CopyrightThis document is Copyright © 2012–2020 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors
are listed below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General
Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative Commons
Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), version 4.0 or later.
All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors
This book is adapted and updated from Draw Guide OpenOffice.org 3.3.

Contributors
To this editionPeter Schofield

Claire WoodRegina HenschelMartin Fox

John Cleland

Jean Hollis WeberJohn A Smith

Peter Schofield

Hazel Russman

Michele Zarri

T. Elliot Turner

Low Song Chuan

To previous editions

Ron Faile Jr.

Feedback
Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to the Documentation Team’s
mailing list: documentation@global.libreoffice.org

Note:
Everything sent to a mailing list, including your email address and any other personal
information that is written in the message, is publicly archived and cannot be deleted.

Publication date and software version
Published June 2020. Based on LibreOffice 6.4.

Documentation for LibreOffice is available at http://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/Contents
Copyright..................................................................................................................................... 2

Preface..................................................................................................................................6
Who is this book for?................................................................................................................... 7
What is in this book?....................................................................................................................7
Where to get more help?.............................................................................................................7
What you see may be different....................................................................................................9
Using LibreOffice on macOS......................................................................................................10
What are all these things called?...............................................................................................10
Who wrote this book?.................................................................................................................11
Frequently asked questions.......................................................................................................11
What’s new in LibreOffice 6.4?..................................................................................................12

Chapter 1 Introducing Draw..............................................................................................13
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 14
Draw main window..................................................................................................................... 14
Choosing and defining colors.....................................................................................................21
Grid, snap, and help lines..........................................................................................................23

Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes.....................................................................................24
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 25
Drawing basic shapes................................................................................................................25
Glue points and connectors.......................................................................................................34
Drawing geometric shapes........................................................................................................35
Adding text................................................................................................................................. 37

Chapter 3 Working with Objects.......................................................................................38
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 39
Selecting objects........................................................................................................................ 39
Positioning and adjusting objects...............................................................................................40
Using grid and snap functions....................................................................................................50
Using Helplines.......................................................................................................................... 55
Changing form of regular shapes...............................................................................................56
Curves and polygons.................................................................................................................57

Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes.............................................................................65
Formatting lines......................................................................................................................... 66
Formatting fill areas................................................................................................................... 73
Working with area fills................................................................................................................79
Using drawing object styles........................................................................................................92
Applying special effects.............................................................................................................96

Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects..........................................................................103
Grouping objects...................................................................................................................... 104
Combining objects................................................................................................................... 106
Merging, subtracting, or intersecting objects............................................................................108
Duplication and cross fading....................................................................................................110
Draw Guide Version 6.4 | 3

Positioning objects................................................................................................................... 113

Chapter 6 Editing Pictures..............................................................................................116
Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 117
Importing graphics....................................................................................................................117
Exporting graphics...................................................................................................................122
Formatting raster objects.........................................................................................................122
Cropping.................................................................................................................................. 125
Image filter toolbar...................................................................................................................128
Replacing colors...................................................................................................................... 133
Conversion............................................................................................................................... 135
Print options............................................................................................................................. 138

Chapter 7 Working with 3D Objects...............................................................................140
Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 141
3D object types........................................................................................................................ 141
Drawing toolbar........................................................................................................................ 142
Creating 3D objects.................................................................................................................144
Editing 3D objects.................................................................................................................... 147
Combining objects................................................................................................................... 158
Assembling 3D objects............................................................................................................159

Chapter 8 Connections, Flowcharts, and Organization Charts..................................160
Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 161
Connectors and glue points.....................................................................................................161
Flowcharts............................................................................................................................... 169
Organization charts..................................................................................................................170

Chapter 9 Adding and Formatting Text..........................................................................171
Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 172
Text.......................................................................................................................................... 172
Using text with Draw objects....................................................................................................177
Inserting text............................................................................................................................ 179
Formatting text......................................................................................................................... 180
Using graphic styles.................................................................................................................185
Creating bulleted and numbered lists.......................................................................................189
Using tables............................................................................................................................. 192
Using fields.............................................................................................................................. 199
Using hyperlinks....................................................................................................................... 200
Fontwork.................................................................................................................................. 203

Chapter 10 Printing, Exporting and E-mailing..............................................................206
Printing.................................................................................................................................... 207
Exporting.................................................................................................................................. 213
E-mailing documents...............................................................................................................215

Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques........................................................................217
Multi-page documents..............................................................................................................218
Templates................................................................................................................................ 225
4| Draw Guide Version 6.4

Multiple layers.......................................................................................................................... 234
Dimensioning........................................................................................................................... 237
Drawing to scale...................................................................................................................... 242
Views....................................................................................................................................... 243
Gallery..................................................................................................................................... 243
Colors...................................................................................................................................... 247
Bézier curves........................................................................................................................... 255
Adding comments to a drawing................................................................................................258
Connecting and breaking lines.................................................................................................259
Coordinate system...................................................................................................................259

Appendix A Keyboard Shortcuts....................................................................................260
Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 261
Tips on using macOS...............................................................................................................261
Draw-specific function keys and keyboard shortcuts................................................................262
General function keys and keyboard shortcuts........................................................................264
Defining keyboard shortcuts.....................................................................................................268
Further reading........................................................................................................................ 268

Draw Guide Version 6.4 | 5

Draw Guide

PrefaceWho is this book for?
Anyone who wants to get up to speed quickly with LibreOffice Draw will find this guide valuable.
You may be new to drawing software, or you may be familiar with another program.

What is in this book?
This book introduces the main features of LibreOffice Draw. Draw is a vector graphics drawing tool,
although it can also perform some operations on raster graphics (pixels) such as photographs.
Using Draw, you can quickly create a wide variety of graphical images.
A few examples of the drawing functions are: layer management, snap functions and grid-point
system, dimensions and measurement display, connectors for making organization charts, 3D
functions that enable small three-dimensional drawings to be created (with texture and lighting
effects), drawing and page-style integration, and Bézier curves.
The Draw Guide is not a course book to be worked through from beginning to end. Rather, it is areference work in which you can browse for guidance on particular topics.

Where to get more help?
This guide, the other LibreOffice user guides, the built-in Help system, and user support systems
assume that you are familiar with your computer and basic functions such as starting a program,
opening and saving files.

Help system
LibreOffice comes with an extensive Help system. This is the first line of support for using
LibreOffice. Windows and Linux users can choose to download and install the offline Help for use
when not connected to the Internet; the offline Help is installed with the program on macOS.
To display the Help system, press F1 or select LibreOffice Help from the Help menu. If you do
not have the offline help installed on your computer and you are connected to the Internet, yourdefault browser will open the online Help pages on the LibreOffice website.
The Help menu also includes links to other LibreOffice information and support facilities.

