How to set the default document property title to filename rather than template name?

[dajare]

When you create a new document, the “Title” field in File > Properties > Description > Title is auto-filled with the template name. And, when you export that document as a PDF, it is the template’s title that appears in the display of the PDF as that document’s title, rather than the filename, or first words of the file (the latter of which is the MS Word default, I believe).

I don’t think the LO default (providing template title as default document property) is good design. It’s somewhat counter-intuitive, in fact, and results in generic or inappropriate display for PDFs produced with LO’s internal tools. It’s also a hassle to change manually every time you create a document.

Is there a way to set this as an option? I looked carefully through the Tools > Options possibilities, and didn’t spot anything. Or does this need to be filed as an enhancement bug?

I’m using 4.0.2.2, btw, on flavours of Ubuntu and Mint, and occasionally also in Win XP and 7 (not that the platform matters, I think).

Thanks for any help with this!

[manj_k]

1. I have moved the file names of my templates
   
   from “Properties → Description → Title”
   
   to “Properties → Description → Comments”.
   
   So the “Title” field is always blank.

2. Currently you can only enable
   
   Edit document properties before saving
   
   in the menu “Tools → Options → Load/Save → General → Save”.

[dajare]

Works for me, and achieves what I’m after - thanks @manj_k!

[manj_k]

See also:

Bug 56887 - PDF Export uses the template name rather than document name for the “PDF Title” field.

[oweng]

I disagree. Any file based on a template should absolutely pull its metadata (Title, Subject, Keywords) from the template. If it is desired that the metadata fields of a template-based document remain unpopulated at the point of creation, then simply don’t populate the template fields. IMO creating metadata based on a filename is a bad idea. All these prior comments relate to ODT, which should be used as the basis for creating PDF metadata.

Displaying the filename of the PDF in the dialog title bar of the reader should be a fallback mechanism rather than an active one i.e., if the PDF does not have its metadata fields populated then the filename can be used, but of course this does not affect the metadata of the PDF in any way.

[dajare]

Hmm… I’ll ponder this, but when you say: “Any FILE BASED ON a template should absolutely pull its metadata (Title, Subject, Keywords) from the template”, it’s hard for me to see why the TEMPLATE should continue to define the “identity” of the FILE. The template has done its job: what we (well, I) care about now is the file.

[oweng]

I understand your point of view, but for me, a template should be a template in every respect. If I am populating these fields in a template it is expressly to pre-populate the same fields in any document based on this template e.g., for a personal letter template I may place “Personal letter” in the Subject field, or “Pers. comm.:” in the Title field so that I fill out the remaining detail. Alternatively I could use an alternate field as suggested by @manj_k.

[TimC]

Leaving the title blank in the document properties works for both situations, assuming the PDF reader used to view the document used the file name as a default title (my version of acrobat reader does).

[flywire]

Totally support this answer. Templates have been really poorly implemented in LO so most users are clueless about the value of templates.