Dear Fellow Writers:
I have had this on occasions, especially when the text has been imported or
pasted from another application or possibly a website.
Since this doesn't ALWAYS happen, it suggests that that block of text has a
hidden character in it that may be the problem.
I have also had the experience of the Text to table function not functioning
as would be expected.
Here is my usual solution for some of these anomalies:
1) Paste the text into a DOS .TXT file, then copy it from that file and
paste the results into the Writer file. This usually strips all the HTML
tags and other unwanted formatting that came hidden in the original
selection copied to the clipboard. (I keep this file in my personal
Templates folder and call it TmtTxt.TXT. I also place a shortcut of it into
the Default user startup folder, and adjust the startup size of that
shortcut to minimise.
This will cause the file to load minimised in the tray automatically on
reboot, so it is handy when the rest of the screen is crowded with stuff on
top. One never knows from minute to minute when they are going to need this
resource, so it is handy to have it there.
When you are at the stage of setting the minimise on that shortcut, I
suggest you also set a hotkey (such as {F3}) so if in your regular work it
accidentally gets closed, you can reopen it without pushing other stuff
aside.
2) Before running a text to table command, Open the non-printing characters
option in "View" and look for a series of faint characters at the end of the
lines. These are similar to Hard CR's and cannot be searched, so they have
to be removed individually.
When you remove them, the next line will jump up to the end of the line from
which
You removed that character, so press {enter} and set a line feed that Writer
will cooperate with.
This will cure a lot of the headaches that come with text to which the text
to table command may be applied.
Another suggestion for Text to table:
If I am working in English, before doing the conversion, I will do a series
of search and replaces for characters or combinations of characters that
preceed the place where I want a column (field) break in the future table.
Typically, I replace the string with the original string modified to change
the last character (often a space) to a non-English character, such as Ñ
{alt-165}. When I have pre-edited my block of text this way to get all the
required field shifts covered by one of these Ñ characters, I can then do my
text to table using Ñ as my special character in the text to table command.
When the table is formed, the column breaks should be exactly as was
intended, since it is acting on a character that normally would never appear
in English.
If I see something out on place, I can then press {CTRL-z} to go back and
fix the placing of my Ñ characters and then repeat the text to table
command.
This character can be used with text in any language in which it does not
normally exist (such as French). If you are working in Spanish, you will
need to choose a different character that is not used in Spanish.
Logically, if the block of text is multilingual, the special character must
be one that is not used in any of the included languages - something for us
polyglots to remember.
Now I see this is egging me on to go for breakfast. (guffaw!)
Best regards,
Bruce Martin.
-----Original Message-----
From: news [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Gordon
Sent: December 14, 2009 9:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [discuss] Re: Open office, a godsend and a nuisance?
Cor Nouws wrote:
> Gordon wrote (12-12-09 18:05)
>> Just the same as MS Word then.....THAT has some horrific annoyances as
>> well....
>
> Not really...
Oh yes it does.....write a paragraph, press tab to indent the first line
and the WHOLE DAM PARAGRAPH indents....you have to turn that off in
advanced settings.....
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