Master-/sub-docuemtn limits?

[Telefooncel]

I’m in the process of creating a tutorial. I want to provide complete information to my readers. I remember reading somewhere the master documents have a limit of 255 sub-documents, however I have not managed to confirm this anywhere.

I’ve read in a topic on this forum that there is a limit of 10 points deep (for example: A.1.IV.1.1.1.1.1.1.1). Are there any more limitations when working with master/sub-documents?

Whether master/sub-documents are a deprecated means to organize a huge document also has been on my mind. I can’t find many people using it.

[Wanderer]

@Telefooncel

creating a tutorial. I want to provide complete information to my readers

Imho you have to decide: A tutorial gives a good start, often by examples, often taylored to the needs of special groups of readers. Completeness is another piece of cake.
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Please be careful spreading news, you can’t prove.

@Telefooncel

remember reading somewhere the

I read this in a thread by @Telefooncel

@Telefooncel

are a deprecated means to organize a huge document also has been on my mind. I can’t find many people using it.

This will be true for most advanced topics in LibreOffice. A lot of people will never use macros. Python has advantages over Basic. Many people have never heard of xslt-conversions and I know nobody (in person) who uses Impress. But this will not mean Macros, Basic, xslt-conversions or Impress is deprecated.
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This site is mostly (experienced) users helping other users. Not an official reference.
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Without looking to much into the details your mentioned limit of 255 is quite unlikely. Who would put some short int as an index for this. Especially, as no numbering seems necessary here…
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And also the “depth” is not set in stone. We have predefined levels for headings, sufficient for most, but one could extend this, like the limits for spreadsheets were increased.

[ajlittoz]

@Telefooncel

I remember reading somewhere the master documents have a limit of 255 sub-documents

I don’t know about this limit but having 255+ sub-documents is an indication of a lack of logical organisation of the document. Using master+sub-documents is legitimate for

• a really huge document with medium-sized sub-documents (meaning: don’t use the feature for small sub-documents as you’ll make things difficult to manage and put too much strain on Writer)
• a document using parts shared with other documents

Other than these two cases, go for a usual document (Writer handles quite well documents up to ~1000 pages provided you structure it rigorously both in its ouline and styling = avoid direct formatting)

@Telefooncel

there is a limit of 10 points deep

Yes, lists and chapter numbering can’t have more then 10 levels. If you fancy to need more, question your structuring. Perhaps you mixed outline with lists. Anyway, from a reader’s point of view, it is difficult to grasp meaning with too many levels.

This limit is independent of document organisation, usual document or master+sub-documents. In the latter case, remember that the final document is synthesised by the master. Don’t try to outsmart Writer by splitting you “monster levels” between master and subs as the final job is done by the master.

@Telefooncel

Whether master/sub-documents are a deprecated means to organize a huge document […] I can’t find many people using it.

Not at all. Master is an elegant way to organise a complex huge document but the feature must be used wisely. As already said, Writer can handle “comfortably” documents up to ~1000 pages. So there is no point to embark for difficulties with a master if there is no real need for it.

Master+subs are at their best when subs come from various authors. It is an easy way to merge into a single report. But authors must have followed a strict styling discipline otherwise the document will look heterogeneous.

The fact that not that many people use it is motivated by the added complexity in formatting and also the scarcity of cases where it is required. Computers have drastically boosted their performance in recent years and Writer has also evolved. It can now handle documents which were not possible in the recent past.