> From: Regina Henschel [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 5:33 PM > RGB ES schrieb: > > 2012/5/18 Regina Henschel<[email protected]>: > >> Hi Ricardo, > >> > >> RGB ES schrieb: > >> > >>> 2012/5/18 Rory O'Farrell<[email protected]> > >> > >> [..] > >> > >>> There is also a second, less harmful, problem with the save file > >>> work-flow: it is quite easy to accidentally uncheck the "add file > >>> extension" on the save dialogue so every now and then we get on the > >>> forums windows users that do not know how to open a file because > >>> when they double click on it the OS do not recognize it. Maybe we > >>> need to eliminate that option and always save with the correct file > >>> extension? > >> > >> > >> There is no "correct" file extension for all cases. For example > >> consider text vs csv. But it might help, when the state of the check > >> box is not remembered, but always starts with being checked.
Currently, this check box is indeed always checked when the "save as" dialog opens, with WinXP and Win7, at least. That does not alter the fact, that for Windows users this checkbox is 1) totally useless 2) confusing and therefore producing unnecessary support cases. 1) From an UX perspective, a file without file name extension is broken. 2) An option that is not really optional is confusing. Confusion is the most counterproductive UX. To add some more complexity, there are differences in behavior on WinXP versus Win7. WinXP: In case of a new document, the default suggestion in the input field for the file name has no extension, i.e. it reads "Untitled 1". If you uncheck automatic extensions and then forget to manually add the correct extension, your file is saved without extension, which essentially means broken. Win7: The default suggestion in the input field has the default extension for this file type added, i.e. it reads "Untitled 1.odt" with a new writer document. When the user unchecks automatic extensions before or after changing the name, the default extension is still there. Most users will only change the file name part and not delete the extension, I think. So the risk of getting a broken file is somewhat reduced on Win7. By far most of OpenOffice users work with Windows. I really can't see a reason to stick with a counterproductive automatic extensions check box. > >> > > > > You have a point here... ;) > > > > But this makes me think on the difference between "Save As" and > > "Export": if you create a cvs file from a spreadsheet document I think > > you are "exporting" it, not just "saving us" because you are losing > > format and properties like formulas, etc. > > > > I think that those specially ambiguous file types belongs to "Export" > > (which is now pretty empty), not to "Save / Save As". By reorganizing > > "Export" and "Save / Save As" it is possible to let the file extension > > option on the Export dialogue and erase it from "Save / Save As". Does > > this make sense? > > Currently a filetype goes to "Save/ Save As", when an export _and_ an > import filter exists. It does not distinguish whether something is lost. > If you do not save to 'ODF1.2 extended' always something is lost. > > I remember there had been a similar discussion on OOo, and especially > saving to .doc had been controversial. And also the discussion about this > check box is not new and as far as I remember the removal of that check box > has been rejected. But I would need to search for those discussions. > > Kind regards > Regina Kind regards, Hans
