Copyright This document is Copyright © 2016 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors are listed below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), version 4.0 or later. All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.
Contents Copyright..................................................................................................................................... 2 Contributors................................................................................................................................. 2 Feedback..................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments.......................................................
Controlling LibreOffice’s AutoCorrect functions.......................................................................... 60 Chapter 3 Using Styles and Templates............................................................................62 What is a template?................................................................................................................... 63 What are styles?.....................................................................................................................
Selecting items in a spreadsheet............................................................................................. 128 Working with columns and rows............................................................................................... 130 Working with sheets................................................................................................................. 132 Viewing Calc........................................................................................................
Using styles............................................................................................................................. 218 Positioning objects................................................................................................................... 218 Applying special effects........................................................................................................... 220 Combining multiple objects.....................................................................
Using Fontwork........................................................................................................................ 330 Chapter 12 Creating Web Pages.....................................................................................335 Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 336 Relative and absolute hyperlinks...............................................................................
What is “open source”?............................................................................................................ 391 What are “open standards”?.................................................................................................... 391 What is OpenDocument?......................................................................................................... 391 File formats LibreOffice can open..................................................................................
Preface
Who is this book for? Anyone who wants to get up to speed quickly with LibreOffice will find this Getting Started Guide valuable. You may be new to office software, or you may be familiar with another office suite.
Table 1: Free support for LibreOffice users Free LibreOffice support Ask LibreOffice Questions and answers from the LibreOffice community http://ask.libreoffice.org/en/questions/ Documentation User guides, how-tos, and other documentation http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/documentation/ https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications FAQs Answers to frequently asked questions http://wiki.documentfoundation.
Using LibreOffice on a Mac Some keystrokes and menu items are different on a Mac from those used in Windows and Linux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this book. For a more detailed list, see the application Help.
4) Spin box (click the up and down arrows to change the number shown in the text box next to it, or type in the text box). 5) Thumbnail or preview. 6) Drop-down list from which to select an item. 7) Push buttons. In most cases, you can interact only with the dialog (not the document itself) as long as the dialog remains open. When you close the dialog after use (usually, clicking OK or another button saves your changes and closes the dialog), then you can again work with your document.
Is LibreOffice available in my language? LibreOffice has been translated (localized) into over 40 languages, so your language probably is supported. Additionally, there are over 70 spelling, hyphenation, and thesaurus dictionaries available for languages, and dialects that do not have a localized program interface. The dictionaries are available from the LibreOffice website at: www.libreoffice.org.
Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice
What is LibreOffice? LibreOffice is a freely available, fully-featured office productivity suite. Its native file format is Open Document Format (ODF), an open standard format that is being adopted by governments worldwide as a required file format for publishing and accepting documents. LibreOffice can also open and save documents in many other formats, including those used by several versions of Microsoft Office. LibreOffice includes the following components.
to create formulas in other documents, such as Writer and Impress files, Math can also work as a standalone tool. You can save formulas in the standard Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) format for inclusion in web pages and other documents not created by LibreOffice. Advantages of LibreOffice Here are some of the advantages of LibreOffice over other office suites: • No licensing fees. LibreOffice is free for anyone to use and distribute at no cost.
Administrator rights are needed for the installation process. Some LibreOffice features (wizards and the HSQLDB database engine) require that the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on your computer. Although LibreOffice will work without Java support, some features will not be available. For a more detailed listing of requirements, see the LibreOffice website, http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/system-requirements/.
Figure 2: LibreOffice Start Center If you do not have Microsoft Office installed on your computer, or if Microsoft Office is installed but you have associated Microsoft Office file types with LibreOffice, then when you double-click on the following files, they open in LibreOffice: • A Word file (*.doc or *.docx) opens in Writer. • An Excel file (*.xls or *.xlsx) opens in Calc. • A PowerPoint file (*.ppt or *.pptx) opens in Impress.
2) Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar and select Load LibreOffice during system start-up (if using Windows) or select Enable systray Quickstarter (if using Linux). 3) Close and restart LibreOffice to have Quickstarter appear. Using Quickstarter on Windows or Linux After Quickstarter has been activated, an icon is installed into the system tray at the bottom of the display. Quickstarter is then available at all times, whether LibreOffice is open or not.
Parts of the main window The main window is similar for each component of LibreOffice, although some details vary. See the relevant chapters in this guide about Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress for descriptions of those details. Common features include the Menu bar, standard toolbar, and formatting toolbar at the top of the window and the status bar at the bottom. Menu bar The Menu bar is located across the top of the LibreOffice window, just below the title bar.
Sub-menus and tool palettes Toolbar icons with a small triangle to the right will display sub-menus, tool palettes, and alternative methods of selecting items, depending on the icon. Tool palettes can be made into a floating toolbar. Figure 4 shows an example of a tool palette from the Drawing toolbar made into a floating toolbar. See “Moving toolbars” and “Floating toolbars” below for more information on moving and floating these toolbars created from tool palettes.
Some of these additional toolbars are context sensitive and will automatically appear depending on the position of the cursor. For example, when the cursor is in a table, a Table toolbar appears, and when the cursor is in a numbered or bullet list, the Bullets and Numbering toolbar appears. Customizing toolbars You can customize toolbars in several ways, including choosing which icons are visible and locking the position of a docked toolbar.
Context menus Context menus provide quick access to many menu functions. They are opened by right-clicking on a paragraph, graphic, or other object. When a context menu opens, the functions or options available will depend on the object that has been selected. A context menu can be the easiest way to reach a function, especially if you are not sure where the function is located in the menus or toolbars. Status bar The status bar is located at the bottom of the workspace.
Object information Displays information relevant to the position of the cursor or the selected element of the document. View layout Select between Single-page view, Multiple-page view, and Book view to change how your document is displayed. Zoom slider Drag the Zoom slider, or click on the + and – signs to change the view magnification of your document. Zoom percentage Indicates the magnification level of the document.
Tool bars and Sidebar panels share many functions. For example, the buttons for making text bold or italic exist in both the Formatting toolbar and the Properties panel. For more detail, see the Sidebar explanation in the relevant LibreOffice component’s user guide. To hide the Sidebar, click on the gray Hide button on the left. Click on the same button to show the Sidebar again.
Opening existing documents You can also open an existing document in one of the following ways: • When no document is open, click Open File or Remote files in the Start Center to reach the Open dialog. • Go to File > Open or File > Open Remote File... on the Menu bar the reach the Open dialog. • Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O to reach the Open dialog. • If a document is already open, click the Open icon on the Standard toolbar and select from a list of available documents from the Open dialog.
Save command To save a document if you are keeping the document’s current filename and location, do one of the following: • Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S. • Go to File > Save, File > Save to Remote Server, File > Save a Copy, or File > Save All on the Menu bar. • Click the Save icon on the Standard toolbar. Using the Save command will overwrite the last saved version of the file.
4) To restrict who can edit the document, click Options. 5) In File Sharing Password, select Open file read-only, enter a password to allow editing, and then enter the same password as confirmation. 6) Click OK and the dialog closes. If the passwords match, the document is saved passwordprotected. If the passwords do not match, you receive an error message.
Opening and saving files on remote servers LibreOffice 5.1 can open and save files stored on remote servers. Keeping files on remote servers allows you to work with the documents using different computers. For example, you can work on a document in the office during the day and edit it at home for last-minute changes. Storing files on a remote server also backs up documents from computer loss or hard disk failure.
Figure 13: Remote Files dialog when connected to a server Renaming and deleting files You can rename or delete files within the LibreOffice dialogs, just as you can in a file manager. Select a file and then right click to open a context menu. Select either Delete or Rename, as appropriate. However, you cannot copy or paste files within the dialogs. Choosing Open and Save As dialogs You can choose whether to use the LibreOffice Open and Save As dialogs or the ones provided by your operating system.
Using the Navigator The LibreOffice Navigator lists objects contained within a document, collected into categories. For example, in Writer it shows Headings, Tables, Text frames, Comments, Graphics, Bookmarks, and other items, as shown in Figure 14. In Calc it shows Sheets, Range Names, Database Ranges, Graphics, Drawing Objects, and other items. In Impress and Draw it shows Slides, Pictures, and other items.
To repeat the last command applied to your document, use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Y. This can save several repetitive menu navigation clicks or keyboard shortcuts, especially when the command is taken from a secondary menu. To modify the number of changes LibreOffice remembers, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar. In the Undo section increase or decrease the Number of steps. Be aware that asking LibreOffice to remember more changes consumes more computer memory.
Chapter 2 Setting up LibreOffice Choosing Options to Suit the Way You Work
Choosing options for all of LibreOffice This section covers some of the settings that apply to all the components of LibreOffice. For information on settings not discussed here, see the Help. Click Tools > Options. The list in the left-hand box of the Options – LibreOffice dialog varies depending on which component of LibreOffice is open. The illustrations in this chapter show the list as it appears when a Writer document is open. Click the marker (+ or triangle) by LibreOffice on the left-hand side.
Figure 16: Setting general options for LibreOffice Help – Extended tips When Extended tips is active, a brief description of the function of a particular icon or menu command or a field on a dialog appears when you hold the mouse pointer over that item. Open/Save Dialogs – Use LibreOffice dialogs To use the standard Open and Save dialogs for your operating system, deselect the Use LibreOffice dialogs option. When this option is selected, the Open and Save dialogs supplied with LibreOffice will be used.
• If your documents contain a lot of objects such as images, or the objects are large, LibreOffice’s performance may improve if you increase the memory for LibreOffice or the memory per object. If you find that objects seem to disappear from a document that contains a lot of them, increase the number of objects in the cache. (The objects are still in the file even if you cannot see them on screen.) • To load the Quickstarter when you start your computer, select the option near the bottom of the dialog.
User Interface – Scaling If the text in the help files or on the menus of the LibreOffice user interface is too small or too large, you can change it by specifying a scaling factor. Sometimes a change here can have unexpected results, depending on the screen fonts available on your system. However, it does not affect the actual font size of the text in your documents. User Interface – Icon size and style The first box specifies the display size of toolbar icons (Automatic, Small, or Large).
Graphics output – Force OpenGL even if blacklisted (on restart) Forces the use of OpenGL even if the graphics device is blacklisted. A device is blacklisted when it is buggy or may render graphics with poor quality. Not supported on all operating systems and LibreOffice distributions. Menu – icons in menus Causes icons as well as words to be visible in menus.
Figure 20: Choosing general printing options to apply to all LibreOffice components Paths options On the LibreOffice – Paths page, you can change the location of files associated with, or used by, LibreOffice to suit your working situation. In a Windows system, for example, you might want to store documents by default somewhere other than My Documents. To make changes, select an item in the list shown in Figure 21 and click Edit.
Color options On the LibreOffice – Colors page, you can specify colors to use in LibreOffice documents. You can select a color from a color table, edit an existing color, and define new colors. These colors are stored in your color palette and are then available in all components of LibreOffice. To modify a color: 1) Select the color to modify from the list or the color table. 2) Enter the new values that define the color.
Figure 23: Editing colors Fonts options You can define replacements for any fonts that might appear in your documents. If you receive from someone else a document containing fonts that you do not have on your system, LibreOffice will substitute fonts for those it does not find. You might prefer to specify a different font from the one that the program chooses. Note These choices do not affect the default font for your documents.
5) In the bottom section of the page, you can change the typeface and size of the font used to display source code such as HTML and Basic (in macros). Figure 24: Defining a font to be substituted for another font Table 2. Font substitution replacement actions Always Screen only Replacement action checkbox checkbox checked blank Font replacement on screen and when printing, whether the font is installed or not. checked checked Font replacement only on screen, whether the font is installed or not.
Figure 25: Choosing security options for opening and saving documents Macro security Click the Macro Security button to open the Macro Security dialog (not shown here), where you can adjust the security level for executing macros and specify trusted sources. Certificate Path Users can digitally sign documents using LibreOffice. A digital signature requires a personal signing certificate. Most operating systems can generate a self-signed certificate.
Figure 26: Set Master Password dialog for web connections Security options and warnings The following options are on the Security options and warnings dialog (Figure 27). Figure 27: Security options and warnings dialog Remove personal information on saving Select this option to always remove user data from the file properties when saving the file. To manually remove personal information from specific documents, deselect this option.
Personalization You can customize the overall appearance of LibreOffice with themes designed for Mozilla Firefox. On the LibreOffice – Personalization page, select Own Theme and then click Select Theme. Another dialog opens. Type a search term, click Search, and wait while theme thumbnails load. Select one and click OK to apply the theme. After a brief pause the appearance of LibreOffice will refresh and reflect the selected theme. An example is shown in Figure 29.
• To change the default colors for items, click the down-arrow in the Color Setting column by the name of the item and select a color from the list box. Note that you can change the list of available colors as described in “Color options” on page 41. • To save your color changes as a color scheme, click Save, type a name in the Scheme box, and then click OK.
Advanced options Java options If you install or update a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) after you install LibreOffice, or if you have more than one JRE installed on your computer, you can use the LibreOffice – Advanced options page to choose the JRE for LibreOffice to use. Note LibreOffice needs Java to run several wizards (such as in File > Wizards > Letter) and also to run databases with the internal HSQLDB engine.
Expert Configuration Most users will have no need to use this. Click the Expert Configuration button to open a new window in which you can fine-tune the LibreOffice installation. The page offers detailed configuration options for many aspects of LibreOffice’s appearance and performance. Double-click on a listed preference to enter a value to configure the preference.
Figure 34: Online update options OpenCL options OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is a software architecture used to write programs that run in different processors of the computer, such as the CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit) of the video card. With OpenCL enabled, LibreOffice can benefit from the very fast numerical calculations performed in the GPU, which is especially useful in very large spreadsheets with extensive calculations.
Choosing Load/Save options You can set the Load/Save options for loading and saving documents to suit the way you work. If the Options dialog is not already open, click Tools > Options. Click the expansion symbol (+ or triangle) to the left of Load/Save. General Most of the choices on the Load/Save – General page are familiar to users of other office suites. Some items of interest are described below.
document. The current printer settings will be stored with the document whether or not this option is selected. Save AutoRecovery information every __ Minutes Choose whether to enable AutoRecovery and how often to save the information used by the AutoRecovery process. AutoRecovery in LibreOffice saves the information needed to restore all open documents in case of a crash. If you have this option set, recovering your document after a system crash will be easier.
VBA Properties On the VBA Properties page, you can choose whether to keep any macros in Microsoft Office documents that are opened in LibreOffice. Figure 37: Choosing Load/Save VBA Properties If you choose Load Basic code, you can edit the macros in LibreOffice. The changed code is saved in an ODF document but is not retained if you save into a Microsoft Office format.
Font sizes Use these fields to define the respective font sizes for the HTML to tags, if they are used in the HTML pages. (Many pages no longer use these tags.) Figure 38: Choosing Load/Save Microsoft Office options Figure 39. Choosing HTML compatibility options Import – Use 'English (USA)' locale for numbers When importing numbers from an HTML page, the decimal and thousands separator characters differ according to the locale of the HTML page.
Import – Ignore font settings Select this option to have LibreOffice ignore all font settings when importing. The fonts that were defined in the HTML Page Style will be used. Export To optimize the HTML export, select a browser or HTML standard from the Export box. If LibreOffice Writer is selected, specific LibreOffice Writer instructions are exported. Export – LibreOffice Basic Select this option to include LibreOffice Basic macros (scripts) when exporting to HTML format.
In the Options dialog, click Language Settings > Languages. The exact list shown depends on the Enhanced language support settings (see Figure 41). Figure 40: LibreOffice language options, without and with Asian and CTL options enabled On the right-hand side of the Language Settings – Languages page, change the User interface, Locale setting, Default currency, and Default languages for documents as required. In the example, English (USA) has been chosen for all the appropriate settings.
Default currency The Default currency is that used in the country entered as Locale. The default currency determines the proper formatting of fields formatted as currency. If the locale setting is changed, the default currency changes automatically. If the default currency is changed, all dialogs involving currency and all currency icons will be changed in all open documents. Documents that were saved with one currency as the default will open using the new currency defaults.
