I’m using LibreOffice Calc 5.0. on a Windows Vista desktop.
I want to set the default font to “Ubuntu” because it is not listed.
(I use Ubuntu on two other computers and it comes with A Libre Office package)
It allows me to change it for every row/column; but I can’t find where I can set it
to default font for the whole file every line.
I’ve searched through the Help and found a “replace option” but I don’t know how to set it.
Is there a simple method?
Thank you for your help.
Robotics1949
You can choose:
Basic Fonts
This is valid for all modules in LibreOffice.
Or Open an empty Calc document.
Select all cells.
Set the font and size, if possible by cell style.
Save the document as a template (e.g. “Standard”).
Thank you @Hrbrgr
I think I’ve successfully saved an empty template with the Ubuntu font and size 16 as default.
Now, I would like to import the .xls file that is already filled with data and mixed fonts, ie Arial and Ubuntu and once imported, all rows, columns and cells will be converted to Ubuntu font size 16.
But…I can’t find an “Import” option in the menu… Have I missed it?
Thank you again for your help.
Robotics1949
Now, I would like to import the .xls file
Regardless of formatting, this is a very bad idea.
Basically:
Recommendation for clean working with LibreOffice when different Office programs are used.
Always create and save your files in LibreOffice and save them in ODF format (ODT, ODS, etc.).
Always keep these files as their source.
If you need other formats for distribution to partners, you can open an ODF file and save and distribute another format with ″ Save as… ″.
This way, you always have working files available in your system environment.
See:
Edit different file formats in LibreOffice
…all rows, columns and cells will be converted to Ubuntu font size 16.
Now your requirements have expanded.
A little bit longer way:
The method shown above for a document template was a bit quick and dirty, sorry.
A new document template with styles:
Open an empty sheet.
Select the whole sheet (Ctrl+A).
Delete the direct formatting (Ctrl+M).
Create a new style/cell style with the font and size you want. Cell Styles in Calc
Select the entire sheet (Ctrl+A).
Double-click on the new cell style.
Save the document as a document template.
I can’t find an “Import” option
Unfortunately, Calc is not equipped with it.
But there is a little trick to transfer cell styless to another document.
Open an empty document that has the new cell style applied to it.
And open your old document that you want to format.
In the empty document (from the template) copy an empty cell (Ctrl+C).
In the document to be reformatted, first select everything (Ctrl+A) and delete any direct formatting (Ctrl+M).
Now paste the empty cell at a suitable cell (Ctrl+V).
You have now transferred the cell style.
Select everything again (Ctrl+A) and double-click on the new cell style.
Now your document should have the desired font and size.
No. You can’t call something that 90%+ users really need a very bad idea. Users need to open foreign files. You may warn about possible problems; you may suggest alternative workflows; you may thing that working with external formats as primary formats is not the best idea - but not about import (which is how this is worded here, and which implies the intention to pull the data, but then work with native formats - which is the great plan).
@robotics1949: “import” is opening the file. When you do that, any file is imported into LibreOffice’s internal document model. Then you are free to do whatever you need, and save to whichever format you choose. However, importing also pulls formatting artifacts, and thus fills the imported document with things that might be unwanted to you. Clearing direct formatting, and/or copying data and pasting only values without formatting into new documents, might be needed in your workflow - depending on what you need.
Or maybe your ‘import’ meant something different - like “I want the data from a standalone document to appear on a sheet in another document, and dynamically update as it gets changed in original document”? Which could be done e.g. with Sheet|Insert Sheet From File.
Thank you. I appreciate your reply and your opinion.
Honestly, My biggest error was not considering to setup a template with the font, style and size that I wanted, in the beginning.
That’s where I went wrong. And I should know better. 
That said, I discovered that my choice of the Ubuntu font was poorly made because I’m using LibreOffice 5.2.5.1 on a WinVista tower desktop (which was also a bad choice).
I have 2 other computers that are both Ubuntu-Linux laptops and one of them includes LibreOffice 6.0. The Ubuntu font is listed in that version, so that’s where I should’ve started from.
Also, not incidentally, I’m misusing the L.O. Calc for a DB type document, that’s more text based than numerical.
I’m cataloging my Vinyl LP collection and it includes the artist, album title, track list, the session’s musicians as well as the issue # and the date it was released.
I also have made the error of including a “thumb” image of the album cover and sized it to fit in the “A” column underneath the 1 cell/row with Title, Artist, Issue #, and Date released.
LibreOffice Calc allows me to place the image and even resize it and lock the position.
However, I think I’ve “over-purposed” the Calc spreadsheet with a design that is more compatible with a database… 
I’ve already cataloged 65 albums, so I’m at a point where “changing lanes” or “changing trains” could be disastrous, and I still have about 150 albums to go!
I think that I will try to use the help that both you and @mikekaganski have recommended, by choosing what works best for me.
Again, I appreciate BOTH of your comments and advice.
I clearly went into a “coal mine” without performing the basic preparation steps and basic skill!
If you’d like to see a sample of what I have done, let me know if I’m allowed to paste a screenshot here, for your review.
Thank you for your help!
Robotics1949
I have fixed the problem and I used this method; which is what you suggested originally.
1 - Copied original file and renamed it.
2 - Opened copy and picked Edit, then Select All
3 - Selected Format and then picked Clear Direct Formatting
4 - Checked all formatting was removed and thumb images were not affected in any way
5 - Picked Edit, then Select All
6 - Set Font to Ubuntu and Left aligned
7 - Set size to 16
8 - Set color to Automatic (no color or black)
9 - Saved the xls file with new name.
10 - Opened old file and copied whatever cells/rows/columns that had specific formatting.
11 - Pasted those special cells/rows/columns formatting to new document,
where I had specified in old xls.
12 - Saved new xls and will now work from the new file.
I also discovered that copying a LibreOffice 6.0 xls file to LibreOffice 5.2.5.1 did not affect or change anything that I had done to the file, when I brought it into 6.0 from the 5.2.5.1 version.
In other words, it seems compatible to a previous version and vice versa.
Thank you both again for your advice and help.
It took me less time than I expected, because my memory of using LibreOffice Calc began to come back to me…
I appreciate this help site, and will recommend LibreOffice (newest versions of course) to everyone
that uses Microsoft’s products (which I am not a fan of).
Best to you,
Robotics1949