Why is Horizontal Line broken in 4.0.1?

asked 2013-03-21 02:01:06 +0200

JT
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updated 2015-08-24 16:52:38 +0200

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This other question shows the problem adding horizontal lines (the menu item is simply missing in this version). Strange that no one seems to be addressing the missing menu item. Existing answers (as of writing this) are not helpful, to say the least. I am in no way interested in adding a picture of a line or something strange like that. This is a specific, HTML-supported element that worked fine in the last version with ODT documents.

But even if you copy a horizontal line from somewhere else, or have one in an old document, they won't actually display correctly. You only get a blank area with the (correct) "Horizontal Line" style listed. This is a horrible functionality regression and is very disappointing.

Is there any way to fix this without reverting to the previous version?

I've been a long-time supporter of LibreOffice and this is the first major issue I've had. It seems very odd this was allowed through to a full release version. According to this thread, it looks like the art and menu item was simply deleted by a single contributor. That doesn't sound right. Worst is the part where they decide it isn't a bug and won't be fixed.

I would love some help with this strange, strange issue. Thanks in advance for your help.

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rmfaile answered this one really quickly! Glad this isn't WAD. I'm still disappointed, but I can stand to use 3.6.5 for a little longer. Next RC doesn't have this fix, so I might be waiting a while for a new version, but this obviously isn't critical enough for a rush update or delaying the next RC.

JT ( 2013-03-21 05:53:07 +0200 )edit

1

The 4.0.1 version shows "horizontal lines" in the downloaded help, and does say it is in "Insert" - "Horizontal rule". So the program and the help for it aren't consistent. :(

Mark12547 ( 2013-03-22 00:56:04 +0200 )edit

I second the complaint above, the command is missing from the Insert menu and there is nothing that adequately compensates for it, especially not in regards to ease of use. I use that horizontal rule for letter heads. And yes, the help appears to be rather outdated.

NeedSharePoint ( 2013-04-02 22:52:43 +0200 )edit

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answered 2013-03-21 05:09:10 +0200

razon_22
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updated 2013-03-21 05:27:12 +0200

Hi JT,

You're right, the menu item (and it looks like the art too) have been removed in 4.0. Cedric is a long-time developer for LibreOffice and I can assure you he is not trying to step on people's toes with this change. The functionality is still there. By far the easiest way to get a horizontal line in Writer is to type three dashes (-) in a row on a blank line and press Enter. In this case you don't need to use the Horizontal Line style in Styles and Formatting. The second way is to select a paragraph and double-click the Horizontal Line style. That applies the Horizontal Line style settings to that paragraph. Still a third way is to modify an existing paragraph style or create a new one and right-click on the style name, choose Borders and change the border settings to your liking. The help page is here.

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Thanks for the quick answer! The line produced by the three dashes method is NOT the same as the HTML Horizontal Line, however, and does not copy from or into HTML documents as such. This is critical functionality for my workflow and breaks the latest version of LibreOffice for me. I will not be able to update until this functionality regression is fixed, which from your response and the casually closed bugreport doesn't seem to be a current priority to the project.

JT ( 2013-03-21 23:41:39 +0200 )edit

manj_k ( 2013-07-02 21:20:40 +0200 )edit

Typing three dashes in a row and pressing enter does not create a horizontal line in LO 4.1.1.2.

Torsten ( 2013-09-11 19:42:38 +0200 )edit

Typing 3 dashes just seems to merge two of them into an em-dash and leave the third alone, but typing 3 underscores in a row works in 4.1.3.2.

Ember Quill ( 2013-11-03 08:38:40 +0200 )edit

@Torsten, @Ember Quill – see:

Bug 67742 - [FORMATTING] Autocorrection prevents horizontal line/rule after inserting three dash "---" and pressing enter.

Status: VERIFIED FIXED (LibreOffice 4.1.4/4.2.0)

manj_k ( 2013-11-25 22:50:46 +0200 )edit

The bug fix for 67742 is good news for the people who need basic line creation functionality, but it still appears that support for the HTML <hr> element and associated line art isn't coming back, something that is very disappointing to me. My old documents still open in the latest version, but just have blank sections for the "Horizontal Line" style areas where the <hr>-style lines used to be. Sad.

