open documents created and saved in Pages ’09?
A. Yes
B. Can Pages ’09 still be used to create documents in Mac OS 10.12 or later?
B Yes and still works far better than Pages 6.05
Nov 7, 2016 12:47 AM in response to mdhaldeman

The trouble with Pages 6, is I don't read good things about Pages 6.

I think you are right, nothing else fits, it was a iWorks 9 fluke.

I have an external terabyte WD for backup. I'm tempted to take one of my empty volumes on the computer and renamed it Mac #2 then CC Carbon Copy the Macintosh HD backup to the empty Mac#2.

A bit nervous, however. The iWork works fine when I rebooted the computer using the external HD backup.
Perhaps I trashed something I shouldn't have trashed trying to get rid of the non-working Pages before I reinstalled.

What a mystery!
If what I have shared about my backup Macintosh HD has a problem waiting for me, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thank you very much, treekram

 

[treekram]

If iWork on your backup works, then what I would suggest is the following. (I have iWork '06 and iWork '08 on my old computers where the Pages, Numbers, etc. apps were under the iWork XX folder - I don't have iWork '09, but the Internet says that it worked the same way.)

1) Delete the separate apps in the Applications iWork '09 folder. Copy the apps from your backup back into the folder. See if this works. This presumes you never saved your documents in this folder. That would have been very unlikely but it should be mentioned.

2) If 1) above doesn't work, there is a folder /Library/Application Support/iWork '09. You may not have visibility to this folder in which case there are further instructions required (or you can look it up on the Internet). There is also probably a Library/Application Support/iWork '09 in your home directory - you can leave that alone for now. Delete the contents of the /Library/Application Support/iWork '09 folder and copy from your backup. The system will probably ask for the administrator password to do this. If you don't have that, you can't do this step.

3) If that doesn't work, you can try the same step with the Library/Application Support/iWork '09 folder in your home directory.

4) If that doesn't work, then your best bet is to do what you mentioned about copying your backup to the empty volume.

If you're still using the original HDD on the Mini, it might be having problems and that may have caused this issue, in which case you should be on the lookout for other issues and keep up to date with your backups.

 

[Patth9]

I will give it a try.

After I thought about it, I'm not sure my idea would work if there were to be 2 (different names) bootable HDs at the same time, even though only one HD would be active.

In the old days we had as many as 4 HDs in one Power PCG4, and each one could be booted but they were independent of each other ????

Thanks, this will take me some time, but I am determined, if nothing else.

 

[treekram]

It's OK to have two partitions/volumes which are bootable on the same disk. You would have to control (either in System Preferences or at boot) which one to boot from. Both would be "active" in that you could read/write to them although only one of them is the system drive at any given time.

 

[Patth9]

Well, your note about the partitions/volumes sure makes me happy.

I tried all the options you suggested, using my thumb drive to carry from one HD to the other. HD = At one time I clicked on Pages and I got a quick look at the templates, then it was gone. Before I was finished, the keynote and Numbers were okay, but then they weren't. I tried all the down the list, the last option didn't show up on either HD. So, as soon as my computer's trash finishes emptying, I will start moving my backup into the empty space. I tried installing several more times, and event though it touted that the program had installed, it hadn't.

Can't thank you enough, you have the patients of a saint.
Patt

 

[treekram]

Something strange is going on with your computer (you probably knew that already). It's possible that simply copying over the files would not result in the program working, but to have it behave the way you describe is strange. Do the other programs you use on the computer work OK? In any case, I wouldn't backup to your current backup until you can figure out what is going on. You should try running the Disk Utility program and do First Aid and see if that turns up anything.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP -
You seem to be making things REALLY hard on yourself.
Your posts above are a jumble and hard to understand.

First things first.
What Mac are you using?
Model and year it was made, please.

Then...
What OS is running on it?
Full version number, please.

Not the one your husband is using.
The one that YOU are using.

Provide those things, and we can tell you WHICH VERSION of Pages you should be using...

