Header text chages when I update the template

[jrglez]

Hello,
I frequently change the school where I teach so I would like to easily change the logo that is shown in all my files. I am trying to do that with templates so, if I change school, I just have to change the logo in the template and it will change everywhere. That part works fine, but when I change the logo, the text on the header disappears in every file.
I have read several threads on the topic but either they are very old or I don’t fully understand the answer. I hope I can gen some clarification if I explain exactly how I do it.

• I open a new file and set up all the styles
• In particular, I set up the default page style so it has a header and a footer.
• In the header I paste the logo of the school. I have tried adding some dummy text or leaving it blank.
• I save the file as a template
• I open a new file via File → New → Template
• I edit the file, including the header where I add some text, e.g., “12th grade test - Topic 1”
• I save and close the file.
• I edit the template via File → Template → Edit Template
• I remove or replace the logo and save the template.
• I open the child file again and I am asked if I want to update the style, to which I answer yes.
• The logo has changed as expected but so has the header text which has either disappeared or reverted to the dummy text.

I have added both the template file and an example of a child file.
Is there a way to do this without loosing the text in the header?
Thanks
template_ejercicios.ott (75.6 KB)
02_2E_ejercicios_La_Materia.odt (422.5 KB)

[ajlittoz]

The header is an attribute of the page style. So, updating a document from the new version of the template should give you the new header. However, according to template workflow, contents in the document should not be altered. Contents is never replaced from changed template. I admit I have not tested what happens with headers. I can’t guarantee it is handled as contents or style attribute. In the former case, it is untouched; in the latter case, it is replaced.

Your question reminds me of Styles in master/subdocuments context like glasses - #7 by anon87010807 and In book publishing, how best to change the page size for a new edition?.

You didn’t tell if the contents of the exercise book is the same across all schools. If it is, we are in the same context as the aforementioned questions.

Instead of modifying the header in the templates (this contradicts the “universality” goal of templates which are supposed to be applied unchanged to several documents), you should add a “master layer” in your workflow.

You then have a “neutral” template (only styles) applied to several masters where the headers are customised for the schools and perhaps a few ad hoc pages. The masters reference the single exercise document. When you modify an exercise, the modification is immediately echoed in the masters.

I had a look at “ejercicios”. The document has been in contact or initially edited with M$ Word as evidenced by the list styles and character styles. There are also a bunch of paragraph styles with German names. They are present both in the document and the template, therefore originate probably from the template. I recommend you clean the template first.

For more targeted suggestions, please mention OS name and exact LO version.

[jrglez]

Thank you for the reply. I will take a look at this because I am not familiar with master layers. Hopefully I can learn a bit about it and figure out how to make it work.