[Solved] Blank pages re-appear after deletion

[manoman]

I have a document with 10 pages of text followed by 5 pages of illustrations. When I open it a total of 2 blank pages appear between illustration pages. I have successfully removed the blank pages by several methods, but after saving and re-opening, the blank pages always re-appear.

[Zizi64]

Please upload your ODF type sample file here.

[manoman]

The document is larger than the 2MB upload limit on this site. If I delete most of the text pages to reduce the upload size, the blank pages no longer appear when the document is re-opened. And the document is still too large to upload. One page of text and two illustrations is 2.8 MB, so I don't see how anyone can use the upload feature.

[RoryOF]

In /Tools /Options /OpenOffice Writer, is "Print automatically inserted blank pages" checked? If so, uncheck it. Also check Page Styles in Use - press F5 F11 key to open the Stylist, press 4th icon from left to show page styles, and set the dropdown on bottom bar of Stylist to show "Applied Styles"; Are some pages using Right Page? If so, the blank pages may be from a sequence of two Right pages in succession.

[RusselB]

The document is larger than the 2MB upload limit on this site. If I delete most of the text pages to reduce the upload size, the blank pages no longer appear when the document is re-opened. And the document is still too large to upload. One page of text and two illustrations is 2.8 MB, so I don't see how anyone can use the upload feature.

When a document to be uploaded is too large for the forum hosting site, we suggest uploading to a file sharing site (eg: Dropbox, MediaFire) then post a link to the uploaded file as a reply.

[Zizi64]

You can share your larger document using a free file sharing service like the Google drive.

Otherwise always better to optimize the images before you insert them into a textual document.

[manoman]

Rory OF:
In /Tools /Options /OpenOffice Writer, is "Print automatically inserted blank pages" checked? YES If so, uncheck it. I UNCHEKED THIS AND THE ON-SCREEN RESULT WAS THE MULTI PAGE VIEW COLLAPSED INTO A WEB PAGE-LIKE VIEW.
Also check Page Styles in Use - press F5 I THINK YOU MEANT F11 to open the Stylist, press 4th icon from left to show page styles, and set the dropdown on bottom bar of Stylist to show "Applied Styles"; ON OPENING THE F11 WINDOW "ALL" ON SHOWS ON THE THE BOTTOM LINE. I CHANGED IT TO "APPLIED STYLES", NOW THE UPPER WINDOW SAYS ONLY "DEFAULT" GRAYED OUT. Are some pages using Right Page? HOW DO I TELL IF SOME PAGES ARE USING RIGHT PAGE? If so, the blank pages may be from a sequence of two Right pages in succession.

Zizi64:
How do I "optimize the images before you insert them into a textual document"?

I have created a link to the file in Dropbox. This is the first time I have used file sharing. Please let me know if I have made errors.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nhrsw85qtngj4 ... s.odt?dl=0

Thanks to both

[RoryOF]

Yes, you are correct - should have been F11 - I have it on constant display, so forget about the shortcut key; the "Print automatically inserted blank pages" should not (cannot?) turn the display into a web-like view. I tried that, and it changed the display scaling to 200% (Page Width). Once I set the display scaling back to Entire Page (settings in bottom right of OO window) all was well. The Stylist with the "Applied" setting shows the styles actually in use. There are no Right page styles in your document.

Later today I'll look at your document in detail.

[Zizi64]

How do I "optimize the images before you insert them into a textual document"?

The size of the two largest picture are 2483692 and 2180032 bytes.
Here are those pictures after optimize: set the needed physical size in cm (or inches), decreased the color depth, decreased the DPI value, and after the resizing/resampling. I just used the free IrfanView software. You can crop the irrelevant parts of the picture for a smaller file size if it is permissible for you... The shadow on the scanned paper edge means thousands of "good-for-nothing" pixels.

Color depth: 16 color
File size: 31493 bytes

Color depth: 256 Color
File size: 63967 bytes

[Bill]

When I open the document with AOO 4.1.7 on Manjaro, I don't see any extra blank pages. However, the last two pictures in the document have heights of 9.53" and 11", making them taller than the 9" of text area on the pages. Both pictures cover the footer on the page. This may be confusing the version of AOO you are using causing the blank pages to be inserted. Try reducing the height of the pictures to fit inside the text area or change the page style of the pages to remove the footers and have a taller text area.

[manoman]

Bill:
I need the footers with page numbers, so I don't want to delete them.

