Style editing UX issues in Writer

[bgc]

I tried to replicate a document I had made with Scribus (https://www.scribus.net/), and, I found the process frustrating to say the least. Whenever I updated a style, or applied a style to a block of text, and it may:

• Insert a unexpected frame around it.
• Get combined with another block preceding it.
• Mess up the margins or spacing for it.

I haven’t tried with Microsoft Word yet, but I’d imagine it would be less bug prone than Writer. I was able to get a good result with HTML and CSS though. Please see the link below: it contains the original Scribus document, the PDF output of the latter, and an HTML version.

Items Shared on 1-9-2026 1

I admit, in Scribus, there was some minor tweaking of the vertical positioning of text boxes, and at times, I used the story editor, but overall, I found the application of styles to be more reliable than Writer. The HTML version was the most satisfying one to edit: web browser layout engines are quite powerful.

When editing and applying styles in Writer, are there things I can do to avoid formatting issues, and ensure consistency?

[fpy]

@bgc

consistency

classical → Frame style still not updating frames correctly

[EarnestAl]

There is nothing in the CV that requires frames, and definitely not text boxes (which are drawing objects). You can insert Sections with two columns in the single column page.

I couldn’t open the Scribus document and the PDF had characters in the U+100000 range, the HTML doesn’t show layout and has different content.

There seemed to be too many different fonts in the pdf document that I started copying from until the second page prevented that so I eventually cleared direct formatting in the final document.

From the default blank page, I changed Heading paragraph style to font FiraSans-SemiBold. I added Small Caps case to the Title paragraph style. I altered List 1 paragraph style to include bullets and to not add spacing between paragraphs of the same style. There were some other style changes as well.
Current-CV-Redacted-FieldsEA.odt (27.3 KB)

Have a look through while checking the styles that I used, there was very little modification from the default styles included in a blank document.

You might care to refer to the Writer Guide, download from English documentation | LibreOffice Documentation - LibreOffice User Guides and to Designing with LibreOffice, link to download at English documentation II | LibreOffice Documentation - LibreOffice User Guides

[bgc]

That’s not quite what I’m looking for. The Fira font families are readily available online. Ignore the HTML file: it’s not true to the original, just something I liked.

Based on the PDF, your version doesn’t have the correct font formatting: the title is all caps, not small caps, with increased spacing between the letters. The lists don’t have the correct indentation.

The Scribus document was created in a recent version of the application (v.1.7.1.svn), built from the main branch, so it may be incompatible with older versions of Scribus.

[EarnestAl]

The sample was indicative, it isn’t for me to build an exact replica but rather to point how the result should be achieved.

You have found some variations from the pdf which was unable to be copied from on page 2. You have also pointed out how to correct them. I feel I have done sufficient to set you on the path to correctly laying out the document. The writer guide will be helpful. Good luck

[Edit]

@bgc

your version doesn’t have the correct font formatting

I am aware of that, I don’t need another font on my system. To change my document, right click *Default Paragraph Style in the Sidebar and select Edit style. In the dialogue select the Font tab and change the font to TeXGyrePagella-Regular

@bgc

the title is all caps, not small caps, with increased spacing between the letters.

The title is capitals with small caps. I am not installing that font either, PDFs don’t give spacing information so I cannot tell what spacing you set. In the Sidebar, right click Title and select Edit style, in the dialogue that opens select the Font Effects tab to check that, under Case it is Small capitals. Select the Position tab and adjust the Spacing as desired.

@bgc

The lists don’t have the correct indentation.

Right click the List 1 style in the sidebar and select Edit style. In the dialogue that opens, select Indents and spacing, in the field Before text set 1.27 cm, in the field First line set -0.63 cm, or measurement as desired.