LibreOffice version 7.2.3.2, I use to write a book. I want to divide them with with parts (Heading 1), containing 1 short sentence on a further empty right page. The parts contains chapters (Heading 2) on a left page, with 10 mm with space above the heading. This white space above a chapter is a very common way to indicate a new chapter begins. I do this by modify the template, with tab “Indent a& spacing” with group Spacing the field “Above paragraph” has the value: 10 mm. For both Heading 1 and heading 2 I modify the template, tab “Text Flow” with the right block named “Breaks”. I checked the “insert” checkbox, field “type” : Page, field “Position”: Before. The checkbox “With page style” is checked, with in the field value, the required page. This does work well, using a template, and one large document.
But I want to use a master document, .odm with as inserted files the “part description” (Heading 1). This is just one right page. And each chapter as a specific document, .odt, this starts with a “blank page” inserted by LO. The second page is the page starting with heading 2 and the content. This work almost fine. Almost. Heading 2, does have a white space of 10 mm above in one large document. But not anymore when it starts with a “blank page”.
If, in the chapter document, I move the cursor in front of Heading 2, a new left page is created, then a LO generated “blank page” and the Heading 2. With the desired 10 mm white space before the Heading.
I have a lot of small chapters and I must minimize the number of pages of the book. The number of pages of the chapter must be even (left and right page), 2, 4 and sometimes 6 or more pages. In the chapter .odt file a chapter just seems to fit. But when loaded in the .odm file sometime one sentence, or even one word is to much. And so two more, almost blank, pages are added. This I do not want.
This is very hard to control, because the layout in the standalone .odt file differs form in .odm inserted file. Although the same template is used. My text fit quit often, just in the even numbers of pages. So it is very hard to control this manual. I tried to a have dummy page before Heading 2. This works, I have a good indent, but this dummy page will be also used in the .odm, which I do not want.
So it quite weird. The standalone .odt file does not give the desired layout. But when I insert it in a master document it has. If it would be the opposite, one might expect direct formatting in master document.
How can I have a identical layout, with the same template, in standalone .odt file, and when inserted in a master document?