[Issue 125954] Sending document as Email removes invisible content - this should be a configuration option

[bu...@apache.org]

https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=125954

sandra.ilcus@altom.ro <sa...@altom.ro> changed:

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--- Comment #4 from sandra.ilcus@altom.ro <sa...@altom.ro> ---
In order to see that I understood what the report is about, I’ve replicated the
bug described by the initial reporter (Denis Simonet).

Configurations:

- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional x64
- Program/component name: OpenOffice Writer 4.1.0 and 4.1.1
- Release number for 4.1.0: Milestone AOO410m18 | Build ID 9764 | SVN r1589052
- Release number for 4.1.1: Milestone AOO411m6 | Build ID 9775 | SVN r1617669

Problem description:
The text that was marked as hidden in the OpenOffice Writer is removed when the
document is uploaded and sent as an attachment via email.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Create or open an .odt file in OpenOffice Writer
2. Input content like text, paragraphs, tables in the document
3. Click Insert > Fields > Other >Select the Functions tab > Select ‘Hidden
text’
4. Type the text that you want to hide in the Hidden text box
5. Click Insert and Close
6. Save the document as an .odt file
7. Attach the saved document to an email > Send the email to your own address
8. After receiving the email, open the attachment and look for the hidden text  

Actual result: The text hidden in OpenOffice Writer is removed, when the file
is sent via email as an attachment.


Follow-up Tests:
Additionally, I did some research regarding the problem with the current design
and initial reporter’s proposed design, because my initial intention is to
advocate the proposed design.

This is what I did:

- I’ve checked on different versions of OpenOffice --> This design bug is
applicable to 4.1.1 version of OpenOffice, but also to older ones, like 4.1.0,
or 4.0.1.

- I’ve found out there are several ways of hiding text in OpenOffice Writer:
https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/OOoAuthors_User_Manual/Writer_Guide/Developing_conditional_content
--> Applying any of them, I’ve noticed that the content is still removed when
sending the document via email.

- I’ve checked what happens when saving the file as a PDF --> Same behavior:
the hidden text from the .odt file is removed, when the file is saved as a PDF.

- I’ve compared the current design with competing products, like Microsoft Word
--> Hiding text in a Word document and sending it via email, also removes the
hidden text. So, a competing product like Microsoft Word also doesn’t offer the
option to remove or leave the hidden text in a document sent via email. 

- I've searched the Bugzilla database for other similar bugs (Unconfirmed,
Confirmed, Accepted) that might have been reported, related to hidden content.
There are many results for the term 'hidden': 
https://issues.apache.org/ooo/buglist.cgi?bug_status=UNCONFIRMED&bug_status=CONFIRMED&bug_status=ACCEPTED&list_id=164456&product=Writer&query_format=advanced&resolution=---&short_desc=hidden&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr
--> I couldn't find any bugs in which the reporters were complaining about the
fact that the hidden text is not displayed when sending the document via email.
Moreover, there were bugs where the complain was about the fact that the hidden
sections/fields/text are visible when exported, for example, to PDF
(https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=114633), as HTML   
(https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=45969). 

- Since the initial reporter mentioned that “there are situations where
removing invisible content (such as hidden sections) damages the document”,
I’ve searched in the Bugzilla database for such situations --> Unfortunately, I
didn’t find any clear and powerful situations to enhance the reporter’s
statement and proposal. 


Conclusion after my follow-up tests: 
Since I didn’t find any relevant information (i.e. user complains about the
current design, example of situations when removing hidden content damages the
document, concurrent products that have already implemented the proposed
design) I can’t rely on for advocating the proposed design, I decide to agree
with the current (original) design.

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