 

[Patth9]

Something strange is going on with your computer (you probably knew that already). It's possible that simply copying over the files would not result in the program working, but to have it behave the way you describe is strange. Do the other programs you use on the computer work OK? In any case, I wouldn't backup to your current backup until you can figure out what is going on. You should try running the Disk Utility program and do First Aid and see if that turns up anything.

I did as you suggested and there was quite a bit of Verify Disk Permissions and then Repair Disk Permissions, there was nothing that appeared when I tried the First Aid.

I don't have any other problems with other programs.

When this craziness started, I was on Pages using option Export to change Pages to DOC. The next thing I knew, there was a weird poof very, very fast, (not a sound but noticed by the eyes) and after that I could not use Pages any more, never tired Numbers or Keynote. The program that I normally use to change to DOC is LibreOffice.

This is a crazy thing, and I appreciate that you did not talk down to me, as is often the case when I visit the Apple Store, which is why I don't go to the Apple store anymore.

Now, on to Fishrrman who is having a problem with my "jumbled posts."
[doublepost=1490460071][/doublepost]

OP -
You seem to be making things REALLY hard on yourself.
Your posts above are a jumble and hard to understand.

First things first.
What Mac are you using?
Model and year it was made, please.
Then...
What OS is running on it?
Full version number, please.
Not the one your husband is using.
The one that YOU are using.
Provide those things, and we can tell you WHICH VERSION of Pages you should be using...

Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini6,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 16 GB
Boot ROM Version: MM61.0106.B08
SMC Version (system): 2.8f0
Serial Number (system): C07KG2KQDWYM
Hardware UUID: 3FC0F5C2-F541-5FDD-9A9C-7F52D489BB8A

How is that, still too jumbled?

Trish

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini6,2"

OK, you have a late-2012 Mini, just like I have.

BUT -- as I also asked, you didn't tell us which version of the OS you're using.
Which is it?
The Mini was delivered with OS 10.8.2. The last iteration of 10.8 was 10.8.5 (actually still using it on mine).

I still have iWork '09 installed, and it still runs fine.
The version numbers of the apps:
Pages: 4.0.4
Numbers: 2.0.4
Keynote: 5.0.4
They all seem to run fine.

OP wrote:
"When this craziness started, I was on Pages using option Export to change Pages to DOC."

Hmmm...
I just opened pages, created a small document, and then checked my export options.
I see:
- pdf
- word
- rtf
- plain text
- epub
... but nowhere do I see "doc".

I'm guessing that you tried to export a file to Word format?
And.. the export failed?
And now, you can't re-launch Pages at all?

 

[Patth9]

OP wrote:
"Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini6,2"

OK, you have a late-2012 Mini, just like I have.

BUT -- as I also asked, you didn't tell us which version of the OS you're using.
Which is it?
The Mini was delivered with OS 10.8.2. The last iteration of 10.8 was 10.8.5 (actually still using it on mine).

I still have iWork '09 installed, and it still runs fine.
The version numbers of the apps:
Pages: 4.0.4
Numbers: 2.0.4
Keynote: 5.0.4
They all seem to run fine.

OP wrote:
"When this craziness started, I was on Pages using option Export to change Pages to DOC."

Hmmm...
I just opened pages, created a small document, and then checked my export options.
I see:
- pdf
- word
- rtf
- plain text
- epub
... but nowhere do I see "doc".

I'm guessing that you tried to export a file to Word format?
And.. the export failed?
And now, you can't re-launch Pages at all?

Doc is shown using Word, but the end still comes out DOC

Sorry, didn't fail, just used DOC in place of Word, how do you send via email the option your non-Mac user needs to

read your pdf type of message?

My Mac is on the same OS as yours, I've had my Mac Mini for nearly 4 years.

 

[treekram]

Fishrrman,

It wasn't in the original post, but the OP did mention the type of system and OS in one of the subsequent posts - it takes some time to read through them but it was there.

