Undo Solid Line Across Page

[CaptainMaestro]

I may be on the wrong page as I am a new user (so be kind).

At the end of a draft paragraph, I pushed Return (on mac/Enter on pc) and on that new line I hit the dash key about 5 or 6 times hoping to just put 5 or 6 dashes between that previous paragraph and the new one I was about to write (because they weren't going to be sequential in the finished paper and I wanted to find it easier later), but when I hit Return(Enter) again to go to a new line to begin my writing, the dashes turned into a full solid line across the page. I tried to backspace/delete it, but no luck. I tried to highlight it and Delete it, but no luck. Then I hit return again to go two new lines down, but it kept adding new solid lines across the page each time I hit Return. Why does it do that and once it does, how can I get rid of that line? HELP!

[robleyd]

G'day, and welcome to the community forum.

A search of the forum for solid line would lead you to (among others) this post with solutions.

[CaptainMaestro]

Thank you for the reply. It partly answered my post (it told how to undo it).
However, the second unanswered part is just as important. And that is....Why, when I downloaded OpenOffice app, is this one of the "Default" settings? It should not be, as all of my other word processing apps I've used over the years have not had this similar problem occur. Did the programmers HAVE to do this to avoid a suit by Microsoft or something? Or did they let it slip though the debugging betas by accident?

[RoryOF]

However, the second unanswered part is just as important. And that is....Why, when I downloaded OpenOffice app, is this one of the "Default" settings? It should not be, as all of my other word processing apps I've used over the years have not had this similar problem occur. Did the programmers HAVE to do this to avoid a suit by Microsoft or something? Or did they let it slip though the debugging betas by accident?

Every program designer makes choices. If you frequent this forum, you will observe that any choice that is not that desired by a User is frequently deemed a bug or "non-intuitive". Remember that Microsoft made choices when they designed their Office suite - that you may be used to those from Microsoft or other suites does not set them in stone. The beauty of computing is that one can select what one wants to use or not use as the default. All one has to do is read the manual and make an informed selection when learning to use an application.

Manuals are linked off this page
OpenOffice Documentation

Also, if immediately you got the cross page line, you pressed Ctrl Z, the line would have been undone and you would have been returned to your inserted markers.

[John_Ha]

See [Tutorial] Automatic functions in Writer - enable / disable

As a new poster you will find much useful information in the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials, the up to date Writer guide and the Writer Manual. May I suggest you bookmark the pages.

As a Mac poster be sure to read the Mac FAQ at viewforum.php?f=17

Press F1 to access the Help screen and search for your problem

The chapter headings in the manual are:

1 - Introducing Writer
2 - Setting up Writer
3 - Working with Text
4 - Formatting Pages
5 - Printing, Exporting, Faxing and E-Mailing
6 - Introduction to Styles
7 - Working with Styles
8 - Working with Graphics
9 - Working with Tables
10 - Working with Templates
11 - Using Mail Merge
12 - Tables of Contents, Indexes and Bibliographies
13 - Working with Master Documents
14 - Working with Fields
15 - Using Forms in Writer
16 - Customizing Writer – Keyboard shortcuts.

When a pop-up window opens, click the Help button for extensive help on that function - it is often more comprehensive than the manual.

[CaptainMaestro]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. I will check out the suggestions.