Re: [Libreoffice] Discuss"Easy_Hacks: Remove Sheet From File"?

Joe Smith <jes@...> writes:

> ...
> If anyone is interested, I can throw out some thoughts, but I'm not enough of a
> UI designer to propose any concrete solution.

Actually, after looking closely at the Insert > Sheet dialog, I do have a
proposal. I just don't know if it's hard/easy/practical or not.

There is really very little overlap in the tasks [insert new sheet(s)] and
[insert sheet(s) from file]; why not make them separate pathways instead of
awkwardly stretching the poor Insert > Sheet dialog to handle both?

Insert > Sheet would just allow to insert new sheets.

Insert > Sheet From File would work just like Insert > File works in Draw: first
a file browser opens, then, if the chosen source file is a document with
multiple sheets/pages/tables, you get a window to select which one(s) you want.

If the source is a text file, you get the Text Import dialog.

In either case, clicking OK completes the task and inserts the new sheet(s).

The only other options are "Link" and "Position." Link could be offered from the
file browser (as is already common); Position could be left out. The user could
rearrange the sheets afterward. The majority of uses will be to insert only a
single sheet and that will be easy to move as needed.

This would entirely avoid the odd dual-mode dialog and extra steps.

Excel 2003 already does this. Insert > Sheet immediately inserts one sheet
before the current sheet. Data > Import External Data handles text import and
linking to a web URL. Insert from an external workbook has to be done by File >
Open, then copy/paste.