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3.2 Word Processing with Writer
OpenOffice.org Writer is a full-featured word processor with
page and text formatting capabilities. Its interface is similar
to interfaces for other major word processors, and it includes some
features that are usually found only in expensive desktop publishing
applications.
This section highlights a few key features of Writer. For
more information about these features and for complete instructions
for using Writer, look at the OpenOffice.org help or any of the
sources listed in Section 3.8, Finding Help and Information About OpenOffice.org.
NOTE:Much of the information in this section can also be applied
to other OpenOffice.org modules. For example, other modules use
styles similarly to how they are used in Writer.
3.2.1 Creating a New Document
There are two ways to create a new document:
To create a document from scratch, click .
To use a standard format and predefined elements for your
own documents, try a wizard. Wizards are small utilities that let
you make some basic decisions then produce a ready-made document
from a template. For example, to create a business letter, click .
Using the wizard's dialogs, easily create a basic document using
a standard format. A sample wizard dialog is shown in Figure 3-2.
Enter text in the document window as desired. Use the toolbar
or the menu to adjust the appearance of
the document. Use the menu or the relevant
buttons in the toolbar to print and save your document. With the
options under , add extra items to your
document, such as a table, picture, or chart.
3.2.2 Sharing Documents with Other Word Processors
You can use Writer to edit documents created in a variety
of other word processors. For example, you can import a Microsoft
Word document, edit it, and save it again as a Word document. Most Word
documents can be imported into OpenOffice.org without any problem.
Formatting, fonts, and all other aspects of the document remain
intact. However, some very complex documents—such as documents
containing complicated tables, Word macros, or unusual fonts or
formatting—might require some editing after being imported.
OpenOffice.org can also save in many popular word processing formats.
Likewise, documents created in OpenOffice.org and saved as Word
files can be opened in Microsoft Word without any trouble.
So, if you use OpenOffice.org in an environment where you
frequently share documents with Word users, you should have little
or no trouble exchanging document files. Just open the files, edit
them, and save them as Word files.
3.2.3 Formatting with Styles
OpenOffice.org uses styles for applying consistent formatting
to various elements in a document. The following types of styles
are available:
Table 3-4 About the Types of Styles
|
Paragraph |
Applies standardized formatting to the
various types of paragraphs in your document. For example, apply
a paragraph style to a first-level heading to set the font and font
size, spacing above and below the heading, location of the heading,
and other formatting specifications. |
|
Character |
Applies standardized formatting for types
of text. For example, if you want emphasized text to appear in italics,
you can create an emphasis style that italicizes selected text when
you apply the style to it. |
|
Frame |
Applies standardized formatting to frames.
For example, if your document uses sidebars, you can create frames
with specified graphics, borders, location, and other formatting
so that all of your sidebars have a consistent appearance. |
|
Page |
Applies standardized formatting to a
specified type of page. For example, if every page of your document
contains a header and footer except for the first page, you can
use a first page style that disables headers and footers. You can
also use different page styles for left and right pages so that
you have bigger margins on the insides of pages and your page numbers appear
on an outside corner. |
|
List |
Applies standardized formatting to specified
list types. For example, you can define a checklist with square
check boxes and a bullet list with round bullets, then easily apply
the correct style when creating your lists. |
Opening the Styles and Formatting Window
The window (called
the in earlier versions of OpenOffice.org),
is a versatile formatting tool for applying styles to text, paragraphs,
pages, frames, and lists. To open this window, click > . OpenOffice.org comes with several predefined styles.
You can use these styles as they are, modify them, or create new
styles.
HINT:By default, the window
is a floating window; that is, it opens in its own window that you
can place anywhere on the screen. If you use styles extensively,
you might find it helpful to dock the window so that it always present
in the same part of the Writer interface. To dock the window, press Control while
you double-click on a gray area in the window. This tip applies
to some other windows in OpenOffice.org as well, including the Navigator.
Applying a Style
To apply a style, select the element you want to apply the
style to, and then double-click the style in the window. For example, to apply a style to
a paragraph, place the cursor anywhere in that paragraph and double-click
the desired style.
Using Styles Versus Using Formatting
Buttons and Menu Options
Using styles rather than the menu
options and buttons helps give your pages, paragraphs, texts, and
lists a more consistent look and makes it easier to change your
formatting. For example, if you emphasize text by selecting it and
clicking the button, then later decide you
want emphasized text to be italicized, you need to find all of your
bolded text and manually change it to italics. If you use a character
style, you only need to change the style from bold to italics and
all text that has been formatted with that style automatically changes
from bold to italics.
Text formatted with a menu option or button overrides any
styles you have applied. If you use the button
to format some text and an emphasis style to format other text,
then changing the style does not change the text that you formatted
with the button, even if you later apply the style to the text you
bolded with the button. You must manually unbold the text and then
apply the style.
