Page style in template got modified, existing derivative document doesn't get offer to accept/discard modification

eighty2 · February 5, 2024, 1:47am

Writer LO 7.5.9

Custom template + .odt-file created from this template.
Template got one custom page style added before creation of mentioned odt.
While both template and odt exist (the odt however is closed) the template gets one modification concerning used custom page style.
This modification gets stored to template’s .ott file.
Subsequently .odt documents gets reopened. User expects to be asked for acceptance or discard regarding modification take-over offer . odt-file opening procedure however is accompanied by no inquiry hence there exist no chance to accept modification made in template and take it over to document.
Is this a mistake in Writer usage / understanding?

P.S. Writer Guide 7.5, chapter 10, section Updating a document from a changed template

I understand it to play no role if styles defined in template are used in linked document by some document object (e.g. text) or aren’t in order for document reopening subsequently to get notified about modification had taken place and to get an offer for made modification acceptance or refusal. Is this right?

Keep old styles was never used concerning these two: .ott and .odt.
Neither the style in mind was removed from document before doing modification in template or reopening document following this.

Same test results if to modify in template some paragraph style instead.

ajlittoz · February 5, 2024, 7:37am

You didn’t mention if you “registered” your .ott template with Writer. There are two ways to use templates:

double-click on a template file
This creates a document but “forgets” the relationship with the template. Therefore modifications in the template are not forwarded.
after “registering” your template, create a new document with File>New>Template
The new document “remembers” the template from which it was derived and modifications are forwarded.

Which procedure did you follow?
Also mention your OS name.

eighty2 · February 5, 2024, 10:33am

Sorry for the lack of details.
If to follow in Writer following navigation
menu File > Templates > Manage Templates
then to select user own template category one field on top bar
then the template in mind is presented in dialog field which is expected to list templates.

menu Options > LibreOffice > Paths used by LibreOffice > Type Templates :
/home/userA/Templates is on the list of paths, on a side of path set by LO installer.

$ tree ./
./
├── groupuinames.xml
└── my Wuyhung
     └── wh-PrjA.ott

4 directories, 13 files
$ pwd
/home/userA/Templates

.odt in mind was created in following way:
menu File > New > Templates… > select template created and registered with Writer by user > OK
or
start LibreOffice frame app (no LO functional app), then left-side bar, Templates entry, big field with list of all registered templates, then select template in mind, right-click, Open

ajlittoz · February 5, 2024, 12:15pm

Then you should be presented with the update dialog.
Can you attach the .odt document for analysis?

eighty2 · February 5, 2024, 12:52pm

Thanks for your proposal. Will your analysis of .odt work if document pages content gets removed?

ajlittoz · February 5, 2024, 1:18pm

Not sure about that. If you think your document is private, send it through private mail: click on the icon left of my name, then press Message.

ajlittoz · February 5, 2024, 4:53pm

Something is definitely wrong in your template. I registered it on my computer. I created a document based on it. I then changed the font face for Default Paragraph Style and some options in a page style (fearing that page styles wouldn’t behave as other styles).

I don’t get the dialog for accepting changes0 I checked that the document metadata is correctly time-stamped and even changed it manually to no avail.

What I find strange (and harmful) is your template, which is nearly empty, already contains direct formatting in the form of an intial page break to Default Page Style. Since the goal of templates is primarily to provide styles, polluting them with useless direct formatting is an open door to further problems.

All I can tell is your template is faulty.

eighty2 · February 5, 2024, 6:24pm

Thanks for your efforts and findings thanks to which could remove direct formatting you mean. A retest of template past that one clean-up still pending.