Here you can also check which user-defined (custom) dictionaries are active by default, and add or remove user-installed dictionaries, by clicking the New or Delete buttons. Dictionaries installed by the system cannot be deleted. Figure 42: Choosing languages, dictionaries, and options for checking spelling English sentence checking On the Language Settings > English sentence checking page, you can choose which items are checked for, reported to you, or converted automatically.
Grammar checking Possible mistakes Checks for things such as; with it’s, he don’t, this things and so on. Capitalization Checks for the capitalization of sentences. The sentence boundary detection depends on abbreviations. Word duplication Checks for all word duplication, rather than just the default words ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘for’, and ‘the’. Parentheses Checks for pairs of parentheses and quotation marks. Punctuation Word spacing This option is selected by default.
Choosing Internet options The Internet options available depend on your operating system. Use the Proxy page (if available) to save proxy settings for use with LibreOffice. Figure 44: Internet options, showing E-mail page available to Linux users If you are using a Unix- or Linux-based operating system (including Mac OS X), an additional page of E-mail options is available, where you can specify the e-mail program to use when you send the current document as e-mail.
Figure 46: The AutoCorrect dialog in Writer, showing some of the choices on the Options tab Chapter 2 Setting up LibreOffice | 61
Chapter 3 Using Styles and Templates Using Consistent Formatting in Your Documents
What is a template? A template is a model document that you use to create other documents. For example, you can create a template for business reports that has your company’s logo on the first page. New documents created from this template will all have your company’s logo on the first page.
• Cell styles include fonts, alignment, borders, background, number formats (for example, currency, date, number), and cell protection. • Graphics styles in drawings and presentations include line, area, shadowing, transparency, font, connectors, dimensioning, and other attributes. • Presentation styles include attributes for font, indents, spacing, alignment, and tabs. Different styles are available in the various components of LibreOffice, as listed in Table 47.
Using the Styles and Formatting window The Styles and Formatting window includes the most complete set of tools for styles. To use it for applying styles: 1) Select View > Styles and Formatting or Styles > Styles and Formatting from the Menu bar, or press F11 (⌘+T on a Mac), or click the Styles and Formatting tab in the Sidebar (View > Sidebar to open it). The Styles and Formatting window shows previews of the styles available. Figure 47 shows the window for Writer, with Paragraph Styles visible.
Caution When this mode is active, a right-click anywhere in the document undoes the last Fill Format action. Be careful not to accidentally right-click and undo actions you want to keep. Using the Apply Style list After you have used a paragraph style at least once in a document, the style name appears on the Apply Style list near the left-hand end of the Formatting toolbar.
Modifying styles LibreOffice includes predefined styles, but you can also create custom styles. You can modify both types of styles in several ways: • Change a style using the Style dialog • Update a style from a selection • Use AutoUpdate (paragraph and frame styles only) • Load or copy styles from another document or template Note Any changes you make to a style are effective only in the current document.
Tip You can also modify styles using the submenu on each style in the Apply Style list on the Formatting toolbar (see Figure 50). Figure 50: Modifying a style from the Apply Style list Using AutoUpdate AutoUpdate applies to paragraph and frame styles only. If the AutoUpdate option is selected on the Organizer page of the Paragraph Style or Frame Style dialog, applying direct formatting to a paragraph or frame using this style in your document automatically updates the style itself.
Tip If a document needs custom styles derived from base styles, consider prefixing the name of the custom styles with a few characters to highlight them among other styles in the list. For example, you might name a modified Heading 1 style for an annual report AR Heading 1. Creating a new style from a selection You can create a new style by copying an existing manual format. This new style applies only to this document; it will not be saved in the template.
Copying styles from a template or document You can copy styles into a document by loading them from a template or from another document: 1) Open the document you want to copy styles into. 2) In the Styles and Formatting window, click the arrow next to the New Style from Selection icon, and then select Load Styles (see Figure 49). 3) On the Load Styles dialog (Figure 52), find either a template or an ordinary document from which to copy styles.
If the style is not in use, it is deleted immediately without confirmation. If the style is in use, you receive a warning message asking you to confirm deletion. Caution If you delete a style that is in use, all objects with that style will return to the default style. Using a template to create a document Creating a document from the Template Manager dialog To use a template to create a document: 1) From the Menu bar, choose File > New > Templates. The Template Manager dialog opens.
To open the Template Manager from the Start Center, click on the Templates button in the left pane. The button is also a drop-down list to select the templates view of a given type of document. The Edit templates option of the list opens the Template Manager dialog (Figure 53). Double-click on the category folder thumbnail to select it. The templates thumbnails of the category are now displayed in the Start Center workspace. Double-click on a template to create a new document based on the template.
5) Select the My Templates folder. 6) Select Save. 7) In the dialog that opens, type a name for the new template and click OK. 8) Close the Template Manager dialog. Note Although the Template Manager shows only a Documents tab when saving a new template of any type, the template will appear on the correct tab (Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings) when you return to this dialog.
5) Finally, you can choose whether to create a new document from the template immediately, or manually change the template, and then click Finish to save the template. For future documents, you can re-use the template created by the wizard, just like any other template. You may need to open the Template Manager and click Refresh on the Action menu to have any new templates appear in the listings.
Figure 56: Getting more templates for LibreOffice Installing individual templates To install individual templates: 1) Download the template and save it anywhere on your computer. 2) Import the template into a template folder by following the instructions in “Importing a template” on page 78. Tip You can manually copy new templates into the template folders. The location varies with your computer’s operating system.
Setting a template as the default Most default settings, such as page size and page margins, can be changed in Tools > Options, but those changes apply only to the document you are working on. To make those changes the default settings for that document type, you need to replace the default template with a new one. You can set any template displayed in the Template Manager dialog to be the default for that document type: 1) From the Menu bar, choose File > Templates > Manage.
3) Open the document you want to change. Select Edit > Select All or press Ctrl+A. 4) Select Edit > Copy, or press Ctrl+C, to copy the contents of the document to the clipboard. 5) Click inside the blank document created in step 1. Go to Edit > Paste, or press Ctrl+V, to paste the contents from the old document into the new one. 6) Update the table of contents, if there is one. Close the old file without saving.
Moving a template To move a template from one template folder to another, select it in the Template Manager dialog, and click the Move to folder button above the list of templates (see Figure 59). Figure 59: Template file handling icons Deleting a template You cannot delete templates supplied with LibreOffice. Nor can you delete any templates installed by the Extension Manager except by deleting the extension that installed them.
Examples of style use The following examples of common use of page and paragraph styles are taken from Writer. There are many other ways to use styles; see the guides for the various components for details. Defining a different first page for a document Many documents, such as letters and reports, have a first page that is different from the other pages in the document.
Displaying different headers on right and left pages Page styles can be set up to have the facing left and right pages mirrored or only right (first pages of chapters are often defined to be right-page only) or only left. When you insert a header on a page style set up for mirrored pages or right-and-left pages, you can have the contents of the header be the same on all pages or be different on the right and left pages.
Chapter 4 Getting Started with Writer Word Processing with LibreOffice
What is Writer? Writer is the word processor component of LibreOffice.
Status Bar The Writer Status Bar provides information about the document and convenient ways to change some document features quickly. Figure 63: Left end of Status Bar Figure 64: Right end of Status Bar Page number Shows the current page number, the sequence number of the current page (if different), and the total number of pages in the document. For example, if you restarted page numbering at 1 on the third page, its page number is 1 and its sequence number is 3.
Insert mode This area is blank when in Insert mode. Double-click to change to Overwrite mode; singleclick to return to Insert mode. In Insert mode, any text after the cursor position moves forward to make room for the text you type; in Overwrite mode, text after the cursor position is replaced by the text you type. This feature is disabled when in Edit > Changes > Record mode. Selection mode Click to choose different selection modes.
Figure 65: View layouts: single, side-by-side, book. Sidebar The Writer sidebar (View > Sidebar), shown in Figure 66, is located on the right side of the edit view. It is a mixture of toolbar and dialog and consists of five decks: Properties, Styles and Formatting, Gallery, Navigator, and Manage Changes. Each deck has a corresponding icon on the Tab panel to the right of the sidebar, allowing you to switch between them.
Each deck consists of a title bar and one or more content panels. Toolbars and sidebar panels share many functions. For example, the buttons for making text bold or italic exist in both the Formatting toolbar and the Character panel of the Properties deck. Some panels contain a More Options button ( ) which when clicked opens a dialog to give greater choice of editing controls. The dialog that opens locks the document for editing until the dialog is closed. The decks are described below.
floating toolbar that can be opened from View > Navigator on the Menu bar or the Navigator button on the Standard Toolbar. However, the Sidebar Navigator does not contain a List Box On/Off button. • Manage Changes: Lists all changes done in the document since the Track Changes mode was activated. This deck is an alternate view of the Manage Changes dialog that can be opened from Edit > Track Changes > Manage Changes on the Menu bar.
Click a button to select that object type. Now all the Previous and Next button presses (in the Navigator itself, in the Navigation Toolbar, and on the scroll bar) will jump to the next object of the selected type. This is particularly helpful for finding items like index entries, which can be difficult to see in the text. The names of the buttons (shown in the tooltips) change to match the selected category; for example, Next Graphic, Next Bookmark, or Continue search forward.
Figure 69: Saving a file in Microsoft Word format Figure 70: Tools > Options > Load/Save > General page Working with text Working with text (selecting, copying, pasting, moving) in Writer is similar to working with text in any other program. LibreOffice also has some convenient ways to select items that are not next to each other, select a vertical block of text, and paste unformatted text.
2) Hold down the Ctrl key and use the mouse to select the next piece of text. 3) Repeat as often as needed. Now you can work with the selected text (copy it, delete it, change the style, or whatever). Note Macintosh users: substitute the Command key when instructions in this chapter say to use the Ctrl key. Figure 71: Selecting items that are not next to each other To select nonconsecutive items using the keyboard: 1) Select the first piece of text.
Now highlight the selection, using mouse or keyboard, as shown below. Figure 72: Selecting a vertical block of text Cutting, copying, and pasting text Cutting and copying text in Writer is similar to cutting and copying text in other applications. You can use the mouse or the keyboard for these operations. You can copy or move text within a document, or between documents, by dragging or by using menu selections, toolbar buttons, or keyboard shortcuts.
• Find and replace specific attributes or formatting • Find and replace paragraph styles Using the Find toolbar If the Find toolbar is not visible, you can display it by choosing View > Toolbars > Find from the Menu bar or by pressing Ctrl+F. The Find toolbar is shown docked at the bottom of the LibreOffice window (just above the Status Bar) in Figure 74, but you can float it or dock it in another location. For more information on floating and docking toolbars, see Chapter 1, Introducing LibreOffice.
Figure 75: Expanded Find & Replace dialog Inserting special characters A special character is one not found on a standard English keyboard. For example, © ¾ æ ç ñ ö ø ¢ are all special characters. To insert a special character: 1) Place the cursor where you want the character to appear. 2) Choose Insert > Special Character or click on the Special Character icon in the main toolbar to open the Special Characters dialog.
Figure 76: The Special Characters dialog, where you can insert special characters Inserting dashes and non-breaking spaces and hyphens To prevent two words from being separated at the end of a line, press Ctrl+Shift when you type the space between the two words. This inserts a non-breaking space. In cases where you do not want the hyphen to appear at the end of a line, for example in a number such as 123-4567, you can press Shift+Ctrl+minus sign to insert a non-breaking hyphen.
To define indents and tab settings for one or more selected paragraphs, double-click on a part of the ruler that is not between the left and right indent icons to open the Indents & Spacing page of the Paragraph dialog. Double-click anywhere between the left and right indent icons on the ruler to open the Tabs page of the Paragraph dialog. A better strategy is to define tabs for the paragraph style. See Chapters 6 and 7 in the Writer Guide for more information.
Here are some more features of the spelling checker: • You can right-click on a word with a wavy underline to open a context menu. If you select from the suggested words on the menu, the selection will replace the unrecognized word in your text. Other menu options are discussed below. • You can change the dictionary language (for example, Spanish, French or German) on the Spelling and Grammar dialog. • You can add a word to the dictionary.
Using AutoCorrect Writer’s AutoCorrect function has a long list of common misspellings and typing errors, which it corrects automatically. For example, “hte” will be changed to “the”. AutoCorrect is turned on when Writer is installed. To turn it off, uncheck Tools > AutoCorrect > While Typing. Choose Tools > AutoCorrect > AutoCorrect Options to open the AutoCorrect dialog. There you can define which strings of text are corrected and how. In most cases, the defaults are fine.
Using AutoText Use AutoText to store text, tables, graphics and other items for reuse and assign them to a key combination for easy retrieval. For example, rather than typing “Senior Management” every time you use that phrase, you can set up an AutoText entry to insert those words when you type “sm” and press F3. AutoText is especially powerful when assigned to fields. See Chapter 14, Working with Fields, in the Writer Guide for more information.
Note When clearing direct formatting, the text formatting will return to the applied paragraph style and not the default paragraph style. Writer defines several types of styles, for different types of elements: characters, paragraphs, pages, frames, and lists. See Chapter 3, Using Styles and Templates, in this book and Chapters 6 and 7 in the Writer Guide.
Autoformatting You can set Writer to format parts of a document automatically according to the choices made on the Options page of the AutoCorrect dialog (Tools > AutoCorrect > AutoCorrect Options). Tip If you notice unexpected formatting changes occurring in your document, this is the first place to look for the cause. In most cases Undo (Ctrl+Z) fixes the issue. The Help describes each of these choices and how to activate the autoformats.
Using the Sidebar for Bullets and Numbering The Bullets and Numbering features (drop-down palettes of tools) on the Paragraph panel on the Properties deck of the Sidebar can also be used to create nested lists and access the Bullets and Numbering dialog. However, the Sidebar does not include tools for promoting and demoting items in the list, as found on the Bullets and Numbering toolbar.
Note Turning on hyphenation for paragraph Default Style affects all other paragraph styles that are based on Default Style. You can individually change other styles so that hyphenation is not active; for example, you might not want headings to be hyphenated. Any styles that are not based on Default Style are not affected. See Chapter 3, Using Styles and Templates, for more about styles based on other styles.
Formatting pages Writer provides several ways for you to control page layouts: page styles, columns, frames, tables, and sections. For more information, see Chapter 4, Formatting Pages, in the Writer Guide. Tip Page layout is usually easier if you show text, object, table, and section boundaries in Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Appearance, and paragraph end, tabs, breaks, and other items in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Formatting Aids.
For a newsletter with complex layout, two or three columns on the page, and some articles that continue from one page to some place several pages later, use page styles for basic layout. Place articles in linked frames and anchor graphics to fixed positions on the page if necessary. For a document with terms and translations to appear side-by-side in what appear to be columns, use a table to keep items lined up, and so you can type in both “columns”.
Figure 83: Header marker at top of text area After a header has been created, a down-arrow appears on the header marker. Click on this arrow to drop down a menu of choices for working with the header (Figure 84). Figure 84: Header menu To format a header, you can use either the menu item shown in Figure 84 or Format > Page > Header. Both methods take you to the same tab on the Page Style dialog.
Including the total number of pages To include the total number of pages (as in “page 1 of 12”): 1) Type the word “page” and a space, then insert the page number as above. 2) Press the space bar once, type the word “of” and a space, then choose Insert > Fields > Page Count. Note The Page Count field inserts the total number of pages in the document, as shown on the Statistics tab of the document’s Properties window (File > Properties).
Figure 85: Restarting page numbering after a manual page break Changing page margins You can change page margins in three ways: • Using the page rulers—quick and easy, but does not have fine control • Using the Page Style dialog—can specify margins to two decimal places • Using the Page panel on the Properties deck of the Sidebar Caution If you change the margins, the new margins affect the page style and will be shown in the Page Style dialog the next time you open it.
Caution The small arrowheads (gray triangles) on the ruler are used for indenting paragraphs. They are often in the same place as the page margins, so you need to be careful to move the margin marker, not the arrows. The double-headed arrows shown in Figure 86 are mouse cursors shown in the correct position for moving the margin markers. To change margins using the Page Style dialog: 1) Right-click anywhere in the text area on the page and select Page from the context menu.
