File management

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Foreword

The video shows how file management can be done under LibreOffice and links to this page here for more information and details. This description refers to LibreOffice under Windows 10 and 11.

Link to the video

Link to the video: File management for LibreOffice - on Windows

File management for LibreOffice on Windows

Are you an user?

The person registered on the PC is also referred to as a user. There is a personal folder structure for each user account, some of which already exist automatically.

What is "File management"?

File management consists of measures for organizing files. These include creating, copying, naming and renaming, moving (changing storage locations), deleting, and modifying (for example, file attributes) from Files. The word "File management" consists of "File" and "Management".

What exactly does "File" mean?

For the user, files on the computer are usually documents, photos, videos or music. For example, Text files (electronic documents) are used in programs such as the text program "Writer". When you have finished editing a file, you should save it. File - in Wikipedia

What exactly does "Management" mean?

The management of the files is similar to that in an office. In the office there are folders (Folders in the office are folder containers on the PC) in a cupboard (Storage media correspond to the cupboard in the office) and the folders contain documents (Documents in the office are files on the PC). Label these folders so that you can find your documents again. The principle on the PC is analogous. There are storage media in the PC on which folders for files can be created.

Where are the files stored?

For example, files are stored on the hard drive or SSD (Mass Storage Device) in the computer. When it comes to Files (data) on the PC, a basic distinction is made between "Operating system", "Programs", "Own data" and "Others" (Principel data). Operating system-, Program-, and Other files should be handled only by experts. Personal files (Own Data) are always files managed by the user.

Principel data / Prinzipielle Daten
Windows Folder structure / Windows Ordnerstruktur

You are dealing with "Own data" here

Many files accumulate over time. To keep track of everything, use the folder structure and adapt it to your needs.

How can I manage my files?

The folder structure already available to users in the Windows 10/11 operating system consists of at least the "Pictures", "Documents", "Music", "Videos" and "Downloads" folders. Here the user can create their own subfolders at will. In the case of Writer files, deal with the "Documents" folder. In Writer you can access your files with the menu options Open, Save As, Save a Copy, Export or Expot As.

Note:
The appearance of the menu options above (for example: "Open" dialog) depends on the setting in the menu Tools ▸ Options ▸ LibreOffice ▸ General under "Dialogs". You can use a checkbox to determine whether the LibreOffice dialogs or the operating system dialogs should be used.

Or you open the file explorer to reach your files. To do this, click on the "Start" icon in the task bar of the PC and then on "File Explorer" . Or you press the key combination ⊞ Win + E.

You will now create new folders under the "Documents" folder

Start File Explorer and left-click on the "Documents" folder. Click the "New Folder" icon to create a new folder. Enter the name "Letters" for the new folder. Press the ↵ Enter key. The new folder "Letters" has now been created.

Below the "Letters" folder, create two more folders

Select the "Letters" folder. Click the "New Folder" icon to create a new folder. Enter the name "Letters out" for the new folder. Press the ↵ Enter key. Select the "Letters" folder again. Click the "New Folder" icon to create a new folder. Enter the name "Letters in" for the new folder. Press the ↵ Enter key.

You will now change the names of the two subfolders

First select the "Letters out" folder and right-click on it and select Rename. Place the cursor behind "out" and conclude with "going" and press the ↵ Enter key. Then select the "Letters in" folder and right-click on it and select Rename. Place the cursor behind "in" and conclude with "coming" and press the ↵ Enter key. The "Letters" folder now contains the two subfolders "Letters incoming" and "Letters outgoing". These subfolders are still empty. 10 files were placed in the "Letters outgoing" folder. You can download the files from these site: Used working documents

Note:
How files are created is not part of this description!

You will now mark and copy the files

Left click on the top file. Hold down the ⇧ Shift key and click on the third file from the top. This selects the top three files. If you now hold the Ctrl key, you can mark additional files. Click on the white area in the file explorer, the markings will be removed. If you hold down the Ctrl key, you can select the incoming files. Right-click on the last highlighted file and click Cut. Right-click the "Letters incoming" folder and click Paste. You have now positioned the incoming letters by cutting and pasting them in the correct folder.

Copy a file

To do this, right-click on the "Letters_03 incoming" file. Click on Copy in the menu. Right-click on the "Letters outgoing" folder and select Paste. The "Letters_03 incoming" file is now located in the "Letters incoming " and "Letters outgoing" folders.

Delete a file

Now delete the "Letters_03 incoming" file. Right-click the file and choose Delete.

File names under Windows

Structure

File name
Dot
File name extension (also called file suffix or file extension, usually consists of three characters)

File extensions are assigned to specific applications under Windows (file assignment). Assign files to LibreOffice. Example: MyFileOne-Name.odt

Files in LibreOffice

LibreOffice works with the Open Document Format (ODF). The files saved by the components therefore all start in the extension with the characters ODx (x = the component). For the components:

LibreOffice and Components
Component	File function	Extension	Program file names
LibreOffice	Suite	-	soffice.exe
Writer	Word processor	ODT	swriter.exe
Calc	Spreadsheet	ODS	scalc.exe
Impress	Multimedia presentations	ODP	simpress.exe
Draw	Drawing	ODG	sdraw.exe
Math	Mathematical formulas	ODF	smath.exe
Base	Manage databases	ODB	sbase.exe

OpenDocument Format (ODF) - in Wikipedia However, many alien formats are also in LibreOffice permitted.

Assign files to LibreOffice

Illegal characters in file names

These characters must not be used in file names: / \ : * ? " < > |

Problematic characters in file names

&

File names in Wikipedia

Filename⁠
Filename_extension⁠
List_of_file_formats⁠

File paths

User Path

All user settings are saved here:
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\LibreOffice\4

Program Path

In a standard installation, LibreOffice is stored here:
C:\Program Files\LibreOffice

Path settings in LibreOffice

Path settings in LibreOffice are configured via the menu Tools ▸ Options ▸ LibreOffice ▸ Paths.

Further informations

Used working documents

The working documents can be downloaded here:
Letter_01 outgoing.odt
Letter_02 outgoing.odt
Letter_03 outgoing.odt
Letter_04 outgoing.odt
Letter_05 outgoing.odt
Letter_01 incoming.odt
Letter_02 incoming.odt
Letter_03 incoming.odt
Letter_04 incoming.odt
Letter_05 incoming.odt
Letters outgoing.zip (all incoming/outgoing)

Documentation / Manuals

Here you will find the Documentation / Manuals: Documentation / Manuals

Any questions?

For questions on this topic go to: Ask.LibreOffice

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