Modify size of Draw document inserted into a Writer document

[MJQ]

Hi all, I have created a Draw document, and have inserted it into a Writer document via Insert > Object > OLE object. This works, but unfortunately the size of the Draw ‘object’ is way too large, with the small image (approx 8x8 cm) centred in the middle. If I resize the object so it doesn’t take up a massive amount of space, the image scales down in response, so resizing the object does not solve the problem. How can I make the object dimensions the same as the image dimensions?

Attached are some screenshots showing the problem. See how the object takes up such a large space, almost the whole page.

Sorry could only attach one screenshot. The Draw image has dimensions of 7.5 x 7.3cm

Thanks.

[ajlittoz]

The flaw in your procedure is to insert the complete file without selecting anything inside (the OLE object is anyway the full file). This will result in the “slide” being considered as the bounding box for the drawing, i.e. full page (though I should mitigate this statement as the height is not the same as the page height).

Unless you tell the reason why you want to reference your drawing as an OLE object (for automatic update?), I’d rather recommend a different approach.

• design your drawing in Draw (because the tools are more flexible and versatile)
• make a rectangular selection around your illustration of interest (CAUTION! only Draw objects entirely inside the rectangular selection will be taken into account; those partially intersecting the rectangle are discarded) - see below (+)
• copy the selection
• in Writer paste the drawing and adjust its anchor, wrap mode and position using righ-click+Properties

This is much safer and more reliable (IMHO).

(+) This means a single Draw file can store several illustrations for your Writer document. You select the one needed and copy/paste it instead of the full file. If there is not enough space for all your illustrations, add other “slides” to the file.

[Hrbrgr]

In addition to @ajlittoz , you can also go after point 2 (in Draw), if you have selected the Drawing, and then choose File>Export. There you choose PNG as file type and checkmark the “Selection” box. Enter a suitable name.

[MJQ]

Hmm, it seems to be working now. I restarted both Writer and Draw and now the object size is the same as the Draw dimensions.

@ajlittoz Yes I want to link it so it will update when edited in Draw

[MJQ]

@ajlittoz Doing it your way, would it auto-update when I modify the .odg file?

[ajlittoz]

@MJQ: no, but I find many advantages in pasting rather than linking because I control precisely the size of the insertion which, in its turn, facilitates positioning.

For my needs, linking is more appropriate for spreadsheets (where changes are more likely) than for drawings which are “frozen” when they are considered “complete”.

[M-Rick]

But we loose the functionalities of the ODG, such as the great layers management, plus it is a pain of ass to select multiple objects since we cannot click-and-select in Writer.
Inserting an ODG file is the feature that works the worst unfortunately. It shouldn’t be available if it is unworking well. At the current stage, it is unusable.

[EarnestAl]

It isn’t unusable.
For OLE linked objects. Double click the object, adjust sliders to position the required image in to the top left corner of bounding box. Drag left and bottom handles inwards leaving enough room for the sliders and the image. Click outside the ole object and move the now smaller object to desired position on page.

For objects pasted from Draw right-click and select Enter Group, use Shift+click or drag select to select multiple objects within the group. Drawing objects inserted from toolbar in Writer can be multiple selected anyway

Once a drawing is in Writer it should be a finished object. If it subsequently needs editing, I find it is less distracting to edit the original. For a project I will have the current document in a folder and a sub folder, Pic, for images which includes the Draw file as well as any other images.