Anchor frames in columns in writer

[Len1]

I am having trouble anchoring frames to columns in LibreOffice Writer 4.

I would like to create a frame style that anchors the frame to the current cursor location within a column. However, I have not found how to do this. I can make the frame style anchor to the page, but this is not what I need.

I am writing a two column newsletter and prefer to place graphic images in a stock frame that uses my frame style and frame caption paragraph style. No luck so far in creating a frame style that works.

[qubit1]

Hi @Len1, Any luck finding an answer for your question? Sorry that we haven’t found an answer for you – we’ll try to find someone knowledgeable to help you out if you’re still looking.

[oweng]

I don’t entirely understand this question. I think I now understand what this question is asking. Text frames, text boxes, and graphics all use the draw:frame element. Text frames and text boxes make use of the Frame frame style while graphics make use of either the Graphics frame style (when first inserted) or the Frame frame style (if captioned or otherwise set within an additional frame). The reference of “anchoring frames to columns” is confusing. Objects can be anchored to pages, paragraphs, characters, or as a character.

By default an inserted text frame (Insert > Frame…) will anchor To paragraph, although this can be set to anchor To character (i.e., cursor position) at the time of insertion if required. An inserted graphic (Insert > Picture…) is always placed in a draw:frame element that is anchored by default To paragraph. When captioned (right click > Caption…) the graphic and its draw:frame element is subsequently placed in a text box (another draw:frame element with child draw:text-box element) that, by default, is anchored To paragraph. Here is an example document showing anchoring within columns.

What the question appears to be pointing out is that currently (v4.0.3.3 as I write this) the only way to set anchoring is individually on a per graphic / frame basis. Editing either the Frame or Graphics frame style do not expose anchoring information. This is bug fdo#32484 in which a workaround is described: edit one graphic or frame to set the anchoring required and then update the corresponding frame style (Update style pulldown) to use the definition of this object.