Getting started in OpenOffice Writer - typing, saving, printing and translating text into PDF. OpenOffice: Writer for Beginners

Anton Ionov, Yuri Konovalov, Alexey Novodvorsky, Daniil Smirnov, Ilya Trunin, Anatoly Yakushin

General information about the office suite OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org is a free suite office programs, which includes the following components:

OpenWriter (word processor and HTML editor);

OpenCalc (spreadsheets);

OpenDraw (graphics editor);

OpenImpress (presentation system);

formula editor OpenMatch;

data access module.

OpenOffice.org is a complete free office suite that rivals popular proprietary software such as Microsoft Office. It contains components for working with text, spreadsheets, works with databases, processes graphics, creates complex documents for Internet publications.

The developers of OpenOffice.org, introducing advanced document processing technologies, tried to make the work of ordinary users as easy as possible. Therefore, upon first acquaintance, you find yourself in a familiar environment, familiar from MS applications, and you can start working right away. There is no need to retrain - the skills of working with Microsoft Office are quite enough. If you have books on Microsoft Office, then they are also suitable for the first acquaintance with OpenOffice.org - the basic methods of work are extremely similar.

Once you start using OpenOffice.org, you can still work with all the files that you prepared earlier in the Microsoft Office environment, and easily exchange documents with users of other programs.

OpenOffice.org reads and saves documents in most popular formats. These include Word files, Excel, PowerPoint, RTF, html, xhtml, DocBook, plain text files in various encodings. In addition, OpenOffice.org allows you to export complex documents with illustrations and graphics in pdf format. The OpenImpress presentation system allows you to export presentations in the format Macromedia Flash(.swf).

OpenOffice.org contains everything necessary components to create complex systems. It supports templates, knows how to work with databases, contains its own programming language OOBasic, much like MS Visual Basic for Application, and executes programs written in the Java programming language.

OpenOffice.org runs on multiple platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Mac OS X and many more. At the same time, the appearance of applications and the format of the files used remain unchanged, which allows users of various operating systems to collaborate on documents.

This guide describes programs from the OpenOffice.org package version 1.1. However on currently a new, yet unstable version of the package has already been released - 2.0. In version 2.0, some fundamental changes have been made: in particular, document formats have been changed; the Open Document standard is now used, file extensions have changed. Version 2.0 is still available alongside 1.1 in a separate package; they can be installed in parallel.

Launching OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org can be launched both from the main menu (there it appears in the "Office" section), and by the command ooffice - key ... You can view the available launch keys using the key -help... When launched without a key, the main OpenOffice.org window starts. For each application from the kit there is also a separate command of the form oo application , for example oowriter .

Table 1. Main keys for starting OpenOffice.org

Using command line parameters, it is easy to create icons to launch OpenOffice.org applications.

In file managers that support MIME file types (for example, Konqueror), you can establish a link between a file with a specific extension and one of the OpenOffice.org applications: in this case, when opening a file in file manager the desired application will automatically start.

OpenOffice.org 1.1 accepts the following file extensions:

OpenWriter text editor

Appearance

The main window of the OpenWriter text editor after launch looks something like the one shown in Figure 1, "Appearance of the OpenWriter text editor". Currently, active work is underway on a new translation of the OpenOffice.org interface, so some Russian names of interface elements may differ from those given in this manual.

Picture 1. Appearance OpenWriter text editor

You can change the appearance of OpenWriter using the View menu, or by right-clicking over the required element. Thus, you can add or remove an element from the screen, or change the set of standard buttons. The most complex configuration of the interface can be done through the menu Service → Settings.

The user can choose one of three options for displaying the document - standard, full-screen and web-markup mode. Switching modes is done in the menu View → Full Screen or View → Web page mode... In addition, you can switch between standard and full screen modes using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl -Shift -j .

Figure 2. Full screen mode OpenWriter

The scale of the displayed text is indicated in the document status bar. You can change the scale in different ways:

select the menu item View → Scale;

double-click the left mouse button over the scale size in the status bar to open a dialog window;

if there is a mouse with a scroll wheel, press the key Ctrl and while holding it, rotate the scroll wheel.

Entering text

When entering text, you don't need to worry about line breaks, OpenWriter will do it automatically. The enter key should only be pressed when a new paragraph begins.

The most convenient is the order of work in which first the text is entered completely, then the typos are corrected, and only then the text formatting is carried out.

Some time after the document is filled with text, OpenWriter starts to suggest options for the continuation of long words. One of the most convenient functions OpenOffice.org - Autocomplete. To accept the proposed option, just click Enter; if the proposed word continuation option does not suit you, just continue typing. This feature is very helpful when typing long terms or words in another language, especially for those who have not yet learned how to type quickly.

If the text contains several words that begin with the same combination of letters, then using the key combinations Ctrl -Tab or Shift -Ctrl -Tab, you can select the words you want from the list of words that OpenWriter has memorized.

To set up autocomplete, select Tools → AutoCorrect / AutoFormat → Word completion... In the same section of the menu, by going to the Replace item, you can configure the automatic correction of the most common typos. Now, even if you misspell a word, OpenWriter will change it without waiting for the spell check. In the Exceptions item, you can assign abbreviations after which the sentence does not automatically begin with a capital letter.

Figure 3. Dialog box AutoCorrect / AutoFormat

Moving through the text

You can use the cursor keys in conjunction with the key Ctrl- in this case, the left and right arrow keys move the cursor one word (up to space or punctuation marks) to the left or right, and the PageUp and PageDown- at the beginning or end of the document.

When working with large documents, there are often problems with orientation in the text and fast movement through it. To facilitate the work with multi-page texts in OpenWriter there is a special tool - "". It can be called with the function key F5 button on the function bar or by double-clicking on the page number in the status bar.

Figure 4. Navigator

The navigator is an interactive table of contents of the document, in which all the elements that make up the document are presented in a hierarchical manner.

In the Navigator window, there is a function panel at the top, possible document objects are listed in the center, and a list of all open documents is contained in the drop-down list at the bottom.

To quickly move between document objects, it is convenient to use the "Navigation" window, which can be invoked by the button on the Navigator's function panel or by the button located at the bottom right on the vertical scroll bar.

Figure 5. "Navigation" window

By selecting in this window the necessary element of the document, for example "Page" or " Graphic object", You can click on the" up "or" down "arrows to move between the selected elements. To move to the required page, type the number of this page in the window on the Navigator's function panel and press Enter .

The central window of the Navigator lists all possible elements text. Objects used in this document are presented as a drop-down list. By double-clicking on it with the left mouse button, you can see the structure of objects and their hierarchy, and using the tool group in the right corner of the function panel, you can change the levels of these objects and move them.

Working with snippets of text

To select text in OpenWriter, there are several alternative ways... The text can be selected character by character by holding down the key Shift and moving the cursor with the keys. Holding Ctrl -Shift, you can select text not character by character, but word by word. Shortcut keys Shift -PageUp selects text one page up, and Shift -PageDown- one page down. Shortcut keys Ctrl -A selects all text in the document. Also, all text can be selected through the menu item Edit → Select All.

You can also select text character by character by holding the left mouse button and moving the cursor. Double click the left mouse button selects the word, and the triple click selects a line of text. With the key pressed Shift Left-clicking will select the text from the position of the text cursor to the position of the mouse cursor.

You can select several fragments of text in different places in the document, for this you need to press and hold the key Ctrl, with the left mouse button select the necessary text fragments. This feature is called “ Group text selection».

You can change the selection mode by clicking on the status bar above STD. You can also switch between STAND and ADD modes by pressing F8... The following abbreviations are used in this line for the various modes:

The selected text can be moved by holding the left mouse button and dragging the selection to the desired location, you can also copy it to the clipboard, paste from the clipboard, or delete (cut from the text and place it on the clipboard). There are several ways to do this:

via the Edit menu;

via the pop-up menu available by pressing the right mouse button;

key combination: copy - Ctrl -c, insert - Ctrl -v, cut - Ctrl -x .

Document exchange: import and export

You can save the document using the File → Save menu, the "Save" button on the function bar, or the hotkey Ctrl -s... If the document has already been saved, the button on the toolbar will be inactive. When you first save the document, a dialog will open where you need to enter a file name and, possibly, specify the document type (if you are not satisfied with the default document type).

Figure 6. Dialog box for saving a document

The file name is entered in the "File name" field, it can be entered with a relative or absolute path. To switch to another directory, double-click on the directory name in the list. To make it easier to navigate through the directories, you can sort the list by clicking on one of the column headings. For example, for sorting by file type, this is obviously "Type"; a second click on the same heading means the sorting in the reverse order (indicated by an arrow).

The up button is used to go to the parent directory; if you hold it for more than one second, a menu will appear that allows you to go up several levels at once.

The next button is used to create a new directory (in the current directory): you will need to enter the name of the new directory and confirm its creation.

The rightmost button is used to go to the directory where all documents will be saved by default. You can change this directory in the dialog: Tools → Options → OpenOffice.org → Paths → My Documents.

Option " Automatic file name extension"Is used to set the extension according to the" File type "field. Option " Save with password»Allows you to save a file that can only be opened by entering a password (at least 5 characters).

In addition to saving in its own format, OpenWriter allows you to export and import documents in formats such as:

Microsoft Word different versions;

Rich Text Format (rtf);

StarOffice format versions 3-5;

text file;

• Portable Document Format (PDF)

  in formats for handheld computers with PalmOS and PocketPC operating systems.

To export to a simple text file, you must select the file type " Encoded text", Specify the file name and click the" Save "button. In the window " ASCII filter options»You can select the required encoding. To open a plain text file in a non-Latin-1 encoding, you must specify the file type " Encoded text»And select the required file encoding in the dialog box.

