More viewing space appeal, Multiple windows same document

[coding]

Working with libreoffice --version
LibreOffice 7.3.5.2 30(Build:2)

Large document, that I work with 3+ windows same time, arranged on the single desktop HD screen, tiled manually to my working settings.

I am much more costumed to work under text editors like subl, atom, code, using keyb shortcuts, navigation is pretty fast, most importantly, no title bars, space to focus on writing.

Viewing space is very dim and overcrowded in all user views I try, no matter if they are compact. Current user interfaces which are minimal, Single Toolbar, Contextual Single, are in no way minimal,

The window title alone occupies 20/30+px, then an extra 12px for the written menu options, then ~24px buttons toolbar single line, an extra 7 or 8 for the ruler, only after this on the minimal user interfaces the document actually begins. Even in views that don’t have file menu, only icons, still a lot of space being vertically occupied, makes it difficult to tile across the screen.

Measured a screenshot with gimp, and compact views with file menu start at 131px, without the menu 116px (this is under GNOME, under LXDE I can tame the window bar at less than 10px no prob).

A feature request would be to really provide a minimal interface to soffice.bin --writer.

A zen interface.

No menus, no buttons, no rulers, simply text, just content. We can access all functions through a contextual menu openinng at mouse location and proceed from there. Even better, consider ctrl shift p or r or something to drop a single screen line height customizable where we start inputting our intentions of commands, like in atom

Libreoffice writter needs a zen mode with nothing but the actual content being worked on, please!

Then we can also add ctrl - + or ctrl minus to zoom in (ctrl mousescrollwheel works very fine regarding this, but often i dont carry a mouse while I write on battery remote on mountains and islands, with 768px height on a netbook to conserve power for a 10h working day.

Another great addition would be the option to split the editor view, and incorporate all the functionality of multiple windows on the single parenting window.

The multiple windows same document is helpful but still buggy, I am sure you also have fun at the cursor location being misrepresented and the document glitching when you write on windows other than the one just spawned.

Thanks for listening and have a nice day.

[ajlittoz]

First of all, we aren’t developers but users just like you sharing our tips and tricks from our experience with LO. For any feature request, file a report on TDF Bugzilla.

LO is highly configurable, but I think you followed a wrong track. The various tabbed UI are poor surrogates for M$ Office aficionados who can’t switch for M$ Word imposed workflow to more methodical styling approach in Writer. And these tabbed UI aren’t configurable.

You can reclaim more screen estate by reverting to standard interface and eliminating the toolbars you don’t need.

• first select the standard interface
• View>Toolbars and untick everything
• untick View>Rulers>Rulers

You’re left with only the menu bar.

Regarding zooming through keyboard, Tools>Customize, Keyboard tab. Zooming commands are stored in Category View at bottom of Function list. You can them attach them to an available key combination.

The document window decoration is managed by the OS window manager. Some of them are configurable and you can customise the window title height. I understand you’re under Linux. There are many window managers there. You may try to substitute the default WM with another one to fit your needs.

[coding]

Thank you @ajlittoz , I was approaching it wrongly, I did as you suggest and have only the menu bar (which could go away and back on alt key like the above editors.)

The zooming mechanics is nice, page width, optimal, etc are very nice variants.

Particularly enjoying not displaying the images since they make it slower and consume more resources, battery etc.

Thanks.

Yeah, it’s a pitty LO doesn’t mate with subl/atom/code, and allows for ctrl shift p issue command, editor view splitting would be so nice.

Actually considering doing the core writing alone on the mentioned editors, and either copy paste manually into LO to render a pdf or something. Would be great if LO offered splitting views from the start.

Considering submiting these ideas to the devs (not right now, have to make bugzilla account, etc, notime now, prob later), I can also take a stab at it, when there is time, and propose a patch that implements the above zen mode, And theming, oh, this would be so sweet. Sometimes my eyes hurt with all the white.