I continue to be amazed that this could simply be removed by a single contributor without apparent discussion or debate. Looks like I'll still be using 3.6 for the foreseeable future.

JT ( 2013-11-26 01:43:53 +0200 )edit

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answered 2014-05-25 12:11:30 +0200

JT
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It looks like the line art is back, as of 4.2.4.2 (not sure where it was fixed). Latest version of Writer will now load documents with HTML <hr> lines in them correctly, showing the line and having the correct style listed. I have not exhaustively tested this yet, but it looks like copying into new documents also works, and all other previous failure situations I experienced have been resolved.

Menu item functionality seems to still be spotty, but the --- character line replacement functionality (a different line style) seems to work as it should.

Still annoyed that this was an issue for so long, but satisfied for now, so long as this art and functionality isn't once again casually removed for poorly explored reasons by a single contributor.

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True...the problem with the _ trick (three underscores!! dashes do not do anything) is that the line cannot be formatted in any way. For my taste it is too thick and I need a 1 pt horizontal rule. I still don't understand why that menu command was removed in the first place. As far as I am concerned, nothing about this is fixed.

NeedSharePoint ( 2014-05-27 13:11:07 +0200 )edit

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answered 2015-07-16 13:16:23 +0200

NeedSharePoint
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Still not fixed in 4.4.4.3. The only alternative is to draw a line graphic, but that has another bug because no matter how often I try to change the line color it stays as the default blue. => new bug report

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answered 2014-06-23 16:34:24 +0200

D-D-D-Dan
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updated 2014-06-23 17:36:17 +0200

Yes, why on earth was "Insert, Horizontal line" removed from Writer? I would like to understand the reasoning process behind this rash move. I just want to insert a simple horizontal line across. And to be able to format its vertical width easily. Why has that turned out to be such a terrible chore now?

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answered 2014-12-16 18:29:31 +0200

FernandoBasso
1

I also miss the "insert horizontal line" thing. I also noticed that libreoffice writer won't restore the cursor position any longer... Every time I open a document, I have to try to remember where in it I was editing...

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I don't use LibreOffice Writer very often, so when I tried to insert a horizontal line/rule yesterday it took me around 45 minutes to figure it out. I'm not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but should it require this much effort to search how to do such a basic thing? (using Version: 5.0.3.2 on Linux btw)

That button is included on almost every graphic interface for editing html, so when I couldn't find an easy solution in LO I got motivated to post this.

jke ( 2018-04-20 17:26:27 +0200 )edit

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answered 2015-07-14 17:25:42 +0200

Wombat
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updated 2015-07-14 17:27:37 +0200

This is still broken in 4.3.7.2. This is not a feature I use all that often, but a base HTML flowable element like hr should never have been removed. It was a stupid mistake to remove it. That sounds harsh, but given how long it has been since it was removed, and how serious an issue it creates for people who use it, I am guessing that someone is stubbornly refusing to consider that he made a mistake. Stubborn and stupid are not good companions, however much time they hang out together.

If you do not personally use a feature, that does not mean it should be removed from a toolset used by hundreds of thousands of users. Even if you think that hr should not be used by others, that does not mean that you are right and everyone else is wrong. Unless the feature is actually causing harm to those who do not use the feature, there is no justification for removing it, when a great many users do, in fact, use it.

By way of example, there is even a hot button on this composition field to add an hr element to this posting. It is a very common element in page layout, and is also used very commonly (and correctly) in word processing. Graphical bars are terrible substitutes.

My preference would be to move toward CSS styling, but that is an argument for another day.

All of us make stupid mistakes. It's inevitable. The question is, does anyone have the courage to realize that disabling a commonly used feature was probably not the best course--and put it back? I would hate to have to go back to Word as my only option. I don't use this feature very much, but when I need it, I really do need it.

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