Right-click on a comment to open a context menu where you can delete the current comment, all the comments from the same author, or all the comments in the document. From this menu, you can also open a dialog to apply some basic formatting to the text of comments. You can paste saved text using the Paste button in the menu. You can also change the font type, size, and alignment in the usual editing manner.
Creating indexes and bibliographies Indexes and bibliographies work in a similar way to tables of contents. Chapter 12, Creating Tables of Contents, Indexes, and Bibliographies, in the Writer Guide describes the process in detail. In addition to alphabetical indexes, other types of indexes supplied with Writer include those for illustrations, tables, and objects, and you can even create a user-defined index.
3) Use Writer’s change marks (often called “redlines” or “revision marks”) to show where you have added or deleted material, or changed formatting. Choose Edit > Track Changes > Record Changes before starting to edit. Later, you or another person can review and accept or reject each change. Choose Edit > Track Changes > Show Changes.
Using hyperlinks The easiest way to insert a hyperlink to another part of the same document is by using the Navigator: 1) Open the document containing the items you want to cross-reference. 2) Open the Navigator by clicking its button, choosing View > Navigator, pressing F5, or opening it in the Sidebar. 3) Click the arrow part of the combination Drag Mode button, and choose Insert as Hyperlink.
table number, without the word “Figure” or “Table”), or Page (to insert the number of the page the referenced text is on). Click Insert. Figure 89: The Cross-references tab of the Fields dialog Using bookmarks Bookmarks are listed in the Navigator and can be accessed directly from there with a single mouse click. You can cross-reference to bookmarks and create hyperlinks to bookmarks, as described above. 1) Select the text you want to bookmark. Click Insert > Bookmark.
Using master documents Master documents are typically used for producing long documents such as a book, a thesis, or a long report; or when different people are writing different chapters or other parts of the full document, so you don’t need to share files. A master document joins separate text documents into one larger document, and unifies the formatting, table of contents (TOC), bibliography, index, and other tables or lists. Since LibreOffice version 4.
Chapter 5 Getting Started with Calc Using Spreadsheets in LibreOffice
What is Calc? Calc is the spreadsheet component of LibreOffice. You can enter data (usually numerical) in a spreadsheet and then manipulate this data to produce certain results. Alternatively, you can enter data and then use Calc in a “What if...” manner by changing some of the data and observing the results without having to retype the entire spreadsheet or sheet. Other features provided by Calc include: • Functions, which can be used to create formulas to perform complex calculations on data.
Title bar Menu bar Standard toolbar Formatting toolbar Active cell Active cell reference (Name box) Column headers Formula bar Row headers Sheet tab Status bar Sidebar Figure 91: Calc main dialog Menu bar When you select an item on the Menu bar, a sub-menu drops down to show commands. You can also customize the Menu bar; see Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice for more information.
Toolbars The default setting when Calc opens is for the Standard and Formatting toolbars to be docked at the top of the workspace (Figure 91). Calc toolbars can be either docked and fixed in place, or floating; you can move a toolbar into a more convenient position on the workspace. Docked toolbars can be undocked and either moved to different docked position on the workspace, or left as a floating toolbar. Toolbars that are floating when opened can be docked into a fixed position on the workspace.
Spreadsheet layout Individual cells The main section of the workspace in Calc displays the cells in the form of a grid. Each cell is formed by the intersection of one column and one row in the spreadsheet. At the top of the columns and the left end of the rows are a series of header boxes containing letters and numbers. The column headers use an alpha character starting at A and go on to the right. The row headers use a numerical character starting at 1 and go down.
Sheet number Page style Cell selection information Selection mode Insert/overwrite mode Digital signature Unsaved changes Zoom slider & percentage Cell or object information Figure 94: Calc status bar Sidebar The Calc Sidebar (View > Sidebar) is located on the right side of the window. It is a mixture of toolbar and dialog.
Opening a CSV file Comma-separated-values (CSV) files are spreadsheet files in a text format where cell contents are separated by a character, for example a comma or semicolon. Each line in a CSV text file represents a row in a spreadsheet. Text is entered between quotation marks; numbers are entered without quotation marks. Tip Most CSV files come from databases tables, queries, or reports, where further calculations and charting are required.
The options for importing CSV files into a Calc spreadsheet are as follows: • Import – Character Set – specifies the character set to be used in the imported file. – Language – determines how the number strings are imported. If Language is set to Default for CSV import, Calc will use the globally set language. If Language is set to a specific language, that language will be used when importing numbers. – • • From Row – specifies the row where you want to start the import.
Saving spreadsheets To save a spreadsheet, see Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice for more details on how to save files manually or automatically. Calc can also save spreadsheets in a range of formats and also export spreadsheets to PDF, HTML, and XHTML file formats; see the Calc Guide Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing for more information. Saving in other spreadsheet formats If you need to exchange files with users who are unable to receive spreadsheet files in Open Document Format (ODF) (*.
Figure 97: Confirm File Format dialog Figure 98: Export Text File dialog for CSV files Tip To have Calc save documents by default in a file format other than the default ODF format, go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General. In Default file format and ODF settings > Document type, select Spreadsheet, then in Always save as, select your preferred file format. Navigating within spreadsheets Calc provides many ways to navigate within a spreadsheet from cell to cell and sheet to sheet.
• Using the Navigator – press the F5 key to open the Navigator dialog (Figure 99) or click the Navigator Tab button in the open Sidebar. Type the cell reference into the Column and Row fields and press the Enter key. • Using the Enter key – pressing Enter moves the cell focus down in a column to the next row. Pressing Shift+Enter moves the focus up in a column to the previous row. • Using the Tab key – pressing Tab moves the cell focus right in a row to the next column.
• Right-clicking on any of the arrows opens a context menu where you can select a sheet (see Figure 101). Note When you insert a new sheet into a spreadsheet, Calc automatically uses the next number in the numeric sequence as a name. Depending on which sheet is open when you insert a new sheet, and the method you use to insert a new sheet, the new sheet may not be in numerical order. It is recommended to rename sheets in a spreadsheet to make them more recognizable.
Keyboard shortcut Cell navigation Ctrl+← Moves cell focus to the last column on the left containing data in that row if cell focus is on a blank cell. Moves cell focus to the first column on the left in the same range of occupied cells in that row if cell focus is on a cell containing data. Moves cell focus to the first column in that row if there are no more cells containing data. Ctrl+↑ Moves cell focus from a blank cell to the first cell above containing data in the same column.
Figure 102: Customizing the Enter key Selecting items in a spreadsheet Selecting cells Single cell Left-click in the cell. You can verify your selection by looking in the Name Box on the Formula Bar (Figure 92 on page 118). Range of contiguous cells A range of cells can be selected using the keyboard or the mouse. To select a range of cells by dragging the mouse cursor: 1) Click in a cell. 2) Press and hold down the left mouse button. 3) Move the mouse around the screen.
Tip You can also directly select a range of cells using the Name Box. Click into the Name Box on the Formula Bar (Figure 92 on page 118). To select a range of cells, enter the cell reference for the upper left-hand cell, followed by a colon (:), and then the lower right-hand cell reference. For example, to select the range that would go from A3 to C6, you would enter A3:C6. Range of non-contiguous cells 1) Select the cell or range of cells using one of the methods above.
Selecting sheets You can select one or multiple sheets in Calc. It can be advantageous to select multiple sheets, especially when you want to make changes to many sheets at once. Single sheet Click on the sheet tab for the sheet you want to select. The tab for the selected sheet becomes white (default Calc setup). Multiple contiguous sheets To select multiple contiguous sheets: 1) Click on the sheet tab for the first desired sheet.
Using the mouse: 1) Select a column or row where you want the new column or row inserted. 2) Right-click the column or row header. 3) Select Insert Columns Left, Insert Columns Right, Insert Rows Above, or Insert Rows Below from the context menu. Multiple columns or rows Multiple columns or rows can be inserted at once rather than inserting them one at a time.
Working with sheets Inserting new sheets Click on the Add Sheet icon on the bottom of the screen to insert a new sheet after the last sheet in the spreadsheet without opening the Insert Sheet dialog. The following methods open the Insert Sheet dialog (Figure 105), where you can position the new sheet, create more than one sheet, name the new sheet, or select a sheet from a file. 1) Select the sheet where you want to insert a new sheet, then go to Sheet > Insert Sheet... on the Menu bar.
Using a dialog Use the Move/Copy Sheet dialog (Figure 106) to specify exactly whether you want the sheet in the same or a different spreadsheet, its position within the spreadsheet, and the sheet name when you move or copy the sheet. 1) In the current document, right-click on the sheet tab you wish to move or copy and select Move/Copy Sheet from the context menu or go to Sheet > Move or Copy Sheet... on the Menu bar. 2) Select Move to move the sheet or Copy to copy the sheet in the Action area.
To delete multiple sheets, select the sheets (see “Selecting sheets” on page 130), then right-click one of the sheet tabs and select Delete Sheet from the context menu, or go to Sheet > Delete Sheet... from on the Menu bar. Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Renaming sheets By default, the name for each new sheet added is SheetX, where X is the number of the next sheet to be added.
Freezing rows or columns 1) Click on the row header below the rows where you want the freeze, or click on the column header to the right of the columns where you want the freeze. 2) Click on the Freeze Rows and Columns icon in the main toolbar or go to View on the Menu bar and select Freeze Rows and Columns. A heavier line appears between the rows or columns indicating where the freeze has been placed.
– For a vertical split, drag the new vertical window border across to the right of the column where you want the vertical split positioned. Splitting horizontally and vertically 1) Click in the cell that is immediately below the rows where you want to split the screen horizontally and immediately to the right of the columns where you want to split the screen vertically. 2) Go to View on the Menu bar and select Split Window.
Method 1 1) With the cell selected, right-click on the cell, select Format Cells from the context menu or go to Format > Cells on the Menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog (Figure 110). Figure 110: Format Cells dialog – Numbers page 2) Make sure the Numbers tab is selected then select Number in the Category list. 3) In Options > Leading Zeros, enter the minimum number of characters required. For example, for four characters, enter 4.
If a number is entered with leading zeroes, for example 01481, without first setting the Leading zeros parameter, then by default Calc will automatically drop the leading 0. To preserve leading zeros in a number: 1) Type an apostrophe (') before the number, for example '01481. 2) Move the cell focus to another cell. The apostrophe is automatically removed, the leading zeros are retained and the number is converted to text left aligned.
Method 2 1) Select the cell. 2) Open the Sidebar (View > Sidebar) and (if necessary) click the Open Panel (+) icon on the Number Format panel. 3) Select Date in the Category list box. 4) Click the More Options button in the panel title bar to open the Format Cells dialog. 5) Select the date or time format you want to use from the Format list. 6) Click OK.
Figure 113: AutoCorrect dialog Deactivating automatic changes Some AutoCorrect settings are applied when you press the spacebar after you enter data. To turn off or on Calc AutoCorrect, go to Tools on the Menu bar and deselect or select AutoInput. Speeding up data entry Entering data into a spreadsheet can be very labor-intensive, but Calc provides several tools for removing some of the drudgery from input. The most basic ability is to drop and drag the contents of one cell to another with a mouse.
Alternatively, you can use a shortcut to fill cells. 1) Select the cell containing the contents you want to copy or start the series from. 2) Move the cursor over the small square in the bottom right corner of the selected cell. The cursor will change shape. 3) Click and drag in the direction you want the cells to be filled. If the original cell contained text, then the text will automatically be copied. If the original cell contained a number, a series will be created.
• • Series Type – defines the series type. – Linear – creates a linear number series using the defined increment and end value. – Growth – creates a growth series using the defined increment and end value. – Date – creates a date series using the defined increment and end date. – AutoFill – forms a series directly in the sheet. The AutoFill function takes account of customized lists.
Defining a fill series To define your own fill series: 1) Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Calc > Sort Lists to open the Sort Lists dialog (Figure 116). This dialog shows the previously-defined series in the Lists box on the left and the contents of the highlighted list in the Entries box. 2) Click New and the Entries box is cleared. 3) Type the series for the new list in the Entries box (one entry per line). 4) Click Add and the new list will now appear in the Lists box.
4) Enter the information in the cells on the first sheet where you want it to appear and it will be repeated in all the selected sheets. Note This technique automatically overwrites, without any warning, any information that is already in the cells on the selected sheets. Make sure you deselect the additional sheets when you are finished entering information that is going to be repeated before continuing to enter data into your spreadsheet.
Figure 118: Delete Contents dialog Replacing data To completely replace data in a cell and insert new data, select the cell and type in the new data. The new data will replace the data already contained in the cell but will retain the original formatting used in the cell. Alternatively, click in the Input Line on the Formula Bar (Figure 92 on page 118), then double-click on the data to highlight it completely and type the new data.
Formatting data Note All the settings discussed in this section can also be set as a part of the cell style. See the Calc Guide Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc for more information. Multiple lines of text Multiple lines of text can be entered into a single cell using automatic wrapping or manual line breaks. Each method is useful for different situations. Automatic wrapping To automatically wrap multiple lines of text in a cell, use one of the following methods.
Figure 120: Wrap text formatting Manual line breaks To insert a manual line break while typing in a cell, press Ctrl+Enter. This method does not work with the cursor in the input line. When editing text, double-click the cell, then reposition the cursor to where you want the line break. When a manual line break is entered, the cell width does not change and your text may still overlap the end of the cell.
3) Click on the small triangle on the right of the Font Size on the Formatting toolbar and select a font size from the drop down list. Figure 122: Font Name and Size on Formatting toolbar 4) To change the character format, click on the Bold, Italic, or Underline icons. 5) To change the paragraph alignment of the font, click on one of the four alignment icons (Left, Center, Right, Justified) .
Formatting cell background To format the background color for a cell or a group of cells, click the small arrow next to the Background Color icon on the Formatting toolbar. A color palette, similar to the Font Color palette, is displayed. You can also use the Background tab of the Format Cells dialog (Figure 110 on page 137). The Cell Appearance panel of the Properties deck in the Sidebar contains a Cell background control with a color palette.
5) In the Name box of the Add AutoFormat dialog that opens, type a meaningful name for the new format. 6) Click OK to save. The new AutoFormat is now available in the Format list in the AutoFormat dialog. Using themes Calc comes with a predefined set of formatting themes that you can apply to spreadsheets. It is not possible to add themes to Calc and they cannot be modified.
Hiding and showing data In Calc you can hide elements so that they are neither visible on a computer display nor printed when a spreadsheet is printed. However, hidden elements can still be selected for copying if you select the elements around them. For example, if column B is hidden, it is copied when you select columns A and C. For more information on how to hide and show data, including how to use outline groups and filtering, see the Calc Guide Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data.
Figure 126: Cell Protection page in Format Cells dialog Showing data To show hidden sheets, rows, and columns: 1) Select the sheets, rows or columns each side of the hidden sheet, row or column. 2) Go to Format on the Menu bar and select Sheet, Row or Column. 3) Select Show from the menu and the sheet, row or column will be displayed and can be printed. 4) Alternatively, right-click on the sheet tabs, row headers or column headers and select Show from the context menu.
Figure 127: Sort Criteria dialog To sort cells in a spreadsheet: 1) Select the cells to be sorted. 2) Go to Data > Sort on the Menu bar to open the Sort dialog (Figure 127). 3) Select the sort criteria from the drop down lists. The selected lists are populated from the selected cells. 4) Select either ascending order (A-Z, 1-9) or descending order (Z-A, 9-1). 5) Click OK and the sort is carried out on your spreadsheet.
Printing Printing from Calc is much the same as printing from other LibreOffice components (see Chapter 10 Printing, Exporting, and Emailing in this guide). However, some details for printing in Calc are different, especially regarding preparation for printing. Print ranges Print ranges have several uses, including printing only a specific part of the data or printing selected rows or columns on every page.
Printing options To select the printing options for page order, details, and scale to be used when printing a spreadsheet: 1) Go to Format > Page on the Menu bar to open the Page Style dialog (Figure 128). 2) Select the Sheet tab and make your selections from the available options. 3) Click OK. For more information on printing options, see the Calc Guide Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing.
