How to put a chapter number on a different line from the heading

[SueinMN]

I’m trying to figure out how to use the outline numbering function in Writer to number a chapter and then to put the chapter number on a different line from the heading.

I would like to put the number on the first line of the chapter in a large novelty font. Then I’d put the chapter heading on the second line in the standard heading 1 font. I’ve figured out how to automatically generate the number using outline numbering. I’ve also figured out how to make the number a different character style from the chapter heading. What I can’t figure out is how to put the number and the heading on different lines.

Can it be done?

[ajlittoz]

The only way I know is rather a workaround than a solution.

You need to insert a newline as the first “character” of your heading. Unfortunately, you can’t type a newline (which is shift+return) in the After box of the Tools>Outline Numbering... settings. You must type it explicitly in your title.

This has adverse effects on formatting and you will need to manually tune the left margin and first line indent in Heading x paragraph styles.

Also, the newline will be transferred to the table of contents, creating misalignments there.

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[RGB-es]

Just put a line break (Shift+Enter) between the number and the text of the heading: on recent versions of LibO (I think it started with 5.0, but I’m not sure) the line break will be ignored by the TOC.

I do this all the time

[SueinMN]

That did it. Thanks.

[tympan]

You mean it can’t be automated in the stylesheet.

What a ghastly mess of a wordprocessor. After all these years and you can’t have ‘Chapter 1’ separated by vertical whitespace from the chapter title (not just a blank line, I need 17mm of space) — and automate it? I have to type it by hand every chapter? This is 2019, not 1969.

Time to go back to LaTeX.

[ajlittoz]

This no novel answer but a request. Transfer it into a comment after my answer below. I’ll then update it. Yes, it is 2019 and a small feature has been added allowing automation.