Figure 7. Selecting the encoding when saving text file

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a universal format for the electronic presentation of documents developed by Adobe, including typesetting, layout and graphics. Having created such a document, you can be sure that anyone can see and print it exactly as it was originally intended. The type of the document does not depend on which operating system you are viewing the document, no additional fonts or other components are required for viewing and printing - everything necessary for display is already included in the document.

In order to convert the created document to pdf file, click the Export to PDF button in the function bar and specify a file name in the dialog box. To set parameters generated file, choose File → Export to PDF, specify a file name in the dialog box, and click Export. A dialog box appears where you can select the area of ​​the document to export and the optimization options.

In the operating room Linux system the resulting PDF documents can be viewed using xpdf, GhostView, or KghostView.

Printing a Document

OpenOffice.org provides a dedicated print command and a printer setup utility. Configuring printers is carried out through the menu File → Print options where you can select a printer and set its properties.

The quickest and easiest way to send a document for printing is by clicking the button with a stylized image of the printer on the function panel - immediately after clicking the document, the entire document will be printed.

Sometimes you need to set special print options. To do this, use the File → Print menu item or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl -p; in the dialog that opens, select the printer to which you will print and, by clicking on the "Properties" button, set its properties.

Perhaps, before printing, I would like to see on the screen how the document will look on paper. To do this, you can use the File → menu item. The toolbar will display tools to set the viewing properties, but you cannot edit the document in this mode. Button " Close preview»On the toolbar is used to return the editor to normal operation.

Figure 8. Dialogue “ Page preview»

The button for full screen document view hides menus, toolbars, scroll bars and leaves only the viewer pane. The next two buttons allow you to print the document and set the viewing options accordingly.

In preview mode, you can display multiple pages at the same time. In addition, from the window " Page preview»You can print the text so that there are several reduced copies of document pages on one standard sheet. To do this, set the required number of document pages per sheet by clicking the button Page settings → several pages on the lower contextual pane, and then click the "Print" button with the image of the printer and two sheets on the same contextual pane.

Spell checker

In OpenWriter, spell checking can be performed automatically as you type, or it can be invoked manually. For automatic check, you need to press the button " Auto spell check»On the left of the main toolbar or through the Tools menu → Spellchecking → Auto spell check... In this case, words that OpenWriter could not find in its dictionary will be underlined with a wavy red line. If you right-click on the highlighted word, you will be offered correction options, calling up a dialog for checking spelling, adding a word to the dictionary, skipping this word in the entire document and automatically replacing the word with one of the options selected in the submenu.

To check spelling manually, click on the " Spellchecking"On the left of the toolbar, or through the Tools menu → Spellchecking→ Check or press F7; checking starts from the current position of the cursor. The icon behind the "Word" field shows its status.

Figure 9. Dialogue for working with a specific word

A certain word can be omitted if it is spelled correctly. Alternatively, you can set the " Always skip", If this word appears more than once in the document.

If the word is spelled incorrectly, then you can either enter the correct spelling in the "Word" field, or select the appropriate one from the list of options. To replace a word only in this case, press the "Replace" button, to replace in all similar cases (throughout the document) - "Replace always".

The "Thesaurus" button is used to add synonyms to the dictionary; this dialog can also be opened using the Tools → Thesaurus menu or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl -F7... It requires you to enter a replacement word. Please note - not all languages ​​are currently supported.

The "Options" button is used to set options and dictionaries that are used to check spelling and hyphenation. The same parameters are set in the settings dialog Tools → Options → Language settings → Linguistics.

If the word is spelled correctly, but it is not in the dictionary, then it can be added to the dictionary. To do this, select the required item in the "Dictionary" field and click on the "Add" button. In this case, all added words that occur later in other documents will be considered correct.

It is possible to check spelling only in a part of the text - for this, before checking, you will need to select the fragment of the text that you want to check.

Sometimes words that are known to be spelled correctly are highlighted as misspelled. This can be due to the fact that the wrong document language is selected. To change the language, you need to select a word, press the right mouse button, select Font from the drop-down menu and in the Font tab specify the required language of the word. The same dialog is available via the Format → Font menu.

Figure 10. Language selection dialog

There are no words with the letter ё in the standard dictionary, so all words with this letter will be considered incorrect. In order to check texts with the letter ё, you need to install an additional dictionary.

Cyrillic document processing

When working with files containing Cyrillic, some problems may arise. One of the most common is the incorrect conversion of files created in Microsoft Office 95 to the OpenOffice.org format.

To display such a file correctly, open it in OpenWriter or OpenCalc and select the entire file. Then open the Macro dialog from the menu bar Tools → Macros → Macro. Select the Tools section in the list of macros, and in this section the macro for text and for spreadsheets. Run the macro for execution by clicking the "Run" button.

For the convenience of working with Cyrillic documents, Vladimir Bukhal and Aleksey Kryukov have developed the CyrillicTools package - a collection of various macros based on OpenOffice.org Basic designed to work with Cyrillic text in the OpenOffice.org 1.1 environment and higher. This package can be downloaded from the openoffice.ru website. Besides fixing the encoding Microsoft files Office 95 package allows you to enter the amount in words and correct Cyrillic text, mistakenly entered in English letters.

Formatting

After the text is typed and checked, it is advisable to give it an appearance that makes it easier to read the written. To do this, it is customary to highlight various semantic parts of the document with fonts of different typefaces (for example, with serifs and sans serifs) or different weights (italic, bold), indents, additional line spacing (skips), and in other ways.

For example, it is advisable to type the title of the document in a larger size and place it in the center of the page, to draw up captions to figures in italics, and place the page numbers in the lower right corner of each page. The assignment of design parameters to certain parts of the document is called formatting.

Formatting can be hard or soft... At hard formatting of each specific part of the document - a character, word, paragraph or page, certain display parameters are set. At the same time, formatting has nothing to do with the logical structure of the document, and objects that logically belong to the same type may turn out (and almost always turn out to be, as practice shows) decorated in different ways. For example, one of the figure captions will not be italicized, unlike the others.

At soft formatting describes the appearance not of a specific fragment of text, but of the logical part of the document - headers, body text, footnotes, headers and footers, and for each specific part of the document only its role in the document is set: for example, “ figure caption". The description of the design for a certain logical part of the document is usually called a style.

When using styles, it is necessary to logically mark up the document, that is, to indicate its structure. It is noted what is the heading in the document, what is the main text, and what is the other elements. In this case, each element will take on the appearance in accordance with the style that is defined for it.

The use of logical document layout and soft formatting makes it easier to work with large and complex documents and allows you to automate many stages of working with text - automatically create tables of contents, easily navigate through large documents, quickly change the layout, and much more.

Working with styles

When you create a new document, a set of styles is automatically loaded from the standard template. When you type in a new document, the default style is Normal. In the window of used styles, which is located on the left of the context panel, other styles are not displayed.

For logical (soft) document markup, you need to start "" with the function key F11, using the button on the function bar or from the Format → menu item.

Figure 11. Style wizard

In the Style Wizard, on the toolbar at the top left, there are five buttons for the following style groups: paragraph, character, frame, page, and list. On the right, there are three buttons: style fill, create a style from the selection, and update a style from a sample. The window displays the styles of the current group in accordance with the parameter specified in the list at the bottom of the window. If you set the value "Automatic" in this list, the Style Wizard will try to select suitable set styles for the edited document.

To assign a style, you need to place the cursor in the desired paragraph or on the desired page, select the appropriate style in the Style Wizard, click Enter or double-click with the left mouse button - a new style will be assigned. To assign a style to a symbol or a group of symbols, you must select them in a standard way.

Let's show how to work with styles using an example. We have already covered pagination. However, you may notice that after the numbering has been placed, the number is also on the first page. This is inconvenient in many cases. To remove the number from the first page, you need to assign it the First Page style. To do this, call the Style Wizard, go to the Page Styles section, select the First Page style and click Enter .

The standard template contains a large number of styles, and among them you can almost always choose the most suitable one. However, there are times when the standard set is not enough and you need to change the existing style or create a new one.

The easiest way to create a new style is to use the Style Wizard feature Create style from selection... To do this, give the paragraph, symbol or page the desired format using hard formatting, select this fragment and press the button " Create style from selection»On the Style Wizard toolbar. In the window, enter a new name for the style and click OK. A new style has been created. Now you can assign a new style to sections of your document.

Figure 12. Creating a style from a selection

Similarly, you can make changes to any style. Select the required text fragment and set the style to the fragment in which you plan to make changes. Then give it the format you want with hard formatting and in the Style Wizard, click the " Update style from sample". The style will take on the look you want.

For fine tuning open the style editing window. It can be called from the menu Format → Styles → Catalog → Modify or right-click on the required style and select Modify.

Figure 13. Dialog box for editing style

A set of styles created while working on a document can be reused. Styles can be imported from another document or saved in a template.

To import styles from another document, select Format → Styles → Load from the menu and click the From File button. Then select the required document. The loaded styles will be added to the Style Wizard. However, it is more convenient to use templates for reusing styles.

Templates

A template is usually understood as a file that contains document formatting elements, but does not contain the text itself. When you create a new document from a template, the document inherits styles, page settings (size and orientation), built-in macros, margins, and other values. At the same time, the template itself is protected from accidental changes. Templates are convenient to use when creating documents of the same type - letters, memos, reports, etc.

To create a template, select the required document, delete unnecessary text from it, check the styles and delete unnecessary ones. Remember that the default styles cannot be deleted. For the convenience of searching for a template and managing it, give it a name by opening the menu item File → Properties → Description → Title. Then save the new template by choosing File → Templates → Save. In the dialog box that opens, specify the required directory and save the new template in it. To create a new directory, click the "Manage" button. In this dialog box, you can create new directories for templates and move templates between directories.