Figure 129: Edit Print Ranges dialog Page breaks While defining a print range can be a powerful tool, it may sometimes be necessary to manually adjust the Calc printout manually using a manual or page break. A page break helps to ensure that your data prints properly according to your page size and page orientation. You can insert a horizontal page break above or a vertical page break to the left of the active cell.
Setting a header or footer To set a header or footer: 1) Navigate to the sheet that you want to set the header or footer for. 2) Go to Format > Page on the Menu bar to open the Page Style dialog (Figure 130). 3) On the Page Style dialog, select Header or Footer tab. 4) Select the Header on or Footer on option. 5) Select Same content left/right option if you want the same header or footer to appear on all the printed pages. 6) Set the margins, spacing, and height for the header or footer.
Chapter 6 Getting Started with Impress Presentations in LibreOffice
What is Impress? Impress is the presentation (slide show) program included in LibreOffice. You can create slides that contain many different elements, including text, bulleted and numbered lists, tables, charts, and a wide range of graphic objects such as clipart, drawings, and photographs. Impress also includes a spelling checker, a thesaurus, text styles, and background styles.
Figure 131: Main window of Impress; ovals indicate the Hide/Show markers. The View Tab Bar is visible in this image. Slides pane The Slides pane contains thumbnail pictures of the slides in your presentation in the order in which they will be shown, unless you change the slide show order. Clicking a slide in this pane selects it and places it in the Workspace. When a slide is in the Workspace, you can make changes to it.
Sidebar The Sidebar has seven sections. To expand a section you want to use, click on its icon or click on the small triangle at the top of the icons and select a section from the drop down list. Only one section at a time can be open. Properties Shows the layouts included within Impress. You can choose the one you want and use it as it is, or modify it to meet your own requirements. However, it is not possible to save customized layouts.
Toolbars Many toolbars can be used during slide creation. They can be displayed or hidden by going to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and selecting from the context menu. You can also select the icons that you wish to appear on each toolbar. For more information, refer to Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice. Many of the toolbars in Impress are similar to the toolbars in Draw. Refer to the Draw Guide for details on the functions available and how to use them.
• Zoom slider – adjusts the zoom percentage of the Workspace displayed. • Zoom percentage – indicates the zoom percentage of the Workspace displayed. Doubleclicking on zoom percentage opens the zoom and layout dialog. You can hide the Status Bar and its information by going to View on the Menu bar and deselecting Status Bar. Workspace views Each of the Workspace views is designed to ease the completion of certain tasks.
Use Outline view for the following purposes: • Quickly inserting text for fast content creation or editing, when formatting and adding graphic objects is postponed until the final stages of creating the presentation. • Making changes in the text of a slide: • – Adding and deleting the text in a slide as in the Normal view.
Handout view Handout view is for setting up the layout of your slide for a printed handout. Click the Handout tab in the workspace and the Layouts section opens on the Sidebar (Figure 136). Here you can choose to print 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 9 slides per page. If the Layouts section does not open, then click on the Properties icon at the side of the Sidebar. Use this view also to customize the information printed on the handout.
Figure 138: Slide Sorter view Customizing Slide Sorter view To change the number of slides per row: 1) Go to View > Toolbars and select Slide Sorter and Slide View to show or hide the Slide Sorter and Slide View toolbars (Figure 139). 2) Adjust the number of slides (up to a maximum of 15). Figure 139: Slide Sorter and Slide View toolbars Moving a slide using Slide Sorter To move a slide in a presentation in the Slide Sorter: 1) Click the slide and the slide is highlighted (Figure 138).
• Slide Layout – allows you to change the layout of the selected slide. • Slide Transition – allows you to change the transition of one or a group of selected slides. • Hide Slide – any slides that are hidden are not shown in the slide show. • Cut – removes the selected slide and saves it to the clipboard. • Copy – copies the selected slide to the clipboard without removing it. • Paste – inserts a slide from the clipboard after the selected slide.
2) Click Next. Figure 141 shows the Presentation Wizard step 2 as it appears if you selected Empty Presentation at step 1. If you selected From template, an example slide is shown in the Preview box. 3) Choose a design under Select a slide design. The slide design section gives you two main choices: Presentation Backgrounds and Presentations. Each one has a list of choices for slide designs. If you want to use one of these other than , click it to select it.
Figure 142: Selecting a slide transition effect Note If you did not select a template in step 1 of the Presentation Wizard, then steps 4 and 5 will not appear after step 3. Click Create and your new presentation is created. 6) Click Next. In step 4 of the Presentation Wizard appears, you can enter information about your company and the presentation you are creating. Figure 143: Entering information about your presentation 7) Click Next.
Tip You can accept the default values for both Effect and Speed unless you are skilled at creating presentations. Both of these values can be changed later while working with slide transitions and animations. These two features are explained in more detail in the Impress Guide Chapter 9 Slide Shows. Figure 144: Presentation preview Formatting a presentation A new presentation contains only one empty slide. In this section we will start adding new slides and preparing them for the intended contents.
Duplicate slide Sometimes, rather than starting from a new slide you may want to duplicate a slide already included in your presentation. To duplicate a slide: 1) Select the slide you want to duplicate from the Slides Pane. 2) Go to Slide on the Menu bar and select Duplicate Page/Slide. Or, right-click on the slide in the Slides Pane or Slide Sorter view and select Duplicate Slide from the context menu. Or, right-click on a slide in the Workspace and select Slide > Duplicate Slide from the context menu.
Tip To view the names for the included layouts, use the Tooltip feature: position the cursor on an icon in the Layout section (or on any toolbar icon) and its name will be displayed in a small rectangle. In Tools > Options > LibreOffice > General > Help, select the Extended tips option to get more detailed tooltip information.
Note Changes to any of the layouts included in Impress can only be made using View > Normal, which is the default. Attempting any changes by modifying a slide master, although possible, may result in unpredictable results and requires extra care as well as a certain amount of trial and error. Adding text To add text to a slide that contains a text frame, click on Click to add text in the text frame and then type your text. The Outline styles are automatically applied to the text as you insert it.
Note Inserting and correctly formatting a background is beyond the scope of this chapter, but you can find all the information you need in the Draw Guide Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes or in the Impress Guide Chapter 6 Formatting Graphic Objects. Modifying the slide show By default the slide show will display all the slides in the same order as they appear in the slide sorter, without any transition between slides.
3) Click and drag to draw a box for the text on the slide. Do not worry about the vertical size and position as the text box will expand if needed as you type. 4) Release the mouse button when finished. The cursor appears in the text box, which is now in edit mode (a colored border shown in Figure 149). 5) Type or paste your text in the text box. 6) Click outside the text box to deselect it. You can move, resize, and delete text boxes.
Pasting text Text may be inserted into the text box by copying it from another document and pasting it into Impress. However, pasted text will probably not match the formatting of the surrounding text on the slide or that of the other slides in the presentation. This may be what you want on some occasions; however, in most cases you want to make sure that the presentation style is consistent and does not become a patchwork of different paragraph styles, font types, bullet points and so on.
If you are pasting the text into an AutoLayout text box, you need to apply the appropriate outline style to the text to give it the same look and feel as the rest of the presentation. 1) Paste the text in the desired position. 2) Select the text you have just pasted. 3) Select Format > Default formatting on the Menu bar.
Text boxes Create a bulleted list in a text box as follows: 1) Click the Text icon on the Standard toolbar and draw a text box on your slide. 2) Click the Bullets On/Off icon 3) Type the text and press Enter to start a new bulleted line. on the Text Formatting toolbar. The default list type is a bulleted list. Methods for changing the appearance of a list are explained in “Changing list appearance” on page 178.
Figure 153: Bullets and Numbering dialog 3) 4) The Bullets and Numbering dialog (Figure 153) contains five pages: Bullets, Numbering type, Image, Position, and Customize. – If a bullet list is needed, select the desired bullet style from the default styles available on the Bullets page. – If a graphics style is needed, select one from those available on the Image page. – If a numbered list is needed, select one of the default numbering styles on the Numbering type page.
2) Alternatively, after inserting a new slide, click the Insert Image icon (Figure 146 on page 172) on the new slide and select the file from the Insert Image dialog that opens. To see a preview of the picture, select Preview at the bottom of the Insert Image dialog. 3) Move the picture to the desired location. 4) The picture will automatically resize to fill the area of the content box. Follow the directions in the note below when manually resizing a graphic.
Figure 154: Sidebar Table Design section Entering data into table cells is similar to working with text box objects. Click in the cell you wish to add data to and begin typing. To move around cells quickly, use the following keyboard options: • Press the arrow keys to move the cursor to another cell if the cell is empty, or to the next character if the cell already contains text. • Press the Tab key to move to the next cell on the right and press Shift+Tab to move to the next cell on the left..
3) A media player will open at the bottom of the screen and you can preview the media. 4) When an audio file is inserted, the contents box will show a loudspeaker image. Adding graphics, spreadsheets, and other objects Graphics, such as shapes, callouts, and arrows, are often useful to complement the text on a slide. These objects are handled much the same way as graphics in Draw. For more information, see the Draw Guide Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw, or the Impress Guide Chapters 4, 5, and 6.
Presentation styles affect three elements of a slide master: background, background objects (such as icons, decorative lines, and text frames), and text placed on the slide. Text styles are further divided into Notes, Outline 1 through Outline 9, Subtitle, and Title. The outline styles are used for the different levels of the outline to which they belong. For example, Outline 2 is used for the subpoints of Outline 1, and Outline 3 is used for the sub-points of Outline 2, and so on.
Creating a slide master Creating a new slide master is similar to modifying the default slide master. 1) Enable editing of slide masters by selecting View > Slide Master on the Menu bar and the Master View toolbar opens (Figure 156). If the Master View toolbar does not appear, go to View > Toolbars and select Master View. 2) On the Master View toolbar, click the New Master icon 3) A new slide master appears in the Slides pane. Modify this slide master to suit your requirements.
Figure 157: Slide Design dialog Figure 158: Load Slide Design dialog Note The slide masters you have loaded will also be available the next time you load the presentation. If you want to delete the unused slide masters, click the corresponding checkbox in the Slide Design dialog. If the slide master was not used in the presentation, it is removed from the list of available slide masters. Tip To limit the size of the presentation file, you may want to minimize the number of slide masters used.
Modifying a slide master The following items can be changed on a slide master: • Background (color, gradient, hatching, or bitmap) • Background objects (for example, a logo or decorative graphics) • Size, placement, and contents of header and footer elements to appear on every slide • Size and placement of default frames for slide titles and content For more information on modifying slide masters, see the Impress Guide Chapter 2 Using Slide Masters, Styles, and Templates.
Note The changes made to one of the slides in Normal view (for example, changes to the bullet point style, the color of the title area, and so on) will not be overridden by subsequent changes to the slide master. There are cases, however, where it is desirable to revert a manually modified element of the slide to the style defined in the slide master. To revert back to default formatting, select the element and select Format > Default Formatting from the Menu bar.
Figure 161: Footer dialog in Impress 4) Click Apply to All to apply your changes to all the slide masters in your presentation, or click Apply to apply your changes to the selected slide master in your presentation. 5) Alternatively, you can add the date/time, footer text and slide number directly into their respective areas as shown in Figure 160. Note Normally only footers are used on a slide. To create a header, you can use a text box as explained in “Text” on page 187.
Tip To change the author information, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data on the Menu bar. To change the number format (1,2,3 or a,b,c or i,ii,iii, and so on) for the number field, go to Slide > Page/Slide Properties... on the Menu bar and then select a format from the Format list in the Layout Settings area. To change a paragraph style throughout your presentation, open the Styles and Formatting dialog and modify the appropriate presentation style.
Setting up a slide show As mentioned in “Modifying the slide show” on page 174, Impress allocates reasonable default settings for slide shows, while at the same time allowing for customizing many aspects of the slide show experience. This section covers only some aspects; more advanced techniques are explained in the Impress Guide Chapter 9 Slide Shows. Most of the tasks are best done in Slide Sorter view where you can see most of the slides simultaneously.
Slide advance You can set the presentation to advance automatically to the next slide after a set amount of time from the Slide Transition section in the Sidebar. 1) Go to Advance slide and select the Automatically after option. 2) Enter the required amount of time in seconds that each slide will be displayed. 3) Click on the Apply to All Slides button to apply the same display time to all slides.
Figure 163: Impress Presenter Console Using Impress Remote control Impress Remote is a mobile application developed by the community for Android and iOS systems that allows you to control a live presentation with a mobile device such as a phone or tablet. The connection between your mobile device and the computer running your presentation is made through a Bluetooth pairing or a local network connection between the two.
Figure 164: LibreOffice settings for Impress remote control Running a slide show with Impress Remote To run a slide show using Impress Remote, follow these steps: 1) On both devices, make sure Bluetooth is already enabled and configured. 2) On your computer, open the presentation you would like to present. 3) On your phone: a) Open Impress Remote from the main menu (Figure 165). b) To select your computer, tap its name.
To advance the presentation Tap the slide thumbnail or use the phone’s physical volume up button. To go backwards Double-tap the slide thumbnail or use the phone’s physical volume down button. To skip slide animations and transitions Swipe left to go to the next slide, or swipe right to go backwards. To end the presentation, use the Back button of the phone, or open the menu and select Stop slide show. 194 | Getting Started with LibreOffice 5.
Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw Vector Drawing in LibreOffice
What is Draw? LibreOffice Draw is a vector graphics drawing program, although it can also perform some operations on raster graphics (pixels). Using Draw, you can quickly create a wide variety of graphical images. Vector graphics store and display an image as an assembly of simple geometric elements such as lines, circles, and polygons, rather than a collection of pixels (points on the screen). Vector graphics allow for easier storage and scaling of the image.
Figure 168: LibreOffice Draw workspace Layers bar A layer is a workspace where you insert your drawings elements and objects. The layers bar is located on the bottom of the workplace and contains the guides for layer selection and layer command. For more information on layers see “Working with layers“ on page 200. Sidebar The Sidebar has four main sections. To expand a section, click on its icon or click on the small triangle at the top of the icons and select a section from the drop down list.
Gallery Opens the Drawing gallery where you can insert an object into your drawing either as a copy or as a link. A copy of an object is independent of the original object. Changes to the original object have no effect on the copy. A link remains dependent on the original object. Changes to the original object are also reflected in the link. Navigator Opens the Drawing navigator, in which you can quickly move between pages in your drawing or select an object on the drawing.
Status bar The Status bar is located at the bottom of the workspace in all LibreOffice components. It includes several Draw-specific fields. For details on the contents and use of these fields, see Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice in this guide and in the Draw Guide Chapter 1 Introducing Draw. Figure 171: Draw status bar Note The sizes are given in the current measurement unit. They might not be the same as the ruler units.
Options toolbar Use the Options toolbar to activate or deactivate various drawing aids. By default, the Options toolbar is not shown, but you can display it from the View > Toolbars menu. Working with layers Use layers to create a complex drawing by stacking simpler drawings in each layer. The area of a layer that does not contain an object is transparent. You can add any number of layers in a drawing document. A layer can be set to visible or hidden, it can be printable or not.
Choosing and defining colors To display the Colors dialog (Figure 173), select View > Toolbars > Color Bar to display the current color palette. By default, the Color Bar is displayed below the workspace. You can hide or show it by clicking on its Hide/Show button. Here you can rapidly choose the color of objects in your drawing (lines, areas, and 3D effects). The first box corresponds to none (no color).
The color selection box also lets you individually change any color by modifying the numerical values in the fields provided to the right of the color palette. You can use the color schemes known as CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) or RGB (Red, Green, Blue). Click on the Pick button to open the Pick a Color dialog, where you can set individual colors. See “Color options” in Chapter 2 Setting Up LibreOffice in this guide.
Note This is the default behavior of the Shift key. However, if the option When creating or moving objects in the Snap position section of Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid has been selected, the action of the Shift key is the opposite. Lines will automatically be drawn at a multiple of 45 degrees unless the Shift key is pressed. Hold down the Alt key while drawing a line to cause the line to extend outwards symmetrically in both directions from the start point.
