I frequently have to insert a text box into documents with the same text each time, and currently copy and paste from previous documents. I know that Autotext can be used to quickly insert frequently used chunks of text, but is there a similar method of inserting text boxes?
Hello,
could you state the LibreOffice and operating system version you’re currently using?
Also, it would help if you first stated what you’re wanting to achieve. There might exist other simpler/easier ways to get the wanted result.
Note: do not add a response; just edit (pencil icon) your first message to not overflow or complexify the thread. Thank you.
Yes. Use AutoText. Make sure to untick the box Text only
Better to use frames and have the text in a paragraph style. That way it is easy to to update the appearance of you change the appearance of your document.
Hi jfn, I’m using MacOS Catalina and LibreOffice 7.4. As I said, what I want to achieve is to insert a text box into documents with essentially the same text each time. I would, however, need to change one word each time. Also, I would want to place it in different locations each time. Thanks.
As already suggested elsewhere, prefer the use of text frames over text boxes. Frames can be controlled by a frame style to give them all the same look.
Depending on what you call “different locations”, this could be solved by the positioning parameters in the frame style. The position can be made relative to the paragraph itself, such as at left or right of the anchoring (=reference) paragraph. Thus, when you modify your document before the insertion point, the frame moves with its “master” paragraph.
But, tell us the goal of this “text box”. There might be better solutions not involving shapes nor frames and avoiding (sorting) order issues, like when you erroneously put headings in such objects.
If it is really a TextBox, which is a shape, then you can create it once and then drag it into the Gallery. From there you can drag it back when you need it.
If you mean a Frame-object, then creating an Autotext is the way to go. Make an empty paragraph before and after the Frame-object and start and end selection including the empty paragraphs.
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Thanks, Regina. I’ve tried your suggestion but when I try to drag the TextBox into the Gallery, it doesn’t allow me to drag it further than the main document window.
I would prefer a TextBox because (a) I want to be able to move it to a specific location on the page and (b) I need to edit the copy inside the box each time.
@pauld ,
you have to click on the Text Box and wait about 2 seconds for the cursor to change its shape. Then you can drag the Text Box into the gallery.
But you have to create your own user folder in the gallery before.
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/The_Gallery_LibreOffice#By_drag_.26_drop
Bonus:
Text Box in Writer
Thanks to you all for your help. I ended up with Regina’s suggestion of using a frame along with AutoText. Works a treat. It’ll save me oodles of time!