[Solved] Documents seem to default to 2-line spacing

[Webster1963]

Hi, I have version 4.1.13 on Windows 11 Home.
My text documents seem to default to 2 line spacing. When I put my pointer over the line spacing icon at the top it just becomes blue and says '2'. There's no other option. I've tried going to 'Format' then 'paragraph' then 'line spacing' the 'fixed' and don't get any other options. I've clicked on '1.5' instead of fixed, clicked 'ok' but it's stuck on '2'.
What can I do? -Thanks.

Edit: Changed subject, was Line spacing  Make your post understandable by others  -- MrProgrammer, forum moderator

[Hagar Delest]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Can you upload a sample file (see How to attach a document here)?

[Bill]

When I put my pointer over the line spacing icon at the top it just becomes blue and says '2'. There's no other option.

There are 3 icons for selecting the line spacing on the Formatting Toolbar, but apparently only the Line spacing 2 icon has been made visible. Click the down arrow on the right end of the toolbar and select "Visible Buttons", then select the other icon(s) you want to be visible.

[Webster1963]

Thanks Bill. I clicked on the arrow, then 'visible buttons' then 1.5 on the pop down list but when I click on it, the list vanishes and I'm back to square one. I tried highlighting the text in blue and the same thing happens - it's still double-line spaced.

[JeJe]

If you post a document (stipped of any sensitive information) as Hagar Delest asked then someone may very quickly be able to see what the problem is.

[Bill]

Thanks Bill. I clicked on the arrow, then 'visible buttons' then 1.5 on the pop down list but when I click on it, the list vanishes and I'm back to square one.

The list should close after clicking an icon, but the icon should then be visible on the toolbar (I have all three line spacing icons visible on the toolbar). If that isn't working, you can try using Tools > Customize > Toolbars to make the icons visible. Select Tools > Customize > Toolbars, then select the Formatting Toolbar from the drop-down list on the Customize dialog. Scroll down the list of available icons and tick the box next to the icons you want to be visible. This list should stay open until you close it.

[Webster1963]

Jeje and hagar.
I clicked on 'how to attach a document' and can't get anywhere. i.e. it says "1. Click the browse button..." what browse button? "...in the upload attachment tab..." ?
How do I get to where this place is?

[Webster1963]

Bill:
Thanks but there is no 'formatting toolbar' option on the dropdown list. All there is is 'restore default settings, 'icons only', 'text only'. Nothing happens when I click on these.

[RoryOF]

Check in /View /Toolbars that "Formatting" toolbar is checked.

[LastUnicorn]

If you are struggling to upload a sample document to the forum do the following:

1. Look at the text-box (aka message-box) into which you would normally enter your 'Reply' text.
2. Below the text-box you will see a button titled Full Editor & Preview. Click on that button.
3. A new text-box will appear with a lot of useful buttons on top for replies. There is a button there for adding a URL to your reply, should you need to do so. Hover over the buttons to see what functionality they provide.
4. Look below that text-box and you will see two tabs: Options and Attachments. Click on the Attachments tab.
5. Now you can add your attachment to your reply. Maximum file size 128 KiB per attachment.
6. If your attachment is too large then use a file sharing site like MediaFire or similar. Upload your file to the sharing site then make a link in your reply to the file on the sharing site.

P.S. Do not include sensitive or highly personal information in your attachment.

[Bill]

Bill:
Thanks but there is no 'formatting toolbar' option on the dropdown list. All there is is 'restore default settings, 'icons only', 'text only'. Nothing happens when I click on these.

You're looking at the dropdown Toolbar button which is not a list of toolbars. You need to look for "Formatting" on the dropdown list labeled "Toolbar".

[Hagar Delest]

Jeje and hagar.
I clicked on 'how to attach a document' and can't get anywhere. i.e. it says "1. Click the browse button..." what browse button? "...in the upload attachment tab..." ?
How do I get to where this place is?

Indeed, screenshots were pretty old. I've redone them.

[Webster1963]

aaaSample Document..odt

(9.44 KiB) Downloaded 76 times

okay, unicorn. ta. Here it is

[floris v]

Interesting. In AOO 4.1.11 (AOO4111m1(Build:9808) - Rev. bdb20b2a64 2021-09-27 07:39 - Linux x86_64), pressing the toolbar button doesn't change the line height, but Format - paragraph - Indents and Spacings does. Tried again today and now it worked.

[Zizi64]

aaaSample Document..odt

There is a manually applied double line space property on the paragraph in your sample file.

The Ctrl-A, Ctrl-M (Select all, Delete manual formatting properties) will reset the default properties of the applied styles. (I just tried it with your sample document in my LibreOffice 7.5.7)

I strongly suggest you to use the Styles instead of the direct (manual) formatting method.

[Webster1963]

Thanks, guys, Floris and Zizi. I'll have a look and a think tomorrow. I'll have to google 'the Styles' .

[Bill]

The sample document doesn't have the line spacing icons visible on the toolbar because that's a setting stored in the user profile, not in the document. I followed my previous instructions to add the single line spacing icon to the Formatting Toolbar, then selected all text and clicked the single line spacing icon. The line spacing of the text immediately changed to single.

[floris v]

No need to google. Try the documentation. For styles, take Chapter 2, Styles and Templates. The most important reasons to use styles are explained there very well, but I'll summarize them here anyway. First: you can work must faster, because you can apply a set of formatting properties with a single action, like pressing Ctrl+1 to get a chapter title. You can also easily change the formatting of a document by modifying the styles. Second: styles are used for automation. You can build a table of contents from the heading styles that you used in your document, and you can use fields in the header or footer of a page to show the chapter title or other information saved in a style.

Note: it's perfectly okay to use manual formatting in a document to experiment with the look and feel of different formats. Once you found a set of formats that you like, build them into styles for ready use.

[Webster1963]

Thanks all. I solved this simply by going to 'Format' then 'Paragraph' then 'Line spacing'.

[Zizi64]

I solved this simply by going to 'Format' then 'Paragraph' then 'Line spacing'.

It is a direct (manual) formatting method. I strongly suggest you to use the Styles instead of it.

[Bill]

Thanks all. I solved this simply by going to 'Format' then 'Paragraph' then 'Line spacing'.

That's strange. In your first post, you said you tried that and it didn't work.

[RoryOF]

In circumstances where the contents of a file show erratic line spacing, it can be useful to open the Stylist (/Format /Styles and formatting), set the dropdown in its bottom bar to "Applied Styles", then check the settings for line spacing and spacing Above and Below the paragraphs shown in use (selected by pressing 1st icon from left in Stylist).

You may then need to use Find and Replace, drop More options and select "Styles" from the dropdown, then find each paragraph style in use in turn, choosing Find All, which will select them, then press Ctrl M to remove any direct formatting. This will apply the modified paragraph style to the selected paragraphs.

That solution does not deal with the absence of the line spacing icons in the Formatting bar, which has been dealt with earlier in this thread.

[Webster1963]

Bill -
it didn't work. Someone talked me through it and it then worked. (I know I said I solved it, but I did by way of following someone else's instructions.)