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Posted to users@openoffice.apache.org by "VinceB." <wa...@verizon.net> on 2017/03/26 16:52:18 UTC

When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

AOO 4.1.3  (AOO413m1(Build:9783)  -  Rev. 1761381
2016-09-29 02:39:19) on Windows 10 desktop.


Whenever I already have a Calc file (.ods) opened, it seems that I am 
not allowed to open an existing Calc template file (.odt). OTOH, if a 
template is already opened, I am able to open a Calc file.  Am I doing 
something incorrectly or is this normal behavior?

Please advise how a template file can be opened while having a calc 
spreadsheet already opened.

Regards,

VinceB.



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Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by Brian Barker <b....@btinternet.com>.
At 12:52 26/03/2017 -0400, Vince Bonly wrote:
>AOO 4.1.3  (AOO413m1(Build:9783)  -  Rev. 1761381
>2016-09-29 02:39:19) on Windows 10 desktop.
>
>Whenever I already have a Calc file (.ods) opened, it seems that I 
>am not allowed to open an existing Calc template file (.odt).

Hold on: .odt files are text document files; spreadsheet templates are .ots.

And I don't see this. If I have one spreadsheet document open and 
open a spreadsheet template, I have two documents open: the original 
spreadsheet and a new untitled, unsaved spreadsheet document based on 
the template. That's what I'd expect.

>OTOH, if a template is already opened, I am able to open a Calc file.

This, if anything, is the situation you might query. If you start a 
new, empty document (of any type) and, before making any entries, 
open an existing document, OpenOffice thinks you don't want the empty 
document and abandons it. Exactly the same applies if you open a 
template - which, after all, is just another way to start an unused, 
unsaved document, albeit one with properties defined in the template. 
If you start work on your new empty document (however little you do) 
it will not be abandoned.

>Please advise how a template file can be opened while having a calc 
>spreadsheet already opened.

This is the sequence that you can do perfectly normally.

I wonder if you may be thinking that "opening a template" means 
something different from starting a new document based on that template?

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker


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Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by Brian Barker <b....@btinternet.com>.
At 20:21 26/03/2017 -0400, Vince Bonly wrote:
>On 3/26/2017 1:34 PM, Brian Barker wrote:
>>I wonder if you may be thinking that "opening a template" means 
>>something different from starting a new document based on that template?
>
>Well, yes. Usually, I open the existing template in the editing 
>mode, using File | Templates | Edit. I don't think of it initially 
>as being a "new document"; rather, as an opened template file, ready 
>for editing. Subsequent to making required revisions, the work is 
>saved as a filename.ods, i.e., a saved (new) CALC document.

Aha! Yes, indeed: opening a template that way for editing is indeed 
different. But for what it's worth, I find that I can open an 
existing spreadsheet document and a spreadsheet template for editing 
in either order with any problem and without either disappearing.

I am looking at a spreadsheet file and at the very top of screen I 
see the filename with an ".ods " extension followed by a hyphen and 
then "OpenOffice Calc".

>Often, I have an existing Calc.ods spreadsheet and decide that I 
>will need similar calculations in the future. So, I first 
>right-click in the cell(s) to "Delete Contents", as needed. I am in 
>the habit of filling those cells that require my manually inputted 
>data with, for example, Yellow to make them more noticeable. Then 
>save the result as a template, using File | Templates | Save.

So far, so good.

>Then when I next need to do some work, I open the template (.ots) 
>file "/for editing/"; enter new data and save the work as a CALC 
>file with an appropriate filename.ods. This workflow works for me.

But you are rather missing the point of templates if you do this.

o You could just as easily use an ordinary document to have the same effect.

o If you Save the new data instead of remembering to Save As... 
(we've all done it), you will modify the template, which you don't 
want to do. If you close the document and respond to the challenge 
that yes, you do want to keep your changes, again you will have 
modified the template. If you instead open the template normally - 
which is surely easier? - you are protected from these simple errors 
by being obliged to use Save As... . I don't know why you would 
choose to disable these protections.

Brian Barker 


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Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by "VinceB." <wa...@verizon.net>.

On 3/26/2017 1:34 PM, Brian Barker wrote:
> At 12:52 26/03/2017 -0400, Vince Bonly wrote:
>> AOO 4.1.3  (AOO413m1(Build:9783)  -  Rev. 1761381
>> 2016-09-29 02:39:19) on Windows 10 desktop.
>>
>> Whenever I already have a Calc file (.ods) opened, it seems that I am 
>> not allowed to open an existing Calc template file (.odt).
>

Typo; should have entered "Calc template file (.ots). " as you have 
indicated.

> Hold on: .odt files are text document files; spreadsheet templates are 
> .ots.

You are correct, of course.
>
> And I don't see this. If I have one spreadsheet document open and open 
> a spreadsheet template, I have two documents open: the original 
> spreadsheet and a new untitled, unsaved spreadsheet document based on 
> the template. That's what I'd expect.
>
>> OTOH, if a template is already opened, I am able to open a Calc file.
>
> This, if anything, is the situation you might query. If you start a 
> new, empty document (of any type) and, before making any entries, open 
> an existing document, OpenOffice thinks you don't want the empty 
> document and abandons it. Exactly the same applies if you open a 
> template - which, after all, is just another way to start an unused, 
> unsaved document, albeit one with properties defined in the template. 
> If you start work on your new empty document (however little you do) 
> it will not be abandoned.

Hmm...   It may very well be that I attempted to open a template prior 
to making any entries/changes to the already opened Calc spreadsheet.  I 
will retry again with addition of a word or formula into a cell and see 
if there is still an issue here.