Figure 14. Saving a new template

Now the saved template can be used to create a new document. To do this, use the menu item File → New → Templates and documents and select the template you want.

Users are often not satisfied with the options that OpenWriter loads by default. They can be changed by loading another template by default. To do this, open the " Template management", Select the template you want, right-click and select" Set as default template". Now, when creating a new document, the required parameters will be loaded.

Figure 15. Defining the default template

Hard formatting

Page formatting

To format a page, call the Format → Page menu item. In the Page Style dialog box, you can set its orientation (portrait or landscape), paper size, the presence or absence of headers and footers, and other parameters.

Figure 16. Page Style Dialog Box

Some difficulties for novice users are caused by pagination in OpenWriter. The point is that, unlike other editors in OpenWriter, pagination is part of the header and footer.

A header or footer is a reference line above or below the body of a page. In this line, in addition to numbering, you can display other reference information, for example, the title of a section or the entire document.

To arrange pagination, include a header or footer. This can be done using the Insert menu → Page header or Insert → footer as well as through the Page Style dialog box.

After the header is turned on; choose Insert → Fields → Page number from the menu and the page numbers will be automatically placed in the document. If support for headers and footers is not enabled, the page number will appear at the current cursor position.

Formatting a paragraph

Under a paragraph (from the German absetzen - to move away), it is customary to understand the structural part of the text, which consists of one or more sentences containing a complete micro theme. When typing, one paragraph is separated from another by a carriage return character, which is entered by pressing the key Enter .

Before formatting paragraphs, it is advisable to remove all unnecessary characters, for example, extra spaces at the beginning of lines. In order to make such symbols descriptive, click the button " Non-printable characters»On the vertical main toolbar.

Figure 17. Display of non-printable characters

To format a paragraph, there is no need to select it, just place the cursor anywhere in the paragraph and select the Format → Paragraph menu item, or the Paragraph item in the drop-down menu invoked by the right mouse button. In the dialog box that appears, you can configure all the paragraph formatting options: line spacing, indentation for the first line (paragraph indentation) and for the entire paragraph, tabs, and paragraph border and background. Buttons for aligning a paragraph are moved by default to the contextual panel.

Figure 18. Dialog box "Paragraph"

The button for changing the tabulation mode is located to the left of the horizontal ruler. Consecutive clicking on it with the left mouse button changes the type of tabulation:

Left

The text will be limited to the left and typed from this position into right side.

On right

The text is delimited to the right and output from this position to the left.

Center

Text is displayed evenly to the left and right of the tab stop.

Decimal

Text printed before the separator character (Mark field) will be displayed to the left of the tab stop, and text after it will be displayed to the right. This type is necessary primarily for aligning columns of numbers with an unequal number of digits before and after the decimal point. When using it, all commas in such numbers will be exactly one above the other. However, if you change the value of the Sign field, you can use this type of alignment for other purposes.

Hyphenation

When using paragraph alignment, in many cases, the distance between words in the text increases, which is especially noticeable in the presence of long words. In this case, it is advisable to use hyphenation.

In order for OpenWriter to be able to place hyphenations in the text, you need to set Russian in the language properties (menu Tools → Options → Language settings → Languages, the "Western" field).

Hyphenation can be done automatically or manually. Automatic hyphenation is set in the properties of the paragraph - in the "Paragraph" dialog on the On page tab in the section Hyphenation you need to enable the "Automatic" option.

You have the opportunity to manually designate the place for the desired transfer: for this you need to put the so-called soft transfer. Place the cursor on the position in the word where you can make a hyphen, and insert a soft hyphen with a key combination Ctrl -- ... You can search for all hyphenable words using the function Hyphenation in the Tools menu.

Figure 19. Dialog box " Hyphenation»

The = sign means the place of possible transfer; - indicates the place where it will definitely be produced. To install the transfer, click the "Transfer" button; to terminate hyphenation, use the "Cancel" button. You can go to the next word without setting the hyphenation in the current one by clicking on the "Next" button. Previously set transfer can be canceled using the "Remove" button.

In order for a word to never be hyphenated, you need to add it to the dictionary with an = sign at the end.

Formatting lists

OpenWriter has extensive list formatting capabilities. Numbered and unnumbered lists with large nesting depth are supported. To format the list, place the cursor on the paragraph where you want to start the list and click the Numbering or Bullets button on the contextual panel, depending on the type of list you need. All paragraphs following the current paragraph will be converted to a list.

When working with a list, the contextual panel will change its appearance. An arrow-shaped button will appear in the right corner, which calls or removes the contextual numbering panel. Calling this panel, you can adjust the nesting depth of the lists, the appearance and ways of marking the text.

Figure 20. Contextual numbering pane

The contextual numbering bar can also be invoked with the function key F12 and the dialog box Numbering / marking right-click from the drop-down menu, or via the Format menu → Numbering / marking.

Figure 21. Dialog box " Numbering / marking»

Formatting a character, groups of characters

To format a group of characters, you first need to select them. Then you can select the required font, its style and size, design effects, the position of the group of characters relative to the line in the Format → Font menu.

Figure 22. Symbol formatting dialog

Some sections of this dialog box have been moved to the context panel to speed up formatting. From the contextual panel, by default, you can select the name of the font, its size, main styles and color. You can add or remove a button from the contextual panel by right-clicking above it and selecting Show Buttons from the drop-down menu.

Spreadsheets

OpenCalc main window

After loading OpenCalc, the main window appears on the screen. The main difference between this window and its counterpart in OpenWriter is that an input line appears under the context menu. It is designed to enter values ​​and formulas into table cells.

Figure 23. The main OpenCalc window

Working area of ​​the sheet

The sheet field consists of cells. A cell is the smallest structural unit in a spreadsheet; it has an address defined by vertical and horizontal coordinates. The first is the column name (the first part of the address); it can range from A to IV. The second is the line number (the second part of the address) and has a value in the range from 1 to 32000.

To the right and top of the worksheet are rulers with column and row names. To select an entire column, click on the cell with its name on the top ruler; to select the entire row - by the cell with its name on the left ruler. The selected row or column name is displayed in bold; if you select one cell, then both parts of the address located on the rulers will be displayed in bold.

V status bar information about the operating modes of the table is displayed.

The selection of a sheet for work is carried out by clicking the left button; if you right click on sheet navigator, a dialog box will open where the following operations will be available:

Insert - creates a new sheet.

Delete - used for unnecessary sheets.

Rename - allows you to assign a different name to the sheet.

Moving / copying - allows you to make copies of sheets, transfer existing sheets to other documents, change their order.

Select All - selects the entire sheet.

Data input

Data is entered into a specific cell: before entering anything, you need to select a cell. The text you type will appear in the cell where you enter your text and in the input line (at the top), which is especially useful given that a cell can contain more characters than its current width can display.

If adjacent cells to the right do not contain values, then the entered line will be displayed in full; otherwise, only part of the row will be displayed and a red arrow will appear in the cell.

To display the entire information, you must either stretch the cell to its width or allow line breaks.

Figure 24. Entering data into a cell

There are several ways to change the width (height) of a row:

Automatically

Double-clicking on the right border of the column name - and OpenCalc will select the width for the column, choosing the width necessary to display the cell with the longest content. The same can be done through the menu: Format → Column → Optimal width

Manually

Left-click on the border of the column name and, without releasing it, move it to the desired width.

Exactly

Select any cell in the column whose width you want to change, and then the menu item Format → Column → Width; in the window that opens, enter the exact size.

To enable line breaks, click Ctrl -Enter, or right-click on the cell and select Format Cells, or select the Format → Cell menu item and then - the "Alignment" tab; here check the "Line break" checkbox.

Figure 25. Cell Attributes Dialog Box

In the same window, you can set the vertical and horizontal alignment of the text and the direction of writing (the angle of rotation of the text). Alignment allows you to define the position of text in a cell (left, right, center, bottom, top) Writing direction allows you to write in cells at a given angle.

It should be noted that if the text starts with an = sign, then it is not displayed in the cell, because OpenCalc considers such text to be a formula. If you need to print text starting with the = sign, then you must put the single quotation mark as the very first character. If there is a need to start a string with a quotation mark, then you must enter the quotation mark twice.

Entering formulas

One of the purposes of spreadsheets is computation, so the basic rules for typing formulas will now be covered.

As already noted, entering a formula begins with an equal sign, then the formula itself is written. For example: = 4 + 16. Writing down such a formula and pressing Enter, we will see the number 20 in the cell. Of course, formulas without variables usually do not make much sense, so now let's see how to use variables, which are cell addresses in OpenCalc. For example, if in A1 we wrote down the number 20, then if we write in B1 the formula = A1 ^ 2 and press Enter the number 400 appears in cell B1.

Basic arithmetic operations available to OpenCalc:

In addition to these operations, OpenCalc provides an extensive set of functions in the following categories:

work with databases;

processing of times and dates;

financial;

informational;

brain teaser;

mathematical;

work with arrays;

statistical;

text;

additional.

For the convenience of writing formulas in OpenCalc, "" is developed. To call it, click the "" button to the left of the input line.

In the Wizard window, you can type functions and check the correctness of their set; the list of available functions depends on which category you have selected. In addition to the categories listed above, for convenience, added "All" and " Recently used».

Figure 26. Function Wizard

In the "Formula" edit field, the current formula is displayed, which can be edited directly, or, by placing the cursor in the required position, double-click on the function name from the list, and the selected function will be inserted into the input window. All that remains is to either enter the argument from the keyboard, or click the button with the cell image and select the cell whose value will be the argument.

In the "Structure" tab, the typed formula is expanded into a tree, which helps a lot when editing formulas, allowing you to track the order in which the formula is calculated.

