Footnote number format changes after conversion to .docx and opening in Microsoft Word

[MaPe]

I think I am looking for a developer who is willing to scratch my itch:)

I am using LO 5.3.4.2. and working with Writer. My thesis advisor is a Microsoft Office user. This means that I have to convert my work to .docx files. It is not an option to let her open .odt files; she uses office 2010.

The number format of the footnote is not properly converted, however, leaving me with footnotes that do not begin with a superscripted number when opened in Microsoft Word.

The steps:

1. Open Libreoffice Writer
2. create an .odt document.
3. write some text
4. add a footnote
5. save the document as a normal .odt file
6. save as, choose the .docx format. The footnote numbers (in Writer) are now superscripted
7. Close Libreoffice Writer
8. Open Microsoft Word
9. open the new .docx in (any version of) Microsoft Word.
10. expected behavior: footnote numbers in the footnote are
    superscripted.
11. observed behavior: footnote numbers in the footnote are in basic
    format.

Saving it as a .docx file in the first place results in the same behavior.

Other (earlier) versions of Libreoffice Writer show the same behavior.

Observation of my own: the problem seems to be that in Microsoft Word, no difference is being made between the style of the footnote number and the rest of the footnote. If for example, I change the ‘footnote text’ style in Word, the complete footnote text is changed, and not just that of the number.
If, however, I change the style ‘footnote anchor’, it does not change the footnote number in the footnote text, but the footnote numbers in the main text.

I would have gladly added some pictures - which I have already made - but I am not allowed to because I do not have the right amount of points.

I am otherwise a very happy user of Libreoffice, and I hereby want to thank everyone and anyone who has made Libreoffice possible.

Many thanks in advance. Should you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

All the best,

MPE

[Kruno]

You could try make new character style and in tab Position choose superscript.

Then go Tools → Footnotes and endnotes and in Footnote area choose that newly created character style. That will superscript footnotes, but I don’t know how it will export to docx because I don’t have Word.

[MaPe]

Hi Kurno,

Thanks for your reply. The problem, however, is not with footnote numbers in Writer. They are fine. The problem is that when I convert my document to .docx format and open in Microsoft Word, the footnote numbers are no longer superscripted.

I think it has something to do with the way in which the document is converted.

I have adjusted my initial post a little to make things more clear, thanks again for the reply

[MaPe]

Hi Kurno,

Thanks for your reply. The problem, however, is not with footnote numbers in Writer. They are fine. The problem is that when I convert my document to .docx format and open in Microsoft Word, the footnote numbers are no longer superscripted.

I think it has something to do with the way in which the document is converted.

I have adjusted my initial post a little to make things more clear, thanks again for the reply

[Kruno]

That’s why my answer tries to set footnotes to superscript in Writer in the first place so footnotes should remain superscripted when document converted to docx. I doubt you can have normal numbers in Writer and superscripted in Word. Besides, does it really matter how they look. It’s cosmetics not semantics.

[MaPe]

Hi Kurno,

Your answer did put me on the right track: it has to do with the character style of the footnote numbers. Many thanks for that!

The problem is solved in the direct sense that I can make a character style in Microsoft Word for all footnote numbers.

But I still consider this to be a problem in another sense. In Writer, the footnote numbers are made-up with a character style. The problem, however, is that this character style is not converted properly when saved in Writer to a .docx file and then opened in Microsoft word.

The expected behavior, in my opinion, should be that the footnote number character style is properly converted to a .docx file in such a way that it is also visible in Microsoft Word.

Right now, the character style is not converted in such a way. I am quite sure that adding this would make a lot of people in academics very happy and much more willing to use Libreoffice Writer.

It seems like a small request, but probably - as often with simple things - this is not as easy as it looks:).