Note
The following options shown here prefixed by a ‡ sign are only accessible if yourcomputer is connected to the Internet.
•

What's This? – for quick tips when a toolbar is visible, place the mouse pointer over any of
the icons to see a small box (“tooltip”) with a brief explanation of the icon’s function. For a
more detailed explanation, select Help > What's This? and hold the pointer over the icon.
In addition, you can choose whether to activate Extended Tips using Tools > Options >LibreOffice > General.

•

User Guides – opens your default browser at the Documentation page of the LibreOfficewebsite, https://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/english-documentation/. There you will findcopies of User Guides and other useful information.

•Show Tip-of-the-Day – opens a small window with a random tip on how to use LibreOffice.

•Get Help Online – opens your default browser at the Ask LibreOffice forum of questions
and answers from the LibreOffice community, https://ask.libreoffice.org/en/questions/.
Where to get more help? | 7

•Send Feedback – opens your default browser at the Feedback page of the LibreOfficewebsite, https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/feedback/. From there you can report bugs,
suggest new features and communicate with others in the LibreOffice community.

•

Restart in Safe Mode – opens a dialog window where you will have the option to restart
LibreOffice and reset the software to its default settings.

•

Get Involved – opens your default browser at the Get Involved page of the LibreOfficewebsite, https://www.libreoffice.org/community/get-involved/. There you can choose a topic
of interest to help improve the program.

•

Donate to LibreOffice – opens your default browser at the Donation page of the
LibreOffice website, https://donate.libreoffice.org/. There you can choose to make adonation to support LibreOffice.

•License Information – outlines the licenses under which LibreOffice is made available.

•

Check for Updates – opens a dialog window and checks the LibreOffice website for
updates to your version of the software.

•

About LibreOffice – opens a dialog window and displays information about the version of
LibreOffice and the operating system you are using. This information will often be
requested if you ask the community for help or assistance with the software. (On macOS
this item is under the LibreOffice menu.)

Other free online support
The LibreOffice community not only develops software, but provides free, volunteer-based support.
In addition to the Help menu links above, there are other online community support options
available, see the table below.
Free LibreOffice support
FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Faq

Mailing lists

Free community support is provided by a network of experienced users
https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/

Questions & Answers
andKnowledge BaseFree community assistance is provided in a Question & Answer formatted web
service. Search similar topics or open a new one in
https://ask.libreoffice.org/en/questions
The service is available in several other languages; just replace /en/ with de,es, fr, ja, ko, nl, pt, tr, and many others in the web address above.
The LibreOffice website in various languages
https://www.libreoffice.org/community/nlc/

Native language support

Mailing lists for native languages
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Local_Mailing_Lists
Information about social networking
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Website/Web_Sites_services

Accessibility options

Information about available accessibility options
https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/accessibility/

OpenOffice Forum

Another forum that provides support for LibreOffice, among other open
source office suites https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/

8 | Where to get more help?

Paid support and training
You can also pay for support through service contracts from a vendor or consulting firm
specializing in LibreOffice. For information about certified professional support, see The Document
Foundation’s website: https://www.documentfoundation.org/gethelp/support/

What you see may be different
Illustrations
LibreOffice runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems, each of which has several
versions and can be customized by users (fonts, colors, themes, window managers). The
illustrations in this guide were taken from a variety of computers and operating systems. Therefore,
some illustrations will not look exactly like what you see on your computer display.
Also, some of the dialogs may be differ because of the settings selected in LibreOffice. You caneither use dialogs from your computer system (default) or dialogs provided by LibreOffice. Tochange to using LibreOffice dialogs:
1)

On Linux and Windows operating systems, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice >General on the main menu bar to open the dialog for general options.

2)

On a Mac operating system, go to LibreOffice > Preferences > General on the main
menu bar to open the dialog for general options.

3)

Select Use LibreOffice dialogs in Open/Save dialogs to display the LibreOffice dialogs on
your computer display.

4)

Click OK to save your settings and close the dialog.

Icons
The icons used to illustrate some of the many tools available in LibreOffice may differ from theones used in this guide. The icons in this guide have been taken from a LibreOffice installation thathas been set to display the Colibre (SVG) set of icons.
If you wish, you can change your LibreOffice software package to display Colibre (SVG) icons asfollows:
1)

On Linux and Windows operating systems, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > View on
the main menu bar to open the dialog for view options.

2)

On a Mac operating system, go to LibreOffice > Preferences > LibreOffice > View on themain menu bar to open the dialog for view options.

3)

In User interface > Icon size and style select Tango from the options available in the drop
down list.

4)

Click OK to save your settings and close the dialog.

Notes
Some Linux operating systems, for example Ubuntu, include LibreOffice as part of theinstallation and may not include the Colibre (SVG) icon set. You should be able todownload the Colibre (SVG) icons from the software repository for your Linux
operating system.

What you see may be different | 9

Using LibreOffice on macOS
Some keystrokes and menu items are different on macOS from those used in Windows and Linux.
The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this book. For a moredetailed list, see the application Help.
Windows or LinuxmacOS equivalent

EffectTools > Options menu

LibreOffice > Preferences

Access setup options

Right-click

Control+click and/or right-click
depending on computer setup

Open a context menu

Ctrl (Control)⌘ (Command)

Used with other keys

F5

Shift+⌘+F5Open the Navigator

F11

⌘+T

Open the sidebar Styles deck

What are all these things called?
The terms used in LibreOffice for most parts of the user interface are the same as for most otherprograms (the parts of the program you see and use, in contrast to the behind-the-scenes codethat actually makes it work).
A dialog is a special type of window. Its purpose is to inform you of something, or request input
from you, or both. It provides controls to use to specify how to carry out an action. The technicalnames for common controls are shown in Figure 1. In most cases the technical terms are not usedin this book, but it is useful to know them because the Help and other sources of information often
use them.

Figure 1: Dialog showing common tools

10 | What are all these things called?

In most cases, you can interact only with the dialog (not the document itself) as long as the dialog
remains open. When you close the dialog after use (usually, clicking OK or another button saves
your changes and closes the dialog), then you can again work with your document.
Some dialogs can be left open as you work, so you can switch back and forth between the dialog
and the document. An example of this type is the Find & Replace dialog.
1)

Tabbed page – not strictly speaking a control.

2)Radio buttons – only one can be selected at a time.

3)

Checkbox – more than one can be selected at a time.

4)

Spin box – click the up and down arrows to change the number shown in the adjacent text
box, or type in the text box.

5)

Thumbnail or preview.

