[Solved] Improvements for the Wiki - "Page Styles"

[Hagar Delest]

The page at https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... age_styles purports to explain how to use page styles. The first "bright idea" says "If you do not specify a page style, Writer uses the Default page style." However, a search on the page for the word "specify" does not provide any instructions on how one might specify a page style if one doesn't want "Default" to be the page style of the first page.

Is a post like this the best way to make suggestions for the improvement of the Wiki?

I would like to have a footer on all the pages other than the first page of my document. I found instructions that rely on the first page having a page style from which the footer can be removed. However, the first page seems to always have the "Default" page style, and if I remove it from "Default," I remove it from all the other pages.

I am planning to make a new page style called "Not1stPage" which will be a copy of "Default" for this reason. Once that is in place, I will have the "Next page style" be "Not1stPage," but it seems a backwards way to do it. Isn't there a more elegant way to set the first page to the built-in "first page" page style or add a footer to all but the first page?

Thanks!

[JeJe]

Place your cursor on the first page of your document

Using the sidebar open styles and formatting, click on page styles, choose "First page" from the list of styles.

If it doesn't change, click on a different style to change it to that and then back to "First page".

Right click on "First page" and modify the style to whatever you want it to be. Or select new and create your own page style and set it to that.

[dscotese]

Thanks!

Is there a way to get that into Wiki?

[JeJe]

The page looks to say how to do it but in more detail. I'm not familiar with how Wiki works - but there's a "discussion" tab for discussing that/other pages if you think it should be improved.

For your own use, once you have things as you want them you can create a template.

[Bill]

Is there a way to get that into Wiki?

It is in the Wiki, but it's in Chapter 4 (Formatting Pages), not in Chapter 7 (Working with Styles). The page you're looking at in Chapter 7 (Working with Styles) is introductory. There is a link on that page to Chapter 4 (Formatting Pages) which is where you need to look for more detailed information about page styles. That's where you will the instructions about applying the First Page style.

Defining a different first page for a document

[dscotese]

Does our community here have any contact with those who might improve the Wiki by altering the note that says "If you do not specify a page style, Writer uses the Default page style." so that "specify a page style" links to
Defining a different first page for a document

[robleyd]

The dev mailing list is one place you might try.

[Bill]

Does our community here have any contact with those who might improve the Wiki by altering the note that says "If you do not specify a page style, Writer uses the Default page style." so that "specify a page style" links to
Defining a different first page for a document

I disagree. "Specify a page style" is a general statement. "Defining a different first page for a document" is a specific task where the user has to specify a page style, but that is not the only task . Another user could just as easily want to improve "specify a page style" by linking it to "defining different page styles for chapters" or "defining different page styles for front matter". The link you're wanting to add is the link that I posted here because it was related to your specific task, not because it was related to "specify a page style" in general.

[DiGro]

Added a link to Chapter 4 Formatting Pages to the note in question.

First Note on the page.
https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/OOoAuthors_User_Manual/Writer_Guide/Working_with_page_styles

[dscotese]

Thanks! That definitely helps.

In testing, however, I discovered that if you follow the instructions:
1. Go to Chapter 4
2. Find the https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... ing_styles link in the menu on the right and click it.
3. Find link 3 in the menu (https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... a_document) and click it.
4. Open and modify the "First Page" style and then save it.

... and then you proceed to insert the footer ONLY for "Default" page style, the first page still has the footer.
After extensive testing, it seems that this is because there is an instruction missing from the directions above which applies the "First Page" style to the first page:
5. If the Styles and Formatting box isn't still open, re-open it and double-click "First Page" in order to add this page style to your document.

In fact, the specific question of how to specify a page style other than "Default" isn't answered yet. It has a very simple answer which is probably why no one thought it was necessary:

To use the "First Page" style for your document, you must open "Styles and Formatting," choose the "page styles" button, and then double-click "First Page." (Note 1 This will set the page styles of all other pages according to the "Next" property of the page style applied to the previous page, so "Default" unless you have already changed the "Next" property of "FIrst Page.") (Note 2 Double-clicking any other page style will set all pages in the document between the previous and next manual page-breaks that hardcode a new stye (including the first, but excluding the last) to something consistent with the "Next" property of other page styles.

The page style of the page you're on is always displayed along the bottom of the Writer Window.

[Bill]

In fact, the specific question of how to specify a page style other than "Default" isn't answered yet.

Maybe the problem is with the word "specify". Maybe it should be changed to "specify (apply)", "specify/apply" or simply "apply" and linked to the first section of Chapter 7 which is "Applying styles".

[DiGro]

Changed accordingly.