Document background color choice is ignored

[BlebNevus2]

Interestingly, this problem started a few days ago, with the previous version, and it continues after LibreOffice automatically updated today to v. 25.2.4.3, which I’m using on a Windows 10 laptop – even though the menu for selecting this feature has been changed.

Under Tools–>Options–>LibreOffice–>Appearance–>Customizations, I’ve chosen my preferred color for document backgrounds (dark blue - #000099) and clicked Apply or OK. When I exit from the menu and then return, my preference is retained. But it’s not working; any document I open – a new one or an existing one – has a white background. Why?

[Hrbrgr]

Please include the following information with all inquiries: File type in which the file is saved. Thank you.

[ajlittoz]

Perhaps because you defined a page background colour in the page style. Document background show on all areas not covered by explicit style painting.

[BlebNevus2]

@hrbrgr:
*.doc. But that’s always what I’ve used, so I’m not sure how it could explain the sudden appearance of this problem.

[BlebNevus2]

@ajlittoz:
I certainly didn’t change that intentionally. But how (in the latest L.O. release) can I check to see what the default page background color is?

[ajlittoz]

If you manipulate .doc or .docx files, my remark is irrelevant because there are no native page styles in these format.

[LeroyG]

@BlebNevus2

my preference is retained. But it’s not working

High contrast mode is activated? And for the OS?

[EarnestAl]

I don’t have 25.2.4.3 installed but I do see on my 25.8.0.0 beta, which is not as recent as your version, a new tick box under Appearances labelled Use white document background. It seems to do nothing on my version but maybe it works on your version, try unticking it and restart LibreOffice.

[BlebNevus2]

@EarnestAI

That’s a good thought, but this option doesn’t appear on the release version, at least not for me.
Also, I’m pretty sure there was no such option in the preceding version, and the problem started before the upgrade.

[BlebNevus2]

@LeroyG
It had been set to Automatic by default, not Enabled. I switched it to Disabled, and that had no effect. But thanks for the idea.

[EarnestAl]

I had a play with my work version, 25.2.3.2.
If I use the LibreOffice theme the background colour doesn’t seem to stick. [Edit] After restarting LO
If I click New and create a new theme, e.g. LibreOfficeAl and set the document background in that it sticks after restarting (I had to set document background a second time, maybe an error on my part)

[LeroyG]

@EarnestAl

maybe an error

Or a bug: tdf#164198.

[BlebNevus2]

@EarnestAI

I have to confess I’ve never done anything with themes, don’t know how they work, how to create one, and whether, if I tried to do so in order to address this small issue, it would require me to adjust umpteen settings in order to reproduce all the various features I’ve gotten used to.

[EarnestAl]

Themes are the colour appearance; if you have made a lot of changes to the colours then you would probably need to make the changes again. With a new theme, if you don’t like it, you can select your previous theme, LibreOffice, and the changes you made should still be there.

[BlebNevus2]

@LeroyG

Interesting! Would you assume this accounts for what I’ve been describing (and therefore that there’s nothing to be done but wait for the bug to be fixed)? Is it relevant that the bug was reported half a year ago and the problem didn’t show up on my system until a few weeks ago?

[BlebNevus2]

@EarnestAI

That’s reassuring, thanks. I guess the question is whether there’s a high enough likelihood that something to do with themes explains what’s going on here - and will fix it – so as to justify my playing around with this.

[EarnestAl]

There was a major change in appearance settings for 25.2 so work is ongoing to improve the new settings. It is certainly not finished, see Bug 166942 - Published Appearance theme extensions for 25.2 will no longer work at 25.8 release

Personally, I try to personalise things as little as possible so I don’t get thrown on a different computer or when the interface changes. Cheers, Al

[BlebNevus2]

Interesting twist: I have another computer that must be on a different release channel because its version of LibreOffice is listed as 7.5.7.1 (X86_64), and the background color for documents works fine there.