Weird behaviour on insert caption

[Ixybus]

When I insert a caption on an image, the image gets inside a frame as far as I’m concerned. When that happens the images moves somewhere inside the frame:

I want my images to be centered so I have the Frame style to do it, but I can only fix this when I insert the caption and then click on the frame and align it to the left/right and then center it again:

Then finally the image is positioned like this (don’t mind the numbering on the caption):

Does someone know what’s happening?

EDIT: But what I don’t understand is why the image I insert gets behind the captions and it doesn’t stay within the frame area. For example this image:

If I insert a caption:

Then I have to play with the buttons or right click on the Frame style, shouldn’t the image be centered as the Frame style has it defined by default?

TL;DR: why the image moves “out” of the Frame are when a caption is inserted?

EDIT2: I noticed that if I leave the chaos positioning of the images intact when I close the file and reopen it the images have their correct position. It’s kind of annoying seeing it but I guess it’s not a bug… Here is the file in case you can see anything I don’t. The way to reproduce what is happening to me is:

1. insert an image
2. Insert a caption on that image, I used my “Figura” text, not the default Figure.
3. Sometimes the Image and Frame look good but other the behaviour I explained before happens.

testfile.odt

[ajlittoz]

Ideas to consider (to address your question(s) in your edit):

• The apparent chaos after captioning may be caused by a badly chosen anchor for the picture. Some of them, like /As Character* are not affected by the positioning properties.
• Obviously, the picture wrap mode is set to Through, meaning the picture frame does not participate in text flow; it behaves like a watermark.

If you want/need more precise analysis, attach to your question a sample file with the problems (don’t fix them) so that I diagnose what’s going on.

[ajlittoz]

I downloaded your test file, but I don’t know where to look. Pictures and captions seem to be where they should. Except Figure 4, all the images are anchored As Character. Figure 4 is anchored To Paragraph.

As Character anchor does not allow you to reposition freely the frame because it is considered a really huge character and its placement is managed by text flow. The various properties of anchors are source of confusion at the beginning. You must fully understand the differences between them.

If this doesn’t clarify your problem (if it can with such a short explanation!), either provide additional details in a comment after mine, or edit your test file to add remarks, comments and questions near the problematic pictures/captions and re-attach the file.

[Ixybus]

That’s what I saw and said before including the file. When I close the file and reopen it the images have their correct position. It’s only while I’m inserting them that this behaviour appears.

[mikekaganski]

Here is the file in case you can see anything I don’t.

I see it’s created with v.6.3.2.2, after which in v.6.3 more bugfix releases were created, the current one being 6.3.5.2. (And there’s also 6.4, which is now at 6.4.3.2.)

[Ixybus]

Yeah it’s been a while since I checked for updates, I guess I thought it was done automatically but I updated to 6.4 and it appears to have been fixed. Thanks for everything!

[ajlittoz]

This is intended behaviour.

When you insert an image, you create a frame which has frame style Graphics by default. You can of course apply direct formatting with toolbar buttons as you seem to do to position the frame (picture) where you want it.

Adding a caption encapsulates the picture and the caption paragraph inside a new frame styled Frame by default.

All your positioning and other attributes you imposed on the picture (in fact to the Graphics frame) are now relative to the interior of the newly created Frame frame. To centre the group caption + picture, you need now tweak the outer frame.

This may seem to you double pain but it is quite logical.

You can automate the process with frame styles. These are just another style category. You may already be familiar with paragraph and character styles. You can record your positioning parameters in custom frame styles (which you could derive from Graphics and Frame for instance). Then, instead of playing with toolbar buttons, you double click on the frame style name in the side pane (F11, third small icon from left) after inserting the picture, and again on the other frame style name after adding the caption.

If your styles are well designed, you’ll just need 2 double clicks.

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In case you need clarification, edit your question (not an answer) or comment the relevant answer.

[RGB-es]

There is an old problem with frame styles when captions are added:

Bug 32485 - Settings on the image frame style lost when caption is applied

My advice is, after applying the caption, reapply the corresponding frame styles to both, the picture and the caption frame.

[Old_Professor]

I have similar problem. I can’t get the line width property to “stick”. I enter it, but it reverts to default when I click OK.

[ajlittoz]

@Old_Professor: “line width property” of which object? A paragraph? A picture? A border?