[Solved] Custom captions with mixed text formatting

[mmendez534]

Hi,
Here is what I need to do.
When I insert a picture I would like to insert a caption for it but so far it seems it has to be a special kind. It needs to have mixed formatting, it should read like this:

Figure 1.Description of Figure 1.

I need the "Figure 1." to be bold and the "Description of Figure 1." to be regular, and I also need a box around everything.

If a caption does not work thats fine as long as I can draw a box around the picture and the text I will write as the caption.

Thanks a lot,
Manuel Mendez

[pitonyak]

When the figure is inserted, especially when inserted automatically, it will not have special formatting. When I desire special formatting such as this, I manually inset the formatting after I insert the caption. If absolutely needed, you could do something annoying like write a macro to set the formatting you desire. Even though I am very good at writing macros, I usually format things manually using Character Styles if I desire this in my captions.

[mmendez534]

could you give me any pointers on how to go about doing my own formatting, so far I could not figure out how to make a box around the picture and the text that I would use as the "caption"

[Hagar Delest]

There is also the AutoText feature: insert a table for example (to have the borders you need), with one column and 2 rows. In one of the rows, insert the caption and format it the way you want. For the number, use a Number range field (CTRL+F2, Variables tab). Type a fake description after the bold part. Select the table and Insert>AutoText, give a name, a shortcut and button AutoText>New (or something like that).

Then, when you need such caption, just type the shortcut as text and hit F3, if you've used the field for the number, it will update automatically.

[Bill]

Hi,
Here is what I need to do.
When I insert a picture I would like to insert a caption for it but so far it seems it has to be a special kind. It needs to have mixed formatting, it should read like this:

Figure 1.Description of Figure 1.

I need the "Figure 1." to be bold and the "Description of Figure 1." to be regular, ...

This can be done by modifying Autocaptioning options and the Caption paragraph style. Select Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Writer > Autocaption. Check the box to turn on autocaptioning for OpenOffice.org Picture. In the Category box, change "Illustration" to "Figure" (changes the caption label). In the Character style box, change "None" to "Strong emphasis" (makes the label bold). Check the option to Apply border and shadow (applies the border specified in the Graphics frame style to the combined picture and caption) then click OK to close the dialog.

If you want regular typeface instead of italic in the caption, you need to modify the Caption paragraph style. Press F11 to open the Styles and Formatting window. Click the first icon at the top of the window to select Paragraph styles. Select "All Styles" from the drop-down list at the bottom of the window. Right-click on the Caption paragraph style in the list of styles and select Modify. On the Font tab of the Paragraph Style dialog, change the typeface from Italic to Regular then click OK to close the dialog.

...and I also need a box around everything.

This can be done by modifying the Graphics frame style which is used for pictures. In the Styles and Formatting window (F11), click the third icon at the top to select Frame styles. Right click the Graphics style and select Modify. On the Borders tab of the Frame Style dialog, click the second default line arrangement which will place lines on all sides of the picture. You can also change the line style and the spacing between the lines and the picture.

[mmendez534]

Thanks everyone for helping me out.
Bill your method worked great, thanks. I would like to invite you to help me out with related question in the hope that you will be able to solve that one as well.

Manny