Category: Advanced Word Processing

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To run a macro, click on ‘Tools’ from the main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down menu, click on ‘Macros’, and from the sub-menu which gets displayed, click on ‘Run Macro’. This will open the ‘Macro Selector’ dialog box.
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In this dialog box, in the ‘Library’ field, we have the list of all the libraries. Select the appropriate library and also the required module from that library. This will display the name of the macros present in that module in the ‘Macro Name’ field. Select the appropriate macro name and then click on ‘Run’. This will run the selected macro.

Assign a macro to a custom button on a toolbar.

To assign a macro to a custom button on a toolbar, click on ‘View’ from the main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down menu, click on ‘Toolbars’, and from the resulting sub-menu, click on ‘Form Controls’. This will open the ‘Form Controls’ dialog box. In this dialog, first of all click on the ‘Design Mode On/Off’ button. This will enable all the other buttons.

After this, click on ‘Push Button’. The mouse pointer will change to a ‘+’ sign. Drag anywhere on the document to create a ‘Push Button’.

After this, right click on the newly created button and from the resulting menu, click on ‘Control’. This will open the ‘Properties’ dialog box.

In this dialog, under the ‘Events’ tab, we have different actions. Click on the ‘…’ button in front of the action to which you want to assign the macro. This will open the ‘Assign Action’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, under the ‘Assign’ field, click on the ‘Macro’ button. This will open the ‘Macro Selector’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, select the appropriate macro which needs to be assigned to this button. After selecting, click on ‘OK’. This will bring back the ‘Assign Action’ dialog box. Here also click on ‘OK’. This will bring back the ‘Properties’ dialog. Close this dialog and the selected macro will get assigned to the newly created button.
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Record a simple macro like: change page setup, insert a table with a repeating heading row, insert fields in document header, footer.

A macro is a saved sequence of commands or keystrokes that are stored for later use. The LibreOffice macro language is very flexible, allowing automation of both simple and complex tasks. Macros are especially useful to repeat a task the same way over and over again.
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To learn how to record a simple macro, we need to take a simple example. Here we are going to create a macro for inserting fields into a document header.

To record a macro, first of all we have to make sure that macro recording has been enabled for the document. This can be checked by clicking on ‘Tools’ from the main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down, click on ‘Options’. This opens the ‘Options’ dialog box. In this dialog box, under ‘LibreOffice’, we have an option ‘Advanced’. Here we have a checkbox called ‘Enable macro recording (limited)’. This checkbox must be checked in order to be able to record macros in Writer.

After the macro recording has been enabled, go to the page where the field to the header needs to be inserted. Now click on ‘Tools’ from the main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down, click on ‘Macros’ and from the resulting sub-menu, click on ‘Record Macro’. This will open the ‘Record Macro’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, we have a ‘Stop Recording’ button. Once this dialog is open, start working on inserting a field to the page header. Once you are finished, click on ‘Stop Recording’. This will open the ‘LibreOffice Basic Macros’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, select the location where you want to save the macro. Here we are going to select the name of the document, which is ‘Untitled1.ods’. Under this name we have the ‘Standard’ library. In this library create a new module by clicking on the ‘New Module’ button. After creating the module, click on the module name and enter a new name for the macro under ‘Macro Name’. After entering the name, click on ‘Save’. This will save the macro.
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Create, modify, insert, and delete automatic text entries.

Automatic text entry means that a particular word will get automatically inserted into the document when only a pre-defined shortcut for that word is typed. This means that we can define shortcuts for some lengthy and often used words and then can write those words into the document without actually writing the whole word and only typing the shortcut.
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For example, rather than typing ‘Senior Management’ every time you use that phrase, you can set up an AutoText entry to insert those words when you type ‘sm’ and press F3.

To create an AutoText entry, type the text into your document and then select the text. Now click on ‘Edit’ from the main menu bar and from the resulting menu click on ‘AutoText’. This will open the ‘AutoText’ dialog box.

In the ‘AutoText’ dialog, type a name for the AutoText in the ‘Name’ text box. Writer will suggest a one-letter shortcut, which you can change. In the large box to the left, choose the category for the AutoText entry, for example ‘MyAutoText’.

