Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 12259
Auto save writes over original file. Should open temp file instead.
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:40:29 UTC
Normaly without auto save, (and in almost any other application) one can open a document to use as a template. Then some time later, save it with another name. For me, I try to do this sooner rather than later so I don't forget and write over the original. The problem with the auto save is that it writes over the original. So, like I did, if you wait a while to save your document with a new name, your original is lost. The other office applications auto write to a temporary file. When the application closes correctly it cleans up the temporary file. When the application first comes up, it looks for the existence of any temporary files. If it finds one, it rightfully thinks it crashed the last time. It then prompts the user to see if they want to recover from the crash, or if they want the temp file to be deleted. You may think this is a new feature request, but because this application works contrary to any application I have seen with auto save, and every application without it, (Because auto save should work quietly in the background and not be noticed unless you need it) and creates data loss, I would argue that this is a defect. Thank you, Craig
Craig, have you considered using the template mechanism? I'm aware that many users actually do what you describe, but by leveraging "real" (.stw) template files you don't have to care about overwriting templates any more. Before confirming the general auto save problem I have to look for duplicate issues. Regards, Jens
This is a duplicate of issue 14360 (currently in status "wontfix"). Don't want to close this one though. Imho it is a legitimate request for enhancement.
I still think this is a defect because you are forcing the user to remember some kind of funky rule or else they stand a chance to loose a lot of data. The application doesn't even ask about it. It just does it. Let's say I decide to turn on the auto save because that is the way all major word processors default at. It is a great feature. Then time goes by and I see a document I want to use as a template. I open the document and spend almost 15 minutes deleting 90% of the content. Without telling me the autosave kicks in saving my new work and I just lost 90% of my original document. I can't see how someone would think that is okay. If that happened to me, I would go back to using some other application. Yes, there should be backups, but that should protect you from hardware failure, user stupidity or mistakes. But a major application shouldn't standardly cause data loss. Just my opinion, Craig
Let me sum it up in one sentence: Auto SAVE should NEVER get me into trouble, but ALWAYS get me out of trouble. Craig
set issue type to enhancement reassigned to bh
confirming as a new issue. Hopefully, OOo no longer writes over the original document, but more knowledgable people than I will have to confirm that. If it does write over it, that makes this issue all the more important, IMHO.
To grep the issues easier via "requirements" I put the issues currently lying on my owner to the owner "requirements".