Bug 64886 - Add ability to change the default chart type
Summary: Add ability to change the default chart type
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Chart (show other bugs)
Version: Inherited From OOo
Hardware: Other All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2013-05-23 01:35 UTC by Francisco
Modified: 2015-01-03 17:39 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
i915 platform:
i915 features:


Attachments
Dialog showing chart type selection under v3304 and v4132. (73.50 KB, application/zip)
2013-11-23 05:33 UTC, Owen Genat
Details

Description Francisco 2013-05-23 01:35:57 UTC
When a chart is crated in Calc (or inserted on any other component) it alwais defaults to a bar chart.

Maybe this is the most used chart, but it isn't my case, and I'm not able to change it.

So, how to reproduce this bug.
1) Try to change the default type of chart, to something different than "bar chart".

Actual result:
It isnt possible


Expected:
On "Tools -> Options -> Charts", there could be another option for changing the default chart type besides "Default colors"
Comment 1 Markus Mohrhard 2013-05-23 01:45:01 UTC
We already have too many options and it is just one click to change the chart type. I don't think it makes sense to add another option here.
Comment 2 Francisco 2013-05-23 02:10:48 UTC
I guess it doesn't make sense when if somebody occasionally makes a chart. But the situation is different when when you have to make just one kind of chart, many (many) of them, different than the default. 

I accept that there could be more imperative bugs to attend. But I really disagree to the argument "there are many options". There aren't many options for *charts*. In fact, the only thing that are changeable are color. Charts are configurable when they are already inserted, but it isn't possible to change the default. Not only type, but font used, size, thickness and colors of every line. Maybe you like the default, but I don't. End every time I make a chart, I have to change one by one. Yes, I use templates, but they are not enough, because every time a new case of work appear and the old templates are not useful.
Comment 3 bugquestcontri 2013-05-23 04:17:17 UTC
I would like to draw attention to the AskLibO entry
http://ask.libreoffice.org/en/question/8346/set-default-formatting-for-calc-charts/?answer=17921#post-id-17921

especially the contribution of Phorious gives also information of related bug reports. Here is part of his answer copied
Also, I have already filled some chart related bugs: 39052, 58038, 58260, 62540 (related to 62924 reported by ROSt52), 64884. If you know related bug reports that could be dups, please, mark them.

I also would like to mention here 
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=62925
Comment 4 Owen Genat 2013-11-23 05:33:29 UTC
Created attachment 89673 [details]
Dialog showing chart type selection under v3304 and v4132.

(In reply to comment #0)
> When a chart is crated in Calc (or inserted on any other component) it alwais 
> defaults to a bar chart.

> 1) Try to change the default type of chart, to something different than "bar chart".

For clarity, the default selection is a column (rather than bar) chart, but I understand what you mean. Refer attached screenshots taken under Ubuntu 10.04 running v3.3.0.4 and v4.1.3.2. It has always been this way in LO.

(From comment #1)
> We already have too many options and it is just one click to change the
> chart type. I don't think it makes sense to add another option here.

(From comment #2)
> I accept that there could be more imperative bugs to attend. But I really
> disagree to the argument "there are many options". There aren't many options
> for *charts*.

I tend to agree with Markus in comment #1. While there may not be a lot of options for charts, I saw a statistic (a grep of the cgit repository, which unfortunately I can no longer find) that shows there are now over 2300 options in LO. Developers are naturally reluctant to add to that number unless there is a compelling reason to do so. Some things are better addressed via other means, like styles ...

(In reply to comment #3)
> I also would like to mention here 
> https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=62925

I think this is a better solution and one that would eventually replace the option proposed here.
Comment 5 Owen Genat 2013-11-23 05:35:33 UTC
As per comment #4, Version set to Inherited From OOo. Severity set to enhancement. Unable to confirm though for the reasons indicated.
Comment 6 Francisco 2013-11-23 14:21:00 UTC
I agree that styles for charts are a better option in the long therm (I had already filled the bug 62540 also, then it was marked as dup of 62925). Nevertheless I also think it will take much more effort to implement, than being able to select the default chart type.

I understand also that LibO has already many options, but that's because it can behave as 5(+2) applications at the same time: word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software,  vector graphic app, database, +math equation editor and charts. How many software has the LibO capabilities? With such a wide range of fields, I think its natural that you will end with a lot of options.
I don't know really how many options are too many for an app like LibO, though if that's the case *maybe* the problem is that's not balanced.
Comment 7 Robinson Tryon (qubit) 2013-12-20 12:57:41 UTC
Valid enhancement request. Updating summary for clarity.

(In reply to comment #3)
> I also would like to mention here 
> https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=62925

I agree -- implementation of Bug 62925 - "FORMATTING: enhancement: please add "chart styles" to the styles of Calc" might be a reasonable alternative to fixing this bug.

Bug status: NEW
Comment 8 Alex Thurgood 2015-01-03 17:39:44 UTC
Adding self to CC if not already on


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