I opened the document. It opened with one blank page. I went to the first of the two tall pictures and reduced it by: right click picture, pictures, type tab, keep ratio,change height. This reduced the picture size, allowing the page number footer to appear, but it created an additional blank page. I then did the same with the second tall picture. This reduced the second picture, and removed the second blank page, but superimposed the first picture on top of the second picture. I was able to click and drag the superimposed picture into a new page. The result is both tall pictures are reduced in size and the page number footer appears on both. The blank page that the document opened with is still present. I saved the document, closed OO, and re-opened the document. The two tall pictures are still reduced in size and their footers appear, but now there are two blank pages.

[Zizi64]

This reduced the picture size, allowing the page number footer to appear, but it created an additional blank page.

Always work inside the margins. There are some place between the margin and the Footer/Header. Do not use that place.

[musikai]

Hi,

use paragraphs with page breaks. Dont' rely on stacking lots of paragraphs for layout.
For large images (that might go beyond the margins) set the wrapping to "through".

Here's you document (for a limited time). edit: removed because "solved"

[manoman]

Zizi64:
I resized all of the pictures to be completely within the margins and not in the header or footer spaces. This made all of the blank pages disappear. But when I save, close OO, and re-open, the blank pages re-appear.

[manoman]

musikai:
I downloaded your corrected document, saved it, closed OO, then re-opened the document and the problem is solved. Thanks.

But I don't understand what I did wrong to create the problem. How do I "use paragraphs with page breaks. Dont' rely on stacking lots of paragraphs for layout"?
When I end a paragraph I press ENTER twice to create a space before typing the next paragraph. Is this wrong?

Thanks again

[RoryOF]

musikai:
When I end a paragraph I press ENTER twice to create a space before typing the next paragraph. Is this wrong?

Utterly wrong. OpenOffice is designed for use of Styles. If you need white space after a paragraph, adjust the paragraph style in use to have that. See

Writer for students (several languages)

for helpful information on correct use of Writer.

[musikai]

musikai:
I downloaded your corrected document, saved it, closed OO, then re-opened the document and the problem is solved. Thanks.
But I don't understand what I did wrong to create the problem.

The main problem are huge images that almost complety occupy a whole page. If the wrap of an image is set to "none" then it will be placed between 2 paragraphs. But if there isn't enough space on a page for

Code: Select all

paragraph
image 
paragraph 

because the image itself is larger than the available space things start to move around.

Better set wrap of the image to "through".

How do I "use paragraphs with page breaks. Dont' rely on stacking lots of paragraphs for layout"?

If you want to have a paragraph to start at a new page then hit ctrl+enter. Don't fill the page with empty paragraphs (enter).

[manoman]

RoryOF:
I'm sure your advice is correct, I have had other problems with style issues, mostly with paragraphs indented as in an outline losing the indent when I insert a word. I looked at the tutorial you referred me to, but I'm sorry, it is way over my head. Could you possibly instruct me on how to set up a simple paragraph style?
All I need is spaces between paragraphs, and to be able to indent certain paragraphs in outline format with numbers.

Thanks

[Zizi64]

Could you possibly instruct me on how to set up a simple paragraph style?

You can adjust the propeties of the applied paragraph styles in the Styles panel.

For example how to adjust the Spacing property of the applied paragraph style named Heading1 (Click on the picture for larger and sharper view):

[RoryOF]

Zizi64, who may often come online some hours before I do, has given you an image of how to adjust a Paragraph style.

You may find this document, a series of slides, gives a good overview of why one should use Styles
download/file.php?id=17107

Note that in book-layout it is felt more usual to mark a paragraph by indenting the first line, not by having white space between paragraphs. Such indent can be set by checking the "Automatic" box shown on the screen Zizi64 uploaded. That automatic setting can produce an indent of one tab setting, usually about 0.5" (1.25 cm), which I find too much. Instead, I will not check "automatic" and instead insert my desired indent on "First line". Usually such indent is 12 points (for 12 point type); in any OpenOffice dimension box it is usually possible to enter dimensions using any of the units OO understands, provided one specifies the unit; so 0.5in., 1.25cm., 36 pt. etc will all produce the same indent.

Using an indented first line and avoiding inter-paragraph white space can often save sufficient document real-estate to avoid an extra page.

[Bill]

Could you possibly instruct me on how to set up a simple paragraph style?

The best way to learn about paragraph styles is to start with a new document. Type "dt" and press F3 to insert a dummy paragraph. Repeat to add a second paragraph. Right-click in the first paragraph and select "Edit Paragraph Style". This opens the Paragraph Style dialog for the paragraph style applied to the paragraph. This dialog contains all settings which will be applied to a paragraph when the style is applied to the paragraph. Close the dialog.

