[SOLVED] Libre blitzes formatting

[RoryOF]

Trying to move from open office apache to libre. Formatting is totally mauled although correct fonts are all installed.
Running on Ubuntu MATE. Same issue on LMDE MATE.

[RoryOF]

Please upload sample files, both from OpenOffice and LibreOffice. Otherwise, we are guessing in the dark.

A quick first guess - check that both applications are using the same Page size - one might be US Letter, the other A4.

[Bill]

I opened two copies of the same document with AOO 4.1.6 and LO 6.1.5.2 on Manjaro MATE and the formatting in both documents was identical. I have no idea what "totally mauled" is supposed to mean.

[triplemaya]

Thanks. I did check the page size. Should have said. Sorry.
It may be just the line spacing is different, again though not different in the doc settings. I find it totally disorientating not having access to the page border lines, so not quite sure what the difference is.
Doc is huge but will upload small versions.

[RoryOF]

One can turn on the page border lines in LibreOffice - I have seen it done but can't tell you how.

.doc format or .odt format?

[Villeroy]

If you are editing MS Word documents ("docs") with OpenOffice, MS Word is the only reference. If Word shows the same mess as LibreOffice, then LibreOffice does it right and OpenOffice produced a faulty document. Just do not use these file formats. Always work with odt and send the finished results as PDF which is true to the original no matter which software you used for the creation or which PDF reader is used by the receipient.

[triplemaya]

Thanks for all the responses.
I always use odt.
My researches came up with putting a line border around the page content in pale grey, but it does not look right. The top one is too high, and the others are very slightly off. I depend on the borders to see instantly if the justification is set right.
I think I found the problem. Somehow the change in 'spacing below paragraph' has been set to default value. Since I reduce this slightly on a pagefull of paras at a time to make the text fit on the page neatly, the effect was cumulative through the document.
However, at this point I am regretfully throwing in the towel on Libre. I am very slow to learn keyboard shortcuts but I depend on them totally. Things I use all day every day such as insert date or export to pdf are different, but I instinctively go on doing them the same. This dog seems to be a bit too old to learn the new tricks.

[triplemaya]

Thanks for all the responses.
I always use odt.
My researches came up with putting a line border around the page content in pale grey, but it does not look right. The top one is too high, and the others are very slightly off. I depend on the borders to see instantly if the justification is set right.
I think I found the problem. Somehow the change in 'spacing below paragraph' has been set to default value. Since I reduce this slightly on a pagefull of paras at a time to make the text fit on the page neatly, the effect was cumulative through the document.
However, at this point I am regretfully throwing in the towel on Libre. I am very slow to learn keyboard shortcuts but I depend on them totally. Things I use all day every day such as insert date or export to pdf are different, but I instinctively go on doing them the same. This dog seems to be a bit too old to learn the new tricks.

[RoryOF]

I suggest you download and read
Writer for students (several languages)

This will give you a brief(ish) outline of the facilities of OpenOffice Writer.

[triplemaya]

Hi Rory
I am intrigued. What are you suggesting I would get from the user guide for open office? I have been using open office for twenty years. I don't know every wrinkle but I am deeply familiar with all the features I use regularly. It is the differences between open office and libre office I was posting about. A search of libre in the Writer for students comes up with nothing but entries in French.