https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=167522
Bug ID: 167522
Summary: Vague warning on possible formatting or content loss
dilutes impact
Product: LibreOffice
Version: 7.4.7.2 release
Hardware: All
OS: All
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Severity: normal
Priority: medium
Component: Calc
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
Description:
When editing a spreadsheet saved in xlsx (Microsoft Office Open XML
Spreadsheet) and saving the file, Libreoffice's Calc displays the following
message:
This document may contain formatting or content that
cannot be saved in the currently selected file format “Excel
2007–365”.
Use the default ODF file format to be sure that the document is saved
correctly.
There are several problems with this:
1. the choice of file format might not lie with the person editing the
document. A group of people collaborating on a document may have agreed
(explicitly or tacitly) to use a particular format. The person editing the
document may have no choice.
2. the information is too vague to be actionable. The message says only that
information "may" be lost.
3. the information is provided too late. The user has already edited the
document (may have invested considerable time) only to be told that some part
of their work might (or might not) be lost when the document is saved.
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open any .xlsx
2. Attempt to save this file.
3. Observe the dialogue.
Actual Results:
The dialogue is presented with the above vague message.
Expected Results:
I expect one of two results:
1. if the user has made changes that cannot be accurately represented in the
target file format (Microsoft Office Open XML Spreadsheet) then a warning is
presented, in non-vague language.
2. if the user has made no such changes (the in-memory contents may be
accurately represented using the target file format) then no warning is issued.
Reproducible: Always
User Profile Reset: No
Additional Info:
1. On a more behavioural point, providing vague information (about things that
may be a problem) is dangerous as it teaches users to ignore dialogue messages.
If the user has no choice in the file format; the must close the dialogue, but
they have no actionable information.
2. There is a checkbox to hide the dialogue in future interactions. This is a
tacit acknowledgement that this dialogue is not really about providing a
concrete warning, but rather a attempt, using FUD, to encourage users to use
ODF-based file formats. While, in general, I support efforts to encourage use
of ODF, I have questions over this approach.
3. I believe a better UX would be achieved if the editor were to provide the
user with immediate feedback if they do some action (make some edit to the
document) that is incompatible with the original file format (Microsoft Office
Open XML format, in this case). The UX could warn the user and suggest
switching to ODF, the UI could grey-out incompatible features, etc. I believe
there are lots of options, here. Providing this information when saving the
document is very late, as any incompatible edits have already taken place.
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