How do I disable csv opening prompt / dialog window

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#1

Hello,

I spend last 30 minutes reading all posts about this issue, some dating from 2014 but I cannot find a solution.

How do I save the csv import preferences so that libreoffice calc doesn’t ask me everytime which format is my csv.

This issue would not be that bad if the prompt would not show up hidden behind other windows, if you have another csv already open. That way at least, I would just have to type enter and be done, but the prompt doesn’t show on top of my windows (this is on linux).

Thank you in advance.

EDIT: it’s a long lasting issue which seems unresolved as of today.

For the record:

2014 (https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=74580)

Why can’t we save the settings for a file type?
I’d like csv’s to always be one way without the dialog all the time.
[…]
This should not be marked resolved. The program behaviour ignores a significant use case.
The use case ignored is where an office has a program which generates many csv files per day, which need to be opened in Calc. I work in such an office now and have at another in the past.
For such a use case, Calc is seriously deficient, particularly compared with Excel. The deficiency is worse than Knocks has described, partly because of another closely related bug/misfeature, which I am about to report.

2015 (CSV import prompt does not appear when another CSV is already opened)

This is a common issue. Often I have many windows open (multiple Writer’s multiple Calc’s) and then when opening a CSV file, the “import” dialog appears, but only in one window and sometimes it can take some time to find the right one. Trying to import another CSV while one import dialog is open does not work.

2018 (CSV Import Dialog Shouldn't Appear Every Time)

This seems like a minor issue, but when you open .csv files one after another all day, this makes Calc pretty unusable.

2018 (Is it possible to save text-files import specifications in calc?)

I need to do recurring import of text files with the same format into Calc, but every time I got to specify their fields format; is there a way to get them saved and reusable?

2019 (Feature request: allow users to set default "text import" settings)

I came to this site after looking for a way to disable the ‘text import’ dialogue that pops up EVERY TIME I open a CSV file in Calc.
I do not generally use office/productivity software, and I use spreadsheets even less but even for me, this annoyance is enough to make me not want to use the software.

2020 (Save configuration of CSV file(s))

I’m looking to a way to “save” the setting I do for some csv file
I have a few number of csv file which are used by some process, and I need to edit them several time per day

There is more than that, and these topics have thousands of views, more than any other question here.

When making a user interface, reacting to users’ feedback is the most important skill one must have.

Now, libreoffice is free, allright. But it is not like this software is being used by a couple dudes somewhere: libreoffice is shipped in with linux. Linux !!
This is millions of people, which are affected by these limitations.

I know how annoying it can be to answer to users’ feedback. But here; the fault is not from the users, because the issue is an important one (opening tables with calc) and because adding the option to auto-load the csv files would take literally 2 hours to program, maximum. And, it’s been more than a decade…

Finally, here are some of the answers from others users and devs which were given to the requests I have quoted above:

I hate to sound simplistic, but I would suggest you ask yourself why you are opening multiple CSV files in Calc in the first place.

It remembers the last choice. so Enter (OK) is enough.

Never use csv files. They only save one sheet, don’t save formulae or formatting - they only save names and numbers.
Always get the data into Calc and save as a .ods file.

Thanks for the devs for making this program. But, Hence the uncompetence term. please, give a bit of care to this feedback.

#2

No way. Only to write a macro.

#3

I read a bit more about this subject, I am at loss of words.

All these people asking for an important feature for more than 10 years and being shut down by the devs because “they should use the program differently”.

I am developper and french, I am used to work with different csv formats, yet even I would love to be able to save my csv preferences when working on a project with a lot of csv work.

And when you add on top the issue of the dialog popup being lost under in the different windows… This is terrible incompetence. No other way to put it.

#4

And they talk about “arrogant developers”!

Well, hum, given that @reup is developer, yes, I see one arrogant developer here, saying “I need something, and I demand that some unknown volunteers implement this for me for free, no matter if they are interested in this or not”. Nice.

#5

Strictly speaking, he talks about incompetence, not arrogance, which is still funny. A competent developer would suggest a patch, wouldn’t he? However, my concept of competence may be wrong :slight_smile:

#6

@gabix: yes, I see that my comment was lacking context :slight_smile: I was thinking about many cases when users acted in arrogant way, blaming developers in arrogance (and I was thinking about specific such cases when I myself was blamed in that); seeing this, I just couldn’t resist from noticing the same attitude… sorry :slight_smile:

#7

For the record:

2014 (https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=74580)

Why can’t we save the settings for a file type?
I’d like csv’s to always be one way without the dialog all the time.
[…]
This should not be marked resolved. The program behaviour ignores a significant use case.
The use case ignored is where an office has a program which generates many csv files per day, which need to be opened in Calc. I work in such an office now and have at another in the past.
For such a use case, Calc is seriously deficient, particularly compared with Excel. The deficiency is worse than Knocks has described, partly because of another closely related bug/misfeature, which I am about to report.

#8

2015 (CSV import prompt does not appear when another CSV is already opened)

This is a common issue. Often I have many windows open (multiple Writer’s multiple Calc’s) and then when opening a CSV file, the “import” dialog appears, but only in one window and sometimes it can take some time to find the right one. Trying to import another CSV while one import dialog is open does not work.

2018 (CSV Import Dialog Shouldn't Appear Every Time)

This seems like a minor issue, but when you open .csv files one after another all day, this makes Calc pretty unusable.

2018 (Is it possible to save text-files import specifications in calc?)

I need to do recurring import of text files with the same format into Calc, but every time I got to specify their fields format; is there a way to get them saved and reusable?

