Digital Documentation – Advanced

What is a Style?

A Style is a named collection of formatting attributes (font, size, colour, spacing, etc.) that can be applied to text, paragraphs, pages, or frames in a single click.

Why use Styles? When you change a Style, all text using that Style updates automatically — making large document formatting fast and consistent.

5 Types of Styles in LibreOffice Writer

1. Paragraph Styles — Applied to entire paragraphs. Control font, spacing, indentation, borders. Examples: Heading 1, Body Text, Default Paragraph Style.
2. Character Styles — Applied to selected characters within a paragraph. Only affect font-level properties. Example: Strong Emphasis, Internet Link.
3. Page Styles — Control the layout of whole pages: margins, headers/footers, page orientation, columns. Example: Default Page Style, First Page.
4. Frame Styles — Applied to frames (text boxes, image frames). Control borders, padding, positioning.
5. List Styles — Control bullet/numbered list formatting: bullet symbol, indentation, numbering type.

Applying Styles — Fill Format Mode ⭐ (Board Favourite)

Fill Format Mode lets you apply a style to multiple non-contiguous (separate) sections of a document without applying it manually each time.

• Open Styles panel (F11) → Select a style → Click the Fill Format Mode button (paint bucket icon).
• Then click on each paragraph you want to apply the style to.
• Press Escape or click Fill Format button again to exit the mode.

Update Style: If you manually modify text that has a style applied, right-click → "Update [Style Name] to match selection" to update the style definition.

Load Styles: Format → Styles → Load Styles — copies styles from one document to another.

Template vs Style

A Template is a pre-designed document that includes page layout, styles, and placeholder content. A Style is just a formatting rule. A Template can contain many Styles.

• Templates have the extension .ott in LibreOffice.
• To create: File → Templates → Save as Template.
• To use: File → New → Templates → Choose template.
• Templates save time when creating similar documents repeatedly (letters, reports, invoices).

Inserting a Table of Contents ⭐

A Table of Contents is automatically generated from headings in a document. When headings change, the ToC can be updated in one click.

• Insert ToC: Insert → Table of Contents and Index → Table of Contents, Index or Bibliography.
• Update ToC: Right-click on ToC → Update Index/Table.
• LibreOffice Writer supports up to 10 heading levels in a ToC.
• To be included in ToC, text must use Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.).

Image Anchoring ⭐ (Very Important for Exams)

Anchoring determines how an image is positioned relative to the document. It is the reference point for an image.

Image Mode ⭐

Image Mode changes how the image appears visually (but does not modify the original image file).

• Default (Color) — Shows the image in full colour.
• Grayscale — Converts the image to black and white shades.
• Black and White — High contrast, only pure black and white.
• Watermark — Very light, faded version of the image (used as background).

Access via: Right-click image → Image → Image tab → Colour Mode.

What is a Macro?

A Macro is a recorded sequence of actions (keystrokes and mouse clicks) that can be replayed to automate repetitive tasks.

• Record a Macro: Tools → Macros → Record Macro → perform actions → Stop Recording.
• Run a Macro: Tools → Macros → Organize Basic Macros → select → Run.
• Macros in LibreOffice are written in LibreOffice Basic.
• Stored in: My Macros, Macro Libraries, or within the document itself.

Mail Merge – Sending Personalised Letters

Mail Merge is a feature that creates multiple personalised documents (letters, labels, emails) by combining a template document with a data source (spreadsheet or database).

• Data Source: A Calc spreadsheet or Base database containing names, addresses, etc.
• Template Letter: A Writer document with field placeholders like <First Name>, <City>.
• Steps: Tools → Mail Merge Wizard → Select data source → Insert fields → Finish & Merge.
• Used for: bulk invitation letters, result letters, business correspondence.