QGIS 3.34 … 3.44.6 correctly handles field names of dragged & dropped .XLSX spread-sheets but not .ODS

[fgfletcher]

What is the bug or the crash?

Dragging & dropping a .XLSX spreadsheet onto a QGIS window correctly recognizes the first record as field names. However, dropping a .ODS file of the same data treats the first record as data and the field names are the default "Field1, Field2,..."
Apparently the code to import a dropped .XLSX assumes the 1st row is field names while the code to import a dropped .ODS does not.
It would be good to have consistent handling, and even better to be able to select whether the first record is field names or not (as is done in Layer > Data Source Manager > Delimited Text

Steps to reproduce the issue

Create a spreadsheet, save it in

1. .XLSX format
2. .ODT
   the spreadsheet should contain field names in the first row, followed by one or more data rows

Open a project in QGIS,
Drag and drop each test spreadsheet into the window
Compare the new layers' Attribute tables
The table from the .XLSX will use the field names from Row 1 of the spreadsheet, the first feature in the table will come from Row 2 of the spreadsheet
The table from the .ODT will use "Field1, Field2,..." as field names and the first feature in the table will come from Row 1 of the spreadsheet

Versions

TESTED BOTH ON
QGIS 3.34.15 under OSX 10.13.6 (High Sierra) on Mac mini (late 2012)
QGIS 3.44.5 under OSX 15.7.2 (Sequoia) on Mac mini (2018)

3.34.15 QGIS environment:

<style type="text/css"> p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; } </style>

QGIS version	3.34.15-Prizren	QGIS code revision	386f258
Qt version	5.15.2
Python version	3.9.5
GDAL/OGR version	3.3.2
PROJ version	8.1.1
EPSG Registry database version	v10.028 (2021-07-07)
GEOS version	3.9.1-CAPI-1.14.2
SQLite version	3.35.2
PDAL version	2.3.0
PostgreSQL client version	unknown
SpatiaLite version	5.0.1
QWT version	6.1.6
QScintilla2 version	2.11.5
OS version	macOS High Sierra (10.13)
Active Python plugins
qarcconnect3	0.9
FreehandRasterGeoreferencer	0.8.3
DigitizingTools	1.5.3
ee_plugin	0.1.4
BezierEditing	version 1.3.10
processing_saga_nextgen	1.0.0
mask	1.11.0
MemoryLayerSaver	5.0.2
qgis_resource_sharing	1.2.0
valuetool	3.1.0
shapetools	3.5.1
processing	2.12.99
otbprovider	2.12.99
grassprovider	2.12.99
db_manager	0.1.20
MetaSearch	0.3.6

QGIS version 3.34.15-Prizren QGIS code revision [386f258](https://github.com/qgis/QGIS/commit/386f2583a69) Qt version 5.15.2 Python version 3.9.5 GDAL/OGR version 3.3.2 PROJ version 8.1.1 EPSG Registry database version v10.028 (2021-07-07) GEOS version 3.9.1-CAPI-1.14.2 SQLite version 3.35.2 PDAL version 2.3.0 PostgreSQL client version unknown SpatiaLite version 5.0.1 QWT version 6.1.6 QScintilla2 version 2.11.5 OS version macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Active Python plugins
qarcconnect3
0.9
FreehandRasterGeoreferencer
0.8.3
DigitizingTools
1.5.3
ee_plugin
0.1.4
BezierEditing
version 1.3.10
processing_saga_nextgen
1.0.0
mask
1.11.0
MemoryLayerSaver
5.0.2
qgis_resource_sharing
1.2.0
valuetool
3.1.0
shapetools
3.5.1
processing
2.12.99
otbprovider
2.12.99
grassprovider
2.12.99
db_manager
0.1.20
MetaSearch
0.3.6

=============================================
3.44.7 QGIS environment:

<style type="text/css"> p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; } </style>

QGIS version	3.44.6-Solothurn
QGIS code revision	386cd76
Libraries
Qt version	5.15.18
Python version	3.12.11
GDAL version	3.12.0 — Chicoutimi
PROJ version	9.7.0
EPSG Registry database version	v12.022 (2025-08-30)
GEOS version	3.14.1-CAPI-1.20.5
SQLite version	3.50.4
PDAL version	2.9.2
PostgreSQL client version	16.9
SpatiaLite version	5.1.0
QWT version	6.2.1
QScintilla2 version	2.13.4
OS version	macOS 15.7
Active Python plugins
FreehandRasterGeoreferencer	0.8.3
DigitizingTools	1.5.3
wbt_for_qgis	1.0.9
stationlines	0.2.1
BezierEditing	version 1.3.10
processing_saga_nextgen	1.1.0
mask	1.11.0
valuetool	3.1.0
shapetools	3.5.1
coordinate_capture	0.2
processing	2.12.99
grassprovider	2.12.99
db_manager	0.1.20
MetaSearch	0.3.6

