Writer is the word processing component of LibreOffice. This presentation and introduction to LibreOffice Writer part 2 follows the first part.
In this section, we will explore the context menus, dialog boxes, different views of a document, as well as creating, opening, and saving a document.
Figure 1: Parts of Writer's main window
Context Menus (Right Click)
Context menus provide quick access to many menu functions. They open by right-clicking on a paragraph, chart, or other object. When a context menu opens, the available functions or options depend on the selected object. This can be the simplest way to access a function, especially if you are not sure where the function is located in the menus or toolbars.
Dialogs
A dialog box is a specific type of window. Its purpose is to inform you of something, or to ask for your input, or both. It provides commands that allow you to specify how to perform an action.
In most cases, you can only interact with the dialog box (not the document itself) while the dialog box remains open. When you close the dialog box (usually, clicking OK or a similar button saves your changes and closes the dialog box; clicking Cancel closes the dialog without saving changes), you can once again work with the document.
Some dialog boxes can remain open while you work, allowing you to switch between the dialog box and your document. An example of this type is the Find and Replace dialog box.
Document Views
Writer offers three ways to display and modify a document: Normal, Web, and Full Screen. To change views, go to the View menu and click on the desired view.
You can also choose View > Zoom > Zoom from the menu bar to display the Zoom and Layout dialog box, where you can set the same options as in the status bar.
You can also use File > Print Preview or press Ctrl + Shift + O to display the document, but this view does not allow editing. See “Page Preview” in Chapter 7, Printing, Exporting, Emailing.
Normal View
Normal view is the default view in Writer. It shows what the document will look like when printed or converted to PDF. In this view, you can use the zoom slider and view layout icons in the status bar to adjust the magnification.
In Normal mode, you can hide or show headers and footers and the space between pages. To hide them, uncheck View > Show Spaces in the menu bar. A checkmark next to this option indicates that spaces will be shown. When this option is unchecked, blank spaces, headers, and footers are also hidden in full-screen mode.
Web View
Web view shows what the document will look like when displayed in a web browser; this is useful when creating HTML documents. In Web mode, you can only use the Zoom slider. The View Layout icons in the status bar are disabled, and most choices in the Zoom and layout display dialog box are not available.
Full Screen View
In this view, no toolbars or sidebars are displayed; the document occupies the entire available area, using the previously selected zoom and layout settings. To exit Full Screen mode and return to Normal or Web mode, press the Escape key or click the Full Screen icon in the floating toolbar in the upper left corner. You can also use Ctrl + Shift + J to toggle Full Screen mode.
Creating a New Document
You can create a new blank document in Writer in several ways. If a document is already open in LibreOffice, the new document is created in a new window.
From the Operating System Menu
You can open the LibreOffice Start Center or the Writer component from the operating system menu the same way you launch other programs. When LibreOffice has been installed on your computer, in most cases, a menu entry for each component has been added to the system menu. On macOS, the LibreOffice icon can be found in the Applications folder. When you double-click this icon, LibreOffice opens in the Start Center (Figure 10).
From the Start Center
When LibreOffice is open but no document is open, the Start Center (Figure 10) is displayed. Click Create: Writer Document to create a new text document, or click Templates and choose a template to start a new document using a template other than the default template.
From the Menu Bar, Toolbar, or Keyboard
When Writer is open, you can also start a new Writer document in one of the following ways:
Press Ctrl + N.
Choose File > New > Text Document from the menu bar.
Click the New icon in the Standard toolbar.
Figure 10: LibreOffice Start Center
From a Template
A template is a set of predefined styles and settings that is used to create a new document. Templates make it easy to create multiple documents with the same default settings. For example, all chapters of the Writer Guide are based on the same template. As a result, all chapters look alike; they have the same headers and footers, use the same fonts, etc.
A fresh installation of LibreOffice may contain only a few templates, but you can create your own or download others from community extensions and other websites. See Chapter 10, Working with Templates.
To open the Template dialog, in which you can choose the template you want to use to create your document, do one of the following:
Press Ctrl + Shift + N.
Choose File > Templates > Manage Templates from the menu bar.
Choose File > New > Templates from the menu bar.
Click the arrow next to the New icon in the Standard toolbar and select Templates from the dropdown list.
The example shown in Figure 11 highlights a template in the Documents folder. Double-click on your desired template to create a new document based on that template. You can also right-click on one of the templates, then click Open. For more information about the Template dialog, see Chapter 10, Using Templates.
