Is there a way to get a live preview of format changes (particularly character and paragraph)

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#1

I think this is a feature request, but it could be a user ignorance clarification request: a feature I find very useful when engaging a format dialog (mostly “Character” or “Paragraph” but also “Table” etc.) is to be able to WYSYIG any modifications I’m considering before closing the dialog.

I’ve seen it implemented in other suites/applications in two ways: a “live” preview in which the page behind the format dialog (or menu picks/formatting palette) reflects updates as they’re made or, alternatively, where within the dialog a “preview” button is provided which updates the document with the modifications without exiting the dialog/palette. I find either workable and can see arguments for one or the other.

In LO (and I may be just missing something, sorry) the process seems to be non-interactive. An example:

Say I have a paragraph of text that needs to fill a fixed length and to make it fit I might adjust a variety of character format options such as line spacing, letter spacing, kerning, font size (perhaps others).

In other similar applications, I might adjust one or more of these parameters by either directly entering a value or by pressing the (more) and (less) buttons (+/- or whatever the UI provides) to iteratively and interactively find a pleasing solution and then close the format pane/palette when satisifed.

With LO applications I seem to have to make a single guess (plus 0.1pt font size, say) then click “OK” to apply and dismiss the dialog. If it isn’t quite right, then reopen the dialog and repeat the process.

This seems needlessly inefficient and I seems like the kind of thing that would certainly have come up, but (and I’m sorry if I’m just being dense) I’m not finding any way to make the format adjustments interactive other than adding all available options to the toolbar.

That’s usable, but I’d think there must be a way to have a “preview” button in the format to save a close/reopen when the full dialog (rather than the menu bar) is used.

#2

Not using styles is like not using LibreOffice.

#4

I see “live preview” in the font tabs and in the font effects tabs of character styles, paragraph styles and in the hard formatting dialogs for characters and paragraphs. The preview shows the font with size and color.
It is not on the “Properties” page of the side bar. The hard formatted properties on that page are displayed live in the document while the tool remains open.

#3

You can do it in a “direct formatting approach”.

Select the portion you want to experiment with (paragraph, word, …). Use the buttons and controls of the UI (cursors in the horizontal rulers, buttons and menus in the toolbar, …) to make your adjustments.

When you are satisfied, without changing the selection range, go to the style side pane. At right of its small tool bar, there is a + icon with a down-pointing triangle. Click on the triangle and select New Style from Selection of Update Selected Style.

Eventually, see if you need to remove direct formatting (didn’t check this here).

Note about

This doesn’t seem to fit in the Writer intended usage (personal opinion). Writer manages a text flow for you and has no provision for such special formatting which is closer to DTP layout.

#5

I think this is clearly the solution/answer (no), though not entirely satisfactory for my use case nor does the justification apply across all of LO, for example the “managing text flow” doesn’t apply to Draw and there is no live preview/preview button for the character dialog in that application either, unless I’m missing something (still clearly possible - and @Villeroy says he has a “live preview” - though perhaps he means sample of the highlighted text, rather than a live or semi-interactive update of the page itself to show the changes in context?)

I would argue that the format panes are intended to enable customization of a paragraph “style” and that enabling a more (or fully) interactive visual process by which the user might reach the style they wish is entirely compatible with the “managed text flow” model. I have my tool bars set up, set up paragraph styles, etc, I just would like a more interactive process for defining those styles using the full formatting panes - a “preview” button would be perfect so the changes can be seen in context, rather than the selected text isolated.

Adding a “preview” button to the formatting panes that would apply the format to the page behind the pane without closing the dialog would make the process more interactive and more easily canceled.

#6

The preview in para/char style configuration is limited to font sample. This is why I suggested the “direct formatting” approach where indents, kerning, line spacing, … can be manipulated with visible effects.

By “managed text flow” I meant that Writer is really comfortable with laying out lines, handling line and page breaks automatically for you. When it comes to set a heading or banner to an exact width, this is not the ideal tool. There is no parameter for that and you must proceed by trial and error.

#7

DOH! moment here - the properties sidebar (F11, properties icon on the far right) offers a substantial subset of the full properties pane, at least for character and paragraph, and is fully interactive.

I’d still like an “apply” (like in the styles dialog) or (better to me personally) “preview” button in the format panes, but I probably won’t notice the lack if I remember to use the properties pane of the sidebar. It is duplicative of the customizable tool bar options which are also interactive, but the all-in-one format makes experimenting to find that perfect combination of adjustments that much easier.

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