After drawing the line, you can change the arrow style by clicking on the Arrowheads icon in the Line and Filling toolbar and select the arrow start and end options. Figure 177: Arrows toolbar and available tools Drawing rectangles or squares Drawing a rectangle is similar to drawing a straight line. Click on the Rectangle icon in the Drawing toolbar or the Insert Shapes sub-section in Sidebar Properties.
Note If you first press and hold down the Ctrl key and then click on one of the icons for Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, or Text, a standard sized object is drawn automatically in the work area; the size, shape, and color are all standard values. These attributes can be changed later, if desired. See the Draw Guide for more information. Drawing curves or polygons To draw a curve or polygon click the Curve icon on the Drawing toolbar or the Insert Shapes subsection in Sidebar Properties.
Polygons Click and draw the first line from the start point with the left mouse button held down. As soon as you release the mouse button, a line between the first and second points is drawn. Move the cursor to draw the next line. Each mouse click sets a corner point and allows you to draw another line. A double-click ends the drawing. A filled polygon automatically joins the last point to the first point to close off the figure and fills it with the current standard fill color.
Text properties can also be changed during text input, with any changes taking effect from the cursor position onwards. To change the properties for all of the text in the text frame, you have to highlight all text in the text frame. You can create Graphic styles that you can reuse for other text frames. Select Format > Styles and Formatting or press F11 to open the Styles and Formatting dialog, or click on the Styles and Formatting icon on the Sidebar.
Figure 181: Glue Points toolbar and available tools Connectors Connectors are lines or arrows whose ends automatically snap to a glue point of an object. Connectors are especially useful in drawing organization charts, flow diagrams, and mind-maps. When objects are moved or reordered, the connectors remain attached to a glue point. Figure 182 shows an example of two objects and a connector. Draw offers a range of different connectors and connector functions.
Drawing geometric shapes The icons for drawing geometric shapes are located on the Drawing toolbar. The geometric shapes are explained in the following sections. Clicking on the triangle to the right of the icon on the Drawing toolbar opens a floating toolbar giving access to the tools for that shape. Tip The use of these tools for geometric shapes is similar to the tool used for drawing rectangles or squares. For more information, see page 204 and the Draw Guide Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes.
Flowcharts Click on the triangle to the right of the Flowcharts icon to open the Flowchart toolbar for symbols used in drawing flowcharts. The creation of flowcharts, organization charts, and similar planning tools is further described in the Draw Guide Chapter 8 Connections, Flowcharts and Organization Charts. Figure 187: Flowcharts toolbar Callouts Click on the triangle to the right of the Callouts icon to open the Callouts toolbar.
Note When dragging the mouse cursor to select multiple objects, the selection rectangle being drawn is also known as a marquee. Selecting hidden objects Even if objects are located behind others and not visible, they can still be selected. Hold down the Alt key and click on the object at the front of where the hidden object is located, then click again to select the hidden object. If there are several hidden objects, keep holding down the Alt key and clicking until you reach the object you want.
Moving and adjusting object size When moving an object or changing its size, check the left-hand area of the status bar at the bottom of the Draw window (Figure 191). The area on the left of the Status bar, from left to right, shows what object is selected, its position on the drawing in X/Y coordinates and dimensions of the object. The units of measurement are those selected in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > General.
Note If you press the Shift key while resizing an object, the change in size will be carried out symmetrically with respect to the two axes so that the aspect ratio of the object remains the same. This Shift key behavior works on all selection handles. This is the default behavior of the Shift key.
The rotation point is normally located at the center of an object. To change the position of the rotation point, click on the object with the mouse cursor and drag the object until the rotation point is at the desired position. This rotation point can even be outside of the object. Note If you press the Shift key while rotating an object, rotation will be restricted to 15° of movement. This is the default behavior of the Shift key.
Line and Filling toolbar By default, the Line and Filling toolbar is not shown in Draw. To display it, go to View > Toolbars > Line and Filling on the Menu bar to open the toolbar (Figure 196) at the top of the workspace. The most common object attributes can be edited using this toolbar. You can also open the Line dialog by clicking on the Line icon access to more formatting options.
Figure 198: Sub-sections in Sidebar Properties Context menu When an object is selected and you right-click on the object, a context menu (Figure 199) opens that applies to the selected object. You can change object attributes without having to open a dialog. Menu entries with a small arrow on the right-hand side contain a submenu.
If you need to fine tune the appearance of a line, choose Format > Line from the Menu bar, or right-click on the line and select Line from the context menu, or select the Line icon from the Line and Filling toolbar. All of these methods open the Line dialog (Figure 177 on page 204), where you can set line properties. This dialog consists of three pages: Line, Line Styles, and Arrow Styles. Alternatively, use the Line sub-section in Sidebar Properties to change the appearance of a line.
Figure 202: Different types of area fill Using styles Suppose that you want to apply the same area fill, line thickness, and border to a set of objects. This repetitive process can be greatly simplified by the use of styles. Styles allow you to define a format (a style) and then apply that format to multiple objects.
Displaying the grid To display the grid in Draw or to switch off the grid, go to View > Grid > Display Grid on the Menu bar or click on the Display Grid icon on the Options toolbar. Configuring the grid The resolution, snap and snap position of the grid points can be configured. Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid on the Menu bar to open the options dialog for the grid. Figure 204: Configuring the grid • Vertical and horizontal spacing of the dots in the grid.
Applying special effects With Draw, you can apply many special effects to objects and groups of objects. This section is an introduction to some of these effects. For more information on special effects, see the Draw Guide Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes. To access the tools used for special effects, go to View > Toolbars > Mode (Figure 205). Rotate and Flip can also be accessed by going to Modify on the Menu bar or by right-clicking on the object and using the context menu.
In all three cases you are initially asked if you want to transform the object to a curve. This is a necessary first step, so click Yes. Then you can move the object handles to produce the desired effect. See the Draw Guide Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes for more information on how to distort an object. Dynamic transparency gradients You can control transparency gradients in the same manner as color gradients. Both types of gradient can be used together.
Cross-fading Cross-fading transforms one object shape to another object shape and only works when two objects are selected. 1) Select two differently shaped objects. 2) Go to Edit > Cross-fading on the Menu bar to open the Cross-fading dialog (Figure 208). 3) Select Increments to determine the number of shapes between the two objects. 4) Select Cross-fading attributes to apply a gradual change of line and fill properties between the two objects.
Grouping Temporary grouping A temporary grouping is when several objects are selected using the Select icon on the Drawing toolbar or using the mouse to drag a rectangle around the objects (also known as a marquee). Any changes to object parameters you carry out are applied to all of the objects within the temporary group. For example, you can rotate a temporary group of objects in its entirety.
Inserting and editing pictures Draw contains a number of functions for editing pictures or raster graphics (bitmaps); for example, photos and scanned images. This includes the import and export of graphics, and conversion from one graphic format to another. Draw includes a large range of graphic filters so that it can read and display several graphic file formats.
3) You can move the small comment markers to anywhere you wish on the drawing. Typically you might place it on or near an object you refer to in the comment. 4) To show or hide the comment markers, go to View > Comments on the Menu bar. Figure 210: Inserting comments You can go to Tools > Options > User Data to enter the name you want to appear in the Author field of the comment. If more than one person edits the document, each author is automatically allocated a different background color.
Chapter 8 Getting Started with Base Relational Databases in LibreOffice
Introduction A data source, or database, is a collection of pieces of information that can be accessed or managed by LibreOffice. For example, a list of names and addresses is a data source that could be used for producing a mail merge letter. A shop stock list could be a data source managed through LibreOffice. This chapter covers creating a database, showing what is contained in a database and how the different parts are used by LibreOffice.
elements. The tables are subsets. Relationships are defined in terms of unions and intersections of the subsets (tables). To explain how a database works and how to to use it, we will create one for automobile expenses. Planning a database The first step in creating a database is to ask yourself many questions. Write them down, and leave some space between the questions to write the answers later. At least some of the answers should seem obvious after you take some time to think.
Creating a new database To create a new database, select File > New > Database from the menu bar, or click the arrow next to the New icon on the Standard toolbar and select Database from the drop-down menu. Both methods open the Database Wizard. On the first page of the Database Wizard, select Create a new database and then click Next. The second page has two questions.
Caution As you create a database, you should save your work regularly. This means more than saving what you have just created. You must save the whole database as well. For example, when you create your first table, you must save it before you can close it. This makes it part of the database in memory. But it is only when you save the database file that the table is written to disk. Note Database files in Open Document Format are stored with the *.odb extension.
Click Use Wizard to Create Table. This opens the Table Wizard (Figure 212). Step 1: Select fields We will use the CD-Collection Sample table in the Personal category and Employees in the Business category to select the fields we need. 1) Category: Select Personal. The Sample Tables drop down list changes to a list of personal sample tables. 2) Sample tables: Select CD-Collection. The Available fields box changes to a list of available fields for this table.
In this step you give the fields their properties. When you click a field, the information on the right changes. (See Figure 213.) You can then make changes to meet your needs. Click each field, one at a time, and make the changes listed below. Note If any of these fields requires a mandatory entry, set Entry required to Yes. A blank field will then not be allowed. In general, only set Entry required to Yes if something must always be put in that field. By default, Entry required is set to No.
Note A primary key uniquely identifies an item (or record) in the table. For example, you might know two people called “Randy Herring” or three people living at the same address and the database needs to distinguish between them. The simplest method is to assign a unique number to each one: number the first person 1, the second 2, and so on. Each entry has one number and every number is different, so it is easy to say “record ID 172”.
Creating tables in Design View Design View is a more advanced method for creating a new table, in which you directly enter information about each field in the table. We will use this method for the tables of our database. Note While the Field type and formatting are different in Design View, the concepts are the same as in the Wizard. The first table to be created is Fuel. Its fields are FuelID, Date, FuelCost, FuelQuantity, Odometer, and PaymentType.
Note The primary key serves only one purpose: to identify each record uniquely. Any name can be used for this field. We have used FuelID for convenience, so we know to which table it belongs. 3) All other fields (Date, FuelCost, FuelQuantity, Odometer, and PaymentType): a) Type the next field name in the Field Name column. b) Select the Field Type for each field. • For Date use Date[DATE]. (Press the D key to select it.) • All other fields use Number [NUMERIC]. (Press the N key once to select it.
Figure 216: Format example options 4) To save and close the table, select File > Save. Name the table Fuel. Close the Fuel table. 5) In the main database window, click the Save button. Figure 217: Fields in Vacations table Follow the same steps to create the Vacations table. The fields, field types, and Descriptions are listed in Figure 217. Making Date the primary key has to be done in a different way because this field’s field type is Date, not Integer.
Defining relationships Now that the tables have been created, what are the relationships between our tables? This is the time to define them based upon the questions we asked and answered in the beginning. When on vacation, we want to enter all of our expenses at once each day. Most of these expenses are in the Vacations table, but the fuel we buy is not. So we will link these two tables using the Date fields.
Figure 219: Selected fields in a relationship Tip The primary key can contain more than one field. (Its foreign key1 will contain the same number of fields.) If this were the case in Figure 219, the other fields of the primary field for the Fuel table would be listed under Date. The corresponding fields of the foreign key would be listed under Vacations. Detailed information about this is in the Base Guide. Figure 220: Update options and Delete options section f) Click OK.
Figure 221: Fields of a simple form Figure 222:Simple form with additions In our database, payments for food or fuel might be made from one of two credit cards (Dan or Kevin) or in cash, so these would be the available options for all boxes that contain payments. To create a list box, we first need to create a small, separate table containing the options. This is then linked to the corresponding field in the form.
Step 2: Set up a subform Since we have already created a relationship between the Fuel and Vacations tables, we will use that relationship. If no relationship had been defined, this would need to be done in step 4. 1) Click the box labeled Add Subform 2) Click Subform based upon existing relation. 3) Fuel is listed as a relation we want to add. So click Fuel to highlight it, as in Figure 224. Click Next. Figure 224: Adding a subform Step 3: Add subform fields This step is similar to step 1.
Note It is possible to create a relationship between two tables that is based upon more than one pair of fields. How to do that and why is discussed in the Base Guide. Caution When selecting a pair of fields from two tables to use as a relationship, they have to have the same field type. That is why we used the Date field from both tables: both their field types are Date[DATE].
Step 7: Apply styles 1) Select the color you want in the Apply Styles list. (I chose the beige which is Orange 4 in the Color table.) 2) Select the Field border you want. (I prefer the 3D look. You might want to experiment with the different possible settings.) 3) Click Next. Step 8: Set name 1) Enter the name for the form. In this case, it is Fuel. 2) Click Modify the form. 3) Click Finish. The form opens in Edit mode.
Figure 228: Selecting a field of a control • Moving a group of controls is almost as easy as moving one of them. a) Click the field of the top left control to be moved, to select it. b) Move the cursor to just above and to the left of the selected control. c) Drag the cursor to the bottom right of the group of controls and release the mouse button. As you drag the cursor, a dashed box appears, showing what is contained in your selection.
Tip To see what the Date field will look like, click the Form Mode On/Off icon (the second icon from the left in Figure 230). You can do this any time you want to see the form with the changes you have made. Step 2: Shorten the width of some fields All of the fields with a label containing the word payment are too wide. They need to be shortened before the controls are moved. Figure 231: Selecting a field 1) Ctrl+click the BPayment field. 2) Move the cursor over the middle green handle on the right.
Figure 22b: Positioning of controls (right side of form) Caution Do not use Ctrl+click when moving a field. It moves either the field or the label but not both. To move both, use a plain mouse click and drag to the desired spot. Step 4: Change the label wording Field names are required to be single words. However, the labels for the fields in a form can be more than one word. So we will change them by editing the text in the label. 1) 2) 3) Ctrl+click the SnackNo label.
1) Right-click Breakfast and select Position and Size. On the Position and Size dialog, change Width to 2 cm. 2) Repeat for the other listed controls, using 3 cm for MiscPayment. Caution When changing the position or size of an entire control, use the Position and Size dialog or the drag and drop method. When working with either the label or the field (but not both at the same time), you can use the Properties dialog to make these changes when you want to be exact.
4) Scroll down to the Scrollbars setting. Change the selection from None to Vertical in this list. 5) Close the Properties window. (Esc key) 6) Lengthen the Misc. Notes field by moving the cursor over the middle green handle at the bottom of the field and dragging down until the length is 6 cm (2.4 inches). Step 7: Change labels and fields in the subform The subform is located at the bottom of the form. We want to widen the Date column, and change the label for the PaymentType column to two words.
Tip If you know how to use styles, you can open the Styles and Formatting window using F11. Right-clicking the Heading 2 paragraph style allows you to modify the appearance of all three headings. See Chapter 6 of the Writer Guide for details. Step 9: Change the background of a form The background for a form can be a color, or a graphic (picture). You can use any of the colors in the Color Table at Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Colors. If you know how to create custom colors, you can use them.
– None: No background. – Gradient: You can select increments between the colors to be automatic or you can select the amount of it. Remove the check to specify the amount. – Hatching: Select the hatching design. Then if you want a background color, check Background color and select the color. – Bitmap: Select the bitmap design that you want. 4) Click Apply to see what your selection will look like in your form. 5) Change if necessary. 6) Click OK to select your final decision.
Figure 238: Open Gallery Note You can create custom Gradients, Hatchings, and Bitmaps using the Draw component of LibreOffice. See the Draw Guide for information how to do this. Step 10: Change the tab order The Tab key moves the cursor from field to field. This is much easier to do than to click each field to enter data into it. It also permits us to group our expenses into areas before we begin entering data.
Figure 240: Tab order for the main form Entering data in a form Records are used to organize the data we enter into a form. They also organize the data we enter into a subform. Different types of fields allow different methods of data entry. In many cases, more than one method can be used. The first step to entering data in a form is to open it from the main database window (Figure 211). 1) Click the Forms icon in the Database list. 2) Find the form’s name in the Forms list (Vacations).
• These two arrows only change the numerals to the left of the decimal place. • Numerals to the right of the decimal place must be changed by deleting them and typing the desired ones. The Motel’s Payment field is a drop-down list. If, as in my case, all of the elements of the list start with different letters, typing the first letter selects the desired entry. • If two or more elements of the list have the same first letter, repeated typing of the first letter will cycle through these elements.