Figure 11: Creating a Document from a Template
Opening an Existing Document
You can open an existing document in several ways.
When no document is open:
Click Open File or Remote Files in the Start Center.
Choose File > Open or File > Open Remote in the menu bar.
Press Ctrl + O on the keyboard.
Click the Open icon in the Standard toolbar.
Double-click a thumbnail of the recently opened documents displayed in the Start Center. You can scroll up or down in the Start Center to locate a recently opened document.
If a document is already open:
Click the Open icon in the Standard toolbar and select the additional document to open in the Open dialog.
Click the small triangle to the right of the Open icon and select from a list of recently opened documents.
Use File > Recent Documents to make a selection.
Choose Open Document in the Quickstarter.
When using the Open dialog, navigate to the desired folder, select the desired file, and click Open. If a document is already open in LibreOffice, the second document opens in a new window.
You can narrow down the list of files in the Open dialog by selecting the type of file you are looking for. For example, if you choose Text Documents as the file type, you will only see documents that Writer can open. This method opens Word files (.doc and .docx) as well as other formats and OpenDocument (.odt).
You can also open an existing Writer document using the same methods you would use to open any document in your operating system.
If you have associated Microsoft Office file formats with LibreOffice, you can also open these files by double-clicking them in File Explorer. Check the LibreOffice help for more information about file associations.
Saving a Document
You can save a document using the Save or Save As commands.
Save Commands
Save a New File or Previously Saved File
Do one of the following:
Press Ctrl + S.
Choose File > Save from the menu bar.
Click the Save icon in the Standard toolbar.
If the file has not been previously saved, a Save As dialog appears after selecting one of the above options. Enter the filename, check the file type and location, and then click Save.
If a previously saved file is saved with the same filename, file type, and location, nothing further needs to be done.
Save on a Remote Server
Use this command if your document is already stored on a remote server or if you want to store it on a remote server. Choose File > Save Remote. When the Save As dialog appears, enter or verify the name, type, and location, and then click Save.
See “Opening and Saving Files on Remote Servers” on page 1 for more information.
Save a Copy
Use this command if you wish to keep the document open for further edits and also save a separate copy of the current version.
Choose File > Save a Copy. When the Save As dialog appears, enter or verify the name, type, and location, and then click Save. The copy is not opened, and the original file remains open and active.
Save All
Use this command to save all files open in the current session.
Choose File > Save All. All open files will be saved without modifying the name, type, or location.
Save As
Use this command if you want to save the current version as a new document by changing the name or file type, or by saving the file to a different location on your computer.
Choose File > Save As or use Ctrl + Shift + S to open a Save As dialog in which you can modify the name, type, or location of the file, and then click Save.
If you want to keep the original file, first save a copy as described above.
Note
LibreOffice uses the term "export" for certain file operations involving a change in file type, such as PDF and ePub. Refer to Chapter 7, Printing, Exporting, Emailing, for more information.
Auto-Saving a Document
You can choose for Writer to automatically save your document in a temporary file at regular intervals. To set up auto-saving files:
1) Select Tools > Options > Load/Save > General. (See also Chapter 20, Configuring Writer.)
2) Click Save AutoRecovery information every and set the time interval. The default is 10 minutes. Type the desired value by either typing it in or using the up or down arrow keys.
3) You can also select Always create backup copy.
4) Click OK to save the changes.
Saving as a Microsoft Word Document
To exchange files with Microsoft Word users, you can save a document in a format such as .docx.
1) Important: First save your document in the file format used by LibreOffice Writer, .odt. If you do not do this, the changes you made since the last save will only appear in the Microsoft Word version of the document.
2) Then click File > Save As.
3) In the Save As dialog, in the dropdown menu File Type, select the type of Microsoft Word format you need. You can also choose to change the filename.
4) Click Save.
From this point on, all changes you make to the document will only take place in the new document (Microsoft Word). If you want to return to working with the .odt version of your document, you must open it again.
Tip
To set the default file format that LibreOffice Writer uses to save files, go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General. In the section titled Default File Format and ODF Settings, next to Document Type, select Text Document, and then next to Always Save As, select your preferred file format.
Using Password Protection and OpenPGP Encryption
LibreOffice provides two types of document protection: password protection and OpenPGP encryption. Files encrypted with the backup password cannot be decrypted without the password, which must be sent to each user who needs to decrypt the document. With OpenPGP encryption, the document is encrypted using an algorithm that requires a key. Each key is used only once and is sent to the recipient along with the document.