Right-click in the first paragraph and select "Paragraph" to open the Paragraph dialog. Any changes made on this dialog will be applied to the selected paragraph, overriding the settings that were applied by the Paragraph Style.

Let's say that you want a paragraph style that will indent paragraphs 0.5". Open the paragraph dialog for the paragraph, select the Indents & Spacing tab and set the Indent > Before text to 0.5". Click OK to close the dialog. Press F11 to open the Styles and Formatting window. Since you want to make a new paragraph style, click the Paragraph Styles icon on the Styles and Formatting window, then select the "New style from selection" option on the rightmost icon. Type a name on the Create Style dialog and click OK. You now have a new paragraph style that you can apply to any paragraph to indent that paragraph. Test by applying the new style to the second paragraph.

I noticed that your document has some paragraphs that were "indented" by pressing the TAB key at the start of each line. That is a knock off, not a legitimate indent. The TAB is a control character which does not alter the indent setting for the paragraph. Open the paragraph dialog for one of those paragraphs and you will see that the indent is still set to 0".

[manoman]

Bill:
I really appreciate your being willing to walk me thru this.

I understood and could follow your instructions up to: "You now have a new paragraph style that you can apply to any paragraph to indent that paragraph. Test by applying the new style to the second paragraph." How do I apply a new style to a paragraph?

Thanks

[Bill]

There is an Apply Styles list box on the Formatting Toolbar. Select the style from the list. If the style is not in the list click "More" to open the Styles and Formatting window, then press F1 to open the Help page for the Styles and Formatting window. The Help page tells how to apply styles.

[manoman]

Bill:
I'm sorry, but I really am a complete idiot in OO. I wouldn't blame you if you dropped me, but how do I open the Formatting Toolbar? Is that different from the Styles and Formatting window obtained by pressing F11?

My style needs are very limited. I think all I need is:
1) a Paragraph Style of a blank line between paragraphs (or a manual way to do the same), and the beginning of the paragraph has no indent, and the paragraph fills the default side margins

2) a List and/or Numbering Style (I'm not clear on the difference) that gives me an indented numbered list, with the ability to turn it on and off

I have attached a sample page displaying these features. I am an old man on my last writing project, and I will never need any style fancier than this.

Thanks

[Bill]

The default Writer window has the Title Bar at the top of the window. The Menu Bar is below the Title Bar. The Standard Toolbar is below the Menu Bar and the Formatting Toolbar is below the Standard Toolbar and above the Ruler. Hovering the mouse pointer over the items on the list should display a Tooltip telling what the item is. The Styles and Formatting icon should be on the left end of the Formatting Toolbar and the Apply Styles list box should be next to the Styles and Formatting icon.

[RoryOF]

There are a number of helpful documents which can guide in the use of Open- or Libre-Office

This file gives an overview of the use of Styles
Structure Instructions

This document gives detailed information on using Writer
Writer for students (several languages)

[manoman]

Bill:
Thanks, now I know how to create the paragraph style I want: no indent at the start and a space between paragraphs. I want that style for everything I write. I also always use Verdana 12 exclusively. Is there a way to make my new paragraph style and that text the default everytime I open OO writer?

If I understand correctly, as I am typing, when I want to start a new paragraph I press ENTER. If I want additional spaces, do I repeat ENTER, or does that cause problems?

Thanks again

[Zizi64]

If I want additional spaces, do I repeat ENTER, or does that cause problems?

It will not cause huge problems, but is you want more spaces, then you must adjust the Space property BEFORE and/or AFTER the paragraph in the actually applied (custom) paragraph style.

See the properties of the APPLIED paragraph styles in my sample document:

Spaces.odt

(17.39 KiB) Downloaded 212 times

[manoman]

Zizi64:
Yes, I understand now about setting space before and after in the paragraph style. In my question I should have said how do I occasionally add extra blank lines; such as after writing a group of automatically spaced paragraphs, I want a couple extra spaces before a bold section heading, then a few more extra spaces before resuming normal paragraph spacing.

[John_Ha]

I have a document with 10 pages of text followed by 5 pages of illustrations.

If you have 5 pages of illustrations with little or no text you have almost certainly not anchored the images properly.

By default an image is inserted as Anchored to a paragraph. You need to insert empty paragraphs on those five pages to act as anchors for the images as you should only have one image anchored to a paragraph.

Or use Anchor to the Page. Or Anchor AS a character.

See [Tutorial] Some useful hints on using images for a fuller discussion on how best to handle images in Writer and especially Items 11 and 12.

Images Anchored to paragraph