6)

Drop-down list from which to select an item.

7)

Push buttons.

Who wrote this book?
This book was written by volunteers from the LibreOffice community. Profits from sales of theprinted edition will be used to benefit the community.

Frequently asked questions
How is LibreOffice licensed?
LibreOffice is distributed under the Open Source Initiative (OSI) approved Mozilla Public
License (MPL). See https://www.libreoffice.org/about-us/licenses/
It is based on code from Apache OpenOffice made available under the Apache License 2.0
but also includes software that differs from version to version under a variety of other Open
Source licenses. New code is available under LGPL 3.0 and MPL 2.0.
May I distribute LibreOffice to anyone?
Yes
May I sell it?
Yes
May I use it in my business?
Yes.
How many computers may I install it on?
As many as you like.
Is LibreOffice available in my language?
LibreOffice has been translated (localized) into over 40 languages, so your language
probably is supported. Additionally, there are over 70 spelling, hyphenation, and thesaurus
dictionaries available for languages, and dialects that do not have a localized programinterface. The dictionaries are available from the LibreOffice website at: www.libreoffice.org.
How can you make it for free?
LibreOffice is developed and maintained by volunteers and has the backing of several
organizations.

Frequently asked questions | 11

I am writing a software application. May I use programming code from LibreOffice in myprogram?
You may, within the parameters set in the MPL and/or LGPL. Read the licenses:
https://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
Why do I need Java to run LibreOffice? Is it written in Java?
LibreOffice is not written in Java; it is written in the C++ language. Java is one of several
languages that can be used to extend the software. The Java JDK/JRE is only required forsome features. The most notable one is the HSQLDB relational database engine.
Java is available at no cost. More information and download links to the appropriate edition
for your operating system can be found at: https://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Note
If you want to use LibreOffice features that require Java, it is important that the correct
32-bit or 64-bit edition matches the installed version of LibreOffice. See Chapter 2
Advanced Options of the Getting Started Guide. If you do not want to use Java, you
can still use nearly all of the LibreOffice features.
How can I contribute to LibreOffice?
You can help with the development and user support of LibreOffice in many ways, and you
do not need to be a programmer. To start, check out this webpage:https://www.libreoffice.org/community/get-involved/
May I distribute the PDF of this book, or print and sell copies?
Yes, as long as you meet the requirements of one of the licenses in the copyright statement
at the beginning of this book. You do not have to request special permission. We request thatyou share with the project some of the profits you make from sales of books, in considerationof all the work we have put into producing them.
Donate to LibreOffice: https://www.libreoffice.org/donate/

What’s new in LibreOffice 6.4?
The LibreOffice 6.4 Release Notes (changes from version 6.3) are available at the following links:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/6.4 andhttps://www.libreoffice.org/download/release-notes/
You may also want to read the LibreOffice 6.3 Release Notes (changes from previous versions)are available at the following links:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/6.3 andhttps://www.libreoffice.org/download/release-notes/

12 | What’s new in LibreOffice 6.4?

Draw Guide

Chapter 1
Introducing Draw

Introduction
LibreOffice Draw is a vector graphics drawing program, although it can also perform some
operations on raster graphics (pixels). Using Draw, you can quickly create a wide variety ofgraphical images.
Vector graphics store and display an image as an assembly of simple geometric elements such aslines, circles, and polygons, rather than a collection of pixels (points on the screen). Vector
graphics allow for easier storage and scaling of the image.
Draw is fully integrated into the LibreOffice suite, and this simplifies exchanging graphics with allcomponents of the suite. For example, if you create an image in Draw, reusing it in a Writer
document is as simple as copying and pasting the image. You can also work with drawings directlyfrom within Writer or Impress, using a subset of the functions and tools from Draw.
The functionality of LibreOffice Draw is extensive and, even though it was not designed to rival
high-end graphics applications, it possesses more functionality than the drawing tools that are
generally integrated with most office productivity suites.
A few examples of the drawing functions are: layer management, magnetic grid-point system,
dimensions and measurement display, connectors for making organization charts, 3D functions
that enable small three-dimensional drawings to be created (with texture and lighting effects),
drawing and page-style integration, and Bézier curves.
This Draw Guide is not a course book to be worked through from beginning to end. Rather, it is areference work in which you can browse for guidance on particular topics.
This document describes only the functions associated with Draw. Some concepts, such as file
management or the way the LibreOffice environment works, are mentioned only briefly and arecovered in more detail in the Getting Started Guide.

Draw main window
The main components of the Draw main window are shown in Figure 2.

Workspace
The large area in the center of the Draw main window (Workspace) is where you create yourdrawings. This drawing area can be surrounded with toolbars and information areas. The number
and position of the visible tools vary with the task in hand and user preferences, therefore yoursetup may look different from Figure 2.
The maximum size of a drawing page in LibreOffice Draw is limited by your computer setup andthe page size that you can set and use in your printer.
By default, the Workspace consists of three layers (Layout, Controls and Dimension Lines) andthe tabs for these default layers appear in the bottom left corner of the Workspace. The default
layers cannot be deleted or renamed, but you can add layers as and when necessary.

Pages pane
You can split drawings in Draw over several pages. Multi-page drawings are used mainly forpresentations. The Pages pane, on the left side of the Draw main window, gives an overview of thepages that you create in your drawing. If the Pages pane is not visible, go to View on the Menu bar
and select Page Pane. To make changes to the page order, drag and drop one or more pages.

14 | Draw main window

Figure 2: Draw main Window

Layers bar
A layer is a workspace where you insert your drawings elements and objects. The Layers bar islocated on the bottom of the workplace and contains the guides for layer selection and layercommand. For more information on layers, see Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques.

Sidebar
The Sidebar has five main decks in Draw. To expand a deck, click on its icon or click on the small
triangle at the top of the icons and select a deck from the drop-down list. If the Sidebar is not
visible, go to View on the Menu bar and select Sidebar from the submenu.
Properties
Contains panes for object properties: Page, Character, Paragraph, Lists, Area, Shadow,
Line, and Position and Size. The visible panes change depending on the object selected.
ShapesProvides quick selection of most items on the Drawing toolbar: Lines & Arrows, Curves,
Connectors, Basic Shapes, Symbols, Block Arrows, Flowchart symbols, Callouts, Stars, and
3D Objects.
StylesHere you can edit and apply Drawing styles to objects within your drawing. When you edit astyle, the changes are automatically applied to all of the elements formatted with this style inyour drawing. (In Draw, Presentation styles are not available.)

