https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=124484
Issue ID: 124484
Issue Type: DEFECT
Summary: Separate structure from formatting - outline styles
Product: Writer
Version: 4.0.0
Hardware: All
OS: All
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Severity: normal
Priority: P3
Component: formatting
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
As I understand it outline styles are thought of as a whole document structure
concept, but this seems to conflate structure and style creating an unnecessary
restriction on what the user can do. The concept of a hierarchical document
structure should be divorced from the styling of list and sublist items. A
specific use case where this becomes a problem for me is (amusingly) in the
format I am accustomed to using for use case documents. There are a variety of
headings which SHOULD be translated into document structure. Under the heading
level 2 with the text "Steps" I also have lists of steps (1, 2, 3), with
occasional sub-elements that I want numbered as (a, b, c). To get this
*formatting* I have to choose an outline style. I don't want a document outline
I just want a set of numbered steps with lettered sub-elements, but to get that
I have to use a feature designed for document outlining...
Then when I go to make alternate flows I want to pick up the numbering at the
same number as the step being replaced in the main flow, but I want the
*formatting* to be otherwise identical. If I use the same outline style, I can
restart numbering, but if I set the start number for the alternate flow to 5
(for example) it changes the start number for the main flow to 5 also.
Based on what I have read searching the internet the only way to get
independent outlines is to use separate outline formats for each. But that's
not what I want. I want the formats to remain identical except for the start
number.
So the problem is that the FORMATTING of the list styles is conflated with the
concept of document structure. This also strikes me as a tad schizophrenic with
respect to heading styles which also are interpreted as document structure.
What I would like is that outline creation be made an explicit event, and then
allow the user to apply any outline style to any outline in the document. The
user is free to write the whole document within the outline, or to create
several outlines. (much like lists in html). In the event that there are
multiple outlines in the document table of contents creation can offer to let
the user pick the outline for use as TOC, or to use the document headings.
The present situation causes me much frustration and is quite counter intuitive
(IMHO). I simply would never have expected the formatting to be tied to the
structure in this manner. I have attached a sample document that demonstrates
the undesirable behavior.
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