Likewise, if you manually format your paragraphs using > ,
it is easy to end up with inconsistent paragraph formatting. This
is especially true if you copy and paste paragraphs from other documents
with different formatting.
Changing a Style
Styles are powerful because you can change formatting throughout
a document by changing a style, rather than applying the change
separately everywhere you want to apply the new formatting.
-
In the window, right-click the style you want
to change.
-
Click .
-
Change the settings for the selected
style.
For information about the available settings, refer to the
OpenOffice.org online help.
-
Click .
Creating a Style
OpenOffice.org comes with a collection of styles to suit many
users’ needs. However, most users eventually need a style
that does not yet exist. To create a new style:
-
Right-click
in any empty space in the window.
Make sure you are in the list of styles for the type of style
you want to create. For example, if you are creating a character
style, make sure you are in the character style list.
-
Click .
-
Click .
-
Name your style and choose the settings
you want applied with that style.
For details about the style options available in any tab,
click that tab and then click .
3.2.4 Using Templates to Format Documents
Most word processor users create more than one kind of document.
For example, you might write letters, memos, and reports, all of
which look different and require different styles. If you create
a template for each of your document types, the styles you need
for each document are always readily available.
Creating a template requires a little bit of up-front planning.
You need to determine what you want the document to look like so
you can create the styles you need in that template. You can always change
your template, but a little planning can save you a lot of time
later.
A detailed explanation of templates is beyond the scope of
this section. However, more information is found in the help system,
and detailed how-tos are found at the OpenOffice.org
Documentation page.
Creating a Template
A template is a text document containing only the styles and
content that you want to appear in every document, such as your
address information and letterhead on a letter. When a document
is created or opened with the template, the styles are automatically
applied to that document.
To create a template:
-
Click > > .
-
Create the styles and content that you
want to use in any document that uses this template.
-
Click > > .
-
Specify a name for the template.
-
In the box,
click the category you want to place the template in.
The category is the folder where the template is stored.
-
Click .
3.2.5 Working with Large Documents
You can use Writer to work on large documents. Large documents
can be either a single file or a collection of files assembled into
a single document.
Navigating in Large Documents
The Navigator tool displays information about the contents
of a document. It also lets you quickly jump to different elements.
For example, you can use the Navigator to get a quick overview of
all images included in the document.
To open the Navigator, click .
The elements listed in the Navigator vary according to the document
loaded in Writer.
Click an item in the Navigator to jump to that item in the
document.
Creating a Single Document from Multiple
Documents
If you are working with a very large document, such as a book,
you might find it easier to manage the book with a master document,
rather than keeping the book in a single file. A master document enables
you to quickly apply formatting changes to a large document or to
jump to each subdocument for editing.
A master document is a Writer document that serves as a container
for individual Writer files. You can maintain chapters or other
subdocuments as individual files collected in the master document. Master
documents are also useful if multiple people are working on a document.
You can separate each person’s portion of the document
into subdocuments collected in a master document, allowing multiple
writers to work on their subdocuments at the same time without fear
of overwriting other people’s work.
NOTE:If you are coming to OpenOffice.org from Microsoft Word, you
might be nervous about using master documents because the master
document feature in Word has a reputation for corrupting documents.
This problem does not exist in OpenOffice.org Writer, so you can
safely use master documents to manage your projects.
To create a master document:
-
Click > .
or
Open an existing document and click > > .
-
Insert subdocuments.
-
Click > .
The OpenOffice.org help files contain more complete information
about working with master documents. Look for the topic entitled “Using
Master Documents and Subdocuments.”
HINT:The styles from all of your subdocuments are imported into
the master document. To ensure that formatting is consistent throughout
your master document, you should use the same template for each
subdocument. Doing so is not mandatory; however, if subdocuments
are formatted differently, you will probably need to do some reformatting
to successfully bring subdocuments into the master document without
creating inconsistencies. For example, if two documents imported
into your master document include different styles with the same
name, the master document will use the formatting specified for
that style in the first document you import.
3.2.6 Using Writer as an HTML Editor
In addition to being a full-featured word processor, Writer
also functions as an HTML editor. Writer includes HTML tags that
can be applied as you would any other style in a Writer document.
You can view the document as it will appear online, or you can directly
edit the HTML code.
Creating an HTML Document
-
Click > > .
-
Click the arrow at the bottom of the window.
-
Select .
-
Create your HTML document, using the
styles to tag your text.
-
Click > .
-
Select the location where you want to
save your file, name the file, and select from
the list.
-
Click .
If you prefer to edit HTML code directly, or if you want to
see the HTML code created when you edited the HTML file as a Writer
document, click > .
In HTML Source mode, the list
is no longer available.
NOTE:The first time you switch to HTML Source mode, you are prompted
to save the file as HTML, if you have not already done so.
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