Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

I want to change my default setting to save as xls. I don't know how to do that.

I try OpenOffice, preferences, OpenOffice Calc
From there it gives me a choice to select
General
View
Calculate
Sort List
Changes
Grid
Print

I don't see any other choices

Don't do that, it is a bad idea. Save as .ods, and when finished /File /Save as selecting Excel 87 97 from the dropdown.

Edit: Excel 97: earlier entry was a late-night typo. Thank you, Zizi64, for pointing this out.

I want to change my default setting to save as xls.

It is a very bad idea. The NATIVE format of the AOO and LO are the International Standard ODF fileformats.
All of other (foreign) fileformats will cause some problem with the formatting properties or with the formulas, or with the macros, ... etc...

when finished /File /Save as selecting Excel 87 97

The exact name of the export filter is:
Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (.xl97

The two previous answerers are right. Never use foreign file formats for ongoing work. Use only ODF. And only after you have finished, export it to something else.

chris64 wrote:I want to change my default setting to save as xls. I don't know how to do that.

I try OpenOffice, preferences, OpenOffice Calc
...

Wrong branch of the tree. Expand the Load/Save branch and select option General. Find the settings you need as pull-down lists at the bottom of the dialog.

That said, unless you collaborate extensively with users of MS Office, editing each other's files, I must agree with previous respondents that it is always a bad idea to use MS formats in OpenOffice.
If you still must do this, keep formatting simple and avoid the use of undocumented "features".

See [Tutorial] Differences between Writer and MS Word files for why you should always work in and save files as .odt. It applies to .xls too.

I am a new OO user, but found saving a calc file as .xls is easily done using "Save As" dialog and then selecting MS Office .xls, etc. Hope this helps.

but found saving a calc file as .xls is easily done using "Save As" dialog and then selecting MS Office .xls, etc. Hope this helps.

Never store your important documents in foreign file formats. Always use the native file formats. You can export them into the supported file formats, but always re-open and edit the native format one.