Introduction to LibreOffice 4.3
LibreOffice 4.3 is the 8th major version of the free office suite announced by The Document Foundation since the project's inception in September 2010. This application is the result of the combined efforts of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of developers. It has reached a level of maturity that makes it suitable for every type of deployment.
This version focuses on practical improvements for everyday office work. It includes better document interoperability, more complete comment management, more intuitive spreadsheet usage in Calc, and support for animated 3D models in Impress on supported systems.
LibreOffice 4.3 offers a wide range of enhancements and new features, including:
- Document interoperability: improved support for OOXML, support for 30 new Excel formulas, support for MS Works spreadsheets and databases, and Mac file formats such as ClarisWorks, ClarisResolve, MacWorks, SuperPaint...
- Comment management: comments can now be printed in the document's margin, imported, and exported - including nested comments - in ODF, DOC, OOXML, and RTF, for better productivity and collaboration.
- Intuitive spreadsheet usage: Calc now allows for more intuitive multitasking, thanks to smart formula highlighting in cells, displaying the number of selected rows and columns in the status bar, and the ability to start editing a cell with the content of the one above...
- 3D Models in Impress: support for animated 3D models in the new open format glTF, as well as initial support for Collada and KMZ files found in Google Warehouse, to add new looks and animations for presentations (support for this feature is available for Windows and Linux versions only).
- LibreOffice 4.3 now supports "monster" paragraphs exceeding 65,000 characters.
Key LibreOffice 4.3 features
The features listed for LibreOffice 4.3 cover several common office tasks: opening and exchanging documents, reviewing shared files, working with spreadsheets, and preparing presentations. The improvements are useful in contexts where documents move between different formats or applications.
| Feature area | What LibreOffice 4.3 adds | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Document interoperability | Improved support for OOXML, 30 new Excel formulas, MS Works spreadsheets and databases, and Mac file formats such as ClarisWorks, ClarisResolve, MacWorks and SuperPaint. | Helps users open, edit and exchange documents that come from different office tools or file formats. |
| Comment management | Comments can be printed in the document's margin, imported and exported, including nested comments, in ODF, DOC, OOXML and RTF. | Supports review workflows where several people add remarks or corrections to the same document. |
| Calc spreadsheet usage | Smart formula highlighting in cells, display of selected rows and columns in the status bar, and editing a cell with the content of the one above. | Makes spreadsheet editing clearer when working with formulas, ranges and repeated content. |
| Impress 3D models | Support for animated 3D models in glTF, with initial support for Collada and KMZ files found in Google Warehouse. | Adds new visual elements and animations to presentations on Windows and Linux versions. |
| Long paragraphs | Support for "monster" paragraphs exceeding 65,000 characters. | Allows handling of very long text blocks when such documents are encountered. |
Document interoperability in LibreOffice 4.3
LibreOffice 4.3 improves support for OOXML and adds support for 30 new Excel formulas. This is useful when working with documents and spreadsheets exchanged with users of other office suites. The version also supports MS Works spreadsheets and databases, as well as several Mac file formats such as ClarisWorks, ClarisResolve, MacWorks and SuperPaint.
These interoperability improvements help maintain access to office documents created in different environments. They are especially relevant when a file must be opened, reviewed, edited or converted without losing the ability to continue working on its content.
Comment management and collaboration
Comment management is improved in LibreOffice 4.3. Comments can now be printed in the document's margin. They can also be imported and exported in ODF, DOC, OOXML and RTF. Nested comments are included in this support.
This makes document review easier to follow. When comments are kept during import and export, users can continue a review process while preserving the remarks attached to the document. Printing comments in the margin also helps when a paper copy is needed for reading or correction.
Calc spreadsheet improvements
Calc in LibreOffice 4.3 provides more intuitive spreadsheet usage. Smart formula highlighting in cells helps users identify formulas more easily while editing a spreadsheet. The status bar can display the number of selected rows and columns, which gives immediate feedback when selecting a range.
The ability to start editing a cell with the content of the one above can also speed up repeated data entry. These changes support common spreadsheet tasks such as checking formulas, selecting data ranges and filling similar values.
3D models in Impress
Impress in LibreOffice 4.3 supports animated 3D models in the new open format glTF. It also includes initial support for Collada and KMZ files found in Google Warehouse. This feature is designed to add new looks and animations for presentations.
Support for this feature is available for Windows and Linux versions only. When used in presentations, animated 3D models can provide additional visual material alongside slides, text, images and other presentation elements.
Support for very long paragraphs
LibreOffice 4.3 now supports "monster" paragraphs exceeding 65,000 characters. This feature concerns documents that contain exceptionally long blocks of text. It allows such paragraphs to be handled within the office suite when they appear in a document.
The complete list of new features and enhancements in LibreOffice 4.3 can be found here: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/4.3
FAQ about LibreOffice 4.3
What is LibreOffice 4.3?
LibreOffice 4.3 is the 8th major version of the free office suite announced by The Document Foundation since the project's inception in September 2010.
What document formats are mentioned for LibreOffice 4.3 comments?
For comment management, LibreOffice 4.3 mentions import and export support in ODF, DOC, OOXML and RTF, including nested comments.
What spreadsheet improvements are included in Calc?
Calc includes smart formula highlighting in cells, the display of the number of selected rows and columns in the status bar, and the ability to start editing a cell with the content of the one above.
Does LibreOffice 4.3 support animated 3D models in Impress?
Yes. Impress supports animated 3D models in the glTF format, with initial support for Collada and KMZ files found in Google Warehouse. This feature is available for Windows and Linux versions only.
Where can the complete LibreOffice 4.3 release notes be found?
The complete list of new features and enhancements is available at https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/4.3.
Conclusion
LibreOffice 4.3 brings enhancements focused on document interoperability, comment management, Calc spreadsheet usage, 3D models in Impress and support for very long paragraphs. These features extend the office suite while preserving the practical tools needed for writing, reviewing, calculating and presenting documents.
