LO Draw vector graphs look mutilated/changed after Update

[Indianer]

Windows 8.1

LibreOffice 4.3.7 updated to 6.4.6, saved as ODT (or ODG for Draw files)

Hey folks. This problem existed for a few major releases now, which is why I´ve not updated the LO package since version 4.3.7. I finally updated to 6.4.6 just to see, again, that all the vector graphs in my files look changed and partially disrupted. I feel like there are changes in relative positions of textblocks and line arrangements on the slides. Also, the line styles might have changed.

I had a huge LO Writer document (a book in the works) of around 200 pages (Better make it a Container file, I know that now, let´s get to that later). There were tons of self-created vector graphs in there, which now all, and I mean AAAALL, look mutilated, are faded (as if the line colour was changed), and simply do not let me focus anymore on the work as a whole.

I fear the work of about 6 years is lost if I can´t restore the visuals to what they were when I drew all that. On the bright side, converting the disrupted book file into a PDF also restores the visuals…so the graphs might be OK. Thing is, as it is now, I can´t be sure about that. There are too many irregularities in the line styles for me to check for relative positioning.

If you can, please help me save all that. The “before” picture (top) is a screenshot from a PDF I just exported. This is also what the metafiles looked like on the screen before the update to 6.4.6. The After picture (bottom) shows the same page in the ODT file since the update (otherwise unchanged, i.e. not saved again since I updated).

EDIT 1: The Third Pic shows the correct positioning of text fields in a vector drawing assembly. Their position is changed in Draw after the update (file attached), but NOT in the Writer (file attached). Instead, here again, the lines are changed in style (from contibnuous to irregularly interrupted and faded).

EDIT 2: Added a screen of my the graphics display options. It´s German, but should to regardless.

EDIT 3: I just remembered another thing, of less concern to me but certainly related: The formerly nicely spaced whites in dotted lines I choose for some tables are now…well, have a look down below…

Vector Drawing Metafile Test.odt

Vector Drawing Metafile Test Drawing.odg

Metafile Positioning Error.odg

(edited by ajlittoz to separate file references)

[ajlittoz]

Edit your question to mention your OS. If under Linux, mention also the desktop manager.

A screenshot is rather short to diagnose the issue. Please attach a sample file corresponding to the screenshot above (only those graphs so that the file remains small) for “forensics” analysis.

Note that a file can only be attached to a question. For that, edit the question, scroll to the bottom, hit at least twice Enter, click press the “paperclip” icon in the toolbar and press Browse.

[Hrbrgr]

• Which operating system do you use?
• In which file format do you save?
• Have you ever tried “Restart in Safe Mode” - you can get it from the “Help” menu in the newer Versions?
• Can you upload a page containing the problem here for testing?

To upload, edit your initial question and use the paper clip icon. Thank you.

[ajlittoz]

Your drawings look superb on my Fedora Linux 32 with LO 6.4.6.2 at any zoom factor.

I just wonder how you inserted the drawing in Writer because there is no indication in the Navigator. I just see an anchor point (to paragraph) but can’t access any Properties with a right click.

There has been a lot of changes since 4.3. Go to Tools>Options, LibreOffice>View and try to uncheck the options in Graphics Output (first OpenGL, optionally HW acceleration and anti-aliasing).

[Indianer]

Go to Tools>Options, LibreOffice>View and try to uncheck the options in Graphics Output (first OpenGL, optionally HW acceleration and anti-aliasing).

Alright, I´ll try that.

I just wonder how you inserted the drawing in Writer because there is no indication in the Navigator. I just see an anchor point (to paragraph) but can’t access any Properties with a right click.

That part at least is easy…I convert it all into a Metafile in Draw, then copy and paste it into an empty line in Writer. Usually pops in centered already, which, for most intents and purposes, is great of course. Sometimes I edit the distance to the next test line (like pushing it 0,3 cm down or so), I don´t do any more changes then in Writer…not sure what properties you´d like to access.

Keep you posted. Thx so far!

[ajlittoz]

I had once a again a look at your Writer file ans I’m surprised that the image is not listed in the Navigator, neither as an image not as a graphic shape. First time I see that.

