Document Formatting
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Document Formatting

Abstract

Change document orientation to portrait or landscape.

Change paper size

Normally we print across the short side of a page as, for example, on the page you are reading. This orientation of the page is called portrait. We can alter the page layout so that we print across the long side of the paper. This is called landscape. The next screen illustrates the two orientations.

Writer also has to have information about the size of the paper you will be using for printing in order to be able to format the document correctly. Usually we use A4 size. There might be times when you use smaller paper, such as A5, or larger paper, such as A3. The printer you use will impose restrictions on the size of paper. Paper size can be set at the same time as orientation.

Change orientation and paper size of current page layout

  1. Format->Page.

  2. Click the Page tab.

  3. Click either the Portrait or Landscape radio button to set the desired orientation.

  4. Set the paper size to a standard size by clicking on the Format drop down window or enter a custom size using the Width and Height windows.

  5. Click OK.

[Note] Note

This will set all the pages of the document up to the point where a page break with a new style has been inserted. If you wish to use different page orientations within the same document, you will need to make use of page styles.

Change the page orientation and paper size in a style

  1. Format->Stylist

  2. Select Page styles.

  3. Right click on the style you wish to change and click Modify in the context menu.

  4. Click the Page tab.

  5. Set the paper size to a standard size by clicking on the Format drop down window or enter a custom size using the Width and Height windows.

  6. Click either Portrait or Landscape and click OK.

Change margins of entire document, top, bottom, left, right

The margins refer to the space at the top, bottom and sides between the printed area and the edge of the paper. There is actually a small area around the edge of the paper that cannot be printed on. The margins are actually the distance between the printing and the edge of the non-printable area.

The margins can be set at the same time as the paper orientation.

  1. Format->Page.

  2. Click the Page tab.

  3. Set the Left, Right, Top and Bottom margins (see the previous screen capture of the dialogue window).

  4. Click OK.

The margins can be set in a style in exactly the same way as the paper orientation.

Insert, delete a page break in a document

When you reach the end of a page, Writer automatically inserts a page break and puts additional text on the following page. This is called an automatic or soft page break. If you insert text on a page, Writer will automatically adjust the position of the soft page break.

Insert page break

You may also insert a manual or hard page break at any point where you wish to force Writer to end a page. This is done by pressing Ctrl+Enter.

When you insert a hard page break using Ctrl+Enter, Writer will automatically use the current page style on the next page.

Delete page break

Display hidden characters by pressing , on the Main toolbar.

  • Delete the page break by deleting the character at the end of the paragraph.

Insert page break and change style

You will often need to change certain features of new pages such as headers, footers, margins and orientation. In order to do this you need to make use of styles. You will first need to create a style for each set of pages. Once you have your styles defined, you can insert a page break and change to a new page style at the same time.

  1. Insert->Manual break. This will display the following dialogue.

  2. Click the Page break radio button.

  3. Click on the Style drop down window and select a style for the new page.

  4. Click OK.

You will see how to change headers and footers within a document using styles in the next section.

Add, modify text in Headers, Footers

Headers and footers are text that is displayed at the top and bottom of each page. Once the header or footer has been defined, Writer will automatically insert it on every page of the current style.

Insert a header

  1. Insert->Header

    Depending on the existing styles, you will see different menus. The one on the left is what you will see in the case of a simple document where there are no styles. The second will be displayed where the document contains a number of page styles.

    For the time being, we will assume a situation as on the left.

  2. Click Default.

    This will display a header region. In this you can type and format your heading. You will only need to do this once. Writer will automatically insert this header at the top of each page.

  3. Enter and format the text of the header as shown, for example, on the next screen.

  4. Click on the body of the page when done.

Insert a footer

Footers are inserted in exactly the same way, except to start the process:

  • Insert->Footer

Change a header within a document

Suppose you are writing a book. At the top of each page you wish to insert the chapter number and title.

First you need to create a style for chapter 1.

  1. Format->Stylist

  2. Select Page styles.

  3. Click Default.

  4. Click New from Selection.

  5. Call the style Chapter 1.

  6. Double click on the Chapter 1 style.

  7. Insert->Header->Chapter 1.

  8. Create your header.

  9. Click Update style and close the Stylist dialogue.

At this point you would type up the text of chapter 1. When you are ready to start the next chapter:

  1. Make sure the cursor is in Chapter 1. (This will ensure that Chapter 1 is the current style.)

  2. Format->Stylist

  3. Select Page styles.

  4. Click New from Selection.

  5. Call the style Chapter 2.

    At this stage you have created a new style called Chapter 2 which is identical to the Chapter 1 style.

  6. At the end of chapter 1: Insert->Manual break.

  7. Click the Page radio button.

  8. Click the Style drop down window and select Chapter 2.

  9. Click OK.

    This will insert a hard page break with the new page having the Chapter 2 page style.

  10. Edit the header in chapter 2.This will automatically change the Chapter 2 style.

Change a footer with a document

The process for changing a footer is essentially the same as that for changing the header.

Add fields in Headers, Footers: date, page number information, file location

Certain information such as the current page number, date and file information can be added to the headers or footers.

Insert page numbers into headers or footers

  1. Position the cursor at the point in the header or footer where you wish to insert the page number.

  2. Insert->Fields->Page numbers

Insert other information into a header or footer

Other information such as date, time and number of pages can be inserted in exactly the same way as shown on the screen capture.

[Note] Note

Note that the date and time inserted will be fixed and will reflect the date and time the header or footer was created.

Insert variable date or time into headers and footers

To enter a date or time that will reflect the current date or time in a header, the process is slightly longer.

  1. Position the cursor at the point in the header or footer where you wish to insert the page number.

  2. Insert->Fields->Other

  3. Click the Document tab.

  4. Click Date in Type.

  5. Click Date in Format.

  6. Select an appropriate date format in Format.

  7. Click Insert.

A variable time can be inserted in exactly the same way.

Insert a file name and path into a header or footer

  1. Position the cursor at the point in the header or footer where you wish to insert the page number.

  2. Insert->Fields->Other

  3. Click the Document tab.

  4. Click File name under Type.

  5. Select the appropriate Format.

  6. Click Insert.

Insert page numbers with an offset

Normally the first page of the current document starts at 1. You can however add to or subtract from this number. The value you add to the page numbering is called the offset. Suppose you wish the first page of the current document to start at 10 rather than 1. This means the offset must be 9.

  1. Position the cursor at the point in the header or footer where you wish to insert the page number.

  2. Insert->Fields->Other

  3. Click the Document tab.

  4. Click Page under Type.

  5. Click Page numbers under Select.

  6. Enter the appropriate value in Offset , for example 9.

  7. Click Insert.

Insert file location

This is a very useful feature of Headers and Footers as it allows you to insert the path of the document so that if it is necessary for another person to edit it they will be able to easily locate the file.

  1. Position the cursor at the point in the header or footer where you wish to insert the file location.

  2. Insert->Fields->Other

  3. Click the Document tab.

  4. Click Filename under Type.

  5. Click Path/File name under Format.

  6. Click Insert.

Apply automatic page numbering to a document

Automatic page numbering is accomplished by inserting the page number field in either a header or footer as described in the previous section.

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