Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 83597
Writer does not support "attaching" a template
Last modified: 2007-11-13 19:27:01 UTC
Writer currently does not support "attaching" a template to a document. That is, documents can be created based on a template. The document then maintains a link to the template, allowing one to update the styles in the document should the template change. However, it is impossible to edit the link and specify another, new template that should be considered to be the basis. At the same time, the link between a document and its template can be broken - this may happen when the template is not available while opening the document. In that case the user is prompted and the link between document and template may be broken at the user's request. This asymmetry means that accidental breakage of the link makes it impossible to reconcile the document. The document is forever lost after breaking the link. Another case where one needs to change the link is when a new version of the template is created and the location and/or name of the new template differs from the old one. (There might be various technical, organizational or political reasons for a change in location/name) Described functionality is (and has always been) available in Microsoft Word: Tools > Templates and Add-ins > Attach, select template, Open See "http://taming-openoffice-org.com/newsite/?page_id=27" and observe the almost hilarious mismatch in functionality for feature "Apply a different template to a document". Suggested workaround for OOo cannot be taken seriously when editing booklike volumes of standardized documents. Please fix this.
Reassigned to requirements.
It looks like it is only missing from the UI. That is: - We can view the current template, Menu>File>Properties; Tab: General, last property in dialog "Template" does show the title of the current template, but it is not eitable. - Unzipping an .odf, and modifying the value of document('meta.xml')\office:document-meta\office:meta\meta:template\@xlink:href actually accomplishes the desired effect. Note that document('meta.xml')\office:document-meta\office:meta\meta:template\@xlink:title would need to be updated as well (this seems to be reported in the properties dialog as the template name) So, it is currently possible to fix the link, but not in a way that is acceptable to end-users. I wonder whether it would be possible to use macros to set the property...
You are right, "only" the UI is missing. IIRC this issue is a duplicate and the older issue contains a link to a Basic macro that provides the missing UI. If I only could remember this issue number ...
Found it. :-) It's issue 52783 and it has a link to an extension that should provide this functionality. *** This issue has been marked as a duplicate of 52783 ***
closing as duplicate
now, finally ...