Click the ‘AutoText’ button at the bottom of the dialog and select from the resulting menu either ‘New’ (to have the AutoText retain specific formatting, no matter where it is inserted) or ‘New (text only)’ (to have the AutoText take on the existing formatting around the insertion point). Click ‘Close’ to return to your document.

To insert AutoText, type the shortcut and press F3.

This is how AutoText works in Writer.

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Create, modify, and delete automatic text correction entries.

Automatic text correction means that a particular word will get automatically replaced with another word. This is very useful when we want to avoid using a particular word or when we commonly misspell a word regularly. In such cases we can replace the unwanted word with the wanted one using automatic text correction.
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To apply automatic text correction in Writer, click on ‘Tools’ from the main menu bar and from the resulting menu, click on ‘AutoCorrect Options’. This will open the ‘AutoCorrect’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, under the ‘Replace’ tab, we have a list of different options. In the ‘Replace’ text box we can write the word which we want to be replaced and in the ‘With’ text box we can write the word with which we want to replace the other word.

After writing both the words, click on ‘New’. The auto correct entry will get saved and will get displayed in the large white area in this dialog box. This is how we can create a new auto correct entry.

To modify an entry, simply click on that entry from the list from the large white area and then make the changes and then click on ‘Replace’. This will modify the auto correct entry.

To delete an entry, simply select the entry and then click on ‘Delete’. This will delete the selected entry.

After making all the changes, click on ‘OK’. This will save the changes to the document.

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Apply automatic text formatting options.

Automatic text formatting means that the text keeps on getting formatted automatically while we are typing the text into a Writer document. This means that when we type any text in a Writer document, then this text gets formatted automatically according to a pre-defined set of rules.
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To apply automatic text formatting, we simply need to define these rules. To apply automatic text formatting in Writer, click on ‘Tools’ from the main menu bar and from the resulting menu, click on ‘AutoCorrect Options’. This will open the ‘AutoCorrect’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, under the ‘Options’ tab, we have a list of different formatting options. All these options have a couple of checkboxes which control whether these options will be applied while modifying existing text or while typing new text. The respective checkboxes can be checked as per the requirements and thus the required formatting rules can be set.

After setting all the rules, click on ‘OK’. This will apply the selected auto text formatting options to the document.

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Embed data into a document as an object.

One of the most amazing features of Writer is that it enables us to embed data into a document as an object. This means that we can insert any form of data, say a spreadsheet or a chart or a drawing or any other type, into a document as an object and then work with this data.
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To embed data into a document as an object, click on ‘Insert’ from the main menu bar and from the resulting menu, click on ‘Object’. This will display a sub-menu from where you need to click on ‘OLE Object’. This will open the ‘Insert OLE Object’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, we have two views which can be opened with the help of two radio buttons. These are ‘Create new’ and ‘Create from file’. The ‘Create new’ view is used to create a new data object while using ‘Create from file’; we can create an object from an already existing file.

In the ‘Create new’ view, we just need to select the type of data file we need to insert into the document under ‘Object Type’ and then click on ‘OK’. The selected data file will get inserted into the document as an object.

In the ‘Create from file’ view, under ‘File’, choose the file which you need to embed as an object. The ‘Search’ button can be used to browse to that particular file. The ‘Link to file’ checkbox can be checked if you also want to create a link to the original document. After selecting all the values, click on ‘OK’. The selected file will get embedded into the document as an object.

Edit, delete embedded data.

As we saw in the last section, there are two ways to embed a data object into a writer document. To create a new data object or to embed an existing file as a data object. To edit or delete embedded data for a newly created data object, we simply need to double-click on the data object. This will bring the data object into its native form. This means that if the data object was a spreadsheet it will start looking like a spreadsheet.

After this, edit or delete the data in the data object as is normally done. When you next save the document, your changes will get saved.

Though the same does not apply to a data object created from an existing file. To edit or delete a data object which has been created from an existing file, you need to edit the original file. After making changes to the original file, when the Writer document will be next saved, the changes will get reflected in the data object.
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Insert, edit, and remove a hyperlink.

Hyperlinks are used to jump to a different location from within a document and this location can be in the same file, in different files and also some websites.

