[Solved] Calc Templates

[neilhmurphy]

Can I edit Calc templates directly. Right now I create a spreadsheet (eg dmy.ods) and then File>Edit select the template that I want. Make changes. Then File>Save. But this seems the long way round.

[RusselB]

Changing the template is possible, but remember that your data (normally) isn't saved in the template.
There is lots of information in the Help file. Use the Index search for the term template.
I don't know if you want to change the default template or change one that you use on a regular basis, but not necessarily the default.

[neilhmurphy]

1) I have changed templates. See my original post. I am looking for an easier way. Part of the issue is that OO uses the same folder for WRITER and CALC.
2) When I look at HELP I see nothing that addresses my issue.
3) It doesn't much matter what template I want to modify. I find a file. Now I want to modify it. For example some (4) cells are right aligned I want them left aligned.

[RusselB]

After you modify a template, you have to save it as a template.
If you want that modified template to be the default, then you have to tell OO to make it the default.
If you don't want it to be default, then you have to call up the template each time you want to use it.
Only the default template is loaded automatically each time.
Going into more detail for the Help search, I think the section headed Changing Default Templates is worth a read.
It also deals with Custom Templates closer to the bottom.

[acknak]

Can you tell us what you want to accomplish with the template? What's the goal here?

OO Templates are just normal files; you can treat them as such and not miss anything essential. The only operation that's different is, as you asked for, editing the template. In that case, File > Open ... starts an new, untitled document.

To edit the template itself, you can go a couple of different routes:
• From the main OO screen (show the application icons), click the Templates icon ...
• Or, from any main menu, File > New > Templates and Documents ...
Both paths take you to the same dialog window. From there, navigate & select the template, then click the Edit button at the bottom.

There are two other similar paths:
• File > Templates > Edit ... gives you a file dialog that you can use to open/edit any template file, even if it does not appear in the "my templates" location.
• File > Templates > Organize ... gives access to more operations, including open/edit.

[neilhmurphy]

OK I'm doing my taxes. 4 cells had the text in them right aligned. I wanted it left aligned. I wanted to change an account account number.

What I was hoping was that right clicking on a template would bring up a context menu with an entry Edit as Template with Open office". Or the OO splash screen had some magic function.

[acknak]

Templates are only used when starting a new file. Changing a template won't have any effect on existing files.