Figure 242 is a record with data inserted in its fields.
Creating queries Queries are used to get specific information from a database. Query results are special tables within the database. To demonstrate the use of queries, we will use two different methods: • Using our CD-Collection table, we will create a list of albums by a particular artist. We will do this using the Wizard. • The information we might want from the Fuel table includes what our fuel economy is. We will do this using Design View.
Tip To change the order of the fields, select the field you want to move and click the up or down arrow to the right of the Fields in the Query list. Step 2: Select the sorting order Up to four fields can be used to sort the information of our query. A little simple logic helps at this point. Which field is most important? In our query, the artist is most important. The album title is less important, and the date purchased is of least importance.
2) We are looking for a particular artist, so select CD-Collection. Artist in the Fields list and is equal to as the Condition. 3) Type the name of the artist in the Value box. Click Next. Step 4: Select type of query We want simple information, so the default setting: Detailed query is what we want. • Click Next at the bottom of the window. Note Since we have a simple query, the Grouping and Grouping conditions are not needed. Steps 5 and 6 of the wizard are skipped in our query.
Figure 245: Add Tables or Query dialog Tip Move the cursor over the bottom edge of the fuel table (Figure 246) and drag the edge to make it longer and easier to see all of the fields in the table. Figure 246: Fuel table in query Step 3: Add fields to the table at the bottom 1) Double-click the FuelID field in the Fuel table. 2) Double-click the Odometer field. 3) Double-click the FuelQuantity field. The table at the bottom of the query window should now have three columns.
Step 4: Set the criterion for the query We want the query’s FuelID to begin with the numeral 1. 1) Type >0 in the Criterion cell under FuelID in the query table. 2) Click the Run Query icon in the Query Design toolbar. (Circled in Red.) Figure 248: Query Design toolbar Figure 249 contains the Fuel table with my entries. The query results based upon the Fuel table are in Figure 250.
Step 7: Add fields to the table at the bottom of the query We are going to calculate the fuel economy. To do this we need the FuelQuantity and distance traveled. Since the FuelQuantity we want to use is the final odometer reading, we will use the EndReading query to get it. We will also use the Odometer field from both the Fuel table and EndReading queries. Figure 252: Tables in this query 1) Double-click FuelQuantity in the End-Reading query. 2) Double-click Odometer in the End-Reading query.
Figure 254: Typing in calculation of fields Figure 255: Field for distance traveled calculations Figure 256: Fuel economy calculation field Note When entering fields for these calculations, you must follow this format: table or query name followed by a period followed by the field name. For hyphenated or multiple-word names (table or query), use double quotes around the table or query name. The query will then add the rest of the double quotes as in Figure 256.
Step 9: Run the query and make some modification After we run the query to make sure it works correctly, we will hide all of the fields that we do not need. Figure 257: Result of running the fuel economy query 1) Click the Run Query icon in the Design Query toolbar (Figure 248). The results are in Figure 257. Two of the column headers are identical. By giving these two headers different aliases, we can distinguish them. 2) Add Aliases: Type the aliases as they are listed in Figure 258.
Creating reports Reports provide information found in the database arranged in a useful way. In this respect, they are similar to queries. They are different in that they are designed to be distributed to people. Queries are only designed to answer a question about the database. Reports are generated from the database’s tables, views, or queries. All reports are based upon a single table, view, or query, so you need first to decide what fields you want to use in the report.
Report wizard vs Report Design View 1) When you open the Report Wizard, the Report Builder also opens. As you make your selections in the wizard, these appear in layout in the Report Builder. When you have finished making your selections, you save the report, name it and then close it. 2) When using Design View to create a report, you open the Report Builder to design the layout of it. (There is only one layout available when the wizard is used.) Vacations table report To create a new report.
Step 3: Grouping Since we are grouping by the date, use the > button to move the Date field to the Groupings list. Click Next. Figure 262: Selecting fields for grouping data Step 4: Sort options We do not want to do any additional sorting. • Click Next. Step 5: Choose layout Use Columnar, three columns for the layout. 1) Select Columnar, three columns for the Layout of data. 2) Layout of headers and footers has no possible selections. 3) Select Landscape as the Orientation for the page layout.
Figure 264: Report without modifications Report Builder: another way to create reports With Report Builder, you can create complex and stylish database reports. You can define group and page headers, group and page footers, and calculation fields. Report Builder is installed with LibreOffice. When we used the Report Wizard, we created a template in Report Builder for our report. If we edit our report, we open Report Builder with this template. By modifying the template, we also modify the report.
Accessing a spreadsheet as a data source Accessing a spreadsheet is similar to accessing other databases: 1) Choose File > New > Database. 2) Select Connect to an existing database. Select Spreadsheet as the Database type. 3) Click Browse to locate the spreadsheet you want to access. If the spreadsheet is password protected, check the Password required box. Click Next. 4) If the spreadsheet requires a user’s name, enter it. If a password is also required, check its box. Click Next.
To view each database, click on the arrow to the left of the database’s name (see Figure 265). This brings up Queries and Tables. Click on the next to Tables to view the individual tables created. Now click on a table to see all the records held in it. Figure 265: Databases Editing data sources Some data sources (but not spreadsheets) can be edited in the Data View window. A record can be edited, added, or deleted.
Tip Choosing Tools > Mail Merge Wizard or clicking on the Mail Merge icon (circled in red) in the Data Sources window launches the Mail Merge wizard which steps you through creating a mail merge document. See Chapter 11 in the Writer Guide. Writer documents To insert a field from a table opened in the data source window into a Writer document, click on the field name (the gray square at the top of the field list) and, with the left mouse button held down, drag the field onto the document.
Adding data in table format is a little easier and takes perhaps fewer steps. Some of the steps will be quite similar. 1) Navigate to the place you want to place the table and click the location. 2) Ctrl+Click the gray box to the left of each row of the data source that you want to be a row in your table if the rows are not consecutive. To select consecutive rows, click the gray box to the left of the top desired row and Shift+click the bottom desired row.
Calc spreadsheets There are two ways to transfer data into a Calc spreadsheet. One enters the data into the spreadsheet cells. The other creates complete new records in the spreadsheet. While you can directly access the data inserted into the spreadsheet cells, new records created in the spreadsheet are read-only. Entering data directly to the spreadsheet cells uses the Data to Text icon as when making a table in a Writer document. But there are certain differences. The steps are straightforward.
Chapter 9 Getting Started with Math LibreOffice’s Formula (Equation) Editor
Introduction LibreOfficeMath is a formula editor you can use to create or edit formulas (equations) in a symbolic form within LibreOffice documents or as standalone objects. Example formulas are shown below. However, if you want to evaluate numeric values using formulas, then refer to the Calc Guide for more information; Math does not carry out any actual calculation. df ( x) + − −1 2 =ln ( x)+tan ( x ) or NH3 +H2 O ⇌NH 4 +OH dx The Formula Editor in Math uses a markup language to represent formulas.
• In Math, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N. • Use command Import MathML from the clipboard. As you enter the markup language in the Formula Editor, the formula will appear in the Preview window during and after input of the markup. The Elements window to the left of the Preview window may also appear, if it has been selected in View on the menu bar. For more information on creating formulas, see “Creating formulas” on page 274.
Figure 273: Empty formula in a Writer document When you have completed entering the markup for the formula, close the Formula Editor by pressing the Esc key or by clicking an area outside the formula in the document. Double-clicking on the formula object in the document will open the Formula Editor again so that you can edit the formula. Formulas are inserted as OLE objects into documents. As with any OLE object, you can change how the object is placed within the document.
Elements window The Elements window can easily be used when entering formula data. In addition to the list of categories at the top of the window, it also provides an Example category with example formulas to use as a starting point for a formula or equation. 1) Go to View on the menu bar and select Elements to open the Elements window. 2) Select the category you want to use in the formula from the drop-down list at the top of the Elements window.
Markup language Markup language is entered directly into the Formula Editor. For example, typing the markup 5 times 4 into the Formula Editor creates the simple formula 5×4 . If you are experienced in using markup language, it can be the quickest way to enter a formula. Table 6 shows some examples of using markup language to enter commands. For a full list of commands that can be used in the Formula Editor, see the Math Guide.
Figure 275: Symbols dialog Formula examples Example 1 The simple formula 1) 5×4 can be created using LibreOffice Math as follows: Make sure the cursor is flashing in the Formula Editor, then select the category Unary/Binary Operators and symbol Multiplication using one of the following methods: – In the Elements window, select Unary/Binary Operators from the drop-down list and then select the Multiplication icon .
Example 2 You want to enter the formula π ≃ 3.14159 where the value of pi is rounded to 5 decimal places. You know the name of the Greek character (pi), but do not know the markup associated with the Is Similar Or Equal symbol ≃ . 1) Make sure the cursor is flashing in the Formula Editor. 2) Enter %pi in the Formula Editor to enter the Greek character for pi (π).
6) In Math, save your changes to the formula after editing. In Writer, Calc, Impress, or Draw, click anywhere in your document away from the formula to leave editing mode, then save the document to save your changes to the formula. Formula layout This section provides some advice on how to layout complex formulas in Math or in a LibreOffice document. Using braces LibreOffice Math knows nothing about order of operation within a formula.
Brackets and matrices If you want to use a matrix in a formula, you have to use a matrix command. For example, matrix { a # b ## c # d } gives the resulting matrix a b in the formula, where rows are c d separated by two hashes (#) and entries within each row are separated by one hash (#). Normally, when you use brackets within a matrix, the brackets do not scale as the matrix increases in size.
Example {−x for x<0 x for x≥0 You want to create the formula |x|= and in the Formula Editor you enter abs x = lbrace stack {x "for" x >= 0 # -x "for" x < 0. ¿ x for x≥0 However, this gives the incorrect result −x for x<0 . |¿| x ¿ To remove the inverted question marks and create the correct formula, you have to use the markup commands left, right, and none. To create the correct formula, change the entry in the Formula Editor to abs x = left lbrace stack {x "for" x >= 0 # -x "for" x < 0} right none.
By default, a multiple line formula is centrally aligned. For more information on alignment using the equals sign, see the Math Guide. Spacing between the elements in a formula is not set by using space characters in the markup language. If you want to add spaces into the formula, use one of the following options: • Grave ` to add a small space. • Tilde ~ for a large space. • Add space characters between quotes " ". These spaces will be considered as text.
Markup language characters as normal characters Characters that are used as controls in markup language cannot be entered directly as normal characters. These characters are: %, {, }, &, |, _, ^ and ". For example, you cannot write 2% = 0.02 in markup language and expect the same characters to appear in the formula. To overcome this limitation, use one of the following methods: • Use double quotes either side of the character to mark that character as text, for example 2"%"= 0.
Example Enter the following in the Formula Editor: "In " color blue bold "isosceles" "triangles, the base angles are equal" creates the following text in a formula In isosceles triangles, the base angles are equal Aligning formulas using equals sign LibreOffice Math does not have a command for aligning formulas on a particular character. However, you can use a matrix to align formulas on a character and this character is normally the equals sign (=).
Figure 277: Font Sizes dialog Default formula font size To change the default font size used for all formulas in Math or another LibreOffice module: 1) Before inserting any formulas into a document, go to Format > Font size on the menu bar to open the Font Sizes dialog (Figure 277). 2) Select a different font size using the Base size spinner or type a new font size in the Base Size box. 3) Click Default and confirm your changes to the base size font.
Figure 278: Fonts dialog Default formula fonts To change the default fonts used for all formulas in Math or another LibreOffice module: 1) Before inserting any formulas into a document, go to Format > Fonts on the menu bar to open the Fonts dialog (Figure 278). 2) Select a new font where required for each of the various options from the drop-down lists. 3) If the font you want to use does not appear in the drop-down list, click Modify and select the option from the context menu to open a fonts dialog.
Figure 279: Spacing dialog Default formula spacing To change the default spacing used for all formulas in Math or another LibreOffice module: 1) Before inserting any formulas into a document, go to Format > Spacing on the menu bar to open the Spacing dialog (Figure 279). 2) Click Category and select one of the options from the drop-down list. The options in the Spacing dialog change according to the category selected. 3) Click Default and confirm your changes to the formula spacing.
3) Select either Left, Centered, or Right for horizontal alignment. 4) Click OK and check the result in your formula. If it is not to your satisfaction, repeat the above steps. Figure 280: Alignment dialog Default formula alignment To change the default alignment used for all formulas in Math or another LibreOffice module: 1) Before inserting any formulas into a document, go to Format > Alignment on the menu bar to open the Alignment dialog (Figure 280).
Background color It is not possible to select a background color for formulas in LibreOffice Math. The background color for a formula is by default the same color as the document or frame that the formula has been inserted into. However, in LibreOffice documents, you can use object properties to change the background color for a formula. For more information on using a background color (area fill for objects) with a formula, please refer to the user guides for Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress.
Using your formula library You cannot insert a formula from your library into a document by dragging and dropping using the mouse, nor by using Insert > File on the menu bar. You must insert a formula from your library into your document as an OLE object. 1) Open the document in Writer, Calc, Draw, or Impress. 2) Go to Insert > Object > OLE Object on the menu bar to open the Insert OLE Object dialog. 3) Select the option Create from file. 4) Click Search to open a file browser dialog.
Cross-referencing 1) Click in the document where you want the cross-reference to appear. 2) Go to Insert > Cross-reference on the menu bar to open the Fields dialog (Figure 281). 3) Click on the Cross-references tab, then select Text in the Type section. 4) In the Selection section, select the formula number you want to refer to. 5) In the Insert reference to section, select Reference and click Insert. 6) When you have finished creating cross-references, click Close to close the Fields dialog.
Figure 282: Object dialog – Type page with Anchor options Note The anchoring options are not available in the Object dialog when you are making changes to the various options available for frame styles. For more information on how to modify frame styles, please refer to the chapters on styles in the Writer Guide. Vertical alignment The normal default setting for vertical alignment for formula objects is to use the text base line as a reference.
Figure 283: Object dialog – Wrap page Note If the Position section in the Object dialog is grayed out and not available, then go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Formatting Aids and uncheck the option Math baseline alignment. This setting is stored with the document and applies to all formulas within it. Any new documents created will also use this setting for Math baseline alignment. Object spacing A formula object, when inserted into a Writer document, has spacing on each side.
Text mode In large formulas placed within a line of text, the formula elements can often be higher than the text height. Therefore, to make large formulas easier to read, it is recommended to always insert them into a separate paragraph of their own. However, if it is necessary to place a large formula within a line of text, double-click on the formula to open the Formula Editor and then go to Format > Text Mode on the menu bar. The Formula Editor will try to shrink the formula to fit the text height.
Figure 284: Object dialog – Area page Borders 1) In the document, select the formula where you want to change the borders. 2) Right-click on the formula and select Object from the context menu, or go to Format > Frame/Object on the menu bar to open the object dialog. 3) Click on the Borders tab and select the options you want to use for the formula borders (Figure 285). 4) Click OK to save your changes and close the Object dialog.
2) Select the markup language. 3) Go to Insert > Object on the menu bar and select Formula, or click on the Formula icon on the Standard toolbar to create a formula from the selected markup language. Note If the Formula icon is not displayed on the Standard toolbar, then right-click in an empty area on the toolbar, select Visible Buttons from the context menu, then select Formula from the available options.
• To accurately re-position a formula object, use the various options in pages of the Position and Size dialog. • In Draw and Impress, you can arrange, align, group, flip, convert, break, combine, and edit points of formula objects. • You cannot change the text attributes of a formula object. The text used in a formula is set when you create the formula in the Formula Editor. • Formula object size is set by the formula font size when the formula is created in the Formula Editor.
Chapter 10 Printing, Exporting, E-mailing
Quick printing Click the Print File Directly icon ( for your computer. ) to send the entire document to the default printer defined Note You can change the action of the Print File Directly icon to send the document to the printer defined for the document instead of the default printer for the computer. Go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General and select the Load printer settings with the document option.
The different components of LibreOffice have different available print settings, as summarized in Table 7.