Draw main window | 15

GalleryOpens the Drawing gallery where you can insert an object into your drawing either as a copy
or as a link. A copy of an object is independent of the original object. Changes to the original
object have no effect on the copy. A link remains dependent on the original object. Changes
to the original object are also reflected in the link.
Navigator
Opens the Draw Navigator, in which you can quickly move between pages in your drawing or
select an object on the drawing. It is recommended to give pages and objects in yourdrawing meaningful names so that you can easily identify them when using the Navigator.

Rulers
You should see rulers (bars with numbers) on the upper and left-hand sides of the workspace. Ifthey are not visible, you can enable them by selecting View > Rulers in the Menu bar. The rulers
show the size of a selected object on the page using double lines (highlighted in Figure 3). Whenno object is selected, they show the location of the mouse pointer, which helps to position drawing
objects more accurately.
You can also use the rulers to manage object handles and guide lines when positioning objects.
The page margins in the drawing area are also represented on the rulers. You can change themargins directly on the rulers by dragging them with the mouse. The margin area is indicated by
the grayed out area on the rulers as shown in Figure 3.
To change the measurement units of the rulers, which can be defined independently, right-click ona ruler and select the measurement unit from the drop down list, as illustrated for the horizontal
ruler in Figure 4.

Figure 3: Rulers showing object size

Figure 4: Ruler units

16 | Draw main window

Figure 5: Status bar

Status bar
The Status Bar (Figure 5) is located at the bottom of the Draw window and includes several Draw
specific fields. You can hide the Status Bar by going to View on the Menu bar and deselecting
Status Bar.

Note
The sizes are given in the current measurement unit. They might not be the same as
the ruler units. The measurement unit on the Status bar is defined in Tools > Options> LibreOffice Draw > General, where you can also change the scale of the page.
•

Slide number – shows the number of the drawing pane that is selected.

•

Information area – shows which action is being carried out, or which object type isselected.

•

Cursor position and Object size – show different information depending on whether
objects are selected or not.
–When no object is selected, the position numbers show the current position (X and Y
coordinates) of the mouse cursor.

–

When an object is selected and being resized with the mouse, the object size numbers
show the size of the object (width and height).

–

If an object is selected, the position numbers shows the X and Y coordinates of theupper-left corner and the object size number pair displays the size of the object. These
numbers do not relate to the object itself, but to the selection outline, which is thesmallest possible rectangle that can contain the visible part or parts of the object; see
Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more information.

–

When an object is selected, clicking in either of these areas opens the Position and Sizedialog; see Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes for more information.

•

Unsaved changes – a flag indicating that the file needs saving. Clicking on this flag opens
the Save as dialog if the file is new and has not been saved before. If the file has beensaved before any changes, then clicking on this flag after any changes automatically saves
the file.

•

Digital signature – a flag indicating whether the document is digitally signed. After the filehas been saved, double-clicking on this flag opens the digital signatures dialog.

•

Fit drawing – resizes the drawing so that you can see the whole drawing in theWorkspace.

•

Zoom slider and Zoom percentage – adjusts and indicates the zoom percentage of theWorkspace displayed. Double-clicking on zoom percentage opens the Zoom & View
Layout dialog.

Draw main window | 17

Figure 6: Selection of visible toolbar icons

Toolbars
To display or hide the various Draw toolbars, go to View > Toolbars on the main menu bar andselect from the drop down menu that appears which toolbars you want to display. For example, theStandard and Drawing toolbars are shown by default, but the Line and Filling, Text Formatting,and Options toolbars are not shown.
The appearance of the toolbar icons may vary depending on your operating system and theselection of icon size and style in Tools > Options > LibreOffice > View. For more information
about working with toolbars, see the Getting Started Guide.
You can also select the icons or buttons that you want to appear on toolbars. To change the visible
icons or buttons on any toolbar, right-click in an empty area on the toolbar and select Visible
Buttons from the context menu. Visible icons or buttons are indicated by a shaded outline aroundthe icon as shown by the icons in Figure 6. Click on an icon to hide or show it in the toolbar.
The tools available in Draw toolbars are described as follows:Standard toolbar
The Standard toolbar (Figure 7) is the same for all LibreOffice components and is notdescribed in detail in this chapter. By default, it is located just under the Main menu bar.

Figure 7: Standard toolbar
Drawing toolbar
The Drawing toolbar (Figure 8) is the most important toolbar in Draw. It contains all thenecessary functions for drawing various geometric and freehand shapes, and for organizingthem in the drawing. It is described in detail in Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes.

Figure 8: Drawing toolbar
Line and Filling toolbar
The Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 9) lets you modify the main properties of a drawing
object. The icons and pull-down lists vary according to the type of object selected. For
example, to change the style of a line, click on the up and down arrows for Line Style andselect the required style.

18 | Draw main window

Figure 9: Line and Filling toolbar

Figure 10: Text Formatting toolbar
The functions on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 9) let you change the color, style, andwidth of the line drawn, the fill color and style, and other properties of an object. The object
must first be selected with a mouse click. If the selected object is a text frame, the Line andFilling toolbar changes to the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 10).
Text Formatting toolbar
The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 10) is similar to the Formatting toolbar in Writer andonly appears when a text object has been selected in your drawing. For an explanation of thefunctions on this toolbar, see Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes. For information on
adding and formatting text, see Chapter 9 Adding and Formatting Text.
Options toolbar
Use the Options toolbar (Figure 11) to activate or deactivate various drawing aids. The
Options toolbar is not displayed by default. To display it, go to View > Toolbars > Options
on the main menu bar. The tools available on this toolbar are described in greater detail inother chapters of this Draw Guide.

Figure 11: Options toolbar

Floating and moving toolbars
Available toolsets
Many icons have a small triangle pointing downward to the right side of the icon. This triangle
indicates that the icon has additional tools available. Click on the triangle to display the full set oftools (Figure 12).
You can “tear off” this toolset so it becomes a floating toolbar. Click the area at the top of thetoolset as shown in Figure 12, drag it across the screen to a location you want and then release
the mouse button. To close a floating toolbar, click on the X on the right of the toolbar title.

Figure 12: Additional tools and floating
toolbarDraw main window | 19

Note
When a toolset is made into a floating toolbar, the icon on the existing toolbar remains
in the toolbar and always shows the last tool you used. This means that the icon you
see on your screen may differ from the icon shown in this guide.

Tip
When you double-click on an icon in a toolbar, the command corresponding to thaticon will become active and remain active. You can then repeat this action as often as
you like. To exit from this mode, press the Esc key or click on another icon. Please
note that this may not work for every icon on every toolbar.

