[Libreoffice-bugs] [Bug 123100] FILEOPEN XLS LibreOffice doesn't indicate the 256 column limitation of the format when editing XLS files

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=123100

Gabor Kelemen <kelemeng at ubuntu.com> changed:

           What    |Removed                     |Added
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                 CC|                            |libreoffice-ux-advise at lists
                   |                            |.freedesktop.org
           Keywords|                            |needsUXEval

--- Comment #9 from Gabor Kelemen <kelemeng at ubuntu.com> ---
(In reply to Xisco Faulí from comment #8)
> this has improved thanks to Noel's work wrt the dynamic column creation
> magic <
> https://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/core/commit/
> ?id=7282014e362a1529a36c88eb308df8ed359c2cfa >

Still there is not a hard limit, only the lack of vertical column separators
reminds one that "something is missing" (i.e. columns, not the support to save
them). 
I think this is still not a strong enough protection, so we might want to
reopen.

> I think we can close this as RESOLVED FIXED.
> @Gabor, please create a separate bug for the warning mentioned in comment 5

Would that be really necessary though?

I mean, imagine this workflow: user opens an existing XLS and we currently
allow them to add more than 256 columns of data, which will be lost simply
pressing Ctrl-S.

- If we stick to this option, we can warn them that saving in the current
format will cause data loss and recommend to choose another format, as Aron
proposed.
Then in the file save dialog the user still might or might not do so, and lose
their work (or not).

- If we were to introduce a hard limit on the number of columns (as Excel does)
there will be no way to add more columns than supported by XLS format and no
warning would be necessary.
This would not leave a space to err: if you need more columns, first convert
your spreadsheet.

I guess it's time to ask for UX advice on this.

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