Hello folks,
Just getting to grips with using Libreoffice file formats, followed this brief tutorial but it doesn’t seem to work as when saving it still saves in Libreoffice format?
When I look at the file format as above the default is set to xlsx for calc, and docx for text but this seems to be not working, also when saving in Libreoffice format the icon disappears?
Cheers
Please tell us what operating system and LibreOffice version you are using, thank you.
What is the background of your desired approach (if I understand correctly in MS Office format) of file saving?
With which Office program do you work mainly, or do you need to share files with MS Office users?
Blockquote
Office 2010 Pro and Windows 10 Pro.
For the moment I would prefer to save in native Microsoft formats in case things don’t work out as planned with Libreoffice (see other thread for lag issues).
Also saving in Libreoffice formats the file icon is no longer present, just a blank page which make it hard to differentiate between file programmes.
Yes, I do need to share files with other 365 users.
Thanks
Thank you for your information.
If we return to the question of why the file format settings do not work for you.
First steps
Follow the steps 1 and 2 mentioned there and report the result here. Thank you.
Checked both steps, no change - saving in ODS format still icon not present, spreadsheet menu confirms default ‘save as’’ being XLXS
tbh, its not a problem as only interim before switching over to Linux platform which should hopefully sort things 
Did you restart LibreOffice after changing the file format (e.g. to DOCX)?
Yup, restarted machine as next day.
Its saved the configuration in the drop down menu but fails to actually carry out the function.
Without restart I hit Ctrl+N (new document), change the default format to docx, hit Ctrl+S (save) and the dialog shows docx in the file type listbox. Change back to odt, hit Ctrl+S and the dialog shows odt again.
“Does not work” is not a valid problem description.
Okay, I think you’re on to something here. I just tried the same thing which worked this end too, basically you are creating a new document after opening the writer application which already loads a new document, its this first document that is the issue.
Try this, (in Windows) right click on desktop, select new text document once opened jot a line or two then hit save icon in menu.
It saves in native format (without an icon).
I tried it from the Libreoffice launcher (not sure if that’s the correct name) where last used docs are stored, it works okay from there too on spreadsheet files - so, once the programme is launched the settings are too, it’s from start up that it loads the default if that makes sense.
Right-click>New>“Open Document Text” and that’s what I get. It is derived from a template somewhere in a system folder.
But why do you want to do that. I would install MS Word to edit docx documents but not LibreOffice.
I think we are good here, thanks for all of the replies.
Thanks again.
No matter what you try to do: ALWAYS save files in the native file format of the application you are using. This is the one and only way which guaratees that you always have a working copy of your work when something goes wrong during conversion of files into a foreign file format.
When using Microsoft Office, ALWAYS save docx, xlsx, pptx etc.
When using LibreOffice, ALWAYS save odt, ods, odp etc.
When using PowerPoint ALWAYS save psb.
Whenever there is a sound reason why you want to save/export another file format, just do so but keep on working with the native file format of the application you are using.
LibreOffice is NOT and alternative editor for MS Office documents.
What is the point of putting this option in the menu if its not available ?
Do not agree with your post either, these are essentially text files with little overhead to save in any chosen format.
Lets be frank here to save everyone’s time, is there a push to use Libreoffice formats over Microsoft hence more cumbersome to do the latter ?
ODF (Open Document Format) is an ISO standard, XLSX is an interim standard while MS works towards compliance so you might say that, but it is not the reason you should save in native format.
For the reason you should save in native format see [Tutorial] Differences between Microsoft and AOO/LO files (View topic) • Apache OpenOffice Community Forum .
If someone cannot read one format or another you can send them a version in their preferred format but you keep the original in its native format to avoid translation losses.
We can not know anything about your files. Trouble with Writer/Word compatibility may starts when you modify page layouts. Just avoid foreign file formats with any software. Word will open “simple” ODF documents just as well as Writer opens “not so simple” documents, so there is no reason to convert anything at all. When co-operation between 2 different programs is needed:
Receive new foreign format.
Save your own native copy for editing.
Send copy in foreign format.
This way you always have the full functionality in your working copy and a full track of co-editing in your inbox and outbox.
(All the optioons are available, imo, but…)
There are lots of options (also in Calc which is the component I know best) I would urgently dissuade from using. There even are defaults of that kind.
This may be due to feature requests by users taking MS-Office as the actual standard - and expecting everything else to be a clone. It simply is a bad idea to see a specifically bad concept this way. If then “market penetration” seems to back that position, we have a serious problem. Who might be able to change it?
Decades ago when still Gates was in full power at MS, he was told to have said something to the effect of “Users (customers in his case) don’t request quality (correctness?) but features.”
That’s it.