For the case when the formula is simple enough (contains the signs +, -, *, /, ^), but consists of a relatively large number of variables, consider the following example:

Let it be required to calculate A1 + C5 * B4; for this:

Press = and then use the cursor arrows to select cell A1 (the first press of the cursor key will display a red cursor rectangle). Then press + and select C5, press * and finally select B4. In this way, using the keyboard, you can quickly form formulas (cells can also be selected with the mouse pointer).

After entering = and any letter, OpenCalc automatically displays the name of the function starting with that letter. This feature allows you to type not the entire formula, but only its first letters, and then, if the proposed function is exactly the one you need, you just have to press Enter .

It so happens that when you enter formulas as their arguments, you need to pass not the address of a cell, but an entire area - for example, you need to sum all the values ​​in column A, starting from address A2 to address A11. Of course, you can write = A2 + A3 + ... + A10 + A11 - but it is much easier and in any case it would be more correct to write = Su, then use the hint (Sum) and by pressing Enter, write the range A2: A11 in brackets.

The area of ​​the worksheet is specified by indicating the address of the upper left cell, then a colon is put and the lower right cell is indicated. The area can also be set using the mouse.

Autocomplete

Sometimes it is required to perform the same type of calculations for a large amount of the same type of data. A spreadsheet allows you to enter a formula only once - when you copy it to another cell, the parameters will be automatically replaced with new values.

Let the task be to calculate cos (x), where x is given in degrees. To solve it, we will perform the following actions:

Enter the text "Angle" in cell A1, the number "0" in cell A2, and "1" in A3. Select cell A2 and, without releasing the mouse button, also cell A3. Cells can also be selected using the cursor keys: select A2, then press Shift -arrow to down .

Next, move the mouse over the lower right corner of the selected area; the cursor changes to a cross. By pressing and holding the left mouse button, select an area of ​​360 cells with a red rectangle, that is, the last selected cell should be cell A361. In this case, the number 360 will appear in the yellow rectangle of the tooltip.

An example of autocomplete has just been analyzed. OpenCalc, when expanding the red selection area, automatically increases the cell values ​​by one. In principle, it would be enough to just enter "1" and just multiply the cell, since OpenCalc by default multiplies cells in an arithmetic progression with an increment of "1". If you hold Ctrl, then the cell values ​​will be multiplied by simple copying.

Now we can just as easily calculate the values ​​of the cosines of all angles; first, you need to return to the top of the page with Ctrl -Home(return to the beginning of the sheet) either Ctrl -up arrow (go to the top margin of the block).

Enter in B1 "cos (angle)", and in B2 in Latin "= c" and press Enter; further, having switched to Russian, "p"; Enter, left arrow and Enter... So, by pressing just a few buttons, the formula "= COS (RADIANS (A2))" was introduced. Now, with the cross-shaped cursor hooking the lower-right edge of the cell, you can apply the formula to all angle values. The result is the cosine values ​​of all angles.

Cell format

OpenCalc, like any modern spreadsheet, supports various formats of data in cells that determine how it is displayed in the table. For example, text 3/4/01 will be set to Date format. If we change the cell format to a number, we get 36954.

In order to change the format of a cell, right-click on the cell and in the context menu select Format Cell and in the window that opens, the "Numbers" tab.

In our example with calculating the cosine, change the number of displayed decimal places (the value of the parameter fractional part) by 7. Our format will be automatically entered in the Number and User Defined categories.

Links

Let's go back to the cosine example. Let now it is required to calculate the function "cos (angle + phase)". Let's say the phase is constant and should be stored in cell C2. Then change the formula in B2 from "= cos (radians (A2))" to "= cos (radians (A2 + C2))" and multiply by all 360 values. There will be practically no effect: the fact is that we did not say that the phase is constant, that is, the formula "= cos (radians (A3 + C3))" was written in cell B3. There is no data in C3, so OpenCalc assumes that C3 contains "0". To prohibit changing a variable by column or row, you need to write a $ sign in front of the coordinate. Now we prohibit changing the row coordinate by changing C2 to C $ 2 in our formula.

To quickly insert $ into the edited address, it is convenient to use the keyboard shortcut Shift -F4... If you press this combination once, the $ sign is added to the column coordinate and the row coordinate; two times - only to the row coordinate, three times - to the column coordinate. The fourth press is equivalent to the first.

Since an OpenCalc document contains multiple sheets, it is possible to address between sheets as well. Up to this point, we have considered local addressing acting within a single leaf; the full cell address looks like this:

<Название листа>.<Локальный адрес ячейки>.

Diagrams

Now it remains to insert the diagram of our calculation. This is done very simply: Two columns A and B are selected. From the menu, select Insert → Chart

Figure 27. Chart auto-format

In our case, the first line is the label of the x-axis, so we leave the checkbox “ First line as signature". The range of values ​​recorded in the "Area" field was determined automatically, it, as expected, is equal to "$ Sheet1. $ A $ 1: $ B $ 361".

Our diagram can be placed either on one of the existing sheets, or on a new sheet. If you place a diagram on a new sheet, then it will occupy it completely, which is very convenient for printing diagrams on a whole sheet. In our example, Sheet1 is selected to place the chart.

After filling in each dialog box, you need to click the "Next" button and select the type of diagram in the next window:

2D charts

Lines; with areas; bar graph; ruled; circular; XY chart; mesh; exchange.

3D charts

3M chart; with areas 3M; 3M histogram; ruled 3M; circular 3M.

Since in our case the diagram is built on two columns, we will select the XY-diagram. Data series are specified in columns.

Figure 28. Selecting an XY chart

Then we will refine the version of the diagram. Let's indicate the name of the diagram; since there is only one dependency on it, uncheck the legend box. Enter the labels for the X and Y axes. Then you need to click the "Finish" button.

Figure 29. The diagram is built

Using OpenDraw

With OpenDraw, you can provide any OpenOffice.org document with high-quality illustrations - be it a word processing document, spreadsheet, or presentation. In addition, it is possible to export the drawing to other applications using widely used graphic formats.

Types of images

OpenDraw allows you to create both vector and bitmap drawings. Raster images consist of a limited number of dots and the image in such patterns is formed by a combination of dots of different colors. As a result, raster-type images are not scaled - more precisely, they do not look good after resizing. At the same time, bitmap images are well transferred from one program to another, since in essence they are reduced to a simple array of points.

Vector drawings are drawings that consist of objects (lines, rectangles, circles, gradients, etc.) and do not have a fixed resolution; however, they can also include bitmaps as objects. Vector graphics perfectly scales and at any time can be converted to a raster form with any given resolution. This property makes vector graphics the preferred choice for document illustrations; at the same time, when exporting a document to any format external to OpenOffice.org, vector images cannot always be used and in such cases are converted to raster images.

The OpenDraw program is mainly intended for creating vector drawings; applications such as gimp exist for working with bitmaps.

The rest of this tutorial will discuss mainly vector art; Bitmaps will be considered only from the point of view of their use as part of a vector image, as well as in the context of converting vector images to raster images.

Principles of working with the program

Figure 30. General form the main OpenDraw window

The menu area is located at the top of the main window; below - panels of functions, hyperlinks, objects; the toolbar is located vertically on the left, the ruler is slightly to the right, the symbol and color panels are even lower, and finally, at the very bottom of the main window, the status panel. Any of the listed panels can be turned on or off through the menu View → Symbol Bars.

In the central part of the main window of the program there is a drawing worksheet. The scale of the worksheet display is set through the View → Scale menu or using the "Scale" tool on the toolbar.

Graphic primitives

Under graphic primitives the minimum graphic objects that make up the vector drawing. Graphic primitives in OpenDraw include: lines and arrows; rectangles; circles, ellipses, arcs, segments and sectors; curves; connecting lines; three-dimensional objects (cube, ball, cylinder, etc.); text. More complex objects can be composed of graphic primitives using the combination function and logical operations on forms; this will be discussed later.

To create a primitive of one of the listed types, press and hold the button of the corresponding primitive group on the toolbar. Then, after selecting the desired primitive from the drop-down list of icons, release the button. As a result, the mode of primitive creation is activated, in which you need to specify with the mouse the location of key points and distances of the primitive. Different primitives have a different number of parameters: for example, a simple line has only two parameters, and a curve has an unlimited number. Below we will talk about the features of creating various primitives.

Lines and arrows

To create a line, specify the start and end points of the line on the drawing sheet: the start point of the line is set with the left mouse button; then, without releasing the button, position the cursor on the end point of the line and release the button - the line is created.

Connecting line

This object is created in the same way as a regular line. A feature of the connecting line is the ability to snap to objects, therefore, when creating a connecting line, instead of the point of the beginning or end of the line, you can specify any object - the program itself will select the best point of attaching the line to it.

Rectangles

Here you need to specify the position of two opposite vertices of the rectangle: specify the first by pressing the left mouse button; then, without releasing it, move the cursor to the second point and fix the shape by releasing the button.

Circles, ellipses, arcs, segments and sectors

To create a circle or ellipse, it is enough to indicate the size of the primitive with two points: specify the first point by pressing the left mouse button without releasing it, move the cursor to the required distance to the second point and release the mouse button. The circle or ellipse will be inscribed in the rectangle specified by the start and end points. To get an arc, segment or sector, you need to specify two more points on the contour of the circle or ellipse, also by pressing and releasing the left mouse button.

3D objects

To define a three-dimensional object, you must specify it maximum size in one of two dimensions. A three-dimensional object is created in fixed proportions, which can be changed after its creation.

Text

A text object is created by simply clicking the left mouse button in the desired place on the sheet: a typing frame with a text cursor will appear.

When creating text inscribed in a frame, first set the frame with two points: press the right mouse button at the first point, move the cursor and release the button at the second point. The font size will be automatically selected so that the text occupies the entire area of ​​the specified frame.