OP,

So my instructions to copy over the various files were correct to a point (more about that later). I tried it with iWork '08 copying from one of my computers to another (which didn't have iWork). It's a different version, but my guess is that the structure of the files didn't change much between '08 and '09. After asking for the serial number, Numbers worked (I mainly use Numbers so that was what I looked at). The fact that it asked me for the serial number told me that there are more files involved than just those that I listed earlier.

Because you're not having issues with other applications and because there doesn't seem to be obvious disk issues, my guess at this point is that there is some other file that iWork uses that is corrupted and is causing your issues. In looking on my computer with iWork '08 and on the Internet, unfortunately, Apple chose to write quite a few files that iWork needs in other directories.

It's going to take me some time to come up with the additional list of files that you should copy from your backup and instructions (some are not readily viewable in Finder). Maybe somebody has this list readily available. If not, I'll work at it and post it.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Sorry, didn't fail, just used DOC in place of Word, how do you send via email the option your non-Mac user needs to ...
read your pdf type of message?"

This is still "a jumble".
It's not clear -- at least to me -- what it is that you're trying to do.

Let's establish some facts...
1. You have Pages and it runs.. correct?
2. You can create a new document in Pages... correct?
3. You can successfully "export" a Pages document into Word format ... correct?
4. You want to send this to a non Mac user... correct?

Or do you want to do something else?

 

[treekram]

To the OP:

I would try deleting these files and see if it helps. Make sure none of the iWork programs are running when you do this.

I think you probably figured this out but just in case - to have the Library folder under your home directory visible in Finder: First, select your home directory. There is a "Go" at the menu along the top. Select this and select "Go to Folder...". Type in Library in the input text box and press "Go".

1) Navigate to the "Saved Application State" folder. Delete the com.apple.iWork.XXX.savedState files where XXX is Numbers, Pages and Keynote.

2) Go back one level up and navigate to the "Caches" folder. Look for files like com.apple.iWork.XXX and delete them.

3) In the Caches directory, navigate to the "com.apple.helpd" folder and then to the "Generated" folder. Look for files like com.apple.iWork.XXX and delete them.

Once the files are deleted, see if you can run Pages without a problem.

The saved application state and caches files are such that if they're there, the app will use them. If not, it won't and it will regenerate them as necessary. It's possible that if they are corrupt, the application won't work properly.

There are other files that may be causing problems but you should try these first and see what happens.

 

[casperes1996]

Let's establish some facts...
1. You have Pages and it runs.. correct?
2. You can create a new document in Pages... correct?
3. You can successfully "export" a Pages document into Word format ... correct?
4. You want to send this to a non Mac user... correct?

I suggest you read the entire thread, cause to my eyes the OP have made this all quite clear. In order

1) No.....
2) No
3) No - He already did export a Pages document into the Word format, .doc(x)
4) Again no. She was asking how you'd do it since you didn't know Word files were called .doc

 

[Fishrrman]

Um... the person asking these questions is... a lady...?
I at least read that much! But I guess you didn't...

Lets go back to what the OP wrote in #17 above:
"Sorry, didn't fail, just used DOC in place of Word, how do you send via email the option your non-Mac user needs to ...
read your pdf type of message?"

How does one make sense of this?
That's why I asked her to confirm a few things first.

OP:
If you have your Pages file exported to Word format (either .doc or .docx), why don't you just send it to the recipient and let them open it?

They can open it with Word.
They can open it with LibreOffice.
Or other apps.
I'm not a Windows user, but I'll guess that there are many apps on the Windows side that can open Word files.
Really, what they use to open and read it is up to them.

What does "pdf" have to do with anything?

Another thought:
Can the file be sent as a "rich text" file?

 

[casperes1996]

Um... the person asking these questions is... a lady...?

Don't believe that was stated, and I certainly can't find it in the thread. She/he said that he/she has a husband, but let's not be homophobic. Anyway, since you are statistically probably right, I've corrected my mistake in my post. Thanks for pointing out my probable flaw. Jumping between a lot of threads can get things confused and mixed together.

