Bug 137906

Summary:	Add functionality to select specific templates directly from File menu
Product:	LibreOffice	Reporter:	sdc.blanco
Component:	Writer	Assignee:	Not Assigned <libreoffice-bugs>
Status:	RESOLVED WONTFIX
Severity:	enhancement	CC:	f.thaler, libreoffice-ux-advise, momonasmon
Priority:	medium	Keywords:	needsUXEval
Version:	7.1.0.0.alpha0+
Hardware:	All
OS:	All
Whiteboard:
Crash report or crash signature:		Regression By:
Bug Depends on:
Bug Blocks:	85811, 98259, 103314

Description sdc.blanco 2020-11-01 13:59:43 UTC

It is a pity that "recommended workflow is templates and styles"
(see https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=137873#c0  ),  
but there is not an easy way to get access to templates from the menus (or shortcut keys).

As far as I can tell, there is no way to:

a) make shortcut keys to (user-produced) templates
b) add templates to a menu (in Tools > Customize)
c) have LO offer some selection of templates (from a menu)

The Template Manager is slow to open (a few seconds delay) that
makes it unpleasant to use, especially compared to 
the fast and easy:  File > New > Text Document
 (right at the top, which opens a new document more or less immediately.)

When one has decided to open a new document and knows which template
to use, then it should be as easy as File > New > Text Document.

Probably there are many solutions to this situation.   Here is one suggestion:

File > Templates >  Open
  
                    Save
                  -------   (i.e.,  the first three existing controls) 
                   Manage
                  -------
                 ( a list of 
                   "Start"
                  templates )

"Start" templates is an invented idea -- using the fact that Template Manager works with "Categories".

"File > Templates populates the "Start" list by reading (or remembering)  the templates in the "Start" category.

Then users can use Template Manager to customize what goes into "Start", which is then automatically read into the Start menu for File > Templates.

Even better:  a .uno, so that one could choose (for example) to place this "Start" function at the top of File > New 

(Then the "reflex" (and recommended workflow) is always to use the right template (populated with the right styles),
which is why the UI should make it as easy as possible to do.)

Comment 1 Heiko Tietze 2020-11-03 10:39:41 UTC

Could be done per "favorite" mark on the template. The user can click favorite on up to 8 items and those are listed in the menu. What do you think, Maxim?

(Besides, we should make the template manager dialog a please tool.)

Comment 2 Heiko Tietze 2021-04-20 14:44:25 UTC

*** Bug 135977 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 3 Heiko Tietze 2022-02-28 14:23:11 UTC

The template manager has been improved significantly. And it opens much faster than in the past. It's a more or less pleasing dialog.

If we list some templates in the menu, whether as recently used or tagged as favorites, the advantage is just one click with costs of a cluttered menu. If improvements are needed it should go into the template manager (eg. bug 101439). => WF

Comment 4 sdc.blanco 2022-03-04 15:18:33 UTC

For those who want to create this capability by customization:

1.  Make macro(s) for desired template(s)

(see: https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/loadcomponentfromurl-opens-file-but-assigned-macro-wont-run/18090/2 ) 

2.  Use Tools > Customize to add macro to a menu or a keyboard shortcut.