Bringing a template as I migrate from OOO to LibreOffice

[LibreatedNick]

I’ve just downloaded LibreOffice 7.4.7.
I already have, and am used to, OpenOffice.
I want LibreOffice to have the same document template as I created in OOO, but
(a) it appears not to be a file, ie, OOO says it’s called SOMETHING.OTT, but finder doesn’t find it, and
(b) even if it was a file, I don’t know how to import it. Ideally, it would be in a sensible place, and LibreOffice would just pick it up but . . . no dice.
Any thoughts, anyone? (I’m surprised no one else has raised this!)

[ajlittoz]

I infer from “finder doesn’t find it” you are under MacOS. Also while I am in the preliminaries, tag base means your question is related to the database frontend Base. So please, retag writer so that your question reaches concerned contributors.

You don’t “import” a template, you install it. Just as a reminder, there are two ways to use a template:

• double-click on Something.ott to create a new Untitled-9.odt document
  The .ott template file can be stored anywhere, you just double-click it. This manual quick’n’dirty method does not link the document to the template, i.e. if you modify the template, the document will not be upgraded to the new version of the template.
• File>New>Templates to select an “installed” template as a base for your new document
  Your document is then linked to the template file. Any change in the template will be forwarded (with your consent) to the document next time you update it.

Therefore, you have two options.

• in the “free” approach, store your template anywhere in your home directory
• in the “integrated” approach, you must make your template known to Writer
  1. copy your .ott to some convenient place in your home directory, so that you can edit it easily
  2. when you’re satisfied with your updates, make a copy of your original template with an adequate name (for later easy selection)
     The reason why I recommend to make a copy is subsequent steps will move the template to non-trivial locations (I’m no longer used to MacOS architecture) and retrieving the template could be tedious.
  3. in Writer, File>Templates>Manage Templates
  4. drop-down menu Manage allows you:
     • create a new category if you want to sort out your templates
     • import the .ott file (after choosing a category under which to list it) with a standard file dialog
  5. optionally you can make a template the default one with a right-click and Set as Default

The “integrated” approach is more interesting from a user point of you than the “free” one because of the style update feature after template change.

[LibreatedNick]

Dear ajlittoz,

Thank you so much for your swift reply — yes, I’m a bit of a new squit here; forgive the mis-tagging, but none of the options meant anything to me, and it wouldn’t let me leave it blank; same with Category. I wanted to tag my query with “template”, “migrate” and “openoffice”, but . . . they weren’t available.

Yes, Mac OS.

I’m afraid I’ll have to go onto the OOO help facility, because either OOO hides templates from Finder, or they’re only pseudo-files, ie, file-like portions of other files that OOO software deals with.

Nick

[mikekaganski]

1. In AOO, click [Templates...]
   

   

2. In the dialog, click [Organize...]
   

   

3. In the tree, navigate to the wanted template, and select it; then in the [Commands] drop-down, select Export template...
   

4. In the export dialog, save the template to a directory which finder can find.

5. In LibreOffice, click File → Templates → Manage Templates
   

   

6. [Manage] → Import
   

   

7. Select a category to add the imported template to, or type a name for a new category, and press [OK]
   

8. In the import dialog, navigate to the directory chosen on step 4, and select the template.

[LibreatedNick]

Thanks Mike,

I’m now in the middle of a big edit — I’ll follow your instructions shortly.

Nick