It was however clear from the thread that the problem didn't have to do with not being able to do a specific thing in Pages, but rather with Pages not working at all.

"Sorry, didn't fail, just used DOC in place of Word, how do you send via email the option your non-Mac user needs to ...
read your pdf type of message?"

How does one make sense of this?
That's why I asked her to confirm a few things first.

Admittedly I did find that a bit confusing too, but it needs to be taken in context. Now, I may be completely off bat here, and your interpretation more correct than mine, but how I understood it, is that because you complained that there wasn't a "DOC" option for export, and only "Word" this was a question directed at you, saying how you send files to non-Mac users - if it is just with PDF, since you weren't familiar with the .doc file extension. But again, I may have interpreted it wrong.

Anyways, I'm sure we'll get this solved by the OP soon
Cheers

 

[Patth9]

Don't believe that was stated, and I certainly can't find it in the thread. She/he said that he/she has a husband, but let's not be homophobic. Anyway, since you are statistically probably right, I've corrected my mistake in my post. Thanks for pointing out my probable flaw. Jumping between a lot of threads can get things confused and mixed together.

It was however clear from the thread that the problem didn't have to do with not being able to do a specific thing in Pages, but rather with Pages not working at all.

Admittedly I did find that a bit confusing too, but it needs to be taken in context. Now, I may be completely off bat here, and your interpretation more correct than mine, but how I understood it, is that because you complained that there wasn't a "DOC" option for export, and only "Word" this was a question directed at you, saying how you send files to non-Mac users - if it is just with PDF, since you weren't familiar with the .doc file extension. But again, I may have interpreted it wrong.

Anyways, I'm sure we'll get this solved by the OP soon
Cheers

Didn't want to stay away so long, but ran into a problem on the Mac Mini and it took me a while (1.5 days) to sort it out, but it's all better now, nothing to do with Pages. If i shared with you(s) I would be able to see your eyes rolling, so I will save myself my own humility; this had nothing to do with my stated problem at the start.

I guess I am the OP??

I appreciate the three parties trying to help me.

Yes, I have a male husband 82 today; I'm 72, been fixing my own computers since 1995. The trouble is, I don't know the correct internet lingo (terms) being used today. I do not have ANYONE, especially my age or even younger to help when something goes wrong with my computer, and I can't figure it out, but I don't give up. If not for forums like this one, which happens to be my favorite, I would have stopped using the computer a long time ago.

Back to business:

Everything is working today, the only loss is the use of 150 GBs named Macintosh HD, which BTW. now wears a cross and skull bones logo rather than a Mountain Lion's head. Perhaps I will try to advance to OS X El Capitan, which I downloaded a long time ago, but never used. I guess I believe in the old saying, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it." Looks like it's broken now. But whether one is buying a new car, or a new OS10, never purchase until others have tested them.

Sincerely, I really do, appreciate the help.
Patt

 

[casperes1996]

I guess I am the OP??

I appreciate the three parties trying to help me.

Yes, I have a male husband 82 today; I'm 72, been fixing my own computers since 1995. The trouble is, I don't know the correct internet lingo (terms) being used today. I do not have ANYONE, especially my age or even younger to help when something goes wrong with my computer, and I can't figure it out, but I don't give up. If not for forums like this one, which happens to be my favorite, I would have stopped using the computer a long time ago.

OP stands for "original poster" so yes, that would be you

You're very welcome

Well, in spite of "not understanding the lingo", you seem intelligible and I admire your attitude.

Regarding the 150GB you spoke of, why have they been lost? Maybe I can help recovering them?
And what do you mean "a cross and skull bones logo"? Is that something you customised yourself? Or are you referring to the "X" logos?
I think El Capitan is a great OS - I'd say El Capitan, Maveriks and Snow Leopard have been the best operating systems from Apple for the past 10 or so years. Sierra is pretty good too.
When you say everything was working good today, does that include Pages?