[Solved] Chapter name pushing page number in header

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

Hello,

I'm formatting a manuscript. After days of complete dispair and loss of hope, I managed to understand how page styles and page breaks operate on Writer, right afterr I've been banging my head against the wall trying to understand how to insert the chapter title in the right page header and not have the same chapter title appear on all right page headers of all chapters. I discovered that you simply do that by using the appropriate field and not just typing the chapter title directly in the header, it's that simple if you assign headings to your chapters (I've seen lots of discussions here from people who struggle to do this). Now another problem is undermining my mental health: chapter name and page title won't stay together on the same row in the right page header, sometimes the chapter title pushes the page number to the row below, I manually replace the page number up and to the end of the header where it should stay just to discover that the page number in the right page headers of the other chapters have moved too, no matter how many times a replce the page numbers, they keep moving either to the row below the chapter name or to places in the header where they shouldn't be. I want the chapter title in the right page header positioned to the left, or even centered, and the page number to the end of the header without it moving.

Title Edited. A descriptive title for posts helps others who are searching for solutions and increases the chances of a reply (Hagar, Moderator).

[JeJe]

Are you pressing the tab key in the header to align to the left, centre and right? The header styles are set up for that.

A sample document, stripped of any sensitive information, might show the problem so people can help.

[Bill]

...sometimes the chapter title pushes the page number to the row below, I manually replace the page number up and to the end of the header...

It sounds like you may be using spaces to position the page number. Spaces should not be used for positioning. If you put a certain number of spaces in a header between the chapter title and the page number, those spaces will be repeated in all headers. That will cause the page number to move in some headers if the the chapter titles are not the same length. Use a tab to position the page number as suggested by JeJe and page number should not move in different headers.

[Cazer]

I second what JeJe and Bill said about using the tab key to position your elements in the header. A common mistake is to use spaces, which can lead to inconsistencies like what you're experiencing.

Also, consider adjusting the right tab stop in the ruler at the top of your page. If you don't see the ruler, go to View > Ruler to enable it. Then, click in the ruler where you want the page number to align, making sure it's set to "right-aligned."

[RoryOF]

Also, to help find out what is causing the problem, turn on /View /Non printing characters. This is merely an on-screen (i.e,, non printing) display.

Spaces will show as a raised dot, tabs as a right pointing arrow, paragraph marks as a backwards P (recte: a Pilcrow) and line feeds as a left pointing hooked arrow.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

I followed your suggestions, I turned on Non printing characters, removed dots/spaces I entered with the space key, I used tab instead to align the number to the right. I think I know what's causing the problem. To align the number to the right I have to press tab more than once in some headers, let's say I correctly align the page number in the header of chapter one, I scroll down and the page numbers in the header of the other chapters are not in the right place, I replace them correctly, go back up to the header of chapter one and the page number has moved again to the row below, replace it, removing the unnecesary tab, scroll down and the numbers in the headers of the other chapters are misplaced again, if I replace them, pressing tab to send them back to the end of the header, cause they're shorter titles, and I go back to the header of chapter one that has a longer name, the extra tab has caused the page number to slip back to the row below. Is there a solution to fix this?

[robleyd]

You may want a right tab for the page number. Search tab stops; inserting in the Help for more information.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

You may want a right tab for the page number. Search tab stops; inserting in the Help for more information.

I don't understand what you mean with "right tab", I'm already pressing tab to align the number to the right.

[robleyd]

Old post but seems relevant - viewtopic.php?t=62826

[RoryOF]

It would help if some sample pages (an .odt file, not a screen shot) were uploaded to the forum.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

It would help if some sample pages (an .odt file, not a screen shot) were uploaded to the forum.

I don't know how to upload sample pages.

[Hagar Delest]

Note that if you still have long titles, then you may use a 2 columns table (without borders). Then right align the right cell and resize it just for the page number. This way, titles will fit the left (wide) cell and be sent to a new line if it longer than the reserved space.

But if you're sure it won't happen, the right-aligned tab is the way to go.

To upload files, see How to attach a document here.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the 🖉 button if your issue has been fixed.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

Note that if you still have long titles, then you may use a 2 columns table (without borders). Then right align the right cell and resize it just for the page number. This way, titles will fit the left (wide) cell and be sent to a new line if it longer than the reserved space.

But if you're sure it won't happen, the right-aligned tab is the way to go.

To upload files, see How to attach a document here.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the 🖉 button if your issue has been fixed.

How does this rright-aligned tab work? How should I use it to solve my problem?

[Hagar Delest]

See here for some hints, you need to modify the Header paragraph style to remove the center tab: [Solved] How do you format a Header?.

[Bill]

How does this rright-aligned tab work? How should I use it to solve my problem?

Help tells you how tabs work. "Right-aligned" means that the right edge of the text will be aligned with the tab. Since you want the page number aligned at the right margin, you have to insert the page number at a right tab set at the right margin. If you insert the page number at a left tab set at the right martin, the page number will be pushed to the next line.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

Okay, the problem seems solved, for now. I donì't know exactly how I did it, I fiddled around with the paragraph settings and somehow managed to change the tab alignment to right, something like that, as you suggested, thank you all for helping. But there's another problem I have with Writer and the insertion of images, I'll open a new thread for that.

[RoryOF]

It would help if some sample pages (an .odt file, not a screen shot) were uploaded to the forum.

I don't know how to upload sample pages.

The Upload tab is below the Submit button on PostReply and Full Editor pages (accessed by specific buttons), not on QuickReply page.

[OO_you_make_me_mad!!]

It would help if some sample pages (an .odt file, not a screen shot) were uploaded to the forum.

I don't know how to upload sample pages.

The Upload tab is below the Submit button on PostReply and Full Editor pages (accessed by specific buttons), not on QuickReply page.

Thank you for the information, the problem is solved, I no longer need to do that.