I don’t understand “I convert it all into a Metafile in Draw” because Draw can’t output Metafile. Do you mean you copy into Draw? Nevertheless, this is irrelevant to the fact that it is not shown in Writer Navigator.

[Indianer]

“I don’t understand “I convert it all into a Metafile in Draw” because Draw can’t output Metafile.”

Maybe noone told Draw that…

I made a screenshot but can´t attach it here.
In Draw, I select a group, like to constructs in the OP, right-click>convert>Metafile.
Those are stable when inserted into a writer doc, like pictures, but with no loss of detail.

Anyway, still have to try toggling things in the Graphics output…

[ajlittoz]

I may have the beginning of a lead.

I was so intrigued by the emptiness of the Navigator that I made my own experiment.

In Draw, I created a drawing with 2 shapes. According to your procedure, I Converted>To Metafile, copied the shapes and Edit>Paste Special>Paste Special to be able to select the type of data to insert into Writer. Four formats are possible: LO text document, LO draw format, GDI metafile and BMP. I chose GDI metafile. This resulted in a picture listed in the Navigator. If I choose LO draw format, I get a “drawing shape” in the Navigator.

I can’t then explain why nothing is listed in your Writer document.

I saved it as .fodt in order to be able to look at its content. The file contains two <draw:amage …>.

• The first one, the larger, is tagged image/x-vclgraphic and is probable in metafile format.
• The second one, the smaller, is tagged image/png which is a bitmap format.

Back to your file, I copied the image and pasted it special, choosing BMP format (which selected the PNG version of the image). Now this second image is listed in the Navigator and the result is similar the the pixellated screenshot above.

If I force usage of GDI metafile, the copy is also listed in the Navigator (with all details).

I think your annoyance results from the huge step in versions between 4.3.7 and 6.4.6. There is possibly a slight difference in XML encoding and 6.4.6 doesn’t find what it expects. But I doubt it because I can display your drawings without trouble.

More likely, graphic filters were not installed. On my Linux box, there is a separate libreoffice-graphicfilter package. The installation method on Windows differs considerably, so I cannot give you advice. Have a try there.

If this is a matter of missing graphic filter, Writer falls back to displaying the bitmap version apparently always present for this backup strategy. This also perhaps could explain why your image is not listed in the Navigator.

If your illustration were created with Draw, converting to Metafile is unnecessary: Draw uses a vector format. You can then paste directly your images into Writer without loss of details.

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EDIT 2020-10-15

In the end, disabling OpenGL in Tools>Options, LibreOffice>View restored everything.

[Indianer]

So, I tried reinstalling from the installer I downloaded here and made sure the graphics filters package would be included. No change. Did I have to get the filters separately?
Then I looked for this:

Go to Tools>Options, LibreOffice>View and try to uncheck the options in Graphics Output (first OpenGL, optionally HW acceleration and anti-aliasing).
Don´t have these options. (Posted a screenshot of the menu I get)

[Indianer]

Just added EDIT 3, sorry for not reporting this earlier…I was so focused on the graphics that the table-issue escaped my attention.

[ajlittoz]

Warning! Global graphics settings are in Tools>Options, LibreOffice>View, not in Tools>Options, LibreOffice Writer>View. The first one is “hardware” oriented, the latter is Writer-application oriented.

Windows installer is not based on same principles as Linux. As I understand it, there is no notion of feature “packages”. Everything is included in the installer and you select the parts through some dialog. I think it is possible to add another feature without removing+reinstalling by relaunching the installer. But, once again, I have no real experience with Windows.

We’ll look at your table issue once this one is solved.

[Indianer]

Alright! Deactivating “Use Open Gl Rendering” did it, all lines, including those lining the tables, are restored. The graphics look like before, thank You!! I now have to assume that the shifting in some of the assemblies has another reason…something like late-night fiddling around with them, beyond my memory.

That´s just a quick analysis. I´ll have to take a closer look in a couple days. Thank You so far!

[ajlittoz]

Be kind enough to click on the gray tick mark at left of my answer. This will mark the question as solved. Thanks.