Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 76789
RFE: Save backups in directory of working file
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:37:10 UTC
If Tools -> Options -> Load/Save -> -> "Always create backup copy" is enabled, a backup copy of the file being worked on is saved in the directory designated by Tools -> Options -> OOo -> Paths -> Backup. It would be better, if backup copies were saved in the directory of the file being worked on. Additionally, the backup file should be named "$filename.odt~" (ie. the filename should be suffixed by a ~). Reason why that is better: On Linux (or *nix in general), it is custom to create backup copies that way. It also took me quite by surprise, that the backup copy is not stored in the current directory. Another issue by the current way: Suppose, you're editing a file called "Report.odt", stored in some cleverly named directory. Now you edit a DIFFERENT Report.odt from a different directory. Because of the way things are handled currently, there can only by one Report.bak. If the backup files were stored where they belong IMO (ie. in the directory of the file), the number of backup files weren't limited.
askwar, I suggest voting for your issue.
Framework RFE, valid for all OSes.
Actually, I had set OS = Linux with a reason. On other OS, eg. Windows, naming backupfiles with a trailing ~ is NOT common. That's only common on *nix Systems. Because of that, I do not want to request, that backup files are named "foo.odt~" on this OS. OTOH, if they were named that way everwhere, that would be fine, I guess.
Actually, I had set OS = Linux with a reason. On other OS, eg. Windows, naming backupfiles with a trailing ~ is NOT common. That's only common on *nix Systems. Because of that, I do not want to request, that backup files are named "foo.odt~" on this OS. OTOH, if they were named that way everwhere, that would be fine, I guess. kpalagin, what do you mean by "I suggest voting for your issue."? Would I need to do something?
Reassigned to Requirements
I wouldn't use the trailing ~ approach at all. I also don't like the ".bak" extensions, IMHO the backup should have the same extension as the original file so that the user can start it by doubleclicking. My proposal would be that the backups of a file named "document.odt" should be "document_bak(xxx).odt" where (xxx) is a placeholder for a number starting from 0 and counting upwards to make the filename unique. We also could use "Backup_(000)_document.odt" or use timestamps instead of numbers, whatever. But though I disagree with the "~" thing I second the idea to create backups in the folder of the original files - at least as an option.
askwar, in order to vote for an issue you need to click "Vote for this issue" link (right above where you type the comments), enter "1" or "2" instead of "0" and click "Sunbit" at the bottom of the page.
Please do think about using a trailing "~", as that's the standard suffix for naming backup files, at least on Unix. Also "on Unix" (or rather with Nautilus/Gnome or Konqueror/KDE and I suppose also on Mac OS X), the extension doesn't matter; so even if it would have an extension of ".bak" (or, better yet, the standard "~"), users would be able to click on the file and have it open in OpenOffice. But please DO NOT change the name of the file; at least not how the file name begins. Ie. do NOT make it "backup of whatever". Reason: It changes the ordering, ie. the file cannot be directly found. If, for whatever reason, "~" absolutely cannot be done (if so, please rethink that decision!), I'd suggest to name backup files "whatever (Backup Copy #n).odt", ie. add a "(Backup Copy #n)" right before the final extension. " #n" should be left out, if it's the first backup copy. Or maybe it should be there, so that the first backup copy is storted in before the 2nd backup copy.
This issue takes a different approach to that described in issue 80909, see http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=80909 [Basically these are 2 different issues.] There seems to be an issue with the current OOo help information, too, see http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=83849 [Maybe not every user does understand that information ??? ]