Anchor in Templates

Using them, Making them, Finding them
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Skyhighnemo
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Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 8:12 pm

Anchor in Templates

Post by Skyhighnemo »

Hello,
I have been using OO for over many years now, so I only have struck one problem I am unable to fix, apart from the continued crashes of the latest version. More crashes in this version than all the other versions I have used put together.
I have ceated a lable for a custom label layout. However, the template is OK.. the graphic fits, but only one graphic. The anchor is fixed at the first lable position (3 columns x 6 down rows) and everytime I either input a new graphic, or copy/paste from the first one to any other of the 17 positions, it always drops the current graphic position onto the first lable position. Even if I try and C/P from the first position (massive amounts of copy on top of each other) if i try and drop that and paste one of those copies in any of the other 17 locations.. it always drops into back into the #1 position where the anchor is located. Ideally I would like to be able to locate the anchor on each of the 18 label positions and not at the begining of the page only. This means to me that it is a page position anchor and not a positional anchor to locate each label.


Thank you,

Skyhighnemo
OpenOffice 4.1.5 Windows 10/64
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RoryOF
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by RoryOF »

I don't answer about your anchor query, but a recent Windows 10 update caused many crashes with OO. It is reported that a more recent update fixed the problem, so I suggest you tell Win 10 to update completely

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Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15 on Xubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
John_Ha
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by John_Ha »

Please upload a small file showing the problem so that it can be analysed. Use the Upload attachment tab below where you type (128 kB max); or use a file share site, Dropbox or Google Drive for a larger file.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
Skyhighnemo
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 8:12 pm

Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by Skyhighnemo »

RoryOF wrote:I don't answer about your anchor query, but a recent Windows 10 update caused many crashes with OO. It is reported that a more recent update fixed the problem, so I suggest you tell Win 10 to update completely

.
Hello,
I went from 4.1.3 with no problems to 4.1.5 with massive crashes (10 to 12 times a day). Unless Microsoft snuck one in on me (and I am not surprised) during the update, my Win10/64 was the same, as that day onwards until the other day I have not updated Win10/64 for the last update. I am not a fan of updates unless there is a significant problem. Why fix a rolling wheel?? If it isn't broke.. don't fix it.

Skyhighnemo..

PS I just a few minutes ago downloaded 4.1.6. Hopefully it is more stable.
OpenOffice 4.1.5 Windows 10/64
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RoryOF
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by RoryOF »

Forum experience is that Windows 10 sneaks in updates; causing a full update may solve your problem, according to reports. But it is your decision.
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15 on Xubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
John_Ha
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by John_Ha »

You do need to do a little maths. AOO has been downloaded by some 200,000,000 people. You say it repeatedly crashes for you but no-one else reports this.

Do you think the problem lies with the AOO software the other 199,999,999 people find is OK? Or do you think that, just possibly, the problem might lie with your installation or your unique PC configuration?
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
Skyhighnemo
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 8:12 pm

Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by Skyhighnemo »

John_Ha wrote:You do need to do a little maths. AOO has been downloaded by some 200,000,000 people. You say it repeatedly crashes for you but no-one else reports this.

Do you think the problem lies with the AOO software the other 199,999,999 people find is OK? Or do you think that, just possibly, the problem might lie with your installation or your unique PC configuration?
Hi John_Ha,
Remarkably, version 4.1.6 has not crashed yet.. after a weekend of use. However, version 4.1.5 did frequently. Who cares now as it is old news. This was the only version (4.1.5) for many years of use that I had this problem with.

What is the original problem is the anchor situation locking into the first and only label position. I have sent you the layout and the label graphic as per your request. What did you see happening?

Thank you,

Skyhighnemo
OpenOffice 4.1.5 Windows 10/64
John_Ha
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by John_Ha »

Skyhighnemo wrote:I have sent you the layout and the label graphic as per your request. What did you see happening?
I have received nothing. Please upload an example file here.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
Skyhighnemo
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 8:12 pm

Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by Skyhighnemo »

John_Ha wrote:
Skyhighnemo wrote:I have sent you the layout and the label graphic as per your request. What did you see happening?
I have received nothing. Please upload an example file here.
Hello John_Ha
Please find attached ODT file and label.


Thank you

Skyhighnemo
Attachments
The 1.25"x2.375" label
The 1.25"x2.375" label
AOO Background -test -01.png (29.31 KiB) Viewed 8412 times
AOO Test Label File-01.odt
Template with 1.25"x2.375" labels
(78.64 KiB) Downloaded 376 times
OpenOffice 4.1.5 Windows 10/64
John_Ha
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Re: Anchor in Templates

Post by John_Ha »

Skyhighnemo wrote:apart from the continued crashes of the latest version. More crashes in this version than all the other versions I have used put together.
AOO is very stable. If you are getting multiple crashes there is a problem on your PC.

Strange problems are sometimes fixed by resetting the profile - see Resetting the user profile.

Your file is over complicated - you have 18 tables and 18 text frames and the paragraph returns are all over the place. It would take too long to correct your file - you need to start again. Go View > Non printing characters ..., to see what I mean.

There is nothing special or mysterious about a template file. It is a normal .odt file but instead of being named fred.odt, it is named fred.ott. The only difference is when AOO opens the file it reads the .ott and names the file Untitled 1 which forces you to give it a new name when you save it.
Press F5 to bring up the Navigator.  Dock it to the left as shown.  Click buttons to open/close Navigator.
Press F5 to bring up the Navigator. Dock it to the left as shown. Click buttons to open/close Navigator.
First decide what you are making.

Are you making "address labels" where you pull in addresses from a spreadsheet or database into the Fields in the document? If so, read Chapter 11 - Using Mail Merge thoroughly and follow the instructions there. Either use a built in label template or design your own. See attached label template with Fields for the addresses.

Are you making "business cards" where each is identical? If so, you can use Mail Merge but that is overcomplicated. Instead, just create one table and type your text in each cell as required. Now drag (not copy/paste) the image (which should be saved as a JPG) to each cell and set Wrap to In background.

If you want curved corners, add text frames over the top. Or you could do away with the table and just add 18 Text frames but read the caution in the tutorial about anchoring more than one item to a single anchor - use plenty of carriage returns as anchors.

See [Tutorial] Some useful hints on using images for a discussion on how best to handle images in Writer. Be sure to understand the Anchor and Wrap options.

You could create a Page Background (Format > Page > Background > As..., set to Graphic) with 21 of your images - use the Image > Create tiled image ..., in Irfanview to create the file. See attached file.

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.

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.
Attachments
background.odt
File with page background
(69.82 KiB) Downloaded 364 times
labels template.ott
(20.35 KiB) Downloaded 377 times
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
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