Default toolbars
When you open Draw, the default set of toolbars are already docked or fixed in their positions at
the top and bottom of the workspace. This default set of toolbars normally consist of the Standard
and Drawing toolbars. These toolbars can be undocked and become floating toolbars.
•

To undock a toolbar, move the mouse cursor to the far left of the toolbar and over the
toolbar handle (Figure 13). The cursor will change shape, normally a grabbing hand, but
this is dependent on computer setup and operating system. Click and drag on the toolbar
handle to move the toolbar until it becomes a floating toolbar. This floating toolbar capability
is common to all components of LibreOffice.

•To dock a floating toolbar at the top of the Draw workspace, press and hold the Ctrl key
then double click on the title of the toolbar. The toolbar will move into available space at the
top of the Draw workspace.
An alternative method of docking a toolbar is to click in the toolbar title and drag the toolbar
to the docked position that you require. This can be the top, bottom or one of the sides of
the Draw workspace.

•

Figure 13: Toolbar handles

Customizing toolbars
You can customize toolbars in several ways to show or hide icons defined for a toolbar, see“Toolbars” and Figure 6 on page 18 for more information.
To add functions to a toolbar, move tools between toolbars, or create new toolbars:
1)

Select View > Toolbars > Customize on the main menu bar, or right click in an empty area
on a toolbar and select Customize Toolbar from the context menu to open the Customize
dialog (Figure 14).

2)

Select the Toolbars tab, then select the toolbar you want to change from the Target dropdown list.

3)

Select the desired function from the Assigned Commands list and that function will be
added to the selected toolbar.

4)

If you want to add a new function to the selected toolbar, click on the new function in the
Available Commands list and then click on the right facing arrow ➜ to add the newfunction to your selected toolbar.

20 | Draw main window

Figure 14: Customize dialog
5)

Click on the Settings icon next to the Target drop down list and select how you want the
toolbar to appear in Draw from the context menu – Icon and text, Icon only, or Text only.

6)

To create a new toolbar, click on the Settings icon next to the Target drop down list andselect Add. A dialog opens so you can give your new toolbar a name and where you wantto save the new toolbar.

7)

To change the selected toolbar back to the default set of tools, click on the Defaults button.
Any additional functions that had been added will be removed and the default functions
added back to the selected toolbar.

8)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

For more information when adding a new function, or modifying a toolbar, see the Getting Started
Guide.

Choosing and defining colors
To display the Color Palette currently in use (Figure 15), select View > Color Bar on the main
menu bar. To close the Color Palette, go to View on the main menu bar and deselect Color Bar.
Using the Color Palette, you can rapidly choose the color of objects in your drawing (lines, areas,and 3D effects). The box with the X at the bottom left of the Color Palette corresponds to none (nocolor).
You can also access several specialized color palettes in Draw, as well as change individual colors
to your own taste. To do this, go to Format > Area on the main menu bar to open the Area dialog
and click on Color to open the Color page (Figure 16). In the Colors option, click on the Palettedrop down list and select one of the palettes available in LibreOffice.

Choosing and defining colors | 21

Figure 15: Color Palette

Figure 16: Area dialog - Color page
Alternatively, when an object in your drawing is selected, you change the area or line color of yourobject as follows:•

For the object area color, click on Area in the Properties deck on the Sidebar and selectColor from the Fill drop down list to change the area color of your object (Figure 17).

For the object line color, click on Line in the Properties deck on the Sidebar and selectyour color from the Line Color pop up dialog. This is similar to the color palette displayed in
the Area dialog.
For a more detailed description of color palettes and their options, as well as more on the
difference between the CMYK and RGB color schemes, refer to Chapter 11, Advanced Draw
Techniques.
•

22 | Choosing and defining colors

Figure 17: Area and Line sections in
Sidebar Properties

Grid, snap, and help lines
Draw provides a grid and snap lines as drawing aids and these can be turned on or off by clicking
on the Display Grid or Display Snap Guides icons on the Line and Filling or Options toolbars.
The grid and snap lines are displayed only on the screen and are not shown on a printed drawing
or when the drawing is used in another LibreOffice module. The color, spacing and resolution of
the grid points can be individually chosen for each axis.
Help lines when moving objects can be displayed and these are turned on or off by clicking on the
Helplines While Moving icon on the Line and Filling or Options toolbars. Showing the positionof the object while moving makes positioning the object much easier. If this function is activated,pairs of vertical and horizontal lines enclosing the object are shown while moving the object. Theselines extend to the edges of the drawing area.
Draw also offers several snap functions to help you can position objects exactly in a drawing.
For more information on the grid, snap lines, snap functions, and help lines, see Chapter 3
Working with Objects and Object Points.

Grid, snap, and help lines | 23

Draw Guide

Chapter 2
Drawing Basic Shapes

Introduction
You can create 2D and 3D objects in Draw. This chapter shows how to draw simple 2D objects.
The following chapters describe how to work with and edit such objects. For more information on
3D objects, see Chapter 7 Working with 3D Objects.
All shapes, whether they are lines, rectangles, or more complicated shapes, are called objects.
This is common notation in vector drawing software.
The drawing tools are found on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 18). This toolbar is normally located at
the bottom of the workspace. If you do not see it, you can activate it by going to View > Toolbars
on the Menu bar.
As with all the components of LibreOffice, you can undock the Drawing toolbar and place it
wherever you want to on the Draw workspace as a floating toolbar. You can also configure toolbars
by adding, moving, hiding, or deleting toolbar icons. See Chapter 1 Introducing Draw for more
information.
When you draw a shape, select an object for editing or add text to the drawing, the information
field in the Status bar (Figure 19) changes to reflect the action taken or in progress. See Chapter 1
Introducing Draw for more information on the Status bar.

Figure 18: Drawing toolbar

Figure 19: Status bar

Drawing basic shapes
Basic shapes, including text, are treated as objects in Draw. The standard set of tools available fordrawing basic shapes on the Drawing toolbar are shown in Figure 18. Click on the small triangle
on the right of the Drawing toolbar, then select Visible Buttons from the drop down menu to open
a list of available tools (Figure 20).
The tools that are already placed on the Drawing toolbar are indicated by a check mark (✓) next to
the icon in the Visible Buttons list, for example Select, Line and so on. The tools without a check
mark (✓), for example To Curve, To Polygon, and so on, are not installed on the Drawing toolbar.
Please note that some of the icons on the Drawing toolbar will change shape according to the lasttool used from the selection of available tools. The icons that have a small triangle to the right of
the icon indicates that more tools are available. See “Drawing geometric shapes” on page 35 for
information on the available shapes.

Drawing basic shapes | 25

Figure 20: Drawing toolbar - Visible Buttons

Note
When you draw a basic shape or select one for editing, the information area at the left
side in the status bar changes to reflect the present action: for example Line created,
Text frame xxyy selected, and so on.