QGIS version 3.44.6-Solothurn QGIS code revision [386cd76](https://github.com/qgis/QGIS/commit/386cd767)

Libraries
Qt version
5.15.18
Python version
3.12.11
GDAL version
3.12.0 ? Chicoutimi
PROJ version
9.7.0
EPSG Registry database version
v12.022 (2025-08-30)
GEOS version
3.14.1-CAPI-1.20.5
SQLite version
3.50.4
PDAL version
2.9.2
PostgreSQL client version
16.9
SpatiaLite version
5.1.0
QWT version
6.2.1
QScintilla2 version
2.13.4
OS version
macOS 15.7

Active Python plugins
FreehandRasterGeoreferencer
0.8.3
DigitizingTools
1.5.3
wbt_for_qgis
1.0.9
stationlines
0.2.1
BezierEditing
version 1.3.10
processing_saga_nextgen
1.1.0
mask
1.11.0
valuetool
3.1.0
shapetools
3.5.1
coordinate_capture
0.2
processing
2.12.99
grassprovider
2.12.99
db_manager
0.1.20
MetaSearch
0.3.6

Supported QGIS version

• I'm running a supported QGIS version according to the roadmap.

New profile

• I tried with a new QGIS profile

Additional context

The QGIS 3.44.6 inherently had a new profile, so I've checked the above box..

It would be good to have consistent handling, and even better to be able to select whether the first record is field names or not (as is done in Layer > Data Source Manager > Delimited Text

[github-actions]

Thanks for reporting, however it looks like you are using an older version of QGIS (version 3.34.15) instead of latest (Version 3.44.6). Your bug could already be resolved in the latest version.
It takes a lot of human effort to triage all the bugs in a project like QGIS, could you please retry with the latest version first?

[fgfletcher]

Please note that my report covers BOTH 3.34.15 AND 3.44.6. Both show the same problem.

[fgfletcher]

I thought it would be helpful to show that the same problem is seen in all versions from 3.34 through to 3.44.6 - hence is not some reversion but rather a long-standing issue.

[fgfletcher]

It appears that this report is stalled because an automated filter sees the 3.34 report first.
So, I am closing it and re-filing the report with only 3.44.6 being mentioned...

[agiudiceandrea]

I cannot reproduce the issue running QGIS 3.44.6 (GDAL/OGR 3.12.1) on Windows 10.

Using MS Excel 2007 SP3, I've created a simple XLSX file Cartel1Excel_XLSX.xlsx containing the following cells

primo	secondo	terzo
1	2	3
4	5	6

and I also saved it as an ODS file Cartel1Excel_ODS.ods.

It seems to me fields' names are correctly displayed for both layers after adding such files in QGIS via drag&drop:

[fgfletcher]

Yes, you are right. Both your test files load correctly here.
So, it could be a problem in the app which creates the XLSX and ODS files.
I will check that now, using your test files, and report back.
Many thanks!

[fgfletcher]

I opened both your files using LibreOffice 7.4.7.2 and both were seen as identical.
I dropped both on QGIS and both loaded with correct field names from the 1st row
Then I saved each from LibreOffice as Carte1Libre_ ODS or XLSX, dropped both on QGIS, and again both were correct.
Finally, I Saved As both, but reversing the format, i.e., the .ODS was saved as .XLSX and vice versa to check if format changes were the cause- again no problems.

So, I'm mystified why the layer I was having problems with, which was a .ODS but also Saved As .XLSX, would behave differently.

More testing to be done, but I think QGIS is exhonerated. I will report back...

Apologies for my "calling wolf"

[fgfletcher]

Using my actual file, I opened it in LibreOffice and Saved As test_ODS.ods and test_XLSX.xlsx.
Viewed in LibreOffice they are identical, see 1st screenshot
But in QGIS the ODS fails to load the field names, see 2nd screenshot.

So there must be some subtle difference - more to investigate. I will report back...

[fgfletcher]

Per chatGPT re ODS in QGIS I checked Row 1 in my spreadsheet to ensure
no merged cells, no blank cells - no change
I checked if field names > 10 chars were a problem - no change.
I formatted all cells as "text" in case some values, e.g., 0000E00001 were being seen as scientific notation. No change
Reduced spreadsheet to 2 lines: Row 1 field names, Row 2 data - no change

[fgfletcher]

FINALLY, found the issue. I went through and placed "x" in all empty cells in the 2nd row (first data row). Now the 1st row loads correctly as Field Names.
I then gradually cleared the "x" cell entries - and it continued to be OK UNTIL THE LAST CELL IN THE ROW WAS CLEARED - at which point the Field Names were no longer recognized.
Restoring "x" in the last cell of Row 2 restored correct behavior.

So, apparently, the last cell of Row 2 MUST not be blank in order for Row 1 to be recognized as Field Names.

After supper I'll work up some smaller examples...