Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

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jiggs18
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Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by jiggs18 »

I have quilt pattern zip files, each containing a PDF drawing of the pattern. I would like to create a 3 column, 2 row table and import these pdf files into each cell. I'm using OO 4.1.7 and Windows 10. Can it be done and if so, how?
Open office 4.1.7 on Windows 10
John_Ha
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by John_Ha »

Welcome to the forum.

There is no simple answer as it depends on what is in the PDF and what result you are looking for.

Please upload one of the PDF pattern files (or tell us where we can download it) and also a simple spreadsheet file showing a small example of the end result you are looking for.

Press POSTREPLY and use the Upload attachment tab below where you type (128 kB max); or use a file share site, Dropbox or Google Drive for a larger file.

If you just want a 3 x 2 grid of six "quilt patterns" that is probably quite easy.
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jiggs18
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by jiggs18 »

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G6BGV9 ... sp=sharing

Not sure is this is correct. Have never shared on google drive.
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Zizi64
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by Zizi64 »

Try to open the .pdf file in the Draw application, and copy the pictures into the another document.

The LibreOffice has the PDF import feature by default, but you must insttall it as an Extension for the Apache OpenOffice.
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by John_Ha »

See [Tutorial]How do I view or edit a PDF file with OpenOffice?.

There is just one image on the page so you need to copy out part of it.

1. Open PDF with Adobe Reader. Zoom to the required size.
2. Edit > Take Snapshot. Use the mouse - click at top left > drag to bottom right. Release. The shaded area is copied to the clipboard.
Clipboard02.gif
3. Ctrl+V in the text document - the image is pasted.
4. Resize if required by click the image > hold Shift and drag a green handle.

If required, crop after 2. using IrfanView or similar image editor.

If there had been individual images you could have

1. Open PDF with Adobe Reader
2. Edit > Take Snapshot. Left click on the image - this copies it.

See [Tutorial] Some useful hints on using images for how best to handle images.
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jiggs18
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by jiggs18 »

Thanks John. That's what I've been doing, however when I try to scroll to the next page, the images move and start to overlap each other. Sometimes when I scroll the scrolling won't stop until it gets to the end of the document pages.
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by robleyd »

I recommend that you read section 11 - Learn about Anchor and Wrap options - get it wrong and your images will keep moving - of [Tutorial] Some useful hints on using images that John_Ha linked above.
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Re: Importing PDF files into OpenOffice tables

Post by John_Ha »

jiggs18 wrote:when I try to scroll to the next page, the images move ...
What you are doing can be quite tricky as it can involve a lot of Writer features. If your images are a smaller than the cell it works simply and it is easy. If they are close to or larger than the cell size you can trip up and it rapidly gets rather complex.

As Robleyd says, see the tutorial (I think it is very good :D ) - each image should be anchored to its own anchor and only one image per anchor.

So, after you have copied the image to the clipboard left-click in the required table cell and go Ctrl+V. This ensures the pasted image is anchored inside that cell. If you drag in an image or insert an image by by Insert > Picture > From file ..., be sure to l-click first to tell Writer where it should go.

It seems that images in table cells get anchored to the top left corner of the cell irrespective of whether there is an End of Paragraph marker there. Set View > Non printing characters ..., to ON to see the End of Paragraph marks.

r-click the image > Picture > Wrap > set as Optimal.

Tables can seem to have a mind of their own - they often split and rows move to the next page. It may be useful to r-click inside the table > Row > Height > untick Fit to size so you control the row height yourself. Also check the table cell Gap to border value (Table > Select table > Properties > Borders ...) and the image Spacing to contents value (r-click image > Picture > Borders ...) as these both enforce gaps.
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