Can I make a list of abbreviations automatically?
What i want is a register with abbreviations alphabetical sorted in an column on the left side and the explanations in the column on the right side. And i want it automatically…
Is that possible?
Can I make a list of abbreviations automatically?
Yes.
What i want is a register with abbreviations alphabetical sorted in an column on the left side and the explanations in the column on the right side. […] Is that possible?
Yes / sort of. It is not possible to automatically achieve this but it is possible to obtain something similar with a limited amount of editing. I would start by creating an automatic list of glossary items using the index entry feature of LO, however formatting options for displaying this content are more limited (in terms of what can be done automatically).
Mark glossary items
- Highlight an abbreviation in the text e.g., LHC.
- Insert > Indexes and Tables > Entry…
- Set Index to “Alphabetic Index”; Entry to the full text for the abbreviation (e.g., Large Hadron Collider); 1st key to the abbreviation (e.g., LHC).
- If there are several instances of this entry (and you want to create a full index) check Apply to all similar texts and any sub-options that may help with selecting only the required text. Take care if you do use this option and note that it is not strictly required for a glossary of terms.
- Click Insert and Close.
- Repeat these steps for each required glossary entry.
Insert default glossary
- Position the cursor where the default glossary is required.
- Insert > Indexes and Tables > Indexes and Tables…
- On the Index/Table tab set the Type to "Alphabetic Index*.
- Uncheck Protected against manual changes.
- Under the Options section ensure Combine identical entries, Combine identical entries with p or pp (this is optional), and Case sensitive are the only options checked.
- Click OK.
That will give you a list of acronyms with corresponding full text entries on a following line, followed by a page number, set right-aligned. Index entries in the text can continue to be inserted and this table updated as required until the final two-column version is required.
Create two-column glossary
- Highlight the index / glossary.
- Edit > Copy
- Position the cursor where the two-column glossary is required (perhaps a couple of lines beneath the default glossary).
- Edit > Paste Special… > Selection of “Unformatted text”.
- Click OK.
That will provide a basic text list of entries, with a single Tab character after each acronym.
- Delete the carriage return after the Tab after each acronym. This will bring the related full text entry up on the same line as the acronym.
- Delete the page number information (and preceding Tab) for each entry if required.
- Highlight the entire text glossary.
- Table > Convert > Text to Table…
- Ensire Separate text at has “Tabs” selected. Selection other options as required.
- Click OK.
You will still need to remove the default glossary after this, but this should give you what you require.
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