Legend

A legend is a box with an arrow that is usually used to explain some part of a drawing. It is set, like a regular frame, with two points using the right mouse button. Then you can insert text inside the legend frame by double-clicking the left mouse button on the frame. As you enter text, the legend frame automatically resizes.

Bezier curves

Based on trigonometric equations, French mathematician and engineer Pierre Bézier created a special way of describing complex contours in a simple yet flexible way for metal-cutting machines used in the automotive industry; this method was called Bezier curves and, due to its simplicity and flexibility, subsequently became one of the most important methods of computer graphics.

Bezier curves are drawn from multiple points and guide lines. The points along which the curve is drawn are called reference points; each of them is characterized by two line segments located on the tangent to the Bezier curve at the anchor point (they are called guides). The length of each of them sets the steepness of the next or previous segment of the curve, and the angle of the tangent sets the direction in both directions from the anchor point.

When creating a curve in OpenDraw, its control points are sequentially indicated using the left mouse button. If, after pressing the button to create an anchor point, you do not release the button, you can set the angle and length of the guides; if the button is not held down, the length of the guides will be zero, and such a point will be angular. The track of the first anchor point must be specified, otherwise the operation is canceled. Double-clicking with the left mouse button finishes drawing the curve.

Important

Note that when creating a curve, the length of the guides in both directions is the same. You can change the lengths of the guides separately after creating the curve using the point editing tool.

Comment

Holding the button Shift in the process of creating a curve, allows you to specify angles in multiples of 45 degrees; to close the curve, you can use the button Alt .

In the X Window System, the Alt can be used by the window manager, preventing this operation from being performed. For example, KDE uses by default Alt combined with the left mouse button pressed to move the window. However, you can close the line by pressing Alt after the right button. The line will be closed, but the last anchor point will be the corner. It is easy to fix this with the point editing tool. You can also change the settings of the window manager by specifying a different modifier instead of Alt .

Hand drawn line

To create a hand-drawn line, by pressing and holding the left mouse button, draw the desired curve by hand. The drawn line is also a Bezier curve, only the number of anchor points, the values ​​and angles of the guides are automatically determined by the program.

Polygons

Polygon creation consists of specifying all the vertices of the polygon. The first vertex is indicated by pressing the left mouse button to indicate the second - release the mouse button, otherwise the operation will be canceled; the rest of the vertices are indicated by the usual left-click, and the last vertex - by double. As with creating a curve, you can use Alt to close the polygon and Shift for drawing with angles in multiples of 45 degrees, respectively.

Properties of graphic objects

Each object - already modified, combined, converted, or just a graphic primitive - has a certain set of characteristics, such as size, color, rotation angle, font family and size, etc. Moreover, from the point of view of modification, objects can be divided into three groups:

graphical objects characterized by an area (most objects);

graphic objects characterized by private properties (lines, connecting lines, legend);

text objects (plain text).

To change the parameters of objects, first select the object by clicking on any part of it. The program will confirm the selection by highlighting the area where the object will be placed with square dots. At the same time, the primitives that are characterized by the area, as well as text objects, are highlighted by a field of eight green square dots, the rest are highlighted by turquoise dots, which indicate the key points of the object.

You can select several objects at once using the left mouse button while holding down the button Shift- in this case, the selected objects will be highlighted with one field of eight points and all further operations will affect all selected objects.

The selection area of ​​an object can be stretched, moved, rotated, and so on. Stretching a plain text area does not change the size of the text; in all other cases, resizing the selection area causes the object to be scaled.

Resize and move

The vertex points of the rectangular area of ​​the object are used to resize the object in two dimensions at the same time, and the points on the sides are used in only one dimension. To perform these actions, grab the desired point with the mouse, stretch the area and release the button.

For objects of the second type, when resizing, control points are used - in much the same way as when resizing an area, however, in this case, the resizing occurs according to the rules of the object itself: for example, for a Legend, lengthening the pointer arrow does not change the annotation area.

The frame of the area of ​​text objects sets the field for typing text and the width of the line; resizing it does not change the font size. On the contrary, the text inscribed in the frame depends on the size of the specified area, in this case the text is scaled automatically so that all the text fits in the specified area.

To move an object, left-click on any part of the object, move the object without releasing the button, and releasing it, commit the change.

Text inside objects

Almost all objects (except three-dimensional ones) can contain text in one form or another. For text objects, this is, of course, the main function; for others - additional.

If you double-click the left mouse button on an object, a cursor will appear, which allows you to enter or correct text inside the object. Its properties can be changed in the same way as for text objects - using the tools of the object panel, the Format menu or using the context menu.

Effects

For other operations on objects, such as rotation, mirroring and others, use the effects panel.

With the rotation tool selected in the effect panel, you will see that the selection points of the object will take on a circular shape. Depending on the type of object selected, each point gives access to different functions. When you hover the mouse over the desired point, the cursor changes its appearance, indicating a possible operation; in addition, when an operation is performed, the title and details of the current operation appear in the status bar. If the function corresponding to the control point is not applicable for the selected object, the cursor changes to a crossed-out circle.

The vertices of the object's selection rectangle can be used to rotate the object in the plane of the sheet. Moreover, the rotation will occur relative to the center, shown in the form of a small circle with a cross. By default, the center of rotation is set exactly in the center of the object's selection area, but you can move it with the mouse to any point on the page. For 3D objects, the points at the vertices of the marquee allow you to rotate them in the plane of the sheet.

Points on the sides of the object's selection area are used to distort the object in the appropriate direction. For 3D objects, these points allow you to rotate them in a plane that is perpendicular to the sheet plane and parallel to the side of the rectangular marquee containing the selected control point.

The Effects panel allows you to perform other useful operations on objects, such as deformations, mirroring at any angle, building an object by rotating a flat prototype, and adjusting transparency.

Using the point editor

The point editing mode can be invoked via the Points Edit tool on the object panel (or options), the context drop-down menu (the Points Edit item) or using the keyboard button F8 .

This mode is available for objects constructed from Bezier curves. If you want to change the shape of a different type of object using the point editing mechanism, you will first need to convert the object to Bezier curves using the Convert item of the context drop-down menu (this applies to most objects).

In the point editing mode, you can change the point type, close the curve, add and remove points using the point editor tools that appear on the objects panel after you turn on the point editing mode. Select the desired point with the right mouse button - it will be possible to change the angle and dimensions of the guide lines of the selected anchor point. Thus, you can change the degree of bending of the line on different sides of this point.

The control points themselves can be moved, deleted, added and changed their type. In addition, the Edit Points panel contains tools to close or open the curve and convert the line to a Bezier curve.

For convenience, OpenDraw distinguishes between three types of anchor points:

Symmetrical transition

Anchor point with equal-length guide lines. When you change the length of one symmetrical transition guide, the second also changes the length.

Smooth transition

This is a common anchor point with different lengths and separately adjustable guides.

Corner point

This is the anchor point at which the curve seems to break. The corner point direction lines may not be on the same line and have different lengths.

Having selected the desired anchor point, you can easily change its type using the tools on the "Edit Points" panel.

Area properties

The area of ​​the object, if it exists, can be very flexibly configured through the tools of the object panel (the Format → Area menu or the Area context menu). It can have different fillings, cast a shadow and be transparent. The fill can be a color fill, a gradient fill, a hatch, or a bitmap texture. Shadow and transparency also have their own settings, which can be found on the corresponding tabs of the area properties window.

Line properties

Every OpenDraw object contains lines - even if it is a text object and its border is not displayed by default. The dialog box that allows you to customize the appearance of these lines can be called through the tools of the object panel, the Format → Line menu, or through the Line context menu. In this case, you can change the color, thickness, set the transparency and provide the ends of the line with arrows of various types.

Text properties

For text and objects containing text, it is possible to change the appearance and properties of the text through the tools on the object panel, the Format menu or the context menu.

Text properties are called using the tools of the object panel, the Format → Text menu or the Text context menu. Here it is determined whether the text will be inscribed in the frame or vice versa - the text will set the size of the frame, as well as whether various creeping line effects will be applied when the text is displayed on the screen.

To change the properties of characters and paragraphs, use other items of the Character and Paragraph menu of the context menu or the same items of the Format menu.

Object naming

To simplify the work with pictures of a complex structure, OpenDraw has the ability to assign names to objects of some types, which then appear in the status bar every time you select an object. In addition, named objects are displayed by the Navigator as individual elements pattern structure.

You can assign a name only:

a group of objects;

inserted objects: bitmap, OLE object, formula, etc.

Graphic Styles

Like a text document, a picture can contain styles, but only of one type - graphic. Graphic style is a comprehensive set of attribute values ​​for a wide variety of graphical objects. When applied to any object, the style overrides the values ​​of the existing of this object attributes, substituting the values ​​specified for this style instead.

Graphic styles are especially useful for creating complex drawings with repetitive elements; they are indispensable for drawings, various schemes, diagrams, etc. To create, modify, apply and delete them, it is most convenient to use the Style Wizard, which can be called from the Format menu →, by pressing F11 or tool (" On off. Style Wizard») On the function bar.

Having selected an object or several objects using the Style Wizard, it is easy to apply any style: just double-click on the desired item in the Style Wizard window.

To change the style, just select it with a mouse click and select the Change item from the drop-down menu. Changes to the style will affect all graphic objects to which it was applied.

Converting objects

Any object in OpenDraw can be transformed into one form or another, depending on its type; possible options are contained in the Transform context menu, which displays a list of valid transformations for the selected object. So, for example, for three-dimensional objects there are only two options, and for a rectangle there are already seven. By transforming objects, you can get new objects with completely different properties than the original object, as well as different in appearance.

Positioning objects

OpenDraw has powerful tools for positioning objects. It is often necessary to align objects relative to each other, page or line; to perform these actions, use the tools on the Arrange and Align panels, as well as the Distribute item on the context menu or the Actions menu. The tools in the options bar help you position objects precisely.

