Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

In Word, my font and paragraph formatting units are set in points (e.g. font size, paragraph spacing) but the units for my page margins are in inches. This works for me, but from what I've seen so far, it seems I have to select only one 'unit' (inches, points, picas, etc.) for all me formatting options in OO.

I'm wondering, is there a way that I can set up my formatting options in OO the same way, so I can use points for the units for my font and paragraph formatting and use inches for my page margin formatting?

Best, David

For font sizes go to Tools>Options>OpenOfficeWriter>Basic Fonts(Western). Apache OpenOffice does a lot with Styles so to set up the Page and Paragraph Styles go to F11

Measurement units - go Tools > Options > OO Writer > General ..., and select as required.

It is well worth while looking at all the available options while you are there.

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.

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.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

YODA wrote:For font sizes go to Tools>Options>OpenOfficeWriter>Basic Fonts(Western). Apache OpenOffice does a lot with Styles so to set up the Page and Paragraph Styles go to F11

John_Ha wrote:Measurement units - go Tools > Options > OO Writer > General ..., and select as required.

Okay, so as I was saying, I want to use different measurements for my page margins (inches) and for my paragraph settings - paragraph spacing, line spacing, etc (in points).

And I took everyone's advice and went to the settings, but as far as I can tell, if I change the page margin units to inches, it also changes the paragraph units to inches, which is exactly what I don't want to do. (The font units are in points, which is fine.)

So, so far none of the advice is correct or is working for me. I suspect then that there is no way to use different units for my page margins and my paragraph settings (unless of course I go back to using Word).

David.

Okay, so as I was saying, I want to use different measurements for my page margins (inches) and for my paragraph settings - paragraph spacing, line spacing, etc (in points).

And I took everyone's advice and went to the settings, but as far as I can tell, if I change the page margin units to inches, it also changes the paragraph units to inches, which is exactly what I don't want to do. (The font units are in points, which is fine.)

You can write a macro for fast switching between the two measurements. You can use it before you want to adjust the margin propety in an applied page style or others.

Set to use your most generally used measurement system. When you wish to enter settings using a different system, you can override this by specifying the measurement unit, i.e. if your page dimension is set in inches and you want margins in points, enter the margin settings as (say) 36 pts (or 1.5 cm, or twips or whatever) OO will automatically convert these to the unit in use.

But the conversion between units is trivial - it is a matter of simple mental arithmetic.

Either follow Zizi64's advice (see [Tutorial] How to record a macro (and Regular Expressions)) or just get used to it.

Otherwise you can set the values in the desired unit in Libreoffice Writer. Just type-in the value of the property (in the desired unit), then delete the appeared unit string, and finally type-in the desired unit string: mm, cm, pt...
Hit Enter (or push the Apply button of the style dialog).
The LibreOffice will not show the value what you typed-in, but it will convert the value into the unit that was set in the Options, and will be appered the original unit instead of the typed one.

I just tested it with the default paragraph style:
I have adjus the Spacing - Before paragraph value of the style to "20" and the unit to "pt" - with a space between the value and the unit: 20 pt.
After pushing the Apply button, the Writer shows "0,71 cm". That equals to 20 pt.
And tried it by typing "1 inch": the Writer shows "2,54 cm". That equals to 1 inch.

RoryOF wrote: ... When you wish to enter settings using a different (units), you can override this by specifying the measurement unit, i.e. if your page dimension is set in inches and you want margins in points, enter the margin settings as (say) 36 pts ... (OO will automatically convert these to the unit in use.

The bottom line is, OO does not let me set different units for different functions (i.e page margins and paragraph settings).

However, what Rory described about is an acceptable work-around, so thanks.

You may find it easiest to work in inches (in.) and in points (pts). There are 72 points in an inch and the conversions from inches to points and contrariwise are simple.

Sorry, I had not read Rory's post.