Straight lines
A straight line is the simplest element or object in Draw to create.
1)

Use one of the following options to start drawing a line:–

Click the insert Line icon in the Drawing toolbar.

–

Click the small triangle on the right of the Lines and Arrows icon in the Drawing
toolbar and select the Insert Line icon from the drop down list.

–

Click the Insert Line icon in the Lines and Arrows section of the Shapes deck on the
Sidebar.

Figure 21: Line
starting point

26 | Drawing basic shapes

2)

Place the cursor at the point where you want to start the line (Figure 21) and drag themouse while keeping the mouse button pressed.

3)

Release the mouse button at the point where you want to end the line. A selection handle
appears at each end of the line, showing that this object is the currently selected object.
The selection handle at the starting point of the line is slightly larger than the other selection
handle.

4)

Keep the Ctrl key pressed while drawing a line to enable the end of the line to snap to thenearest grid point.

Note
This is the default behavior of the Ctrl key. However, if the Snap to Grid option on
the View > Grid menu has been selected, the Ctrl key deactivates the snap to grid
activity.
5)

Keep the Shift key pressed while drawing a line to restrict the drawing angle of the line toa multiple of 45 degrees (0, 45, 90, 135, and so on).

Note
This is the default behavior of the Shift key. However, if the option When creating or
moving objects in the Constrain Objects section of Tools > Options > LibreOffice
Draw > Grid has been selected, the action of the Shift key is the opposite. Lines willautomatically be drawn at a multiple of 45 degrees unless the Shift key is pressed.
6)

Keep the Alt key pressed while drawing a line to cause the line to extend outwards
symmetrically in both directions from the start point. This lets you draw lines by startingfrom the middle of the line.

When a line is drawn, it uses default attributes. To change any of these attributes, select a line byclicking on it, then use one of the following methods to change the properties:•

Go to the Properties deck on the Sidebar and open the Line pane (Figure 22).

•

Right-click on the line and select Line from the context menu to open the Line dialog(Figure 23).

Figure 22: Line section in Properties deckon Sidebar

Drawing basic shapes | 27

Figure 23: Line dialog - Line page

Figure 24: Line and Filling toolbar•

Go to Format > Line on the main menu bar to open the Line dialog (Figure 23).

•

Use the controls in the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 24). If the Line and Filling toolbar
is not visible, go to View > Toolbars on the main menu bar and select Line and Fillingfrom the drop down menu.

ArrowsArrows are drawn like lines. Draw classifies arrows as a subgroup of lines, that is lines witharrowheads. Hovering the mouse cursor over each of the type of arrows available will tell you thetype of line endings each icon will draw.

Note
The icon for the tool used most recently will already be selected on the Drawing
toolbar to make it easier to use the same tool again.
The line endings available are lines, arrows, circles, squares, dimension lines and 45 degree lines.
The information field on the Status bar shows them only as lines.
1)

Use one of the following options to start drawing an arrow:–

Click the Lines and Arrows icon in the Drawing toolbar to draw the type of arrow
indicated by the icon.

–

Click the small triangle on the right of the Lines and Arrows icon in the Drawing
toolbar and select the type of arrow you require from the drop down list (Figure 25).

–

Click the icon of the type of arrow you require in the Lines and Arrows section of the
Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26).

28 | Drawing basic shapes

Figure 25: Lines and Arrows

Figure 26: Shapes deck in Sidebar
2)

Place the cursor at the point where you want to start the arrow and drag the mouse while
keeping the mouse button pressed. The arrowhead is drawn at the end point of the arrow
when you release the mouse button.

Note
After drawing the line, you can change the arrow style by opening the Line dialog(Figure 23 on page 28) and going to the Arrow Styles page. Here you will find a larger
selection of line endings to use in your drawing.

Drawing basic shapes | 29

Note
You can also select the arrow style using the left or right drop down list in the Linesection on the Properties deck (Figure 22 on page 27). The left drop down list places
an arrowhead at the start of a line. The right drop down list places an arrowhead at theend of a line.

Rectangles or squares•

Drawing a rectangle or a square is similar to drawing a straight line using one of thefollowing methods:–

Click on the Rectangle icon in the Drawing toolbar (Figure 18 on page 25).

–

Select Rectangle icon in Basic Shapes on the Shapes deck in the Sidebar (Figure 26
on page 29).

–

Select the icon for the type of rectangle or square from the Legacy Rectangles toolbar(Figure 27). To display the Legacy Rectangles toolbar, go to View > Toolbars on themain menu bar and select it.

Figure 27: Legacy Rectangles
toolbar•

As you draw the rectangle with the mouse cursor, the rectangle appears with its bottom
right corner attached to the cursor.

•

Squares are rectangles with all sides of equal length. To draw a square, click on the
Rectangle icon and hold down the Shift key while you draw a square.

•

To draw a rectangle or square from its center rather than the bottom right corner, position
your cursor on the drawing, press the mouse button and then hold down the Alt key whiledragging with the cursor. The rectangle or square uses the start point (where you firstclicked the mouse button) as the center.

Note
If the option When creating or moving objects has been selected in the Constrain
Object section of Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid, the action of the Shift
key is reversed: the Rectangle tool draws a square. To draw a rectangle, press the
Shift key. This Shift key reversal also applies when drawing ellipses and circles.

Ellipses or circles•

Draw an ellipse (also called an oval) or a circle using one of the following methods:–

Click on the Ellipse icon in the Drawing toolbar (Figure 18 on page 25).

–

Select Ellipse icon in Basic Shapes on the Shapes deck in the Sidebar (Figure 26 on
page 29).

–

Select the icon for the type of ellipse or circle from the Legacy Circles and Ovals
toolbar (Figure 28). To display the Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar, go to View >Toolbars on the main menu bar and select it.

30 | Drawing basic shapes

Figure 28: Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar•

As you draw the ellipse with the mouse cursor, the ellipse or circle appears with its bottom
right corner attached to the cursor.

•

A circle is an ellipse with both axes the same length. To draw a circle, click on the Ellipse
icon and hold down the Shift key while you draw a circle.

•

To draw an ellipse or circle from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press themouse button and then hold down the Alt key while dragging with the cursor. The ellipse
or circle uses the start point (where you first clicked the mouse button) as the center.

Tip
To quickly insert a line, rectangle, ellipse, or text, press and hold down the Ctrl key
and then click on one of the icons for Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, or Text and a standard
sized object is drawn automatically in the work area. The size, shape, and color are allstandard values. These attributes can be changed later, if desired. See Chapter 4
Changing Object Attributes for more information.

