Moving text box using keyboard

English
#1

Writer 27.4.4.2 Linux.
I can move textbox in a document by using Alt + arrow, but it doesn’t work in a table.

Text Box in table:
I have tried Alt + arrow on selected text box, but this changes column width.
Space + arrow moves the textbox a lot.
Ctrl + arrow does nothing.
Alt + arrow works OK on an inserted image.

|s there a shortcut I can use in this instance?

#2

This is the first time I have read that someone has inserted a text box into a table.
What is the background and purpose of this procedure?

#3

A text box is a Drawing Object, i.e. a mere decoration in a text document. A Text Box is usually an error. What do you try to achieve?

#4

For example a calendar, where I place a text box in a cell to denote a holiday - Easter for instance. I could of course just type text in a cell, but that is not nearly as flexible as a text box.

#5

A text box is nightmarish and absolutely messy for that. If the data belong in the cell, type it as text. As mentioned, a text box is a drawing object you’ll have hard time to glue to the cell so that it remains in the cell when the document or table is edited.

If the cell can show various icons to denote different “qualifications” for the day or month, use a bullet list. The bullet can be any image. You select the icon by promoting the item to some level. This is more user-friendly than going through the pain of inserting a drawing object.

#6

There are already a large number of extensions for calendars.
You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel:

#7

I’d like to know if there is a keyboard shortcut to move a text box in small increments.

#8

For precision:

  1. Select the text box
  2. Click Format > Text box and shape > Position and size > Position and size
  3. In the dialog under Position > Horizontal set the third field to Paragraph text area. Now you could
    1. Set From left by x.xx cm . This will set the left edge of the text box a set distance from the left of the cell
    2. Set Right or set Left. This will disable the distance field and will set the text box inside the cell to the right or left of the cell edge respectively.
  4. In the dialog under Position > Vertical set the third field to Paragraph text area. Now you can use the same logic to position the text box where you want within the cell

You might do better to just split the cell into multiple rows and enter items into each row

#9

Thanks. Your first method would work, but time consuming. Your second method has merit but isn’t flexible enough.
With a text box I can move the box around by dragging but the movement is quite intermittent.

There’s two work-arounds, but neither is very good. The first is to enter the text box outside the table, then move it into the table using arrow shortcuts. Trouble is when you come out of the text box it becomes unresponsive to shortcuts.
The second is to make the text box outside the table, then copy special > bitmap. Problem with that is you cant format the text - because it is no longer text!

#10

A text box is very easy to insert and the text is formattable just like any other text. The text box can be dragged by holding the left mouse button and dragging. Trouble is it sometimes it moves in quite large steps.

#11

You have already been advised not to use a text box but you insisted.
Use a Frame instead, it can contain anything a page might contain:

  1. Open the Sidebar at Styles, select Frame Styles (third from left at top) .
  2. Right click Frame and select Edit style
  3. Select Borders, under Line Arrangement > Presets click No Borders. Set Padding to 0.00 cm as there will not be much room.
    • You can preset the same position and size for the frame but in the Type pane of this dialogue
  4. Click Insert > Frame. Type in the frame. You can move the frame with Alt+Arrow

TableWithFrame.odt (11.2 KB)

[Edit]

Click View > Grid and Helplines > Snap to grid to toggle snapping to off (unhighlighted).
Or, if you want snapping on then click Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Grid and set more suitable Resolution and Subdivision.

#12

Thanks, I already have snap off.

#13

(post deleted by author)

#14

The text box method is by far the quickest and easiest. The lack of keyboard shortcuts is the only issue I have but I will just put up with it. I think it’s time to give up on this issue.
202503_05.odt (144.4 KB)

#15

Did you try using a frame? Or moving the frames in my sample document?

[Edit]
See bug report tdf#128062 - Slightly moving a Draw textbox within Frame in Writer by keyboard is not supported, Frame moves 1px rather than the Draw textbox

#16

Thank you. Frame method works good. It behaves almost the same as text box, and arrow shortcuts work OK.
Frame has a tendency to move or displace what is already in the frame (even with zero padding), but there may be a way to avoid this in the settings. I will work on this.

#17

The file I sent won’t display well unless you have the Irish font installed. The attached PDF should display correctly.
202503_05.pdf (119.1 KB)

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