Re: [libreoffice-users] Style updates in Writer

On Thursday, 1 February 2018 20:59:43 GMT 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.
Thanks Virgil, more information is always a big help. My biggest bit of me being clueless was the 
not knowing that direct formatting was overriding the style because if I highlighted a paragraph 
and it had the same style/font/size setting, it looked like a style and i couldn't work out why it 
wouldn't change when i change the style setting.
> 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.
I think i need to get a graphical representation printed out and stuck about my monitor.

> Rather than use LO's built-in styles, I tend to create my own, so my 
> style hierarchy looks something like this:
I like to stick to the standard one but change the font etc i don;t do enough writing to justify 
creating a new set for myself. 
> 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.
I think this is where i went wrong. Is there an obvious indicator that shows its direct formatting 
as opposed to a style? It would be handy when picking up someone else's document (which is what 
happened here)

> 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.
Yes, I'm going to do that now i know it exists.

> I hope all this makes sense. It's easier to do than to explain.
Great explanation, thanks a lot for your time. 
> Virgil
regards

Ian
>


-- 
opensuse:tumbleweed:20180130
Qt: 5.10.0 KDE Frameworks: 5.42.0 - KDE Plasma:  5.11.95 - kwin 5.11.95
kmail2 5.7.1 - akonadiserver 5.7.1 - Kernel:  4.14.15-1-default  - xf86-video-nouveau:  1.0.15




-- 
To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscribe@global.libreoffice.org
Problems? https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
Posting guidelines + more: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: https://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted