Libreoffice Writer 'forgets' color background in header after save

[T-H]

I use a background color in the header for my curriculum vitae.
However every time I re-open the document, Writer has changed the background back to white. That’s annoying.

The header is generated by Insert => Header and Footer => Header => Default Style.
Backgroud is then edited by clicking the floating “Header (Default Style)”-box, selecting Border and Background and choosing Color.
It works beautifully, and the header is there with background color and all - also when bouncing to PDF.
But once the document is saved, the background color has disappeared on re-opening.

I have tried to save as ODT in stead of docx, but it’s still the same…
How do I make Writer ‘remember’ the background color after closing / re-opening?

Ubuntu Linux 20.04, LibreOffice 6.4.2.2

[ajlittoz]

Is what you call a “header” technically a header, i.e. a specific area repeated on each page at top? Or is it a main title, usually called a heading?

How do you assign the background colour?

Don’t use an answer to provide additional information. Edit your question instead. It would be simpler if you could attach your document to the question. Replace personal data with some neutral content like “lorem ipsum”.

[Grantler]

@T-H Upload a sample file for better checking your problem. - And answer @ajlittoz’s questions.

[T-H]

Thanks.
I use the dialogue to the right to set background color after inserting header (Insert => Header and Footer => Header => Default Style)
Header dialogue.

I use this dialogue… Edit background etc

And then the header would look like this (if I choose green background), and all is dandy until I close and reopen; the the background color will have disappeared…
Green background

[ajlittoz]

I probably customised my LO copy because I can’t get the menus. Best way to make a definitive opinion about your problem: attach a “lorem ipsum” (instead of private data) version of your file.

[Grantler]

May 16’0 I wrote:

@T-H Upload a sample file for better checking your problem.

.

Screenshots are no sample files.

[LeroyG]

I replicated in LibreOffice 6.3.6.2 over Windows 7 Pro, and there was no problem.

You also can reach to the header background color option opening menu Format ‣ Page ‣ Header tab.

[T-H]

Basically it’s still a problem - whether I use some bogus lorem ipsum or not.
This sample has been created with a nice blue background in the header (Insert => Header and Footer => Header => Default Style and then formatting it through the method mentioned above. Using Format => Page => Header yielded same result…
Bloody sample

[ajlittoz]

Don’t upload screenshots. They are absolutely useless because we can’t analyse the structure of the document. Upload the real document file. Otherwise don’t expect any fix.

[T-H]

And that’s exactly what I’ve done with the bloody sample…

[ajlittoz]

Aplogies! I didn’t check the file type.

Works for me here (LO 6.4.3.2, Fedora Linux 32). I tried both style modification and direct formatting. Background in header is applied with style (blueish), in footer as direct formatting (red): changed sample file

[T-H]

Downright weird!
I cannot change the color on my end. The color is, however, quite nice. So I’ll stick with that… Thanks

[ajlittoz]

If you experience faulty behaviour, try reset your profile with Help>Restart in Safe Mode.

[Banana]

The OP is correct. This is a bug in libreoffice.

This is after saving, with header, footer and page border styles. The Header and Footer styles are forgotten.
lo_headerFooterBorderSample.docx

But, saving as a *.odt does retain the header and footer formatting
lo_headerFooterBorderSample.odt

As screenshot images,

after saving and opening as a *.docx:

after saving and opening as a *.odt

Note for anyone looking into this. To set the header and footer border, do NOT use the “border” tab shown after selecting “Format Header”. That sets the page border. Instead, selecte “Format Header” and then “More…”

(screenshots enabled by ajlittoz)

[ajlittoz]

This is not a bug in LO. It only demonstrates a limitation of the .doc(x) format. ODF and doc(x) are not equivalent. They target different purposes. Your comparison illustrates the importance of file format. This choice is not neutral. A wrong decision and you lose a lot of formatting.

Fortunately both formats have a non-void intersection but none is a subset of the other (this means that some formatting cannot be converted exactly in the other format). If you work in a mixed environment, refrain from using complex formatting (and in this context, “complex” level is quickly reached: just add a sophisticated table) if strict compatibility is at premium.

As a general rule when there is no constraint, always use the application-native format, here .odt.

[gabix]

Do not answer a question unless it is a real answer. Yours is not. It is just a false, arrogant claim because:

But, saving as a .odt *does retain the header and footer formatting

Which only confirms that it’s not a bug in LibreOffice.

So, get a downvote.