LibreOffice

Sometimes, an oversimplification can be limiting.And with that, let's dive into the LibreOffice features that keep me coming back.1. LibreOffice is highly customizableOf all the things I like about LibreOffice, the software's customization options land squarely at the top of the list. One thing about us writers is that we like to do things the way we like to do them. When our workflow is dictated by something or someone else, we can get a bit cranky.LibreOffice not only allows all the right customizations to help me…

Databases can come in handy. You can use them to inventory your record collection, to store information about clients or customers, to keep track of your Magic the Gathering cards, and everything in between. If you have a need to store lots of information (and to be able to easily search for it) a database can certainly make things a bit easier for you.If you use (or need to use) the LibreOffice office suite, it includes a built-in database tool that can create powerful databases to fill those needs. Although it might…

Let me show you how it works.How to update a style in LibreOfficeWhat you'll need: To make this work, you'll need LibreOffice installed. This feature works across all platforms, so it doesn't matter if you're working on Linux, MacOS, or Windows. I'll demonstrate on Ubuntu Budgie Linux using LibreOffice version 7.6.2.1. I would recommend you upgrade your version of LibreOffice to the most recent release, to ensure you have all the recent bug fixes and newest features. The first thing to do is open a LibreOffice…

Regardless of how you share out the folder, the LibreOffice method of accessing those shares will be the same and I'm going to show you how it's done.How to create a Share Service in LibreOfficeWhat you'll need: You'll need two things for this to work. The first is a shared folder you have access to on your network. The second is a running instance of LibreOffice. I'll demonstrate this technique on Ubuntu Budgie, but the operating system you use won't matter. To create a Share Service in LibreOffice, you must first…

When you're cranking out a full-length novel, that's a bit too much extra work.Therefore, I edit the style to make my workflow a bit easier. Let me show you how it's done.How to edit a LibreOffice styleWhat you'll need: The only thing you'll need for this is LibreOffice installed. It doesn't matter which operating system you're using it on, as the process is the same regardless. The first thing to do is open LibreOffice Writer. If you're using either MacOS or Windows, you'll first have to open the LibreOffice Control…

With that said, let's get to the steps.How to install the latest version of LibreOffice on Fedora LinuxWhat you'll need: You'll only need three things for this - a running instance of an RHEL-based distribution (I'll demonstrate with Fedora 38), a user with sudo privileges, and an internet connection. That's it. Let's get to work. The first thing to do is to download the latest version of LibreOffice. Open your web browser, head over to the LibreOffice download page, and download the RPM version of the software. Make…

Opening the Google Docs character picker is done through the Insert menu. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET By default, the character picker is in the Symbol selection, where you can add various arrows and other symbols. If you click the far left drop-down, you can select from the different types available. For example, the é and ü characters are found in the Latin type, so from the Symbol drop-down, select Latin. The Latin type houses plenty of commonly-used special characters. Screenshot by Jack…

Accessing the Letter Wizard from the File menu in LibreOffice 7.5.1. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET When the Wizard opens, you'll first have to configure the page design. In this step, select the type (Business, Formal Personal, or Personal), and then select the page design for that type. With the type, there are only three options: Elegant, Modern, and Office. Each of those types isn't all that different (different font, slightly different spacing, and arrangement). Once you've made your selections, click…

Creating a new document from the LibreOffice Start Center. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET With Writer open, create the template as needed. You can either write a generic document that you'll later use, add boilerplate text (such as Lorem Ipsum) and format it as required, or copy and paste whatever it is you need in the template. Also: How to password-protect a document with LibreOfficeIf the template is to serve as a form letter, you might consider adding fields, so things like dates automatically update as the…

The first thing we'll do is add a date field. Let's say you're creating a document template you'll use over and over. At the top of that template, you have:To: From:Re:Date: Instead of always typing the date, you can add a field. To do that, click the space directly to the right of Date: and then click Insert > Field > Date. The field will be populated by the current date. Also: What's new in LibreOffice and how do you install it on MacOS?If you were to open that same file tomorrow, the date would change to…