Adjust Settings

Abstract

Use magnification/zoom tools

Full screen

If you wish to work with a presentation without having the object bar, toolbar, menu bar or scrollbars displayed, use Full screen mode. In this mode, the document will be displayed as it will be printed.

  1. Switch off the ruler using View->Ruler. If you wish to see the ruler in full screen mode, leave this step out.

  2. View->Full screen or press Shift-Ctrl-J (Hold down both the Shift and Ctrl keys and press J.)

To return to normal viewing

  1. Press the Full screen on/off icon or press Shift-Ctrl-J .

  2. Switch on the ruler using View->Ruler if necessary.

Use zoom

To change the zoom in Drawing mode:

  1. View->Zoom.

  2. Set the zoom factor or select Variable and enter a % value.

  3. Click OK.

  4. Click Entire page to display the complete slide on the screen.

Display, hide built-in toolbars

To view or hide toolbars

  1. View->Toolbars

    This will display a list of toolbars. The toolbars that are ticked are those that are currently displayed. Each of the options in the submenu functions as a toggle.

  2. To display a hidden toolbar or hide a displayed toolbar, click the appropriate item.

[Note] Note

A toggle is a menu item or icon that reverses the current status. For example, if the Function bar is displayed, View->Toolbars->Function Bar will hide it. On the other hand, if it is hidden then the same sequence will cause it to be displayed.

Modify basic options/preferences in the application: user name, default directory/folder to open, save presentations

When you start OpenOffice.org, it makes certain assumptions as to who is creating the documents, where you wish to save documents, the language you wish to use. These are the default conditions.

The basic options are set using:

  • Tools->Options

This will display the Options dialogue. Since OpenOffice.org is a highly integrated application, many of the options will apply to all the programs in the suite while others are more specific. Which type of option is found in which section is clear from their names.

User data

When Writer creates a document, it stores the name of the creator of the document. It also stores other information along with this. To set the default user name:

  1. Tools->Options

  2. Click the + symbol next to OpenOffice.org to expand the options.

  3. Click User data.

  4. Fill in which ever options you wish.

  5. Click OK.

File locations

When you open or save a file, Writer will use the location you set in Options as a starting point. This will be the path that will be displayed in the Open and Save as dialogues.

To set the default file locations:

  1. Tools->Options

  2. Click the + symbol next to OpenOffice.org to expand the options.

  3. Click Paths.

    This will display the default paths Writer will use for a wide range of options. The following screen shows the display when you are using Linux.

    The following screen shows the display under Windows.

  4. Double click My documents.

  5. Navigate to the desired directory / folder in the usual way.

  6. Click Select when done.

    [Note] Note

    Terminology: The terms directory and folder can be used interchangeably. Linux prefers the term directory whereas Windows prefers the term folder.

  7. Expand the Presentation option.

For example, you might wish to switch off Autopilot when Impress starts. You could do this by unchecking the Start with Autopilot option in the New Document area of the previous dialogue.