Open Office - Writer

1. Open Office - Writer Menu & Tool Bars Roger Holliday Thornbury U3A 1st October 2010

2. Open Office Writer – Screen View

3. Comparison with MS Word 2000 • The Toolbars • Additional Icons in OO Writer • Edit File • Export as PDF • Auto Spell Check • Find & Replace • Navigator • Gallery • Data Sources • Non-printing Characters • Background Colour • The Menu Bars are the same • Icons Missing from OO Writer • Tables & Borders • Insert Excel • Columns • Drawing • Document Map • Outside Borders Conclusion Negligible real difference as these functions are mainly available via the menus

4. Compatibility between MS Word & OO Writer - 1 • Opening MS Word E-mail Attachments in OO Writer: • Click on attachment file name • See: “Do you want to open this file” • Click on “Open” • See: “File does not have program associated with it….” • Click on “OK” • Right click on file name • Click on “Save as” • Select folder & click on “Save” • Right click on file name • Click on “Open with” • Click on “swriter” or Open Office icon • Opening a Saved MS Word File in OO Writer • Perform actions 9 to 11 above

5. Compatibility between MS Word & OO Writer - 2 • Opening OO Writer E-mail Attachment in MS Word • No easy way found to do this • Therefore free download Open Office • NB This machine tries to open OO Writer files with MS Works WP

6. Comparison of FILE Menus • Notes • Labels accessed via New • Margins can only be altered by • using the mouse • Export as PDF might be useful • but seems complicated

7. Comparison of EDIT Menus • Note • AutoText is system for comp- • leting words frequently used. Not • as extensive as MS Word (under • Insert)

8. Comparison of VIEW Menus • Notes • Text Boundaries seems helpful • Non-printing Characters puts • printers’ symbols (I believe) in • various places – not sure about • the purpose • Data Sources is for references • in formal documents • Navigator is for finding one’s way • around a lengthy document

9. Comparison of INSERT Menus • Notes • For date, page number, etc to go in • Headers and Footers it is necessary • Select Fields in the Insert menu • Frame looks to be the equivalent to • MS Word’s Borders & Shading • Envelope not as user friendly as MS • Word: no preset envelope sizes • It seems not possible to insert Text • Boxes • When inserting a picture in OO Writer • altering the size using the diagonal • corner arrows does not maintain the • aspect ratio unless the shift key is • kept pressed. It is also possible to • select Format, Picture, Crop to • change the size

10. Comparison of FORMAT Menus • Notes • Character is the equivalent of MS • Word’s Font but without the Text • Effects option • Styles and Formatting looks at • Paragraphs, Characters, Frames, • Pages,and Lists • Wrap enables text to be wrapped • around inserted pictures, objects, • etc • Page enables various effects and • utilities to be defined including the • selection of page orientation • Ms Word’s Frames is not the same • as OO Writer’s

11. Comparison of TABLE Menus • Note • The Table menu is similar to MS Word’s • but inserting a table brings up a useful • toolbar

12. Comparison of TOOLS Menus • Notes • The Bibliography Database includes • Open Office references but looks to • enable one’s own reference • documents to be added • Outline Numbering gives the ability • to pre-set a paragraph numbering • system: useful for formal reports • Gallery is a source of differing • options for Backgrounds, Bullets, • Homepage, My Theme, Rulers and • Sounds • Extension Manager enables the • selection of program extensions that • include additional dictionaries, more • professional looking presentations, • minimizing file size, etc

13. Comparison of WINDOW Menus • Note • No meaningful difference

14. Comparison of HELP Menus • Notes • No Office Assistant thank goodness • What’s This? gives fuller definitions • of Toolbar icons • I liked the Help facility • If the Help facility is not adequate try • Open Office (then your query) in • Google Help!!!

15. That's It Any Questions?