>
>> Please advise how a template file can be opened while having a calc 
>> spreadsheet already opened.
>
> This is the sequence that you can do perfectly normally.
>
> I wonder if you may be thinking that "opening a template" means 
> something different from starting a new document based on that template?
>

Well, yes.  Usually, I open the existing template in the editing mode, 
using File | Templates | Edit.  I don't think of it initially as being a 
"new document"; rather, as an opened template file, ready for editing.  
Subsequent to making required revisions, the work is saved as a 
filename.ods, i.e., a saved (new) CALC document.

> I trust this helps.
>
> Brian Barker
>
Brian:

I am looking at a spreadsheet file and at the very top of screen I see 
the filename with an ".ods " extension followed by a hyphen and then 
"OpenOffice Calc".

Often, I have an existing Calc.ods spreadsheet and decide that I will 
need similar calculations in the future. So, I first right-click in the 
cell(s) to "Delete Contents", as needed. I am in the habit of filling 
those cells that require my manually inputted data with, for example,  
Yellow to make them more noticeable.  Then save the result as a 
template, using File | Templates | Save.  Then when I next need to do 
some work, I open the template (.ots) file "/for editing/"; enter new 
data and save the work as a CALC file with an appropriate filename.ods. 
This workflow works for me.

VinceB.



Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by Brian Barker <b....@btinternet.com>.
At 21:39 26/03/2017 -0400, Vince Bonly wrote:
>No joy here!

Plenty here: warm, sunny, spring blossom, daylight saving ...

>If you are able to open an existing template while already having an 
>opened Calc file, please tell me how. I don't mean using File | 
>Recent Documents.

You keep moving the goalposts! What's wrong with File | Recent Documents >?

o To open the template for normal use, click the down-arrow next to 
the New button in the Standard toolbar and select Templates and 
Documents | Templates | My Templates (or My Documents, depending on 
where you have put your template).

o To open the template for editing, go to File | Templates > | 
Edit... (...My Documents, depending on where you have put your template).

>I am not able to open the quick access launcher/dashboard, or 
>whatever it's called, if I already have a Calc file opened.

What I think of as the start screen? No: that is available only when 
you do not yet have a document open.

>When I navigate to my desktop and then click on the OpenOffice 4,1.3 
>shortcut, if a Calc file is already opened, I get that opened file; 
>whereas I want to use the Templates button at the launcher screen to 
>select a specific template for editing. I am trying to get both a 
>template and a document file available within separate AOO windows screens.

I think you are saying that you want to get back to the start screen 
after you have left it to open some template or document. Then it 
wouldn't be a start screen. And the fact that you lose it as soon as 
you open something surely has nothing to do anyway with whether you 
are handling documents, templates as templates, or templates for editing?

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker


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Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by "VinceB." <wa...@verizon.net>.

On 3/26/2017 10:12 PM, Brian Barker wrote:
> At 21:39 26/03/2017 -0400, Vince Bonly wrote:
>> No joy here!
>
> Plenty here: warm, sunny, spring blossom, daylight saving ...
>
>> If you are able to open an existing template while already having an 
>> opened Calc file, please tell me how. I don't mean using File | 
>> Recent Documents.
>
> You keep moving the goalposts! What's wrong with File | Recent 
> Documents >?


      Nothing at all, if the list includes the file that I need at the
      moment. I have the default of 10 files included within the Recent
      Documents list.

>
> o To open the template for normal use, click the down-arrow next to 
> the New button in the Standard toolbar and select Templates and 
> Documents | Templates | My Templates (or My Documents, depending on 
> where you have put your template).
>

      Sweet !  Now I see how you manage to achieve what I have been
      attempting to do here, myself.  Thank You!  Frankly, I have not
      noticed the "Templates and Documents" option under that "New" button.

> o To open the template for editing, go to File | Templates > | Edit... 
> (...My Documents, depending on where you have put your template).
>
>> I am not able to open the quick access launcher/dashboard, or 
>> whatever it's called, if I already have a Calc file opened.
>
> What I think of as the start screen? No: that is available only when 
> you do not yet have a document open.
>
>> When I navigate to my desktop and then click on the OpenOffice 4,1.3 
>> shortcut, if a Calc file is already opened, I get that opened file; 
>> whereas I want to use the Templates button at the launcher screen to 
>> select a specific template for editing. I am trying to get both a 
>> template and a document file available within separate AOO windows 
>> screens.
>
> I think you are saying that you want to get back to the start screen 
> after you have left it to open some template or document. Then it 
> wouldn't be a start screen. And the fact that you lose it as soon as 
> you open something surely has nothing to do anyway with whether you 
> are handling documents, templates as templates, or templates for editing?
>
> I trust this helps.
>
> Brian Barker
>
>
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> To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@openoffice.apache.org
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>
>



Re: When Can/Cannot a Calc Template Be Opened?

Posted by "VinceB." <wa...@verizon.net>.
No joy here!


If you are able to open an existing template while already having an 
opened Calc file, please tell me how.  I don't mean using File | Recent 
Documents.

I am not able to open the quick access launcher/dashboard, or whatever 
it's called, if I already have a Calc file opened.

When I navigate to my desktop and then click on the OpenOffice4,1.3  
shortcut, if a Calc file is already opened, I get that opened file; 
whereas I want to use the Templates button at the launcher screen to 
select a specific template for editing.  I am trying to get both a 
template and a document file available within separate AOO windows screens.




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