Remove some values (color, size) from a character style

[brandizzi]

I have a character style that used to have only two effects: it changed the font style to italic and the language to Portuguese. Now, for some reason (probably a mistake of mine) it has two other effects: it changes the content color to “Black” and the size to “11 pt”. However, this style is applied to paragraphs where the color is not black and the size is not 11pt. Also, this style is used all around a somewhat large document.

Can I remove these properties from from this style without creating a new one?

[ajlittoz]

Another solution not involving a new document:

1. Open your style for modification (right-click and choose Modify in the F11 style pane)
2. Successively go to the tabs where you want to change some property
3. Click the Standard button: properties are reset to their parent value (if you have not set a hierarchy between styles, the default parent is Default Style)
4. Re-set the properties you want to override against the parent
5. (Note: all tabs are independent, you have to check them one after the other)
6. Click OK to record the amended style

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[gabix]

Cool. I did not know such a trick.

[gabix]

I would proceed as follows:

1. Create a new document.

2. Create there a style that you want. Name this style exactly as it is named in your original document.

3. Save.

4. Open your original document.

5. Call up the Stylist (F11).

6. Use Load Styles, import styles from the new document with Overwrite ticked.

[Lupp]

Much better, I suppose!

[gabix]

My suggestion comes from my habit of playing with different templates. In Apache OpenOffice, one can use such a great extension as Template Changer. It is a pity that LibreOffice developers have broken something, and this extension does not work. Of course, for a single edit ajlittoz’s solution seems better.

[Lupp]

Sorry for my wrong and misleading answer! I tried to downvote it but was not allowed.

I don’t think there is a way to set any style property to ‘Inherited (Parent)’ or similar. To have this would really be an enhancement, imo.

The way I would do it for a single document as long as there isn’t such a feature:

-1- Install the extension ‘Alternative Search and Replace’ which is able to find named character styles.
-2- Create an intermediary characterstyle, say ‘DisposeAfterUse’.
-3- ‘Search All’ for the spoilt style with ‘AltSearch’ and apply the intermediary style to the search result.
-3- Delete the spoilt style
-4- Create that style anew setting only the properties I actually want (prob. reusing old name).
-5- ‘Search All’ for the intermediary style with ‘AltSearch’ and apply the resurrected style.

Having documents going back to a common template I would try to repair the template. Hopefully I would get offered to apply the changes in the template when opening any document based on it next time. (This not tested.)

Good luck!

(The recent edit only addressed some typos.)

See the answer by @ajlittoz .

Another example how important a clear and unambiguous terminology is in this context and generally for software. I never had a hunch ‘Standard’ might be meant to mean ‘Inherited’ here. Supposed it was meant to mean ‘Default’ and never tested (“reverse engineered”) it.

The problem to create an equally clear terminology 1:1 in about 200 locales will never be solved. Bet?

[brandizzi]

That’s a pity… but I may have to follow these steps then. Thank you.

[gabix]

I am not sure about character styles (need to try), but with paragraph styles you can reset properties to the parent style: simply erase the value in the style edit dialog.

OK, this does not seem to work. However, I would suggest another solution, see my answer.

[Lupp]

@gabix: What do you think about an enhancement request to the effect that any property settable via a style editing dialog should get the additional option ‘Inherited’.?

[gabix]

Sure, such a feature (explicit) would be quite helpful.

[ajlittoz]

@Lupp: I fully agree with your remark about terminology. In the same dialog, do you know the effect of Reset button? It will cancel your present changes and revert the style tab properties to their recorded values, not “reset” them to some “standard” (which ones?) values. Another exemple of bad terminology!