[Css-csts] can't download full versions of documents from CWE

[John Pietras]

CSTSWG colleagues ---
I have come across a problem with the CWE that prevents me from downloading an Excel file as it was originally uploaded. If this is a general problem (and not just something to do with my computer's configuration) we may have to alter our expectations of being able to use the CWE as a transparent file transfer mechanism.

Holger recently provided me with the link to the FR work plan spreadsheet on the CWE:
The FR work table is here:
https://cwe.ccsds.org/css/docs/CSS-CSTS/CWE%20Private/Functional%20Resources%20Definition/fr_work_table.xlsx?Web=1

When I attempted to retrieve that document, two thing happened:

1.       It opened it in Excel Online with a warning that the spreadsheet contains material that Excel Online can't display

2.       When I then tried to download it, I got a warning that essentially said that the original document can't be downloaded, only a version that is stripped of the material that Excel Online can't display.

I used to be able to go into the CWE directories/folders and directly download any document stored there, but that capability disappeared for MS-extensioned files (.doc, .docx, .xlsx, etc.) sometime in the past year (possibly as a result of an "upgrade" of the CWE Sharepoint software). Now I can only download any MS-formatted document (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) by first having it open in the associated "Online" app (feature?) and then download it. [However, I can still directly download non-MS-branded files (e.g., .pdf).]

So far, those extra steps to download MS-extensioned files (compared to what I used to be able to do) have been annoying but at least I could get to the full document that was uploaded. But now it looks like that may not be the case for all MS-extensioned documents. I did a little bit of research on the MS Online functions and they look like they are dumbed down versions of their associated full-blown applications.

For those of you that are using Windows computers, are you seeing this same behavior? That is, are you only able to download MS-extensioned files by first opening them in the associated MS Online app?

Thank you for any help that you can provide.

Best regards,
John

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