Password Protection
Writer provides two levels of password protection: read protection (the file cannot be viewed without a password) and write protection (the file can be viewed in read-only mode but cannot be modified without a password). This allows you to make the content available for reading by one group of people and for reading and editing by a different group. This behavior is compatible with protection for Microsoft Word files.
To protect a document with passwords:
1) Use File > Save As when saving the document. (You can also use File > Save the first time you save a new document.)
2) In the Save As dialog, select the option Save with password in the lower-left corner (Figure 12), then click Save.
Figure 12: Save with Password and Encrypt with GPG Key options
3) The Set Password dialog opens (Figure 13). Here you have several choices:
To protect the document for reading, type a password in both the fields at the top of the dialog.
To protect the document for writing, click on the Options button and select Open file as read-only in the File Sharing Password section.
To protect the document for writing but allow selected people to edit it, select Open file as read-only and enter a password in both fields at the bottom of the dialog.
Figure 13: Two Levels of Password Protection
4) Click OK to save the file. If either password pair does not match, you will receive an error message. Close the message box to return to the Set Password dialog and re-enter the password.
Warning
LibreOffice uses a very powerful encryption mechanism that makes it nearly impossible to recover the contents of a document if you lose the password.
Changing or Removing the Password from a Document
When a document is password protected, you can change or remove the password while the document is open. Choose File > Properties > General and click the Change Password button.
OpenPGP Encryption
LibreOffice uses OpenPGP software installed on your computer. If no OpenPGP software is available, you will need to download and install one suitable for your operating system before you can use this option.
You need to set up a personal pair of encryption keys with the OpenPGP application. Refer to the installed OpenPGP software to learn how to create a key pair. For more information on using this form of encryption, consult the provided help.
OpenPGP encryption requires the use of the recipient’s public key; this key must be available in the OpenPGP keyring stored on your computer. To encrypt a document:
1) Choose File > Save As,
2) In the Save As dialog, enter a name for the file.
3) Select the Encrypt with GPG Key option (see Figure 12).
4) Click Save. The OpenPGP Public Key selection dialog opens.
5) Select the recipient’s public key. You can select multiple keys.
6) Click OK to close the dialog and save the encrypted file with the selected public keys.
Opening and Saving Files on Remote Servers
LibreOffice can open and save files stored on remote servers (that is, not on your computer or local network). This feature allows you to work on a document at the office and always have access to it from home or elsewhere. Storing files on a remote server also backs up documents, safeguarding data in case of computer loss or hard drive failure. Some servers are also capable of archiving and retrieving files, thereby controlling their usage and access.
LibreOffice supports many document servers that use well-known network protocols such as FTP, WebDav, Windows sharing, and SSH. It also supports popular services like Google Drive and Microsoft OneNote, as well as commercial and open-source servers that implement the OASIS CMIS standard. For more information, see the Getting Started Guide.
Quickly Moving Through a Document
Writer allows you to quickly move through a document and search for specific items using the Navigator and other tools.
Using Go to Page
You can access a specific page of the document in these ways:
Use the Go to page field at the top right of the Navigator (see below).
Use the Go to page dialog (Figure 8 on page Figure 8), which displays the current page number and the number of pages in the document. Type the destination page number in the text box and click OK. To open this dialog, do one of the following:
Click the page number field in the status bar.
Choose Edit > Go to Page from the menu bar.
Press Ctrl + G on the keyboard.
Using the Navigator
In a default installation of LibreOffice, the Navigator is part of the sidebar. It lists all titles, tables, text boxes, graphics, bookmarks, and other objects contained within a document.
To open the Navigator (Figure 14), do one of the following:
Click the Navigator tab in the tab bar on the right side of the sidebar.
Click the Navigator icon (if visible) in the Standard toolbar.
Press F5.
Choose View > Navigator from the menu bar.
Click the + sign or triangle to the left of a category or subcategory to display its content.
Table 1 summarizes the functions of the icons at the top of the Navigator.
Note
In a master document, the Navigator has different functions. See Chapter 16, Master Documents.
Figure 14: The Navigator in the Sidebar
Table 1: Function of Icons in the Navigator
1 Navigate by
Opens a dropdown list where you can select the type of item to navigate by.
2 Header/Footer
Jumps between the text area and the header or footer area (if the page has them).
3 Anchor <–> Text
Jumps between a footnote anchor and the corresponding footnote text.
4 Set Reminder
Inserts a reminder. See “Setting Reminders” on page 1.