Printing multiple pages on a single sheet of paper You can print multiple pages of a document on one sheet of paper. To do this: 1) In the Print dialog, select the Page Layout tab (Figure 289). Figure 289: Printing multiple page per sheet of paper 2) In the Layout section, select from the drop-down list the number of pages to print per sheet. The preview panel on the left of the Print dialog shows how the printed document will look.
Selecting pages/sheets/slides to print In addition to printing a full document, you can choose to print individual pages/sheets/slides, ranges of pages/sheets/slides, or a selection of a document. The details vary slightly between Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress, as described in this section. Writer Printing an individual page: 1) Choose File > Print from the Menu bar, or press Ctrl+P. 2) On the Print dialog, select the page to print.
Calc You can choose single sheets, multiple sheets, and selections of cells for printing. Figure 291: Choosing what to print in Calc Printing an individual sheet: 1) In the spreadsheet, click on the sheet tab to select the sheet you want to print. 2) Choose File > Print from the Menu bar, or press Ctrl+P. 3) In the Range and copies section of the Print dialog, choose the Selected sheets option. 4) Click OK. Printing a range of sheets: 1) In the spreadsheet, select the sheets to print.
Figure 292: Choosing what to print in Impress and Draw Printing an individual slide: 1) Choose File > Print from the Menu bar, or press Ctrl+P. 2) Select the slide to print. a) In the Range and copies section of the Print dialog, select the Slides option. b) Enter the number of the slide to print. 3) Click OK. Printing a range of slides: 1) Choose File > Print from the Menu bar, or press Ctrl+P. 2) Select the slides to print.
Printing a brochure In Writer, Impress, and Draw, you can print a document with two pages on each side of a sheet of paper, arranged so that when the printed pages are folded in half, the pages are in the correct order to form a booklet or brochure. Tip Plan your document so it will look good when printed half size; choose appropriate margins, font sizes, and so on. You may need to experiment. To print a brochure on a single-sided printer: 1) Choose File > Print, or press Ctrl+P.
7) Take the printed pages out of the printer, turn the pages over, and put them back into the printer in the correct orientation to print on the blank side. You may need to experiment a bit to find out what the correct arrangement is for your printer. 8) On the Print dialog, in the Page sides section, select the Front sides / right pages option from the Include drop-down box. Click OK. Tip If your printer can print double-sided automatically, choose All pages.
Previewing pages/sheets before printing You can use the previewing options in Writer and Calc to view the document as it will be printed. Different viewing options are available. Writer The normal page view in Writer shows you what each page will look like when printed and you can edit the pages in that view. If you are designing a document to be printed double-sided, you may want to see what facing pages look like.
Tip Unlike Save As, the Export command writes a copy of the current document in a new file with the chosen format, but keeps the current document and format open in your session. Quick export to PDF Click the Export Directly as PDF icon ( ) to export the entire document using the PDF settings you most recently selected on the PDF Options dialog (see below).
Figure 296: General page of PDF Options dialog Note EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) images with embedded previews are exported only as previews. EPS images without embedded previews are exported as empty placeholders. General section • Hybid PDF (embed ODF file): Use this setting to export the document as a PDF file containing two file formats: PDF and ODF. In PDF viewers it behaves like a normal PDF file, and it remains fully editable in LibreOffice.
• Export bookmarks: Exports headings in Writer documents, and page or slide names in Impress and Draw documents, as “bookmarks” (a table of contents list displayed by most PDF viewers, including Adobe Reader). • Export comments: Exports comments as PDF notes. You may not want this! • Export automatically inserted blank pages: If selected, automatically inserted blank pages are exported to the PDF. This is best if you are printing the PDF double-sided.
Figure 298: User Interface page of the PDF Options dialog User interface options section • Hide menubar. Causes the PDF viewer to hide the menu bar. • Hide toolbar. Causes the PDF viewer to hide the toolbar. • Hide window controls. Causes the PDF viewer to hide other window controls. Transitions In Impress, displays slide transition effects as their respective PDF effects. Bookmarks Select how many heading levels are displayed as bookmarks, if Export bookmarks is selected on the General page.
Cross-document links Defines the behavior of links clicked in PDF files. Select one among the following alternatives: • Default mode: The PDF links will be handled as specified in your operating system. • Open with PDF reader application: Use the same application used to display the PDF document to open linked PDF documents. • Open with Internet browser: Use the default Internet browser to display linked PDF documents.
Figure 301: Setting a password to encrypt a PDF Digital Signatures page of PDF Options dialog This page contains the options related to exporting a digitally signed PDF. Digital signatures are used to ensure that the PDF was really created by the original author (that is, you), and that the document has not been modified since it was signed. The signed PDF export uses the keys and X.509 certificates already stored in your default key store location or on a smartcard.
When using a smartcard, enter the PIN here. Some smartcard software will prompt you for the PIN again before signing. • Location, Contact information, Reason: Optionally enter additional information about the digital signature that will be applied to the PDF. This information will be embedded in the appropriate PDF fields and will be visible to anyone viewing the PDF. Each or all of the three fields may be left blank. • Time Stamp Authority: Optionally select a Time Stamping Authority (TSA) URL.
E-mailing a document to several recipients To e-mail a document to several recipients, you can use the features in your e-mail program or you can use LibreOffice’s mail merge facilities to extract email addresses from an address book. You can use LibreOffice’s mail merge to send e-mail in two ways: • Use the Mail Merge Wizard to create the document and send it. See Chapter 11, Using Mail Merge, in the Writer Guide for details.
Figure 304: Selecting an address list 4) Back on the Select address list page, click Next. On the Create salutation page, deselect This document should contain a salutation. Figure 305: Deselecting a salutation 5) In the left-hand list, click 8. Save, print or send. LibreOffice displays a “Creating documents” message and then displays the Save, print or send page of the Wizard. 6) Select Send merged document as E-Mail. The lower part of the page changes to show e-mail settings choices. See Figure 306.
Figure 306: Sending a document as an email message Digital signing of documents To sign a document digitally, you need a personal key, also known as a certificate. A personal key is stored on your computer as a combination of a private key, which must be kept secret, and a public key, which you add to your documents when you sign them. You can get a certificate from a certification authority, which may be a private company or a governmental institution.
2) If you have not saved the document since the last change, a message box appears. Click Yes to save the file. 3) The Digital Signatures dialog opens. Click Sign Document to add a public key to the document. 4) In the Select Certificate dialog, select your certificate and click OK to return to the Digital Signatures dialog. 5) The certificate used is displayed in the dialog with an icon next to its name. This icon indicates the status of the digital signature.
Chapter 11 Graphics, Gallery, Fontwork
Introduction You can add graphic and image files, including photos, drawings, and scanned images, to LibreOffice documents. LibreOffice can import various vector (line drawing) and raster (bitmap) file formats. The most commonly used graphic formats are GIF, JPG, PNG, and BMP. See Appendix B for a full list of the graphic formats LibreOffice can import.
Figure 307: Insert Image dialog Linking an image file If the Link option in the Insert picture dialog is selected, LibreOffice creates a link to the file containing the image instead of saving a copy of the image in the document. The result is that the image is displayed in the document, but when the document is saved, it contains only a reference to the image file, not the image itself.
Embedding linked images If you originally linked the images, you can easily embed one or more of them later if you wish. To do so: 1) Open the document in LibreOffice and choose Edit > Links. 2) The Edit Links dialog (Figure 308) shows all the linked files. In the Source file list, select the files you want to change from linked to embedded. 3) Click the Break Link button. 4) Save the document.
Inserting an image using a scanner If a scanner is connected to your computer, LibreOffice can call the scanning application and insert the scanned item into the LibreOffice document as an image. To start this procedure, place the cursor where you want the graphic to be inserted and choose Insert > Media > Scan > Select Source. Although this practice is quick and easy, it is unlikely to result in a high-quality image of the correct size.
Inserting an image as a background To insert an image as the background to a page or paragraph: 1) Choose Insert > Media > Clip Art Gallery and select a theme. 2) Select an object with a single click, right-click on the object, and choose Insert as Background > Page or > Paragraph. Modifying and positioning graphics LibreOffice provides many tools for cropping, resizing, modifying, filtering, and positioning graphics; wrapping text around graphics; and using graphics as backgrounds and watermarks.
By default, the Gallery is opened in the Sidebar. You can float the Gallery as you can other Sidebar panes; see Chapter 1, Introducing LibreOffice, for more information. Adding objects to the Gallery You may wish to add to the My Theme folder in the Gallery any images that you use frequently, for example, a company logo. You can then easily insert these graphics into a document later. 1) Right-click on the My Theme folder and select Properties from the context menu.
Adding a new theme to the Gallery To add a new theme to the Gallery: 1) Click the New Theme button above the list of themes (Figure 310). 2) In the Properties of New Theme dialog, click the General tab and type a name for the new theme. 3) Click the Files tab and add images to the theme, as described earlier. Deleting a theme from the Gallery To delete a theme from the Gallery: 1) Go to Insert > Media > Clip Art Gallery. 2) Select from the list of themes the theme you wish to delete.
5) When done, click the Save icon to save the image map to a file, then click the X in the upper right corner to close the dialog. The main part of the dialog shows the image on which the hotspots are defined. A hotspot is identified by a line indicating its shape. The toolbar at the top of the dialog contains the following tools: • Apply button: click this button to apply the changes. • Load, Save, and Select icons.
Tip The value _self for the target frame will usually work just fine. It is therefore not recommended to use the other choices unless absolutely necessary. Using LibreOffice’s drawing tools You can use LibreOffice’s drawing tools to create graphics such as simple diagrams using rectangles, circles, lines, text, and other predefined shapes. You can also group several drawing objects to make sure they maintain their relative position and proportion.
4) To cancel the selected drawing function, press the Esc key or click on the Select icon (the arrow) on the Drawing toolbar. 5) You can now change the properties (fill color, line type and weight, anchoring, and others) of the drawing object using either the Drawing Object Properties toolbar (Figure 314) or the choices and dialogs reached by right-clicking on the drawing object.
To group drawing objects: 1) Select one object, then hold down the Shift key and select the others you want to include in the group. The bounding box expands to include all the selected objects. 2) With the objects selected, hover the mouse pointer over one of the objects and choose Format > Group > Group from the Menu bar or right-click and choose Group > Group from the pop-up menu. Note You cannot include an embedded or linked graphic in a group with drawing objects.
3) Double-click the object to edit the Fontwork text (see Figure 316). Select the text and type your own text in place of the black Fontwork text that appears over the object. Figure 316: Editing Fontwork text 4) Click anywhere in a free space or press Esc to apply your changes. Editing a Fontwork object Now that the Fontwork object is created, you can edit some of its attributes. To do this, you can use the Fontwork toolbar, the Formatting toolbar, or menu options as described in this section.
Fontwork Alignment: Changes the alignment of characters. Choices are left align, center, right align, word justify, and stretch justify. The effects of the text alignment can only be seen if the text spans over two or more lines. In the stretch justify mode, all the lines are filled completely. Fontwork Character Spacing: Changes the character spacing and kerning in the object. Select from the choices in the dropdown list.
Line options Line icon: Opens a dialog with three tabs: Line, Line Styles, Arrow Styles. Use the Line tab to edit the most common properties of the line around the selected Fontwork object, by choosing from previously-defined attributes including line style, line color, and arrow styles. Use the Lines Styles and Arrow Styles tabs to edit the properties of line and arrow styles, and define new styles. Arrow Style icon: Choose from the different arrow styles.
Using menu options You can use some the choices on the Format menu to anchor, align, arrange, and group selected Fontwork objects, wrap text around them, and flip them horizontally and vertically. You can also right-click on a Fontwork object and choose many of the same options from the popup menu. The pop-up menu also provides quick access to the Line, Area, Text, and Position and Size dialogs. The Text dialog offers only a few options for Fontwork objects and is not discussed here.
Chapter 12 Creating Web Pages Saving Documents as HTML Files
Introduction HTML capabilities in LibreOffice include saving and exporting existing documents in HTML format. This chapter describes how to do the following in Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw: • Create hyperlinks within a document and to other documents such as web pages, PDFs, and other files. • Save documents as web pages (HTML documents) and create web pages using the Web Wizard included with LibreOffice. • Create, edit, and save web pages using Writer/Web.
Creating hyperlinks When you type text (such as a website addresses or URL) that can be used as a hyperlink, and then press the spacebar or the Enter key, LibreOffice automatically creates the hyperlink and applies formatting to the text (usually a color and underlining). If this does not happen, you can enable this feature by going to Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Options on the menu bar and selecting the URL Recognition option.
4) Select the document from the drop-down list at the bottom of the Navigator that contains the item that you want to link to. 5) In the Navigator list, select the item that you want to insert as a hyperlink. 6) Drag the item to where you want to insert the hyperlink in the document. The name of the item is inserted in the document as an active hyperlink.
The dialog changes according to the choice made for the hyperlink category in the left panel. A full description of all the choices and their interactions is beyond the scope of this chapter. Here is a summary of the most common choices. • For an Internet hyperlink, choose the type of hyperlink (Web or FTP), and enter the required web address (URL). • For a Mail hyperlink, specify the address of the receiver and the subject.
To erase the link text or button from the document completely, select it and press the Backspace or Delete key. Exporting web pages using the Web Wizard You can use the Web Wizard to create several types of standard web pages from all LibreOffice components except Math. Each time you start the Web Wizard in a LibreOffice component, Writer automatically starts before the Web Wizard opens. The Web Wizard is linked to Writer and is normally used in Writer for creating web pages.
4) Click Next > and select a layout for the web site by clicking on the layout boxes (Figure 326). Figure 326: Main layout page of Web Wizard dialog 5) Click Next > to customize the layout and select the information to be listed and screen resolution (Figure 327). Figure 327: Layout details page of Web Wizard dialog 6) Click Next > and select a style for the page. Use the drop-down list to choose different styles and color combinations.
Figure 328: Style page of Web Wizard dialog Figure 329: Web site information page of Web Wizard dialog Figure 330: Preview page of Web Wizard dialog 342 | Getting Started with LibreOffice 5.
Saving and exporting documents as web pages The easiest way to create HTML documents in LibreOffice is to start with an existing document. You can get a good idea of how it will appear as a web page by using View > Web Layout. However, web layout view does not show you which features will or will not be saved correctly in HTML format. Refer to “Relative and absolute hyperlinks” on page 336 on what to consider before creating a web page from a document.
3) Type the file name to save the pages under. 4) Specify which style indicates a new page by using the Styles drop-down list at the bottom of the dialog (for example, Heading 1). 5) Click Save to create the multi-page HTML document. The resulting HTML files conform to the HTML 4 Transitional standard. Calc spreadsheets Calc can save files as HTML documents by going to File > Save As on the menu bar and select HTML Document (Calc) format as the file type. This is similar to “Single web page” above.
4) – Existing design – loads an existing design from the design list to use as a starting point for the steps that follow. The list box displays all existing designs. – Delete Selected Design deletes the selected design from the design list. If you delete a design, you will only delete the design information. An export file will not be deleted by this action. Specify the Publication type for the web pages (Figure 338), then click Next>>.
For more information on the options available for this page of the HTML Export dialog, click Help to open the help pages. Figure 334: HTML Export dialog – graphics and monitor resolution 6) Specify the Information for the title page to be used with the web version of your presentation (Figure 335). The title page normally contains the author’s name, an e-mail address and home page, along with any additional information you may want to include.
Figure 336: HTML Export dialog – button style page 9) Select color scheme to be used for the web pages (Figure 337) such as the color scheme and colors for text and background. This page is not available if you have selected either Automatic or WebCast publication type. Figure 337: HTML Export dialog – color scheme page 10) Click Create. 11) If you have created a new design for your web pages, type in a name for your design and click Save.
Draw documents Draw documents cannot be saved in HTML format, but have to be exported as HTML documents. Exporting drawings as web pages from Draw is similar to exporting a presentation from Impress. Go to File > Export and select HTML Document (Draw) as the file type, then follow the procedure above for exporting Impress presentations. Creating, editing, and saving web pages using Writer/Web LibreOffice Writer can create, edit, and save web pages in HTML format using a configuration called Writer/Web.