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To insert a hyperlink, click on ‘Insert’ from the main menu bar, and from the resulting drop-down menu, click on ‘Hyperlink’. This will open the ‘Hyperlink’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, we have four options in the left hand side of the dialog. These are ‘Internet’, ‘Mail & News’, ‘Document’ and ‘New Document’. Under ‘Internet’, we can create a hyperlink to jump to a website. The website URL can be entered in the ‘Target’ field.

Under ‘Mail & News’, we can create a hyperlink for sending an email. The email ID and the subject for the email can be set here under the ‘Recipient’ and ‘Subject’ fields.
Under ‘Document’, we can create a hyperlink for jumping to an already existing document. The path for this document can be browsed to by using the ‘Path’ field.

Under ‘New Document’, we can create a hyperlink for creating and opening a new document. The file name and file type can be specified under the ‘File’ and ‘File Type’ fields.
There are a number of other options as well which can be set as per the requirements. This is how we can insert a hyperlink in Writer.

To edit a hyperlink, first of all select the hyperlink. Now click on ‘Insert’ from the main menu bar, and from the resulting drop-down, click on ‘Hyperlink’. The ‘Hyperlink’ dialog box will get opened with the selected hyperlink already open in the dialog. You can make changes to the hyperlink here and then click on ‘Apply’. This will save the changes. After this, click on ‘OK’. The changes will get reflected in the document.

To remove a hyperlink, select the hyperlink and then click on ‘Delete’ button from the keyboard. This will delete the hyperlink.
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Modify a template.

A template is simply a format based on which a new document will get created in Writer. There are a number of templates which are already present in Writer and if we want to have our own template or make changes to one of the existing ones then this can be achieved easily in Writer.
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To modify a template in Writer, click on ‘File’ from main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down, click on ‘New’, and from the sub-menu, click on ‘Templates’. This will open the ‘Template Manager’ wizard.

Under the ‘Documents’ tab, click on ‘My Templates’ or any of the other folders in case you have stored your templates in the other folders. This will open the templates which you have stored in that particular folder.

Now to modify a template, click on that template to select it. This will make a row of icons visible above the template.

Among the icons, click on ‘Edit’ and this will open the document template in Writer. Make all the required changes which need to be made and finally click on ‘Save’ from the ‘File’ button of the main menu bar to save your changes.

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Create, modify a form using available form field options: text field, check box, drop-down menu.

We all know what forms are. They help in presenting the data in a better and more efficient way, they are used in a variety of domains, and the best part is we can create highly interactive and useful forms using Writer.
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To create a form using available form field options, click on ‘View’ from the main menu bar. From the resulting drop-down menu, click on ‘Toolbars’, and from the resulting sub-menu, click on ‘Form Controls’. This will open the ‘Form Controls’ dialog box. In this dialog, first of all click on the ‘Design Mode On/Off’ button. This will enable all the other buttons.

After this, click on any of the controls, say ‘Push Button’. The mouse pointer will change to a ‘+’ sign. Drag anywhere on the sheet to create a ‘Push Button’. The push button will get created in the document. In the same way we can create other fields like a text box, a check box or a drop down menu.

We can insert as many fields as required and design our form accordingly. This is how we can create a form in Writer.

Add help text to a form field: visible on status bar, activated by F1 Help key.

To add help text to a form field, right click on any of the newly created buttons and from the resulting menu, click on ‘Control’. This will open the ‘Properties’ dialog box.
In this dialog, under the ‘General’ tab, we have different options. In the ‘Help text………’ input box, enter the help text which you want to be visible for that particular button. After entering the help text, simply close the ‘Properties’ dialog box.

Now the help text which you just entered will be visible when we hover over that particular form field.

Protect, unprotect a form.

A form is nothing but a simple Writer document. So to protect a form, we need to protect our document. The simplest method to do this is to make the document read-only. To do this, click on ‘File’ from the main menu bar, and from the resulting menu, click on ‘Properties’. This will open the ‘Properties’ dialog box.

In this dialog box, under the ‘Security’ tab, we have a checkbox ‘Open file read-only’. Check this checkbox and then save the document. Next time when the document will be opened then it will be opened as a read only document and no one will be allowed to make changes to your form.

This is how we can protect a form.

To unprotect a form, simply uncheck the ‘Open file read-only’ checkbox.

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