#9

2019 (Feature request: allow users to set default "text import" settings)

I came to this site after looking for a way to disable the ‘text import’ dialogue that pops up EVERY TIME I open a CSV file in Calc.
I do not generally use office/productivity software, and I use spreadsheets even less but even for me, this annoyance is enough to make me not want to use the software.

2020 (Save configuration of CSV file(s))

I’m looking to a way to “save” the setting I do for some csv file
I have a few number of csv file which are used by some process, and I need to edit them several time per day

There is much more than that, and these topics have thousands of views, more than any other question here.

When making a user interface, reacting to users’ feedback is the most important skill to have.

#10

Now, libreoffice is free, allright. But it is not like this software is being used by a couple dudes somewhere: libreoffice is shipped in with linux. Linux !!
This is millions of people, which are affected by these limitations.

I know how annoying it can be to answer to users’ feedback. But here the fault is not from the users, because the issue is an important one (opening tables with calc) and because adding the option to auto-load the csv files would take literally 2 hours to program, maximum. And, it’s been more than a decade…

#11

Finally, here are some of the answers from others users and devs which were given to the requests I have quoted above:

I hate to sound simplistic, but I would suggest you ask yourself why you are opening multiple CSV files in Calc in the first place.

It remembers the last choice. so Enter (OK) is enough.

Never use csv files. They only save one sheet, don’t save formulae or formatting - they only save names and numbers.
Always get the data into Calc and save as a .ods file.

#12

millions of people, which are affected by these limitations.

Gimme a break! What millions? If they were really millions, I guess, at least one of them would have produced a patch. In reality, just a couple of dozens of those who chose a wrong format to store their data.

#13

Well, please let us not start arguing on necessity of the change. No doubt that this change would be nice. And I agree that people who suffer from this are numerous enough (even though we may disagree on specific numbers, that doesn’t matter).

The thing is - you just can’t call people terribly incompetent like you did. Doing that, you assert that someone ought something to you, and failed to fulfil their duty. And that was what caused my reaction, since there was no one who ought that. If you assert that “this big entity uses it (name it here) !!!”, then it’s up to that big entity to care about what it needs. I started to contribute to LO when I wanted to have my wished done, and I waited many years before starting that - and I didn’t call people incompetent because they didn’t want to do what was important to me.

#14

Mike,
I understand your answer and agree with it.
I was being overly provocative on purpose: seeing that nice requests of other users didn’t manage to put this issue higher on the priority list after all these years, I tried another strategy.
LibreOffice is actually an amazing resource overall, and sorry for being offensive to you.

This doesn’t change the fact that this unanswered issue is quite important, which is why I took the time to create an account and write these posts.

I wish I had the time to tackle this problem myself honestly, doesn’t sound so big of a challenge, but I really don’t have the time to dive into LibreOffice code right now.

Gabix:

those who chose a wrong format to store their data

You have just added one more line to the long list of arrogant and perspective-lacking answers by devs who disregard justified user feedback, thus proving my point even more. Not sure if that was your goal.

#15

adding the option to auto-load the csv files would take literally 2 hours to program, maximum.

… and …

I really don’t have the time to dive into LibreOffice code right now.

Clearly show that you’re just worthless arrogant moron, because you have already spent almost as much time. Get lost!

#16

I tried another strategy

I’m terribly sorry that people try such strategies no matter what - especially from developers - every such attempt only causes disgust in people who may otherwise at some point take that. Every time I see such words, I turn to a different task that doesn’t hurt me.

You have just added one more line to the long list of arrogant and perspective-lacking answers by devs

And here is the thing that I laughed about in my initial reply. @gabix is not a LibreOffice developer (although that doesn’t mean I think less of them because of that); it’s just a reason of the common “arrogant developers” myth: every time any user meets another user who disagrees with the first user’s PoV, the first user is calling the second one “an arrogant developer” :smiley: Most “arrogant developers” that users complain about are other users who happen to disagree.

#17

One might say, I’m a developers’ nuisance as I filed a couple of reports (back in the era of OpenOffice.org though) :slight_smile:

#18

it’s just a reason of the common “arrogant developers” myth: every time any user meets another user who disagrees with the first user’s PoV, the first user is calling the second one “an arrogant developer” :smiley: Most “arrogant developers” that users complain about are other users who happen to disagree.

Haha, I see. I was not sure about if he was a dev or not.

Though being a dev myself, I know how we can be a bit arrogant :slight_smile: Especially when dealing with user requests, which can get tiring let’s be honest !

Sorry again if I hurted you Mike, have a nice day and thank you for your work.

Clearly show that you’re just worthless arrogant moron, because you have already spent almost as much time.

Haha, it did take some time writing all this, I admit. I might give it a look at some point :wink:
Cheers gabix, have a nice day you too.

#19

It is still impossible. This is tdf#74580. You only can have some workaround, like preparing a shortcut/shell script with a command line with the prepared import options.

if the prompt would not show up hidden behind other windows, if you have another csv already open

That is likely tdf#119813 (are you on Linux?). I suppose this should not happen on Windows, where it was resolved quite some time ago in tdf#32935 (hopefully).

#20

With a new odt file or in an existent one, insert the csv as link in it, you don’t need to change the options every time you update, they are preserved for the link.
You can do it through Menu/Sheet- Insert sheet from file or ‘Link to external data’, at opening there it’s a question about ‘Allow updating’, what you can do also on Menu/Edit/Link to external files - Update.

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