Created attachment 145290 [details] Text Import diaglog with the new option added [ CHECK ATTACHMENT IMAGE ] Could we get an option called 'Default all columns to text' to 'Text Import' dialog which pops up when copypasting CSV-data to calc. Picking this would automatically default all columns the tool finds to type 'Text'. This would be useful, because very often the data I copy to calc, e.g. phonenumbers, gets automatically corrupted by libreoffice to something else. I do not want any automatic modifications of the data and setting the column type to text seems to stop it. Can we get this option to make it automatic?
Makes me cringe recognizing the further abuse of calc spreadsheets this fosters, but the reality is too many users already try to use calc for table editing purposes it is not intended for. So sure, why not--check box to explicitly set all column types to be "Text" rather than reasonable data handling of the "Standard" type. But would flat reject any effort for it to become a default once implemented in filter and added to the dialog.
Is it really needed? If you click on the left-top square of the preview you select all columns. Then choose "Text" from drop-down list.
An application wide setting which would default all columns to text would be even better as long as the 'Text Import' feature would follow it and in that case use 'Text' as the default when importing. It would also be nice that if I create a new spreadsheet, all the columns would be of the type 'Text'. I'd find that kind of setting very useful indeed.
(In reply to hannu.maki.panula from comment #3) > An application wide setting which would default all columns to text would be > even better as long as the 'Text Import' feature would follow it and in that > case use 'Text' as the default when importing. My comment was about use of the import dialog. I'm clearly against an application wide setting. The main purpose of spreadsheets are mathematical calculations and statistics. > It would also be nice that if > I create a new spreadsheet, all the columns would be of the type 'Text'. I'd > find that kind of setting very useful indeed. You can get that, if you use a document template with that setting as default template.
Agree with Regina and Stuart, Calc is primarily dealing with numbers and we shouldn't spoil this for the majority of users. And eventually there is not only a workaround but the perfect way to not modify the clipboard aka make all data text: select the table and choose text from the dropdown. So WFM. Thanks for your suggestion anyway. Keep on sharing your use cases and proposals for improvements.