[Solved] Odd shape Placeholder

[Hagar Delest]

SOS

please help, I need to have a place holder in the shape of a ellipse. Further, give the ellipse the abilty to change its size.

Any help would be really appreciated.

many thanks

Mike

PS I have been hitting my head against the wall trying to make this happen.

[acknak]

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you're doing/looking for, but you can insert graphic shapes by first enabling the Drawing toolbar: View > Toolbars > Drawing: ON. Click on the ellipse tool and drag until you have the shape and size you want, then release the mouse button. You can click & drag to change its position; click to select, then click and drag on any of the green handles to change the size/shape.

[mikesydwest]

Hi acknak, I trying to make a place holder into a shape, (placeholder is only square or rectangular), the shape I am wanting, is in this case is an ellipse, I want to show a photo of my family members in this placeholder.
BTW thanks for the response.

[acknak]

This older discussion includes some steps you can try:
https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/v ... 19#p118219

[mikesydwest]

Thanks mate, your help is appreciated, wish me luck, as I will need all I can find.

[mikesydwest]

Good day

tried that out,
Here is another way, which will not distort the image:
1. Insert the Image DONE
2. Copy the Image DONE
3. Deselect DONE
4. Insert the Image. Now you should have two of the images stacked exactly one over the other. DONE
5. Draw your circle, ellipse, heart or whatever shape you like over the image. DONE
6. Select the your drawing, hold down the shift-key and select the image. Two objects are selected now. DONE
7. Tools > Combine. You will see nothing, but now you have created a Bézier curve. I have no "Combine" in tools drop down
8. Edit > Select all.
9. Tools > Combine. Now you get your shape showing only a part of the image.

The edge of the shape is a Bézier curve. If you switch to point editing mode, you can change the shown part afterwards by manipulating the points.

[mikesydwest]

Did you try this, the tools > combine button does not exist on my toolsbar

[acknak]

Sorry! My bad. The steps give are for OO Draw; as you found, they aren't available in OO Writer.

However, you can create the shaped image in OO Draw and then copy & paste it into OO Writer. In Writer you can still adjust the size and position, but you have to create the graphic in Draw.

[mikesydwest]

thanks acknak, I will try this, it would be good if someone would make an elliptical placeholder for me.

[DiGro]

Something like this ?

See attachment

[keme]

Another approach for placeholder would be this attached file, where the image can be inserted later. The page contains a section of Writer's "dummy text". The placeholder is an elliptical object "anchored to page" with 98% transparency, which probably renders it invisible on most screens. Make it 100% transparent to ensure that there is no shade of it in print, but then you must drag it by the edge...

The object's text wrap is set to "around", which makes each line jump from one side of the object to the other. This sometimes works for narrow objects, but makes for a terrible reading experience in this case. I recommend using columns, or keep the placeholder to one side of the page and use "optimal wrap".

[mikesydwest]

Thanks DiGro and keme,

Digro - I was able to open that and it looks good, just need to be able to change the image, is that possible.

keme, please explain how I can insert the image into the ellipitical object, (make it simple please I am at a bit slow with this stuff LOL), once it anchored. luckily the shape is away from any text in my case. and do I make this in Draw or Office ?

Hmm just wondering, is there anyway of sitting this on or in a toolbar as a choice of a placeholder

Thanks again, the help is wonderful

[mikesydwest]

here is typical example of what I am trying to acheive, I have several templates to do this similar layout on.

the more explanation the better for me, getting old and slow

[mikesydwest]

Hi all,

I have had success - just a few buttons and found the area to change the image. thanks to you all for your help.

very much appreciate it

Mike