5 Previous Next
Moves to the previous/next item of the selected type in the Navigate by dropdown list.
6 Go to Page
Moves to the page number entered in the field. Enter a page number or select it using the + and - signs.
7 Display Navigation in Content
Toggles between displaying all categories and displaying only the selected category.
8 List Box Enabled/Disabled
Toggles between showing or hiding the list box.
9 Levels of Titles Displayed
Choose the number of title levels to display.
10 Drag Mode
Select Insert as Hyperlink, Link, or Copy. See Chapter 3, Working with Text: Advanced.
11 Promote/Demote Level
Quickly change the selected title level in the document. See Chapter 3, Working with Text: Advanced.
12 Promote/Demote a Chapter
The Navigator offers several convenient ways to move through a document and search for items:
To access a specific page of the document, enter its sequence number in the field at the top of the navigator and press Enter. The sequence number may be different from the page number if you restarted the numbering at some point.
When a category is opened to display the list of items it contains, double-click an item to jump directly to that item's location in the document. For example, you can directly access a selected title, graphic, or comment using this method.
To view the content of a single category, highlight that category and click on the Content Navigation View icon. Click the icon again to display all categories. You can also modify the number of title levels displayed when showing titles.
Use the Previous and Next icons to access other objects of the selected type in the Navigate by dropdown list.
At the top left of the navigator is a Navigate by dropdown list. You can select an object type (such as a bookmark, table, or index entry) and then use the Previous (^) and Next (v) buttons to cycle through them. See Figure 15.
Note
A hidden section (or other hidden object) in a document appears gray in the navigator and displays the word “hidden” as a tooltip. For more information on hidden sections, see Chapter 6, Page Formatting: Advanced.
Figure 15: Navigate by List on the Navigator
Tip
Objects are much easier to find if you give them identification names when you create them. By default, LibreOffice gives objects names like Image1, Image2, Table1, Table2, etc. These names are assigned in the order objects are added to the document, which may not correspond to the object's location in the document.
You can rename objects after inserting them. For example, to rename an image, right-click its name in the Navigator, choose Image from the context menu, and then choose Image > Rename. The view jumps to the image (to show which it is), and a small dialog box appears. Type a new name for the image and click OK to save.
You can also right-click the image and select Properties. In the Image dialog, go to the Options tab, change the name, and click OK.
Setting Reminders
Reminders allow you to mark locations in your document that you want to return to later, for example, to add or correct information or simply to mark where you left off editing. Possible uses for reminders are limited only by your imagination.
To set a reminder at the current cursor location, click the Set Reminder icon in the navigator. You can set up to 5 reminders in a document; setting a sixth one removes the first.
Reminders are not highlighted in the document nor listed in the navigator, so you cannot see where they are, except that when you cycle through them, the cursor location indicates the reminder’s location.
To switch from one reminder to another, first select the Reminder option from the Navigate by dropdown list. Then click the Previous and Next icons.
Reminders are not saved with the document.
Undoing and Redoing Changes
To undo the most recent change in a document, press Ctrl + Z, choose Edit > Undo from the menu bar, or click the Undo icon in the standard toolbar. To see a list of all changes that can be undone, click the small triangle to the right of the Undo icon in the Standard toolbar. You can select multiple sequential changes from the list and undo them at once.
Figure 16: List of Actions that can be Undone
Once changes are undone, Redo becomes active. To redo a change, select Edit > Redo, or press Ctrl + Y, or click the Redo icon in the standard toolbar. As with Undo, click the down arrow icon next to the combination icon to see a list of changes that can be redone.
Reloading a Document
You may want to discard all changes made in an editing session since the last time you saved it. It can be difficult to undo each change or remember where the changes took place. If you are sure you do not want to keep the changes made since the last save of the document, you can reload the document.
To reload a document, go to File > Reload in the menu bar. A confirmation dialog asks if you want to discard all changes; choose Yes to revert the document to the last saved version.
Closing a Document
If only one document is open and you want to close that document, go to File > Close in the menu bar or click the X in the title bar. The X may be located on the right or left side of the title bar. On Windows and Linux, when you close the last document, LibreOffice completely shuts down. On macOS, you need to use LibreOffice > Quit LibreOffice.
If multiple documents are open and you want to close one, go to File > Close in the menu bar or click the X in the menu bar of that document's window. When only the last document is open, the X in the menu bar disappears. The X on the title bar remains.
If the document has not been saved since the last change, a message box appears. Choose whether to save or discard changes.
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