Windows Right Click menu > Add .dotx template

[awisniewski]

Hello,
I’ve been struggling with trying to add a context menu to the Windows 10 right click menu…to open
a Docx template in Libreoffice.

I’ve search thru Google and thru this site but just not finding anything that matches.
I saw some post on here about fixing a missing right click Menu for LibreOffice writer.

So far I’ve used Windows Registry Editor tried to copy the formatting of how LibreOffice has the “ShellNew” folder with the key pointed at the template but nothing has worked

Looking for any help?

[EarnestAl]

Don’t play randomly with registry, it will end in tears or

A Word template is .dotx, a document is .docx

If you want to use LibreOffice to open a new document from a template then create a template in native format, that is, .odt .ott

To create a new document file in LibreOffice right click the .dotx file and select Open with > LibreOffice Writer.

If LibreOffice Writer doesn’t appear there then open LibreOffice Writer and click File > Open and navigate to and open a .dotx file, save as something and close LO. Check if Open with lists LibreOffice Writer. If it doesn’t then go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features right click LibreOffice and select Repair.

There are more possibilities but see how you go.

[mahengrui1]

.docx or .dotx?

[mikekaganski]

Which version of LibreOffice do you use?

And why do you want to use specifically dotx as a template? Even if you use such a template, LibreOffice would create a new unnamed document, with a default save format of ODT. Is it just a misconception on your side?

Trying to weld such a template to registry’s ShellNew would simply lead to the copies of the template file to be copied to the destination place; and that is not what users want, because template files have differences inside, compared to normal documents. That is not how templates are used.

[awisniewski]

Sorry my mistake it should be .docx
The folder the “templates” reside in is called “template”
C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\share\template\shellnew

[mikekaganski]

Is that a specific DOCX (with some pre-defined set of formatting and maybe content), or is your goal just to have a convenient way to shoot your own feet by creating a file format that is not the native for your software (DOCX, which requires that LibreOffice translates from and to “foreign language” every time it opens and saves the file), with imperfect results, and stacking problems?

In any case: to make your registry changes work, the ShellNew key must be added not to .docx (on your screenshot, you used .dotx, but we decided that it was a mistake), but to the registry key referenced by the (Default) value under .docx. So imagine that HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx has (Default) equal to LibreOffice.Docx. That means that you must have a subkey HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx\LibreOffice.Docx\ShellNew. Only then will you have it working.

[awisniewski]

Awesome it worked!! Thank you for your help.
Yes the document has some standardized information regarding video and editing suggestions.
The other folks its shared with don’t want to use LibreOffice.
Typically the file is saved and passed over, and a few notes saved by the other party and that’s it…archived then.

Screenshot for anyone wanting to see it.

[awisniewski]

[Villeroy]

Nevertheless, it makes no sense to start a new document from a foreign template.

1. You get a new LibreOffice document anyway when you load the template. Every application “translates” an incoming foreign file format into its own native file format.
2. The output format should be PDF in most cases where the receipient is not expected to co-edit the document.
3. Word can open Writer documents.
4. This is an alternative to MS Office. It is NOT an alternative editor for MS Office documents.

[awisniewski]

1. The document will be edited after me by someone using Word.

2. You guys are tough.
   We need tough guys to keep average joes from using LibreOffice or recommending it.