How can I chain several documents together in Writer so they act as a single virtual document?

[alobo]

In order to avoid one single very large document,
I would prefer to have the document split by e.g. chapters or
sections. Is there a way LO can take care of the
actual ordering, including paging numbers, same styles,
toc, exporting the whole thing as one
single pdf, printing etc?

I mean acting as if it were one single virtual document.

Thanks

[manj_k]

Restored links: Master Documents and Subdocuments — LibreOffice Writer Guide · Chapter 13 “Working with Master Documents” (ODT or PDF)

[Tyche]

See Functionality lost after typing 20 to 30 pages - #11 by Tyche for description of how I do it.

[vojo]

Just realize Master/sub documents is NOT some sort of poor mans doc management. If you do this, you will be enticed to think “gee I could version or plug in chapters to the master document”. Unfortunately, not really the case (unless you keep editiig the sub doc and save it then save a backup then come back real sub and continue to edit it…if a sub problem, then manually stitch in backup sub).

So yes…it compartmentizes a huge document into chapters or sections…but doesnt quite give the intended/implied functions one would need to make useful.

Sounds like a case for a “doc mgmt” add on

• form to list master doc name to use or create and maybe paths to master and subs
• form to list subdocs to integrate (formatting/numbering consistency would still be on the user to maintain).
• OK to build

This would allow you tailor docs to specific audiences (master 1 includes subs 1,3,6,7,9…master 2, includes subs 2,4,5,6,7 while having subs 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 available for use)

And to be fair…Word has master / sub doc…but same level of functionality (no plug ability)…so this is not a rant on LO, its a general “feature” (of course, if that is the end game, can always buy some doc mgmt software).