[Solved] Lost My Templates after LO Update

[Oskar4U]

Recently I updated to LibreOffice 7.6.4.1 and discovered now that my Writer and Calc templates have been replaced (I run Windows11). Normally I don’t do updates cause they always screw up my settings but I thought LO does not follow the Windows behavior. Now I know better!

Is there a way to recover my old templates? I search and I cant find any

Is there a way on future updates to prevent them removing my templates? I know Windows doesn’t have this feature but perhaps LO is smarter?

Thanks

[robleyd]

Have you looked in the location(s) defined in Tools | Options | LibreOffice | Paths ?

[Oskar4U]

Yes but there is nothing there. Now I remember, from my previous thread "....lock file..." I went to that location and deleted the lock file, perhaps I deleted everything? In Windows11 I normally keep my templates in a private directory so Windows11 would not change my settings and I never thought LO will do the same so I didn't keep my templates separate. I will make new templates and keep them separate from LO. Finally is there a way on future LO updates to prevent the updates changing my templates?
Cheers

[robleyd]

If you use the LibreOffice template manager, you shouldn't lose anything unless you do something unexpected.

perhaps I deleted everything

Did you check the Trash Bin? Or you could try a file recovery utility such as Recuva or Photorec.

[Oskar4U]

Good idea the Trash Bin but I would rather not considering the troubles I had with the .lock file before. Like I mentioned I will keep my templates in a private folder like I did in Windows, makes me feel better. I do have the template manager doc you mentioned, thanks, and I will go thru it to make my new templates again. Learning never stops, LOL.

BTW, I noticed you are using Slackware and I didn't know what kind OS it is. I searched and now I know a 'bit", quite impressive!

[robleyd]

Good idea the Trash Bin but I would rather not considering the troubles I had with the .lock file before

Trash Bin is just another directory containing files that you have "deleted". You can look at the list of files therein with File Manager - or however it is called in Windows this year - and copy or move them to other locations as you would in other directories in Windows. If that is something you are not comfortable with, then so be it.

I noticed you are using Slackware

I think for thirty years this year, following a number of years with Xenix and Unix.

[Hagar Delest]

How do you use your templates exactly?
By the File > New menu or a shortcut somewhere or a right click in the Windows Explorer?
Personally, my templates are in a dedicated folder and when I want a new document, I use those .ott files (for text documents) to create a new file.
During an upgrade, the profile is not changed. If your templates are there (if imported with File > Templates > Manage Templates), then they should still be there. If they were elsewhere (other than the user profile), then there is no way an upgrade can delete them.

[Mountaineer]

...
Is there a way on future updates to prevent them removing my templates? I know Windows doesn’t have this feature but perhaps LO is smarter?
...

Usually we assume the smart part is in front of the computer, while programs are quick....

The general precaution is to have backups. LibreOffice behaves as the OS tells, therefore some menues are different on MacOS and you will find the profile in %APPDATA% on windows, instead of a hidden folder below $HOME for Linux.
So for Windows a backup should always include %APPDATA% as there are also all mails from Thunderbird, bookmarks from Firefox etc. (unless you use "portable" software).

Usually LibreOffice will not change the profile during updates, but like "LO always recovered my files after crash" this is no guarantee for the future.

[robleyd]

Usually we assume the smart part is in front of the computer

Back when I first started using computers, we had mostly smart users in front of dumb terminals. These days however... [sigh]

[Oskar4U]

My templates are not anything complicated, just font type and size, std paper size and page numbers. The problem with them became when I was trying to move documents from Windos11 to Linux and there was a problem with the “.lock” file so I deleted everything LO in my %APPDATA%. Now I’m sure I had my templates also somewhere in another private directory but somehow I lost that too. Now I made new templates and there are in LO %APPDATA% plus in another private directory. Hopefully it will not happen again. The way I use writer or calc templates I open the program from my start menu and there comes a writer or .calc page ready to do what I want.

For backups I usually back up my C: and D: disks on my USB disk with Macrium Reflect but I didn’t bother to go to my backups to search for the templates, not so important just for templates.

[robleyd]

I didn’t bother to go to my backups to search for the templates, not so important just for templates.

But important enough to waste our time when you actually had backups. Plus giving misleading information about how the template files actually were lost; i.e. you deleted them rather than an update being the cause.

[Oskar4U]

I didn’t bother to go to my backups to search for the templates, not so important just for templates.

But important enough to waste our time when you actually had backups. Plus giving misleading information about how the template files actually were lost; i.e. you deleted them rather than an update being the cause.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, my question was, among others, if perhaps the updates remove the templates and that is a valid question. Since now I know the updates do not remove the templates, then it must have been myself. I did not provide misleading information because AFTER I learn the updates do not remove the templates then it must have been myself deleting the templates. Forums are to exchange ideas and learn from others and some times questions can be stupid or frustrating but if you don't ask you never learn. I appreciate your knowledge and time David and you have helped me a lot in the past however I find your post inappropriate since as a new user to LO I have not done anything wrong.