Writer - Propagate or Copy Header style

I have a header that I want to copy to a set of documents. This is a standard header with a centered title of a custom font and a custom font right tabbed page number.

I have created a paragraph style ‘Header’ using these attributes.

I can ‘load styles’ from the document in which I’ve created this style but when I apply the style to the header of a new document, the attributes are not applied but instead the default attributes are applied. I cannot even cut and paste from the source document.

I have made a number of attempts from and to different documents using both methods but I haven’t found the trick.

How do I do this? Ideally I can copy or apply both Header content and attributes.

copy or apply both Header content and attributes.

If you want both, you can:
a) follow ebot’s advise;
b) (in many, but not all OSs/graphic environments) right click on the source document and choose New from the context menu. You’ll get a new document being an exact copy of the existing one.

I can ‘load styles’

Make sure to tick Overwrite in the styles load dialog. If the desired change does not become effective, you may need to import and overwrite the Default style too.

Also, you can create a template with the desired settings and use this extension to apply the template to existing documents.

@gabix. Yes I do that, but it doesn’t make a difference for the Header style. But I will try the extension you mention. If you add that to your answer here, I will mark it as ‘the’ answer.

I think your requirements are well covered by LibreOffice.

If you want to use a document multiple times, then you should create a document template.

First, however, create the document you want to use over and over again. For example, as you did with your header. You should always use stylesheets for formatting elements such as Header, Text, and others.

When the document is ready, you can use it as a document template by saving first it as a document template.

You can use this document template again and again for new documents.

You can read about how to use stylesheets and document templates in the Writer documentation.

I wish you success.

Moreover, using this extension you can apply a template to an existing document.

@gabix That’s it! That’ll do. Put as answer and I’ll tick it.

@Hrbrgr The issue here is that my projects tend to span years and over time my preferences for the document class, and my knowledge of libreoffice features, will change. So I am looking for a mechanism through which I can propagate changes over multiple legacy documents.

@carnish, only one answer is allowed here, I have updated mine.

@carnish: if your legacy documents are already based on templates, update those templates then open the dependent documents. You’ll be asked if you want to apply the style changes.