Re: [libreoffice-users] Style updates in Writer

Also to add to Virgil's explanation is what happens when copy/pasting 
text with the same style name or a new style name.

If you copy text from a document with style named "Default Style" into 
your working document, the text will inherit the attributes of the 
settings for Default Style in your working document. This can sometimes 
cause unexpected outcomes. If you want to preserve the attributes of the 
copied text, give the copied text a unique style name before copying it.

When you copy text from another document with a style that you don't 
have in your working document, that new style will be added to your 
working document. If you don't want to accumulate a whole bunch of new 
styles with lots of copy/paste;
set the style of the text you want to copy to a style you already have 
in your working document before copy or,
paste as unformatted text and the pasted text will inherit the style of 
the text at the insertion point.

Steve

On 02/02/18 09:59, Virgil Arrington wrote:
> Ian,
>
> I don't know your level of experience with styles, so forgive me if I
> tell you something you already know.
>
> I use the "Default Style" simply as a starting point for all my other
> styles. I rarely actually apply the "Default Style" to a given paragraph.
>
> LO's styles are hierarchical in nature, so that subordinate styles will
> share certain formatting characteristics of the parent style.
>
> Rather than use LO's built-in styles, I tend to create my own, so my
> style hierarchy looks something like this:
>
> Default Style
>       BodySingle (just like Default, but with a 1 pica empty space above
> the paragraph)
>           BodySingleIndent (just like BodySingle, but with no empty space
> above the paragraph, and the first line indented 2 picas)
>           BodyDouble (just like BodySingle, but with double spacing, and
> an indented first line)
>       Title (Usually a different font style and size and centered with
> spacing above and below the paragraph)
>
> Each subordinate style will inherit most formatting characteristics from
> the parent style, but then change one or two particular attributes. For
> example, BodyDouble will inherit its font (style and size) and margins
> from BodySingle, which, in turn, inherits those attributes from Default
> Style. If I change the font style or size in Default Style, then that
> change will apply to BodySingle, BodySingleIndent, and BodyDouble. It
> will not, however, affect my Title style as I control the font at that
> level.
>
> Likewise, BodyDouble has a unique formatting attribute. It is double
> spaced. So, if I change the line spacing in Default Style (say from
> single to 1.5 lines or to a proportional line spacing) that change
> *will* carry forward to BodySingle and BodySingleIndent (both of which
> share the line spacing of Default Style), but it will *not* affect the
> line spacing of BodyDouble, which will remain double spaced, because I
> set the line spacing for that style within BodyDouble itself.
>
> The key is to know which attributes are dictated by any given paragraph
> style and to make changes at the proper style within the hierarchy that
> it affects all of the paragraphs you want changed, and only those
> paragraphs.
>
> When making formatting changes to styles make sure you do it properly.
> Do not just put your cursor in a given paragraph and start changing
> formatting from the toolbar or the "properties" panel in the sidebar.
> That will result in "direct formatting," which will not change the
> style. Instead, make sure you right-click on the particular style you
> want to change in the style list (sidebar), and select "Modify." Any
> changes you make should affect that style and any subordinate styles
> that share the same attribute that is being changed.
>
> If it doesn't, then that most likely means you have direct formatting
> peppered in along with style-based formatting. If that is the case, then
> I would follow Steve's advice and select all of the text (Ctrl-A) and
> clear direct formatting (Ctrl-M). At that point, you should have all of
> your formatting controlled at the style level.
>
> I hope all this makes sense. It's easier to do than to explain.
>
> Virgil


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