Alignment

Any object can be aligned relative to the page margins using the appropriate tools in the "Align" tear-off panel.

There are separate tools for horizontal and vertical alignment - in the center and at the edges of the sheet. If you select several objects at once (while holding down the Shift), you can use the same tools to align objects relative to the edges or center of the selection area.

Location

Depending on the order of creation, an object can overlap part of another object (s) or be overlapped by another object (s). To control the position of objects in depth use the tools of the tear-off panel "Arrangement".

The panel contains tools for moving an object directly to the front or back, sequentially changing its position (behind the object or in front of the object), changing its position relative to a specific object. It is also possible to swap (in depth) two objects.

Distribution

This function makes it possible to align multiple objects with respect to each other so that the distances between the objects relative to the contours or centers of objects are equal. In this case, the outermost objects in the chain do not move.

In order to use this function, you must first select three or more objects, and then select the Distribute item in the context menu or in the Actions menu.

Precise object placement

The OpenDraw options panel has a number of handy tools to help you accurately position objects relative to each other or to the sheet. Precise positioning is carried out by creating special marks or markers in the form of points or lines on the drawing field, which can later be used to facilitate the alignment of objects. Such labels are called bindings.

OpenDraw supports several types of bindings:

net

A grid is superimposed on the page margin. When this snapping is enabled, objects can be moved or scaled strictly along the grid points.

guide line

It can be horizontal or vertical. To create this anchor, you need to left-click on the vertical or horizontal ruler and extend the line to the desired location on the sheet.

custom binding

The user has the ability to set a snap in the form of a line or point anywhere on the sheet with millimeter precision. Such a binding is created using the Insert menu → Line / Anchor Point

To perform actions on several objects at once, it is convenient to use the grouping function. To create a group, you must first mark several objects by holding the button Shift, and then select the Group item of the context menu (or the Actions menu) or use the hot button Ctrl -Shift -G .

Comment

If you are using Ctrl -Shift as a keyboard switcher and noticed that similar combinations are used in many applications, try setting up language switching by Caps lock (in this case, the latching of the register is switched by Shift -Caps lock), it is more productive.

The created group behaves like a constantly active selection of several objects. The advantage of a group over the usual selection of several objects is that it eliminates the possibility of forgetting to select an object before the operation.

A group can always be split using the item Ungroup context menu or Actions menu, or using a combination of buttons Alt -Ctrl -Shift -G .

To edit the objects included in the group, there is no need to split the group - the operations of entering and exiting the group are intended for this. You can use the items Enter the group (Exit the group) of the context menu or the Actions menu, or the hot button F3 (Ctrl -F3 ).

You can leave the group by double-clicking the left mouse button outside the group area, and enter, respectively, by double-clicking on the area of ​​any object included in the group.

After you enter a group, objects that are not included in this group are displayed more dimly. This is done in order to make it easier to distinguish objects included in this group from others, as well as to indicate the mode of being in the group.

Combining objects

Unlike grouping, which is mainly necessary to perform a series of identical operations on a large number of objects, when combined, a new object with new properties is created from the selected objects. The resulting combination inherits the properties of the object created first, or more precisely, the one behind all other objects selected for the combination. You can only combine objects that can be converted to Bézier curves.

It is as easy to create a combination as it is to group objects. To create a combination, you must first mark several objects (while holding the button Shift), and then select the Combine item of the context menu (or the Actions menu) or use the hot button Ctrl -Shift -K .

At the intersection of objects in combination, transparent holes appear; this property is a payment for being able to split a combination. This method can also be used as a temporary union of objects before performing logical operations on them.

The resulting combination can always be disconnected using the item Disconnect combination context menu (or Actions menu) or using a combination of buttons Alt -Ctrl -Shift -K .

When combining certain types of objects, the object is (irreversibly) converted to Bézier curves, so although the combination can always be uncoupled, the combining operation is not completely reversible.

Logical operations on objects

OpenDraw allows you to logically add, subtract and intersect objects. To perform logical operations, it is necessary to select several objects (while holding the button Shift), then use the Merge, Subtract or Intersect items of the Form context menu or the Actions → Form menu to perform the required operation. As a result, a new object is formed that inherits the properties of the oldest one (or, more precisely, one that is deeper than all the others selected).

Logical operations are irreversible, so if you want to undo an operation, then the only way is to use the OpenDraw undo function, which is available through the Edit → Undo menu or by the hot button Ctrl -Z .

Next time you boot, check the box “ Don't show this dialog again". If you want to have an idea of ​​how the presentation will look, leave a tick in the "View" box.

The transition to the next window is carried out by pressing the "Next" button. In the second step, you need to set the slide style and “ Presentation Shower". In the third window, you can select options for switching between frames in the presentation.

Then click the "Finish" button. A window with a dialog for creating a slide will open. Here enter the name of the new slide, define the layout (view) of the slide and the options "show background" and " show objects in the background».

To add a new slide, right-click in an empty space and select Slide → Insert Slide from the context menu or via the Insert → Slide menu - the slide creation dialog will open.

OpenImpress allows you to make a copy of a specific slide and paste it as a new slide: choose from the menu Insert → Duplicate slide.

Presentation modes

On the right side of the control bar, on the scroll bar, there are six tools to control how you work with your presentation.

The top button "Drawing mode" is used to view and edit slides separately. When this mode of operation is selected, the tabs with the names of the slides will be visible at the bottom left of the horizontal scroll bar - to go to the desired one, just click on the tab with its name.

The next tool allows you to switch to the view of the slide structure, which is presented in the form of a hierarchical list; the first level of the hierarchy is the slides (their titles are displayed). To go to any slide, you need to select any element related to it; here you can edit the title. To add a slide, just enter the text and make it the first level of the hierarchy (to change the level, use the keys Shift -Tab , Tab or toolbar).

The next tool, Slide Mode, controls the order of the slides. To change the order, simply drag the slide from one place to another.

Tool " Annotation mode»Allows you to enter text that will only be visible in annotation view.

Abstracts Mode allows you to place slides on one page and enter their descriptions.

In the lower left corner there is a toolbar that allows you to add a background to your slides; you can switch between slide mode and background mode (the first two buttons are used for this).

In "background mode" you can add a background that will be visible on all slides, but cannot be edited. You can add, for example, a text caption or a picture. In order for the background to be visible or not visible on a specific slide, right-click on the slide and in the context menu select Slide → Slide Style and then slide style with or without background. In the same dialog, you can select one of the possible styles by clicking on the "Load" button, and by selecting the desired one, confirm the choice.

Working with a slide

To work with a slide, you can use the tools located on the main toolbar (on the left):

The arrow tool is used to select objects. The next tool in the form of a sheet of paper with a magnifying glass is used to change the scale of the document; in its menu there are several buttons that allow you to select the optimal scale of the document.

The next group of tools is used to insert various objects on the slide - text, rectangular shapes, ellipses and circles, three-dimensional objects, curves, lines and arrows, connecting lines.

The following group of tools is used to change the position of an object. For example, to rotate an object, you can select an object, click on the rotation button and, grabbing the red handles around the object with the mouse, rotate the object in different directions. To align an object on the page (both horizontally and vertically), use the following tool. The Arrange tool lets you change the overlapping ("layering") order of objects.

A group of elements that change the effects of objects to make your presentation more attractive; it "hides" behind the "Effects" button. Buttons for selecting effects allow you to select an object to which they will be applied. The first allows you to select options for the appearance of the slide, the second - only text effects.

Below in the drop-down list, the category of effects is specified, from which the required one is eventually selected; the speed of its execution is also set. To assess the consequences, click on the " Preview window". To apply the effect to an object, use the Assign button.

After clicking on the "Order" button, a list of the order in which objects appear in the presentation slide appears; you can change it by simply dragging the selected object to the desired position.

The next button on the left toolbar is Interaction, which allows you to define what action should be taken when an object is clicked. This can be a transition to a slide, the execution of a program, and much more.

The penultimate tool lets you apply 3D effects to an object. The latter tool provides a presentation view mode.

Once you've created a slide, you can always edit it. The title of the created slide can be changed by clicking on the object with the inscription “ Add title with mouse click". The name of the created slide is displayed on the tab next to the scroll bar. If you right-click on it, you can rename the slide, delete it, insert a new one, or change the slide layout. Text properties can be changed by selecting one of the items in the drop-down context menu.

The Text item allows you to set the properties of the text and the creeping line effect. On the “Text” tab, the frame properties are set: the size and position of the text. On the tab "Creeping line" you can set the effects for the animation of the text.

To add a picture, click on the icon with a house and select a picture in the dialog that opens. Right-clicking opens the following properties of the picture:

Text

Effects of text overlaid on an image. (The text can be superimposed on the image by double-clicking the left mouse button).

Position and size

Sets the position, size, rotation, skew of the image.

Original size

Sets the initial size of the image.

Color resolution

Allows you to set the tonal depth of the image, that is, the number of bits allocated for encoding the color of each point. Greater depth means more shades displayed.

Location

Determines the level of the object in the "stack".

Alignment

Sets the position of the object on the slide (left, center, right, top, middle, bottom).

Reflect

Allows you to flip the image vertically or horizontally.

Convert

Allows you to convert an image to a polygon, contour, three-dimensional object, body of revolution, bitmap... These properties are not always available.

Give a name to the object

Allows you to name objects for convenience.

the effect

Allows you to apply one of the available effects to the object.

In addition to being able to position objects on a slide, you can specify a slide background. To do this, right-click in an empty spot on the slide and select Slide → Page settings... In the dialog that opens, open the tab “

Slide transition effects

Slide transition effects can be set in the second step of the Presentation Wizard. If this has not been done, correction is needed or you need to make different transitions between slides - use the menu item Demonstration → Slide Transition: the dialog for setting the transition effect to this slide will open.

