How to "Center Align" the first paragraph. Then Left Align the 2nd paragragh?

Creating tables is the best way I’ve figured out to accomplish this so far.

One paragraph and two aligns?
With a center tab mark with a tab at the begining in the first line and (in some cases) a manual line break at the end of the first line.
imagen
imagen

1 Like

I’m looking for a way to select an entire section of text and align it, and then align a 2nd paragraph a different alignment, I’ve re-edited my post to where people will answer it closer to what I am looking for. I changed sentence to paragraph. :slight_smile:

Now we have another question.
Because you don’t provide more information my proposal is:

  • Generate a new centered paragraph style based on Body Text style (name it Text Body Centered or Body Text Centered)
  • Start your Text with this paragraph style
  • Define (paragraph style organizer) as Next paragraph style: Body Text


EDIT
Changed Text Body to Body Text for better understanding…

3 Likes

Thank you, but when I select a text, or even with no text selected, or when I start a completely new paragraph/indentation. When I go to paragraph style and then the Organizer tab, a lot of the options are all grayed out and those options cant be selected. See screenshot:

@Grantler provides the solution to your question. However he stayed strictly within the terms of the question.

You can improve by adopting another approach to text formatting. You asked for “Center” and “Left Align” but you didn’t introspect about why you request such typographical effect. Paragraphs are not “neutral”; they have some significance. This significance is translated to the reader by typographical effect. It is likely that other paragraphs need the same processing.

Consequently, the name of the paragraph style (more generally any style, character or page all the same) should described this significance, not the effect. Afterwards, you may decide that Center was not ideal for your communication and choose bold heavy black in a different font face and size. If your style is called Body Text Centered, then the name no longer describe what you see, whereas if it were named Intermediate Heading the name is still valid.

This alternate approach is called Semantic Styling. It provides more versatility than the “obvious” descriptive approach. And it allows to make a distinction in the use of attributes, like italics, frequently applied to distinct semantic values.

1 Like

Your screenshot shows you are trying to customise some critical options in Default Paragraph Style. This style is very special in Writer: it is the ultimate ancestor of all other paragraph styles and should not be applied to text. The standard style for the main topic is Body Text.

Default Paragraph Style is intended to define shared attributes like font face, size, line spacing, indents, spacing above and below, … to give your document your preferred look.

Some “options” (as you call them) are locked to prevent creating havoc in Writer.

Considering your question and the complete lack of technical information in it (OS name, LO version and save format among the most needed), I highly recommend you read the Writer Guide for an introduction to styles.

2 Likes

@Grantler , @ajlittoz , Thanks, I’m using Ubuntu/ZorinOS and LibreWriter 7.5.5.2.

So I’ve made some progress. Dont lose hope in me yet. I am very smart. Despite me not knowing a lot about Librewriter. I’ve managed to accomplish most of what Grantler told me to do. But still, when I try to use this style or experiment with it, turning it on or off, or select text with it, it still changes the alignment of the entire page.
There is a “Next style” option, which i enabled, but how do I engage it?
How do I tell it to start doing the Next Style?

There is common error, mainly on people under Window$, to consider Enter and Shift+Enter as equivalent. The former enters a paragraph break while the latter only creates a line break.

In Writer the basic formatting unit is a paragraph which is, by definition bounded by paragraph breaks. Typing a line break causes line wrap without leaving the paragraph. A paragraph style applies to a full paragraph. Consequently line breaks don’t stop style application.

The Next style option is effective only when typing. When you later review your text to change paragraph styles, this Next option is not taken into account because you’re no longer in automated entry context. You’re applying styles selectively. Of course, if your changes contain a paragraph break (you press Enter at end of an existing paragraph – not in the middle of it), the Next parameter will produce its effect.

1 Like

Thanks! That appears to have solved it! I’m using Ubuntu/ZorinOS and LibreWriter 7.5.5.2. What I gotta do is I create custom style for one paragraph, and then to detach from it, I hit “Enter”, not “Shift + Enter”. And this lets me make each paragraph or even sentence or text a different alignment! Been wanting to do this for months now! -Thanks again!

A good advice is to always enable View>Formatting Marks so that you see what is exactly in your document. Paragraph and line breaks display differently when this is enabled. Formatting marks never print, so leave this setting enabled. It is so useful that I don’t understand why it is not enabled by default.

1 Like

Thanks! I didnt even know about that!

Press Alt + Enter to create a new line within the same cell, then type your second paragraph.

A. Highlight the first paragraph text.
B. Click on the “Center Align” button in the toolbar or use the menu path: Format > Alignment > Center.

C. While still in the cell editing mode, highlight the second paragraph text.
D. Click on the “Left Align” button in the toolbar or use the menu path: Format > Alignment > Left.