Dimension lines
Dimension lines display a measurement of an object in the drawing (Figure 29). The dimension line
does not belong to the object itself, but it is usually placed close to it. An object can have as many
dimension lines as necessary to indicate measures of its sides, edges, and distances.

Figure 29: Measuring an object
with dimension lines
You can control the display of a dimension line components and appearance by selecting it, rightclicking, and choosing Dimensions in the context menu to display the Dimension line dialog(Figure 30).
1)

Use one of the following options to start drawing a dimension line:–

Click the small triangle on the right of the Lines and Arrows icon in the Drawing
toolbar and select Dimension Line from the drop down list (Figure 18 on page 25).

–

Click the Dimension Line icon in the Lines and Arrows section of the Shapes deck on
the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Drawing basic shapes | 31

Figure 30: Dimension lines setting dialog
2)

Place the cursor at the point where you want to start the dimension line and drag themouse while keeping the mouse button pressed. The dimension line is drawn andautomatically calculates and displays the linear dimension.

3)

To adjust the settings of a dimension line, right click on the dimension line and selectDimension from the context menu to open the Dimension Line dialog (Figure 30).

4)Change the dimension settings using the various options in the Dimension Line dialog,
then click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

Arcs and segments
If you regularly draw arcs or segments (partial circles or ellipses), then you can use the optional
Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar (Figure 28 on page 31). Go to View > Toolbar on the main
menu bar and select Legacy Circles and Ovals to open the toolbar.
•

When you hover the cursor over an icon on this toolbar, the name of the object you areselecting is displayed.

•

Click on the required icon in the Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar. As you draw yourobject with the mouse cursor, the object appears with its bottom right corner attached to thecursor.

•To draw an object from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press the mousebutton and then hold down the Alt key while dragging with the cursor. The object uses thestart point (where you first clicked the mouse button) as the center.

An arc or segment is drawn as follows:1)

Select the appropriate icon in the Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar (Figure 28 on page31), then click and drag with the cursor to start creating your arc or segment.

2)

Release the mouse button then move the cursor to the position where you want the arc or
segment to start and click to start drawing the arc or segment. The status bar indicates theangle in degrees.

32 | Drawing basic shapes

3)

Release the mouse button then move the cursor to the position where you want the arc or
segment to finish. The status bar shows the angle in degrees.

4)

When you have drawn the arc or segment you require, click again to complete the arc or
segment.

Curves, polygons or freeform lines
Use one of the following options to start drawing a curve, polygon or freeform line. Moving themouse cursor over one of the icons shows a tooltip giving the type of curve, polygon or freeformline:•

Click the small triangle on the right of the Curve and Polygons icon in the Drawing toolbar
and select the type of curve, polygon or freeform line from the drop down list (Figure 18 on
page 25).

•

Select and click the type of curve, polygon or freeform line in the Curve and Polygons
section of the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Notes
The icon for the tool used most recently is shown on the Drawing toolbar to make iteasier to use the same tool again.

Figure 31: Curves andPolygons toolbar

Curves1)

Click and hold the left mouse button to create the starting point of the curve, then drag fromthe starting point drawing a line. Release the mouse button and continue to drag the cursor
to bend the line into the required curve shape.

2)

Click to set the end point of the curve and fix it on the page.

3)

Continue dragging the cursor to draw straight lines at the end of your curve. Each mouseclick sets a corner point and allows you to continue drawing another straight line from thecorner point.

4)

Double-click to end the drawing of your curve and lines.

Notes
A filled curve automatically joins the last point to the first point to close off the object
and fills it with the selected fill color. A curve without filling will not be closed at the endof the drawing.

Polygons
1)

Click and draw the first line from the start point while holding down the left mouse button.
As soon as you release the mouse button, a line between the first and second points isdrawn.

2)

Move the cursor to draw the next line. Each mouse click sets a corner point and allows you
to draw another line.

3)

Double-click to end the drawing of your polygon.

Drawing basic shapes | 33

NotesA filled polygon automatically joins the last point to the first point to close off the figureand fills it with the selected fill color. A polygon without filling will not be closed at theend of the drawing.

Polygons 45°
Like ordinary polygons, these are formed from lines, but the angles between lines are restricted to
45 or 90 degrees. If required, hold down the Shift key as you draw the line so that the line isdrawn at an angle other than 45 or 90 degrees.

Freeform lines
Using the freeform line tools is similar to drawing with a pencil on paper.
1)

Click and drag the cursor to the line shape you require.

2)

Release the mouse button when you are satisfied with your freeform line and the drawing iscompleted.

3)

If Freeform Line Filled is selected, the end point is joined automatically to the start point
and the object is filled with the selected color.

Glue points and connectors
Glue points
All Draw objects have glue points, which are not normally displayed. Glue points become visible
when the Connectors icon is selected on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 18 on page 25) or when an
icon in the Connectors section on the Shapes deck in the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).
Most objects have four glue points (Figure 32). You can add more glue points and customize them,using the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 33). Go to View > Toolbars > Glue Points to open the
toolbar.
Glue points are not the same as the selection handles of an object. Selection handles are formoving or changing the shape of an object. Glue points are used to fix or glue a connector to an
object so that when the object moves, the connector stays fixed to the object. For a more detailed
description on the use of glue points, see Chapter 3, Working with Objects and Object Points andChapter 8, Connections, Flowcharts, and Organization Charts.

Figure 32: Glue points

34 | Glue points and connectors

Figure 33: Glue points toolbar

Figure 34: Connector between two objects

Figure 35: Connectors toolbar

Connectors
Connectors are lines or arrows whose ends automatically snap to a glue point of an object.
Connectors are especially useful in drawing organization charts, flow diagrams, and mind-maps.
When objects are moved or reordered, the connectors remain attached to a glue point. Figure 34
shows an example of two objects and a connector.
Draw offers a range of different connectors and connector functions. On the Drawing toolbar(Figure 18 on page 25), click on the triangle next to the Connector icon to open the Connectors
toolbar (Figure 35), or select a connector from Connectors section in the Shapes deck in the
Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29). For a more detailed description of the use of connectors, see
Chapter 8, Connections, Flowcharts, and Organization Charts.

Drawing geometric shapes
The icons for drawing geometric shapes are located on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 18 on page25) and on the Shapes deck in the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29). Clicking on the triangle to theright of an icon on the Drawing toolbar opens a floating toolbar giving access to the tools for thatshape.
The use of these tools for geometric shapes is similar to the tool used for drawing rectangles andsquares. For more information, see “Rectangles or squares” on page 30.
The icons used on the Drawing toolbar for drawing geometric shapes always indicates the last tool
used and may not be the same as the icons shown in the following sections.
You can add text to all of these geometric shapes. For more information, see Chapter 11 Advanced
Draw Techniques.

