How to change page number from an already existing page

English
#1

As the title says, how can I change the page numbering from a page that already exists?

I have my document that starts with First Page style, then after More Breaks → Manual Break I have set to begin page numbering to 1.

Now I have to insert a page in between those and I want to clear the numbering from the existing page, because the new page also uses a different type of page style I can’t add it after the already existing page to reset the counter. Visually it would be optimal to insert the page before.

PS
Version: 25.2.2.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 7370d4be9e3cf6031a51beef54ff3bda878e3fac
CPU threads: 12; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (10.0 build 19045); UI render: Skia/Vulkan; VCL: win
Locale: it-IT (it_IT); UI: en-GB
Calc: CL threaded

#2

OS name, LO version, save format?

In Writer, you don’t insert pages, you insert text. Then text can be “decorated” with text flow directives like page breaks adorned with various properties, such as page style change.

In other words, insert your new page break where it is needed and configure it appropriately.

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#3

What are you talking about? Yes you do insert pages both automatically or manually. In my case manually with a break. More Breaks → Manual Break does that.
The page already exist, can I just edit his numbering?

I’m reffering to the value the Page Number Field identifies the page number as. I don’t know how better to explain it.

I’ll attach an example document, in this document 3 page styles are defined: Page Style First, Second and Third and two pages exists that use First and Third.

  • The objective is to add a page in between them with style Second and begin numbering from the newly created page so page Second and Third are numbered as 1 and 2.

ExampleChangePageNumber.odt (8.6 KB)

I hope this is as clear as possible, it’s the best way to explain the issue I’m having. This example is exactly like the structure of my original document.
PS. I’ve added the info into my previous message.

#4

@ajlittoz talks about the fundamental architectural concept in the heart of Writer, which you seem to be unaware of.

And it is instrumental in understanding how to solve your question. No you do not create pages (they are created under the hood by the program, based solely on the content - which needs space, and may contain additional directives for page creation, like paragraphs requiring to start on new pages, possibly with numbers that needs to be assigned to these pages).

This is completely different to e.g. Impress, which is built around the concept of slide; and there, you do create slides; they are one of the primary entities of the program.

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#5

I don’t know what you did to your sample file: I can’t edit the page break to Page Style Third. Whenever, I try to remove page number restart to 1, it comes back!

Due to your direct formatting, adding a page break at start of the Page Style Third page will insert it after the existing one, which is not what you expect.

Consequently, I had to delete the page break. I then create a new empty paragraph before the previous one (in order not to lose text in your real document). I Insert>More Breaks>Manual Break on the new paragraph to switch to Page Style Second with page restart at 1. I then rebuild the suppressed page break switching to Page Style Third without page restart.

You document uses Default Paragraph Style (DFS) for its text. This is wrong. DFS is the ultimate ancestor of all other styles. Its role is to set attributes defaults to be shared by all other styles. If you use it to style your narrative, you’ll be tempted to optimise it for it. This will have adverse effects on other uses like headings. The "standard style for the main topic is Body Text.

Also, avoid direct formatting as much as you can. Direct formatting always plays nasty tricks on your back.

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#6

Boiling down the document structure principles, which have been sufficiently and precisely explained by @ajlittoz and @mikekaganski, to something which might work in your situation:

In Writer, the page break exists as a paragraph property. Page style property is subordinate to the page break, and page numbering reset is subordinate to page style. So, if you have inserted a manual break, you can subsequently adjust those properties like this:

  • Select the first paragraph of the new page.
    Or just put the cursor somewhere inside the first paragraph. The very start of the page is a good place.
  • Select menu item Format - Paragraph …
  • In the Paragraph dialog, select tab Text flow
  • The Break - Insert box should be ticked, and break type set to Page
  • Tick With page style and select your desired style
  • Tick Page number: and set it to 1.
  • OK

Edit: I see that @ajlittoz also posted an answer while I was typing. Using the More breaks - Manual break … menu item, which he suggests, does the same thing “up front” (new page break) as the procedure I posted will achieve “after the fact” (to modify existing page break). (So his solution and mine are technically the same, but with different outset/workflow.)

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#7

Note also that in many cases, the overall structural flow of your content is what dictates forced page breaks. Typically for diagrams, tables or top level (chapter) headings.

It is then better to set “break before” in the Heading 1 paragraph style (or a custom diagram caption style) instead of manually. Both the breaks and the subordinates (Page style and P# reset) can be set in the paragraph style, exactly like you can in the direct paragraph formatting.
Cf. @ajlittoz’ closing comment in his answer:

#8

Thank you @keme1 I found the label. That’s exactly what I was looking for!
Format Paragraph → Text Flow → Breaks section on the right of the window

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