Note Because HTML markup language has fewer formatting possibilities than a text document in OpenDocument Format, Writer/Web cannot provide all formatting features for HTML documents and some formatting dialogs have fewer options available. For example, an HTML paragraph has no tab settings. Creating and editing an HTML document To create an HTML document, choose File > New > HTML Document. Writer/Web opens a blank document in web display mode.
Chapter 13 Getting Started with Macros Using the Macro Recorder … and Beyond
Introduction A macro is a saved sequence of commands or keystrokes that are stored for later use. An example of a simple macro is one that “types” your address. The LibreOffice macro language is very flexible, allowing automation of both simple and complex tasks. Macros are very useful when you have to repeat the same task in the same way over and over again. LibreOffice macros are usually written in a language called LibreOffice Basic, sometimes abbreviated to Basic.
Figure 340: LibreOffice Basic Macros dialog Figure 341: LibreOffice Basic Macro Organizer dialog 11) Click the Compile icon on the Macro toolbar to compile the macro. 12) Place the cursor in the HelloMacro subroutine and click the Run BASIC icon on the Macro toolbar, or press the F5 key, to run the HelloMacro in the module. A small dialog will open with the word “Hello” displayed. If the cursor is not in a subroutine or function, a dialog will open; select the macro to run.
Figure 342: Integrated Development Environment dialog Listing 2: Module1 after adding the new macro. REM ***** BASIC ***** Sub HelloMacro Print "Hello" End Sub Sub Main End Sub Recording a macro If you have to repeatedly enter the same information, you can copy this information after it has been entered into your document for the first time, then paste the information into your document each time you want to use it.
1) Go to Tools > Macros > Record Macro on the main menu bar to start recording a macro. A small dialog is displayed indicating that LibreOffice is recording a macro. 2) Type the desired information or perform an appropriate series of operations. As an example, type your name. 3) Click Stop Recording on the small Recording dialog to stop recording and the LibreOffice Basic Macros dialog opens (Figure 340 on page 352). 4) Open the library container My Macros.
Viewing and editing macros To view and/or edit the macro that you created: 1) Go to Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > LibreOffice Basic to open the LibreOffice Basic Macros dialog. 2) Select your new macro EnterMyName and click Edit to open the macro in the Basic IDE. The macro EnterMyName is shown in Listing 3. The EnterMyName macro is not as complicated as it first appears. Learning a few things helps significantly in understanding macros.
There are advanced topics that are beyond the scope of this user guide, but knowing about them might be of interest: • You can write a macro so that values can be passed to the subroutine. The values are called arguments. However, recorded macros in LibreOffice do not accept arguments. • Another kind of subroutine is called a function, which is a subroutine that returns a value. Functions are defined by the keyword FUNCTION at the beginning.
dim args1(0) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue Declares an array of properties. Each property has a name and a value. In other words, it is a name/value pair. The created array has one property at index zero. args1(0).Name = "Text" args1(0).Value = "Your name" Gives the property the name “Text” and the value “Your name”, which is the text that is inserted when the macro is run. dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:InsertText", "", 0, args1()) This is where the magic happens.
DONTKNOW The font weight is not specified/known. THIN specifies a 50% font weight. ULTRALIGHT specifies a 60% font weight. LIGHT specifies a 75% font weight. SEMILIGHT specifies a 90% font weight. NORMAL specifies a normal font weight. SEMIBOLD specifies a 110% font weight. BOLD specifies a 150% font weight. ULTRABOLD specifies a 175% font weight. BLACK specifies a 200% font weight.
Listing 4: Copying numeric value to start of the column sub CopyNumToCol1 rem ------------------------------------------------------------rem define variables dim document as object dim dispatcher as object rem ------------------------------------------------------------rem get access to the document document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper") rem (3) Press Ctrl+Right Arrow to move the cursor to the start of “specifies”. dispatcher.
rem (12) Press Home to move the cursor to the start of the line. dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:GoToStartOfLine", "", 0, Array()) rem (13) Press Ctrl+V to paste the selected number to the start of the line. dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:Paste", "", 0, Array()) rem (14) Press Backspace to remove the extra space. dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:SwBackspace", "", 0, Array()) rem (15) Press Tab to insert a tab between the number and the name. dim args17(0) as new com.sun.
Macro recorder failures Sometimes the macro recorder has a failure and understanding LibreOffice internal workings helps to understand how and why the macro recorder sometimes fails. The primary offender is related to the dispatch framework and its relationship to the macro recorder. Dispatch framework The purpose of the dispatch framework is to provide uniform access to components (documents) for commands that usually correspond to menu items.
Macro organization In LibreOffice, macros are grouped in modules, modules are grouped in libraries, and libraries are grouped in library containers. A library is usually used as a major grouping for either an entire category of macros, or for an entire application. Modules usually split functionality, such as user interaction and calculations. Individual macros are subroutines and functions. Figure 345 shows an example of the hierarchical structure of macro libraries in LibreOffice.
Just as it makes good sense to give your libraries meaningful names, it is prudent to use meaningful names for your modules. By default, LibreOffice uses names such as Module1, Module2 and so on. As you create your macros, you must decide where to store them. Storing a macro in a document is useful if the document will be shared and you want the macro to be included with the document. Macros stored in the application library container named My Macros, however, are globally available to all documents.
Figure 346: Navigating to a macro library 3) Select a file and click Open to continue and open the Import Libraries dialog (Figure 347). Figure 347: Choose library import options 4) Select the following options for importing libraries: a) If no options are selected, the library is copied to your user macro directory. However, if the library you are importing has the same name and you are importing into the same location, it will not be copied.
Downloading macros to import Macros are available for download. Some macros are contained in documents, some as regular files that you must select and import, and some as macro text that should be copied and pasted into the Basic IDE. See “Adding a macro” on page 351 on how to add macros to your macro library and “Viewing and editing macros” on page 355 on how to edit macros using the Basic IDE. Some macros are available as free downloads on the Internet (see Table 340). Table 8.
Complete coverage of the Customize dialog is beyond the scope of this chapter. Click the Help button to access the help pages included with LibreOffice or see Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice. Figure 348: Menus page in Customize dialog Events Whenever something happens in LibreOffice, it is called an event. For example, opening a document, pressing a key, or moving the mouse cursor are all events. LibreOffice allows events to trigger the execution of a macro; the macro is then called an event handler.
3) A common use is to assign the Open Document event to call a specific macro. The macro then performs certain setup tasks for the document. Select the desired event and click Macro to open the Macro Selector dialog (Figure 343 on page 354). 4) Select the desired macro and click OK to assign the macro to the event. The Events page shows that the event has been assigned to a macro. Figure 349: Events page in Customize dialog Many objects in a document can be set to call macros when events occur.
Although individual extensions can be found in several places, there is currently an extension repository at: http://extensions.libreoffice.org/ and some documentation at http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:OpenOfficeExtensions/List. For more about obtaining and installing extensions, see Chapter 14, Customizing LibreOffice. Writing macros without the recorder The examples covered in this chapter are created using the macro recorder and the dispatcher.
Online resources The following links and references contain information regarding macro programming: http://ask.libreoffice.org/ (a Q & A site where volunteers answer questions related to LibreOffice) http://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/ (Apache OpenOffice community forum; volunteers answer questions about LibreOffice as well) http://en.libreofficeforum.org/ (Unofficial LibreOffice community forum) http://api.openoffice.org/docs/common/ref/com/sun/star/module-ix.
Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice
Introduction This chapter describes some common customizations that you may wish to carry out. You can customize menus, toolbars, and keyboard shortcuts in LibreOffice, add new menus and toolbars, and assign macros to events. However, you cannot customize context (right-click) menus. Other customizations are made easy by extensions that you can install from the LibreOffice website or from other providers. Note The menu bars in LibreOffice 5.
2) In the Save In drop-down list, choose whether to save this changed menu for the application (for example, LibreOffice Writer) or for a selected document (for example, SampleDocument.odt). 3) In the section LibreOffice [name of the program (example: Writer)] Menus, select from the Menu drop-down list the menu that you want to customize. The list includes all the main menus as well as submenus (menus that are contained under another menu).
To move a menu (such as File), choose Menu > Move. A dialog similar to the one shown in Figure 351 (but without the Menu name box) opens. Use the up and down arrow buttons to move the menu into the required position. To move submenus (such as File | Send), select the main menu (File) in the Menu list and then, in the Menu Content section of the dialog, select the submenu (Send) in the Entries list and use the arrow keys to move it up or down in the sequence.
Modifying menu entries In addition to changing the sequence of entries on a menu or submenu, you can add submenus, rename or delete the entries, and add group separators. To begin, select the menu or submenu to be modified from the Menu list near the top of the Customize page, then select the entry in the Entries list under Menu Content. Click the Modify button and choose the required action from the drop-down list of actions. Most of the actions should be self-explanatory.
Modifying existing toolbars To modify an existing toolbar: 1) In the Save In drop-down list, choose whether to save this changed toolbar for the application (for example, Writer) or for a selected document. 2) In the section LibreOffice [name of the program (example: Writer)] > Toolbars, select from the Toolbar drop-down list the toolbar that you want to customize. 3) Click on the Toolbar or Modify buttons, and add commands to a toolbar by clicking on the Add button.
Choosing icons for toolbar commands Toolbar buttons usually have icons, not words, on them, but not all of the commands have associated icons. To choose an icon for a command, select the command and click Modify > Change icon. On the Change Icon dialog, you can scroll through the available icons, select one, and click OK to assign it to the command (Figure 355).
Figure 356: Setting up LibreOffice for sending faxes Figure 357: Adding a Send Fax command to a toolbar Assigning shortcut keys In addition to using the built-in keyboard shortcuts (listed in Appendix A), you can define your own. You can assign shortcuts to standard LibreOffice functions or your own macros and save them for use with the entire LibreOffice suite. Caution Be careful when reassigning your operating system’s or LibreOffice’s predefined shortcut keys.
4) Now select the desired shortcut keys in the Shortcut keys list and click the Modify button at the upper right. 5) Click OK to accept the change. Now the chosen shortcut keys will execute the function chosen in step 3 above whenever they are pressed. Note All existing shortcut keys for the currently selected Function are listed in the Keys selection box. If the Keys list is empty, it indicates that the chosen key combination is free for use.
3) Choose the shortcut keys you want to assign a style to. In this example, we have chosen Ctrl+9. This enables the Modify button. 4) In the Functions section at the bottom of the dialog, scroll down in the Category list to Styles. Click the expansion symbol (usually a + sign or triangle) to expand the list of styles. 5) Choose the category of style. (This example uses a paragraph style, but you can also choose character styles and others.
Adding functionality with extensions An extension is a package that can be installed into LibreOffice to add new functionality and improve your productivity with LibreOffice. Template sets, spelling dictionaries, clipart galleries, macros, and dialog libraries can be packaged as LibreOffice extensions. Several extensions are shipped bundled with LibreOffice and are installed with the program. These can only be removed by changing the installation options. Others can be downloaded from various websites.
Figure 359: Using the Extension Manager Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice | 381
Appendix A Keyboard Shortcuts
Introduction You can use LibreOffice without requiring a pointing device, such as a mouse or touchpad, by using its built-in keyboard shortcuts. This appendix lists some of the most common built-in keyboard shortcuts that apply to all components of LibreOffice. For shortcuts specific to Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, or Base, read the relevant component guide or search the application Help. Note Some of the shortcuts listed here may not work if your operating system uses the same shortcuts for other tasks.
General keyboard shortcuts Opening menus and menu items Shortcut Keys Result Alt+ Opens a menu where is the underlined character of the menu you want to open. For example, Alt+F opens the menu File. With the menu open, you will again find underlined characters. You can access these menu items directly by pressing the underlined character key. Where two menu items have the same underlined character, press the character key again to move to the next item.
Press Ctrl+Enter on the Selection tool to select the first draw object in the document. If you want to edit, size, or move the selected draw object, first use Ctrl+F6 to move the focus into the document. Navigating and selecting with the keyboard You can navigate through a document and make selections with the keyboard. • To move the cursor, press the key or key combination given in the following table.
Controlling macros Shortcut Keys Result Ctrl+* (multiplication sign: on number pad only) Runs a macro field. (See Chapter 9 for more about macros.) Shift+Ctrl+Q Stops a running macro. Managing documents Shortcut Keys Result Ctrl+F4 or Alt+F4 Closes the current document. Closes LibreOffice when the last open document is closed. Ctrl+O Launches the Open dialog to open a document. Ctrl+S Saves the current document.
Shortcut Keys Result Ctrl+H Opens the Find & Replace dialog. Ctrl+Shift+F Searches for the last entered search term. Ctrl+Shift+R Refreshes (redraws) the document view. Ctrl+Shift+I Shows or hides the cursor in read-only text. Selecting rows and columns in a database table opened by F4 Shortcut keys Result Spacebar Toggles row selection, except when the row is in edit mode. Ctrl+Spacebar Toggles row selection. Shift+Spacebar Selects the current column.
Shortcut keys Result Alt+Up/Down/Left/Right Arrow Moves the selected Drawing Object one pixel (in Selection Mode). Re-sizes a Drawing Object (in Handle Selection Mode). Rotates a Drawing Object (in Rotation Mode). Opens the properties dialog for a Drawing Object. Activates the Point Selection mode for the selected drawing object. Spacebar Select a point of a drawing object (in Point Selection mode) / Cancel selection. The selected point blinks once per second.
Appendix B Open Source, Open Standards, OpenDocument
Introduction LibreOffice is a productivity suite that is compatible with other major office suites and available on a variety of platforms. It is open source software and therefore free to download, use, and distribute. If you are new to LibreOffice, this appendix will provide some information regarding its history, its community, and some of its technical specifications. A short history of LibreOffice The OpenOffice.
How is LibreOffice licensed? LibreOffice is distributed under the Mozilla Public License (MPL) 2.0. See https://www.libreoffice.org/about-us/licenses/ What is “open source”? The four essential rights of open-source software are embodied within the Free Software Foundation’s General Public License (GPL): • The right to use the software for any purpose. • Freedom to redistribute the software for free or for a fee. • Access to the complete source code of the program (that is, the “blueprints”).
LibreOffice saves documents in OpenDocument Format by default. LibreOffice 3 adopted version 1.2 of the OpenDocument standard and LibreOffice 5 continues to use this standard. LibreOffice can also open and save many other file formats, as summarized below. For a full list of file formats that LibreOffice can read and write, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#Supported_file_formats OpenDocument filename extensions The most common filename extensions used for OpenDocument documents are: *.
Opening spreadsheets In addition to OpenDocument formats (.ods, .ots, and .fods), Calc can open the formats used by OpenOffice.org 1.x (.sxc and .stc) and the following spreadsheet formats: Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (.xls, .xlw, and .xlt) Microsoft Excel 4.x–5.0/95 (.xls, .xlw, and .xlt) Microsoft Excel 2003 XML (.xml) Microsoft Excel 2007/2010 XML (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xlts, .xltm) Microsoft Excel 2007/2010 binary (.xlsb) Lotus 1-2-3 (.wk1, .wks, and .123) Data Interchange Format (.dif) Rich Text Format (.
Opening formula files In addition to OpenDocument Formula (.odf) files, Math can open the format used by OpenOffice.org 1.x (.sxm), StarMath, (.smf), and MathML (.mml) files. When opening a Word document that contains an embedded equation editor object, if the option for it (MathType to LibreOffice Math or reverse) is checked in Tools > Options > Load/Save > Microsoft Office, the object will be automatically converted to an LibreOffice Math object.
Office Open XML Presentation (.pptx, .potm, .ppsx) Unified Office Format presentation (.uop) Impress can also export to MacroMedia Flash (.swf) and any of the graphics formats listed for Draw. Saving drawings Draw can only save in the OpenDocument Drawing formats (.odg, .otg, and .fodg), the OpenOffice.org 1.x formats (.sxd and .std) and StarDraw format (.sda, .sdd, and .vor). However, Draw can also export to BMP, EMF, EPS, GIF, JPEG, MET, PBM, PCT, PGM, PNG, PPM, RAS, SVG, SVM, TIFF, WMF, and XPM.
