[Solved] Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

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Mookie87
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[Solved] Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by Mookie87 »

I'm new to this forum. I have looked for other topics in the Calc section but could not see anything directly related. I'm using OpenOffice 4.13 on MacOS 10.12. At work, I am constantly opening xls, xlsx, txt and csv files. XLS and XLXS files open without any issues. To get to the file type for Text CSV (*csv, *txt) I have to scroll. I try to avoid using my mouse whenever possible to reduce the chance of getting carpal tunnel syndrome in the future. Can I not move the file types into the order which I would use them on a daily basis? Setting the application to open for these file types is not an option for my workflow. Typing the first few letters of the file type brings me to Text Document, an option I don't want to use and I still have to scroll to get to Text CSV (*csv, *txt). I use text editors and MySQL Workbench to manipulate these files as well. Perhaps the Open dialogue box File Type menu can behave more like a favourites or bookmarks menu within a browser. Then every user can move the most common file types they use each day to the top of their File Types list. I enjoy this software and would really love it if this could be incorporated. If anyone has a way around this that would be awesome too.

ps: I have looked within the App pkg to see if the file type list is readily available to edit but could not locate it.
Thanks
Jeff
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The Csv and Txt Option are Half Way Down the List
The Csv and Txt Option are Half Way Down the List
Last edited by MrProgrammer on Sat Nov 30, 2019 2:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Tagged ✓ [Solved]
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acknak
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by acknak »

Greetings and welcome to the community forum!

Sorry, it's not possible.

If your csv flles are all named with the same extension, you can just type *.csv in the name box and press Enter to see just the matching files.

Oops, no, that works for me but it may be different or not available on MacOS. There may be a similar workaround.
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RoryOF
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by RoryOF »

It might be better to rethink your filing system and save each type of file to its specific directory. You will have to select this directory manually at Save time, but that is not a great burden.
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robleyd
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by robleyd »

On a Linux machine, I can type Ctrl+O to open the File Open dialog, tab twice to get the cursor from the file name box to the file type box, type te and the type is populated with Text CSV. Perhaps on a Mac you may need to type an extra letter or so?

Alternatively, after tabbing to the type list, you can use the up/down arrows to navigate through the list.

No mouse needed at all :)
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David
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Alex1
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by Alex1 »

acknak wrote:If your csv flles are all named with the same extension, you can just type *.csv in the name box and press Enter to see just the matching files.
Oops, no, that works for me but it may be different or not available on MacOS. There may be a similar workaround.
It works for Windows too. Another option is to type T repeatedly in the file type box until you reach the csv type.
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Mookie87
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by Mookie87 »

Thanks for all the input. I predominantly open csv files at work. My preference would still be to have a recent file types option at the top or allow the most commonly used file type to be moved to the top of the list. I can use either method mentioned in the above posts but it still takes the same amount of time. This is open source software that works really well and I do appreciate greatly. Does anyone know a link where I can enter feature requests?
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MrProgrammer
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by MrProgrammer »

Hi, and welcome to the forum.
Mookie87 wrote:Does anyone know a link where I can enter feature requests?
Didn't you read our Survival Guide before posting? Please take some time to do that now.
Mookie87 wrote:I predominantly open csv files at work.
Just select the desired CSV file from the open dialog. You don't need to set the file type for CSV. OpenOffice knows to use Calc to import a CSV file. If you want to see only CSV files in the Mac's file open dialog box, type CSV in the Spotlight window on the screen, then select Kinds → Comma-separated values.
Screen Shot 2017-11-14 at 15.08.15 .png
Mookie87 wrote:Typing the first few letters of the file type brings me to Text Document, an option I don't want to use and I still have to scroll to get to Text CSV (*csv, *txt).f
To get there quickly type: S, Y, DownArrow.
Mookie87 wrote:My preference would still be to have a recent file types option at the top or allow the most commonly used file type to be moved to the top of the list. … This is open source software that works really well …
Since it's open source, you can change how it works to fit your needs. Introduction to Development The development community might be very interested in your code to provide for movement of recently used types to the top of the list.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can select the green checkmark icon at the same time.
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Mookie87
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by Mookie87 »

Thanks for the suggestions above, Mr Programmer. I did eventually lookup the feature request section of the Survival Guide.

I did try opening the csv file from the Open dialogue window but often it decides that the csv file is to be opened by Writer not Calc. That is why I scroll through the list within the Options. Entering in CSV does not take me to the Text CSV, it take me to o Data Interchange Format. Typing in Tex, takes me to Text Documents. Thanks for the S, Y, down arrow, tip but where the heck did you get it from? Is there a section in one of the forums where someone has posted this and other keyboard shortcuts? I do like my keyboard shortcuts.
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MrProgrammer
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by MrProgrammer »

Mookie87 wrote:Thanks for the S, Y, down arrow, tip but where the heck did you get it from?
Screen Shot 2019-11-23 at 21.29.09.jpg
Mookie87 wrote:I did try opening the csv file from the Open dialogue window but often it decides that the csv file is to be opened by Writer not Calc.
Please attach a document demonstrating this behavior (remove confidential information then use Post Reply, not Quick Reply, and don't attach a picture instead of the document itself). You can force OpenOffice to open text documents with Calc by creating a new spreadsheet and using Insert → Sheet From File.
 Edit: 2019-11-29 12:38 UTC: No response from OP. I am done helping here. Goodbye. 
If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can select the green checkmark icon at the same time.
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RusselB
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Re: Open Dialogue Window, Can I Re-Order File Types

Post by RusselB »

The SY takes you to the first entry in the list that begins with those letters, specifically SYLK
The down arrow takes you to the next entry after that.
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If you believe your problem has been resolved, please go to your first post in this topic, click the Edit button and add [Solved] to the beginning of the Subject line.
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