This dialog is similar to the dialog for setting transition effects, but it has an addition - a time control button. With its help, you can set the time between slide changes, which, in turn, can be automatic, semi-automatic and manual. The first option indicates the time after which the transition to the next slide will be made.

You can view the created presentation using the button from the menu Demonstration → Demonstration or a keyboard shortcut Ctrl -F2 .

Working with databases in OpenOffice.org

Now is the time to talk about how OpenOffice.org works with data. Indeed, for any modern office suite, working with data is an absolute must. After all, one of the main tasks when using computers in Everyday life is precisely the processing of large amounts of data.

It is assumed that the reader has some idea of ​​how database management systems, abbreviated as DBMS, are arranged.

It is usually customary to include your own DBMS and tools for working with it in an office suite. However, it doesn't make much sense. DBMS is a complex system that requires significant resources, care, systematic archiving of data and special knowledge for such manipulations. The creators of OpenOffice.org chose a different path - they included in their package a mechanism for accessing data from any application, be it OpenWriter or OpenCalc, leaving data storage to other programs.

Let's get to know this data access mechanism in practice. Start OpenWriter and create a new document or open an existing one. Click on function key F4 or select in the main toolbar " Data sources". The data access panel will open at the top of the window. So far, it contains only one source entitled "Bibliography". This is the test base that comes with OpenOffice.org.

Let's work with the data in practice to better understand how the access capabilities are implemented. Let's create a small database for keeping track of books in the school library.

Exit OpenOffice.org and create a directory on disk where you will store your data, such as Documents. Go back to the OpenWriter doc. Right-click in the field where the data sources are listed and select "" or select from the menu Tools → Data sources.

Figure 32. Managing data sources

The "" window will open. Click the " New data source". Give the new source a name - let it be Library. Now let's see what databases we can work with. The list is quite impressive - it's the good old Dbase, access using ODBC and JDBC drivers, text files, spreadsheet documents, as well as ADO for accessing databases created in MS Access. We currently do not have databases connected using ODBC, so we will choose Dbase. This is an old and very popular format, those who have been working with a computer for a long time can remember many programs in which it is used, and data in this format is probably stored on their hard disk. It suits our task perfectly. Select "Database Type" - Dbase and specify the path to the directory that we created for the data. Open the "Dbase" tab and select "Encoding".

It should be said right away that if you plan to use the files created by Dbase not only when working with OpenOffice.org but also in other programs, to maintain compatibility with them, you should choose the old encoding " Cyrillic DOS / OS2-866 / Russian»And name fields only in uppercase Latin characters no longer than 8 characters per field name. For us now, this does not matter, so for the sake of simplicity, we will choose the "From system" encoding.

Let's open our project Library and select "Tables", "Labels" and "Queries" we do not need. There are no tables, the folder is empty. And rightly so, the table must be created.

Press the right mouse button to open the "Table Project". We need fields for serial number, author, book title, subject to which this book belongs. Let's also add the state of the book and a field for notes where the librarian will enter service information.

It is advisable to choose the length of the fields according to the principle of reasonable sufficiency - for an author with a surname, name and patronymic, probably 80–90 characters will be enough, for the title it is better to do 255 (this is the maximum value for a text field).

The type of fields depends on their function - for the number it is DECIMAL, let it be an integer, we do not need digits after the decimal point, for other fields CHAR (character), for notes VARCHAR (character variable length). Let's create the fields as shown in the figure and save the table, for example, under the name book. We close the "Project table" and see it in our data source. The structure of the table appeared on the right and you can already enter data into it. We will introduce several books for training. For convenience, the width of the columns can be adjusted as we did in Opencalc

Our form is good for everyone, but the names of the fields are presented as they are created in the database (that is, in Latin and abbreviated). Let's fix the field names. In the main toolbar, find the item " Form controls". A floating form editing window will open. Turn on editing mode by pressing the button with the image of your finger.

Now select the field for editing. Right-click and select Group to ungroup the field and text label. Select the text label. Now select " Control element". A control window will open - here you can change the title to the Russian name. Those of you who have worked with Microsoft Office's Visual Basic for Application will find many familiar meanings in these menus.

Figure 35. Work to improve the appearance of the form

Now change all the text labels and the form is finally ready. Explore all the controls and try adding new ones to the created form.

For example, for the "item" and "state" fields, you can try replacing a simple field with a combo box so that you do not enter the same values ​​for item names and book states each time. In this way, you can create many simple but useful applications.

In conclusion, I would like to advise what to do if you really need a full-fledged database server. Among the free products, there are quite powerful DBMSs that are in no way inferior to their commercial counterparts. These are MySQL, ADABAS, Postgres, FireBird and other very decent products.

[email protected]> and many others.

To everyone who has worked and continues to improve OpenOffice.org, the authors would like to thank.

Open and closed file formats

As you know, documents can be of different formats, but which of them are open and which are closed, and what does this mean? For example, one of the existing plain text formats can be decrypted on every computer, without the need to use any special data about the internal structure of the document. All that is required is an encoding table. This situation classifies the plain text format with a well-known encryption table as an open format.

As for the files of a closed type - an example would be files created in software applications Microsoft package Office. The format of such documents is the property of Microsoft Corporation, which means that information about the internal structure of documents is not disseminated. Some information, of course, can be purchased for a certain amount of money, which, however, does not prevent it from being incomplete, since the format is subject to changes with each new version software package. This document format is classified as closed.

Most users understand that the most effective, and perhaps the only way to organize a free exchange of information, without any problems of document compatibility, is to use open format documents. Such documents could be distributed over the Internet all over the world without the fear that other programs that someone uses could not be read. this file... However, the current situation is far from ideal. Many users of various software packages to this day use and send documents of closed formats via the Internet, for example, MS Office files. In the case when there is no firm confidence in the presence of such a package with the necessary editors on the opponent's computer, you should not do this. The belief that Microsoft's office is installed by "most" users, and the sent documents "will be open for everyone" is wrong.

As for the free office analogue of OpenOffice.org, its documents refer to open format files, which are officially characterized and enshrined in the standard. These formats are workable with most programs. Such compatibility of programs and formats is determined at a very high level - the states, together with corporations competent in this area with high authority, create and approve standards.

An excellent example of standardized formats is the www formats, which are chosen by the World Wide Web Consortium, otherwise known as the W3C. This format does not have official authority approved by any state, however, thanks to this standard, it is possible to create Internet pages that are viewed from anywhere in the world. It was the W3C corporation that created the Internet format standard HTML pages... There are several versions of such a standard, both HTML and XHTML, which is based on XML.

Open Office and Microsoft Office

First of all, it should be said that the Microdoft Office software package does not have the ability to convert, allowing you to work with Open Office documents. This behavior is not entirely consistent with the global policy of establishing equal competition, in addition, about the study of MDSN Library, you can notice the fact that the team of Microsoft creators is not at all "aware" of the existence of Open Office, which, of course, forces us to draw certain conclusions.

In order to work in Microsoft Office with documents from Open Office, there is no easier way than to save documents in MSO format natively in OOo. This function can be made automatic using the commands "Tools" - "Options" - "Load / Save" - ​​"General" - "Default File Format" Another way to work with Open Office files is to use additional converters. One of the existing similar plugins is the "Sun ODF Plugin for MSO", which allows users of the editor text information, table processor and Microsoft's Presentation Wizards to open and modify documents with the ISO-approved ODF extension. This plug-in works to open Open Document Format files in MS Office versions 2007, 2003, XP, and 2000. The principle of operation of the Sun organization plug-in is based on technology integrated into StarOffice.

Initial versions of the OpenOffice.org software package needed special converters to fully interact with versions of Microsoft Office since 2007. An example of such converters is Novell, which allows you to work with files with the docx and xlsx extensions. In addition, there is a converter directly from Microsoft that allows you to convert XML documents to early documents. Microsoft versions Office, and it is not at all necessary to have this office on the computer. Starting with version 3.0 of the Open Office software, no additional converters are required.

As for opening files of a software package from Microsoft in Open Office, this possibility exists without any special additions. However, some difficulties still occur, for example, documents containing macros in VBA are not supported. It is also limited to reading documents containing in their structure links to other files, such as pictures, etc., the use of which in Open Office is arranged in a different way. The transfer of such documents from the format of MS Office applications to the OO format does not occur. However, most of the standard documents developed in MS Office are imported without problems.

In addition, when working in Open Office, you can use the converter function that allows you to convert doc, xls, and ppt documents to the Open Office application format.

Differences in format

Latest file formats office suites also have their own nuances. A saved document from one of the applications included in Microsoft Office 2010, for example, Word with the Open Document Text file format, is formatted when opened through the Open Office text editor. Likewise, when you open an ODT file, the same changes will occur in Word 2010. This change is associated with a different set of functions that are responsible for interacting with these formats. The differences between the two taken formats mainly entail changes in the formatting of information, as well as the ability to use some functions. When you change the format of the document, the information that it contains is subject to change, however, the formatting and the process of working with it may be different.

In order for the format of the documents to be saved in MS Word to be selected as one constant, for example, ODF or OpenXML, you can use the following commands: "File" - "Options" - "Save" - ​​specify in the column "Save files in the following format" the required format of the documents to be saved, which will be set by default.

When the process of saving a Word 2010 document in the Open Document Text format occurs, changes to the document occur concurrently, caused by the support or lack thereof with respect to the ODT format.

Support features can be either fully supported or partially supported, not to mention completely unsupported features. It is worth noting that there are quite a few completely unsupported functions of the Word 2010 application by the Open Document Text format, along with graphical functions. However, most of the main functions are nevertheless imported into this format without changes. If you really need to create ODT files using Microsoft's office, then the support functionality is quite enough, but it is better to work with documents of this format in the Open Office software package, which is closer to it.

