Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

Hi

I've just acquired OpenOffice and I want to change the short dash/minus s (-) to the long dash/hyphen.
I know it's in Autocorrect options under replace dashes and you need to change the short dash to a long one but I don't know how to get the long dash to appear in replace dashes. Is it a control/alt number? And how exactly do you enter it - with a space before and/or after.
Also, which checkboxes do you have to have?

Many thanks
kpnuts67

I've just acquired OpenOffice and I want to change the short dash/minus s (-) to the long dash/hyphen.

The AOO can replace the double minus character
--
to the long dash/hyphen character
–
by default. (The Autocorrect feature has such item in my AOO 4.1.5 version)

... but I don't know how to get the long dash to appear in replace dashes.

Just insert it as a Special character into a test document, and then copy it into the Clipboard.

kpnuts67 wrote: I know it's in Autocorrect options under replace dashes and you need to change the short dash to a long one but I don't know how to get the long dash to appear in replace dashes.

Get a long dash from Insert > Special characters and paste it into the With box. You have to type [word] [space] [hyphen] [space] [firsdt character of next word] for it to take effect. See [Tutorial] Automatic functions in Writer - enable / disable

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.

kpnuts67 wrote: I know it's in Autocorrect options under replace dashes and you need to change the short dash to a long one but I don't know how to get the long dash to appear in replace dashes.

Get a long dash from Insert > Special characters and paste it into the With box. You have to type [word] [space] [hyphen] [space] [firsdt character of next word] for it to take effect. See [Tutorial] Automatic functions in Writer - enable / disable

In an existing document, use Edit > Find and Replace ..., to find all "space hyphen space" and replace with "space long_dash space".

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.

kpnuts67 wrote:I know it's in Autocorrect options under replace dashes and you need to change the short dash to a long one but I don't know how to get the long dash to appear in replace dashes. Is it a control/alt number? And how exactly do you enter it - with a space before and/or after.

Click the Help button on the AutoCorrect dialog to find a table which explains what to type to get the long dashes.