Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

Perhaps someone who understands can help?

Until early this month of March'20, I could start to pour my thoughts onto a page with no regard for formatting. Then, suddenly, a double-press of the Enter key (creating a blank line between paragraphs) caused the line I was leaving turn bold and big font; it also crunched up against the previous paragraph. It would correct with a few judicious CTRL-Z presses, but that put me back where I started. I discovered that line had become a Heading (usually, but not always, Heading 1). The immediately next lines had become Text Body. I pushed F11 to try to modify the Paragraph Styles and and how have both Heading 1 and Text Body set to identical parameters as Default. For each, the Next Style window reads Default. For each, the Linked With window reads -None-. Somehow in the last few days, highlighting a text in a colored font, then hitting Default, changes every selected letter to black. Also, if the line upon which I double-press the Enter key has italicized words, they always revert to Regular. Selecting all that I have written and pressing Default in the F11 window is the only way to fix the spacing and abnormal fonts, then I need to go back to find/fix all italics that had been un-italicized, but by then of course, my train of thought has been totally derailed.

Three questions, please:
--A: was there a program update or some extraneous reason for this sudden change in Writer behavior?
--B: is it more likely that I inadvertently caused this with a sleepy-headed keypress in some configuration file?
--C: HOW DO i FIX THIS, PLEASE?

John

There was no change and it is most probably something you inadvertently typed or clicked which caused it.

Check Tools > Customise > Keyboard ..., for keyboard shortcuts - eg Ctrl+1 sets a Heading 1.

Possibly in /Tools /Autocorrect Options : Options tab "Apply Styles" has become checked or unchecked. This setting can also be reached through /Format /Autocorrect /Autocorrect options. That setting will only apply to the typing of new text.

But using Writer without knowledge of Styles is a bad idea,

The file referenced in this posting gives an overview
Structure Instructions

This document give detailed instruction on the use of style, their modification and their application:
Writer for students (several languages)

John_Ha, thank you, but that's not it. I Reset all to the originals and still have this behavior.

However, something new. I find that short lines --half the page width-- always produce this effect I'd described. When I copy the same text, and paste it to create a nearly full page-width line, the paragraph remains in Default. All is normal. This happens no matter where the paste is made on that line. When the line is shortened again from either side, the same paragraph-changing anomaly occurs.

It does not change with modifications to the paragraph style. There is no CTRL/SHFT/ALT hotkey that could affect it. There is no Auto Correct option I can find that would do this. I have been through OpenOffice, Language Settings, and Writer settings under Options and can find nothing that affects this behavior.

I can't help but be convinced there is a line of code in here causing this. If I had the skill, I'd look for it. Would you be in a position to know if there was any update made earlier this month?

John

RoryOF, that may have done it! With that box unchecked, I cannot reproduce the problem. I will test this extensively in the next several hours.

Thank you,

John

With the option mentioned by Rory turned on, pressing Enter twice does turn the previous paragraph into a heading with Heading 1 style.

Johnb3 wrote:HOW DO i FIX THIS, PLEASE?

Go to Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Options. Click the Help button and read the section about the "Apply Styles" option.

Thank you, all. I see now that I need to study this software much more than I had. AutoCorrect, in particular, is much more powerful (and intrusive) than I had imagined. Your time (and, Rory, your links) are greatly appreciated.

John

One can turn off the autocorrect or selected aspects of it if one wishes. If one doesn't, and gets the line, an immediate Ctrl Z will undo it. That line comes in different styles depending on the three "punctuation" characters used (experiment!)