More about ODF

The Open Document Format is an open and free file format for storing and sharing them. Such files include various types of information, be it text files, spreadsheets, illustrations, slideshows or databases.

This standard was developed by the OASIS association based on the XML format. In 2006, it was adopted at the international level - ISO / IEC 26300. Development this format produced by many corporations, which allowed it to be available and used absolutely freely. This format was conceived as an analogue of commercial closed formats like doc, xls, ppt, which are part of Microsoft documents Office, etc.

It is worth noting that it is recommended that the documents be viewed again after saving and closing in order to make sure of the required appearance of the text in the ODT format. When a document workflow is performed in multiple editors other than Word, for example, using the Open Office Writer or Google docs, filling the document with text and formatting it will be various functions... The best option would be to concentrate on text content as much as possible. After completing the work on the information array, it is worth paying attention to the formatting, since the losses in this case will be minimal when switching to other formats, such as Word or ODT.

The positive qualities of the Open Document Text format are: a small weight of documents than similar ones in the Doc format, independence from commercial corporations due to the openness of the format, which also allows you to be free in the choice of the software used. Also, of course, the approval of this format at the international level should be considered an advantage.

The disadvantages of the ODT format include the following characteristics: slideshows created in presentation wizards, for example, Impress from Open Office, do not allow tables in their content. In addition, digital signatures in the Open Document Text format defy description, and the format specification does not recognize a formulaic language.

Continuing the focus on free file format text documents it should be said that it is supported by the largest corporations working in the field of software development. The most famous of these are OpenOffice.org and IBM Lotus Symphony, Star Office and Neo Office, Visio Writer, and many others.

Summing up, we can safely say that the future lies behind open formats, however, at the moment, in the process of separation of preferences and a slow transition to such a format, the choice remains with the user - which document format to work with, and which software use for this.

2. General information about the Writer editor

The Writer word processor can be started by:

• clicking on the OpenOffice.orgWriter icon
• from the Start menu (in Windows operating environment), section Programs - OpenOffice.org

Start the Writer program.

General view of the working window of Writer

3.Create, open, save a document

3.1. Create a new document

You can create a blank document in Writer in several ways:

• By pressing the Control + N keys (hereinafter, the "+" sign means simultaneous keystrokes). If you are already working with open document, then the new document appears in a new window.

• By choosing File / New / Text Document.
• By clicking on the "New" icon on the Standard toolbar.

3.2. Creating a document from a template

You can use templates to create a new document in Writer. Templates serve as the basis for a number of documents, ensuring they have the same markup.

OpenOffice.org contains some ready-made templates, you can also add new ones to them and use them to create new documents.

Select the template, then click the Open button. A new document will be created using the formats defined in this template.

3.3. Opening a document

Opening an existing text file (text) when the Writer editor is open

• Pressing Control + O
• By choosing File / Open / file name.

• By clicking on the "Open" icon in the toolbar

The file name is selected from the contents of the corresponding folder.

3.4. Saving a document

To save the file

• submit the command File / Save under the same name,
• under the new name File / Save As ... / File name.

OpenOffice uses its own data save format (.ODT) to save documents.

If you may need to share your documents with other authors who do not use OpenOffice.org, but work with Microsoft program Word, you can save documents in Word format.

In addition, the content of the document is automatically saved.

To change the settings for autosaving a document, go to the menu item Service / Options / Load and Save / General and select the interval at which your document will autosave.

4. View modes

There are 2 types of text display on the screen: "Print Layout" and Web Page Mode ", but usually the" Print Layout "mode is used (a view prepared for printing); switching between modes is caused by the View / Print Layout command.

5. Toolbars

The buttons on the toolbars (below the Menu bar) duplicate the commands on the menu bar.

The list of all panels is called up by the View / Toolbars command. The icon marks those panels that are called for work. The most commonly used panels are Standard, Formatting, and Table.

Click on the View / Status Bar menu to activate the status bar on your work window. This panel will allow you to see the number of pages in your document, text formatting style, scale bar.

The horizontal and vertical coordinate rulers are displayed on the screen using the View / Ruler command.

The document display size is changed by the View / Scale command or by the Scale button on the Standard toolbar.

5. Formatting the page

The margins and size of the text part of the page are set in the Format / Page / Page menu.

Here, the width and height of the sheet are set (standard sheet - A4 format), the orientation of the sheet (portrait - vertical or landscape - horizontal), the presence and size of headers and footers, the number of columns for writing text are determined. In the Margins section, the margins are defined from the edges of the sheet (top, bottom, right, left). After installation, the page parameters are fixed by pressing the OK button.

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As soon as you start OpenOffice Writer, you will by default open a program window with a white sheet - to enter the actual text.
The window consists of a menu bar (contains the items File, Edit, View, Insert, etc.), then comes the toolbar, which contains buttons that allow you to save, print, etc., followed by the formatting bar.

If you need to show or hide the control panel, then go to the menu View - Toolbars. Active panels will be marked next to their name.

If you need to display the rulers, then you need to go to the View - Ruler menu. In order to customize the display of the horizontal and / or vertical ruler, go to the menu Tools - Options - OpenOffice Writer - View and set the "tick" in the desired item.

Creation of a new document.

1. Click the "Create" button on the toolbar at the top.
2. Press Ctrl + N
3. Go to the menu File - New - Text Document.

In any of the above ways, a new document will be created in a new window.

Opening an existing document.

Possibly in the following ways:

1. File menu - Open.
2. Press Ctrl + O
3. standing on a file in a folder, double-click on it.
4. Click the "Open" button on the toolbar.

Saving the document.

1. Click File-Save
2. Press Ctrl + S
3. Click the "Save" button on the toolbar.

When saving a document, there is one very important nuance: by default - if you have not reconfigured OpenOffice - saving is in the OpenOffice format - the file will be with the odt extension. If you send it to your friends and they do not have OpenOffice installed on their computer, they will not be able to read it. Therefore, it is more convenient to save files in the Ms Word 97-2003 format. Such files will open everywhere.

We set up saving in this format once - and we work calmly!

To do this, go to the menu Service - Options. On the left we find the item "Load / Save" - ​​General. In the "Default file format" section, in the "Always save as" field, select Word 97/2003 / XP

Printing a document.

If you want to quickly print the typed text, then click on the "Print" button located on the standard toolbar. This will print to the Windows default printer.

If you need to be able to select a printer or only need to print some pages, then you go to the File -> Print menu (or press the Ctrl + P keys) and in the window that appears you can select the desired printer, enter the page numbers that you want to print (if You need to print pages from 2 to 7, then indicate numbers separated by dashes - for example, 2-7. If you need to print pages with numbers 2 and 7, then indicate their numbers separated by commas). Select the required number of copies (by default, 1 copy is always printed).

On the Page Layout tab, you can print either even or odd pages separately. This may be required if you are printing from 2 sides - for example, a contract.

Saving document in formatPDF is very handy to work with.

The PDF format is intended for viewing a document without the possibility of editing it. Microsoft Word does not contain such a useful feature.

Annotation: The lecture introduces the user to OpenOffice.org. Provides the hardware requirements for installing OpenOffice.org. The main advantages over other office suites are presented. The main elements of the OpenOffice.org Writer interface are presented. The possibilities of working with the menu of the OpenOffice.org Writer window are shown. Toolbars and the possibilities of working with them are presented. Methods of working with control elements of toolbars are described: buttons, lists, etc. The techniques of working with context menus and dialog boxes. The techniques for working with the Navigator, Gallery, etc. windows are discussed. An idea of ​​the simplest OpenOffice.org Writer settings and methods of restoring the default settings is given. Shows the features of the OpenOffice.org Writer help system.

V Russian Federation the official representative of OpenOffice. org is Infra-Resource LLC (http://www.i-rs.ru).

The main advantages of OpenOffice. org before other office suites:

• lack of a license fee;
• cross-platform - there are officially assemblies for the following operating systems and platforms: Microsoft Windows, GNU / Linux, Unix, Sun Solaris, MacOS;
• extensive language support - The OpenOffice.org interface is available in over 40 languages. In addition, spelling dictionaries, hyphenation dictionaries, thesaurus and dialects are available for 70 languages;
• File Compatibility - OpenOffice.org has built-in PDF and Flash export, and support for opening and saving files in Microsoft Office, RTF, PDF, HTML, XML, WordPerfect, StarWriter, and Lotus 123 formats.

Working in the OpenOffice.org Writer window

Basic window elements

The title bar is located at the top of the window (Figure 1.1). It contains the name open file and the name of the OpenOffice.org Writer program being used. If the active document is a created document that is not saved as a file, then the title bar indicates Unnamed 1(or another number of the created document).

On the left side of the title bar is the system menu icon. Double clicking on the icon closes the window. The window control buttons are located on the right side of the title bar. If the window is not maximized to full screen, then grasping the title bar with the mouse pointer, you can move it around the screen.

Below the title bar is the menu bar, see fig. 1.1). The menu bar cannot be hidden or moved to another part of the window. The order of the menu can be changed. You can create your own menus.

Below the menu bar are the toolbars (see Fig. 1.1). By default, the window displays two toolbars: Standard and Formatting... In OpenOffice.org Writer 3.3.0, next to the panel Standard the panel is also displayed by default Find... The appearance of the panels, their arrangement in the window can be changed. You can display the various panels available in OpenOffice.org Writer and create your own panels.

The main part of the window is occupied by the window (field) of an open file or a created document (see Fig. 1.1). Rulers are usually displayed at the top and left, horizontal and vertical, respectively. Bottom and right - scroll bars, similarly: horizontal and vertical.

At the bottom of the window is the status bar (