Synchronize style sheets across documents

[hedronist]

I have a semi-complicated situation. An author that wants to use 1 set of styles while he is editing (larger font because of vision problems), and then a master style sheet (with smaller fonts) in the master document for when we go hardcopy / EPUB. At first glance this is fairly straightforward–1 template for the chapters, master with same style names for publishing.

He is a, what would call him?, rogue author (he’s a 75-year-old MD, they seem to have this problem … a lot). He has a vague understanding of styles. When he makes a change to a style in 1 of his 44 chapters (1 per file and counting) he wants it to automagically be usable/viewable in all of the others. Note: this is not the master style sheet, which is only in the master document and which only I have access to.

Is there any way that when he saves (e.g.) chapter 43 (with changed editing styles) that all of the others will have their styles updated? If the style sheet was a reference then this would be straightforward, but I can’t find that in the docs. Maybe I’m using the wrong vocab for the search.

[EasyTrieve]

How about suggesting to him to use the zoom feature. (Quick way is hold ctrl key down and roll mouse wheel). My eyesight is not as good as it once was, and I find that this is the easiest and best way to deal with this issue.

[Xoristzatziki1]

If the problem is with font sizes then you understand that changing the sizes will change the whole output. Thus changing styles probably will create a bigger problem. So the zoom feature (already suggested) probably is the only solution.

[gabix]

If I correctly understand the situation, what you need is importing styles. Open a document to edit, call the Stylist (F11), choose Load styles… (drop-down menu under the rightmost button), tick necessary boxes AND Overwrite, press From file…, find the source file (in this case, the file from that rogue author).

[mikekaganski]

You may use LibreOffice’s “sticky styles” (see here).

LibreOffice recognizes templates that are located in any folder from the following list:

• the shared template folder
• the user template folder in the Documents and Settings folderin the home directory
• all template folders as defined in ‘Tools - Options’ - LibreOffice - Paths

When you use File - Template - Save to save a template, the template will be stored in your user template folder. When you open a document that is based on such a template, the document will be checked for a changed template as described below. The template is associated with the document, it may be called a “sticky template”.

When you use File - Save As and select a template filter to save a template at any other folder that is not in the list, then the documents based on that template will not be checked.

When you open a document that was created from a “sticky template” (as defined above), LibreOffice checks to see if the template has been modified since the document was last opened. If the template was changed a dialog is shown where you can select which styles to apply to the document.

To apply the new styles from the template to the document, click Update Styles.

To retain the styles that are currently used in the document, click Keep Old Styles.

If a document was created using a template that cannot be found a dialog is shown that asks you how to proceed next time the document is opened.

To break the link between the document and the missing template, click No, otherwise LibreOffice will look for the template the next time you open the document.

It still requires to modify the template itself, but all documents based on it would ask for update automatically after that.

[gerbreown2]

In version 6.0 it did that (Ask to Update Styles) but now in version 7.02 it no longer does that. Is there some way to make it ask again?
Thanks

[gerbreown2]

After posting the above comment it started working again, so just ignore the above comment. Thanks