Setting default document type when launching NeoOffice

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

A frequent feature request that we get every so often is how can NeoOffice be configured to open Calc, Impress, or Base instead of Writer when launching NeoOffice.

I think that this might be a good feature to add to a revived New Features Program is in the following topic:

http://trinity.neooffice.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6312

I was thinking that the number of votes needed should be fairly low if we implement this feature by adding a new "Default Document" menu in the NeoOffice and Dock menus. That menu would have a list of the document types that are already in the NeoOffice menu. Only one of the document types could be checked and the checked document type would be opened at launch instead of always opening Writer.

If we get a lot of posts from other people that are can confirm that this is a feature worth looking at, we can estimate how many votes we will need and can then add it to the New Features Program page when it goes live.

Is anybody else interested in this feature? If so, please let us know by posting a reply to this forum topic.

Patrick

yoxi · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:31 am Post subject:

A recent post in the Support forum prompts me to suggest the option of launching NeoOffice and having the Templates & Documents dialogue open instead of a new doc. That way, the user can choose to create a new doc of any type, or access templates, or open existing docs, or whatever.

This assumes that the aforementioned dialogue doesn't get replaced in OOo v3 by the annoying 'Welcome to OpenOffice,org' panel that you were suggesting somewhere you could bypass in NeoOffice 3 (I can't seem to find your post on that now).

A preference to either choose one of the main doc types to create on launch OR to display the Templates & Documents dialogue OR to open and do nothing (as with the -nodefault switch) would be most useful and flexible, in my opinion.

- padmavyuha

sardisson · Town Crier Joined: Feb 01, 2004 Posts: 4588

FWIW (and that's probably very little), all of those sorts of get-in-your-way, er, chooser, screens remind me of AppleWorks, and that's not a very favorable comparison in my book Wink

Even though most of the time now I'm working on spreadsheets, I'd infinitely prefer Neo opening to a blank Writer document over opening to the Documents & Templates window, some other sort of chooser, or -nodefault.

My 5Â¢.

Smokey

James3359 · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:

So long as it's an option, I wouldn't mind. I doubt I'd use it, but I wouldn't mind.

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

Let me reassure everyon that the default behavior in NeoOffice 3.0 Early Access will be for an empty Writer document to open.

All that I am proposing is that we copy the existing menus in the NeoOffice (Text Document through From Template...) into a new NeoOffice :: Default Document menu that people. By default, Text Document would be selected giving the current behavior.

The only change would be that if a user found this out-of-the-way menu and checked Spreadsheet or From Template..., NeoOffice would execute that menu item instead of opening an empty Writer document.

Patrick

yoxi · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:22 am Post subject:

I was definitely suggesting the T&D dialogue as an option, not as a default!

My 1 pence worth (a bit less than 2Â¢) is that if I had the option to set NeoOffice to new-calc-sheet-on-launch, you can bet I'd spend the next week wanting writer docs instead Confused

.

I'd personally much rather have it launch docless, but if the next best thing is a choice of new doctype on launch, then that's a good thing to have, I reckon.

- padmavyuha

By the way, OOo v3RC3 takes ages to create a new doctype for the first time after launch - over twice as long as NeoOffice on my machine.

gromOSX · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:28 am Post subject: NOMu

seems like a neat idea but honestly too much extra trickiness doesn't seem necessary. NOMu works unbelievably well for my purposes especially after my upgrade from the ole ibookg4 to a shiny new macbook! however....let the masses decide Neo's fate, keep up the good work and open-mindedness guys!

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

FYI. One possibility we could do is to include NOMu with NeoOffice 3.0. I don't think NOMu is open source so I have contacted the developer to see if there is any interest in doing this.

Is that something people would like and, at the same time, would not annoy people?

Patrick

ovvldc · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject:

Perhaps it could be an option in the installer? I have little need for it myself, but I suspect it could be very useful for a lot of people.

Best wishes,
Oscar

pluby · The Architect Joined: Jun 16, 2003 Posts: 11949

sardisson · Town Crier Joined: Feb 01, 2004 Posts: 4588

I'm not fond of programs installing things in my menu bar that I'll never use (particularly if those things would be re-installed with every update), so count me against bundling NOMu.

I do think the proposal at the start of this thread is the best solution I've heard to this problem, so if you're able to engineer it, it has my vote Smile

Smokey