Drawing geometric shapes | 35

Figure 36: Basic Shapes toolbar

Basic shapes
Click on the triangle to the right of the Basic Shapes icon to open the Basic Shapes toolbar(Figure 36) for drawing basic shapes. This toolbar also includes a rectangle tool identical to theone already displayed on the Drawing toolbar. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Basic
Shapes section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Symbol shapes
Click on the triangle to the right of the Symbol Shapes icon to open the Symbol Shapes toolbar(Figure 37) for drawing symbols. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Symbol Shapes
section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Figure 37: Symbol Shapes toolbar

Block arrows
Click on the triangle to the right of the Block Arrows icon to open the Block Arrows toolbar(Figure 38) for drawing block arrows. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Block Arrows
section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Figure 38: Block Arrows toolbar

Flowcharts
Click on the triangle to the right of the Flowchart icon to open the Flowchart toolbar (Figure 39)
for symbols used in drawing flowcharts. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Flowchart
section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).
The creation of flowcharts, organization charts, and similar planning tools are further described in
Chapter 8 Connections, Flowcharts and Organization Charts.

Figure 39: Flowchart toolbar

Callouts
Click on the triangle to the right of the Callout icon to open the Callouts toolbar (Figure 40) for
drawing callouts. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Callouts section on the Shapes deckon the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

36 | Drawing geometric shapes

Figure 40: Callouts toolbar

Stars and banners
Click on the triangle to the right of the Star icon to open the Stars and Banners toolbar (Figure41) for drawing stars and banners. Alternatively, select the required icon in the Stars and Banners
section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Figure 41: Stars and Banners toolbar

3D Objects
Click on the triangle to the right of the 3D icon to open the 3D-Objects toolbar (Figure 42) for
drawing 3D objects. Alternatively, select the required icon in the 3D-Objects section in the Shapes
deck on the Sidebar (Figure 26 on page 29).

Figure 42: 3D-Objects toolbar

Adding text
In Draw you can add, insert, and format text to a drawing, objects, and shapes as follows:•

As a dynamic text frame, which is an independent Draw object and expands as you add
more text within the frame.

•

Text within a previously drawn object. This integrates text within the object and is placed
within the boundary rectangle that surrounds an object. This boundary rectangle is not
dynamic and care must be taken so that your text does not go outside of the object
boundaries.

For more information on how to add, insert, and format text in a drawing or drawing objects, see
Chapter 9 Adding and Formatting Text.

Adding text | 37

Draw Guide

Chapter 3
Working with Objects

Introduction
This chapter looks at the tools and functions that let you modify existing drawings. All of thefunctions apply to a selected object or a group of selected objects, which can be distinguished by
selection handles on a rectangular frame that is large enough to contain the object. Where several
objects are selected, the frame around the objects corresponds to the smallest rectangle that cancontain all of the objects. This frame is called the selection rectangle.

Note
The color and shape of the selection handles will change depending on the tool andfunction that has been selected to change the object properties. The color of theselection handles also depends on the computer operating system and how thecomputer has been set up.

Selecting objects
Direct selection
The easiest way to select an object is to click directly on it. For objects that are not filled, click on
the object outline to select it. One click selects; a second click deselects. To select or deselectmore than one object, hold the Shift key down while clicking.

Selection by framing
You can also select several objects at once by dragging the mouse cursor around the objects. Thisdraws a rectangle around the objects, and only objects that lie entirely within the rectangle will beselected. To select multiple objects by framing, the Select icon on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 43)
must be active.

Figure 43: Drawing toolbar

Note
When you drag the mouse cursor to select multiple objects, the selection rectangle
being drawn is also known as a marquee.

Selecting hidden objects
If objects are located behind others and not visible, they can still be selected. When you select ahidden object, its selection handles will appear through the objects covering it.
•

Windows or Mac operating system – select the object in front of the hidden objects, thenpress the Alt key and click to select the hidden object. If there are several hidden objects,
keep holding down the Alt key and clicking until you reach the object you want. To cycle
through the objects in reverse order, hold down the Alt+Shift keys and click.

Selecting objects | 39•Linux operating system – press the Tab key to cycle selection through the objects inyour drawing, stopping at the hidden object you want to select. To cycle through the objects
in reverse order, press Shift+Tab . This is a very quick way to reach an object, but it may
not be practical if there a large number of objects in a drawing.

Arranging objects
In a complex drawing, several objects may be stacked on top of one another. You can rearrange
the stacking order by moving an object forward or backward using one of the following methods:•••

Select an object, go to Shape > Arrange on the main menu bar, or right-click on the object
and select Arrange from the drop down menu, then select one of the following options:–

Bring to Front–

Bring Forward–

Send Backward–

Send to Back–In Front of Object–

Behind Object

Select an object, then use one of the following keyboard shortcuts:–

Ctrl+Shift++ (bring to front)–

Ctrl++ (bring forward)–

Ctrl+- (send backward)–

Ctrl+Shift+- (send to back)Select an object, then select one of the Arrange icons (Figure 44) on left of the Line andFilling toolbar on the main menu bar. When you hover the mouse cursor over one of theicons, its function will be indicated.

Figure 44: Arrange icons on Line andFilling toolbar

Positioning and adjusting objects
Using zoom
To help in the positioning and adjustment of objects, Draw has a zoom function that reduces orenlarges the screen display of the current drawing. For example, zoom in to place objects onto
your drawing with greater position; zoom out to see the complete drawing. You can control
zooming using the Status Bar, Zoom & View Layout dialog, or Zoom toolbar.

Note
Zooming is handled differently on Linux and Windows operating systems. A drawing
saved with a 100% zoom factor in Windows is displayed at a larger zoom factor inLinux.

40 | Positioning and adjusting objects

Figure 45: Zoom controls on
Status bar

Figure 46: Zoom & View Layout dialog

Status bar
The zoom controls are located on the right side of the Status Bar (Figure 45) and these controls
give you quick and easy access to zooming.
•

Click on the Fit slide to current window icon to fit your drawing to the open window.

•

Click on the minus sign (-) to reduce the zoom factor.

•

Click on the plus sign (+) to increase the zoom factor.

•

Click and hold on the zoom slider and move it to increase or decrease the zoom factor.

•

Right-click on the zoom percentage number and select a zoom factor from the context
menu that opens.

•

Go to View > Zoom > Zoom on the main menu bar or double-click on the zoom percentage
number and select a zoom factor from the Zoom & View Layout dialog (Figure 46).

Zoom & View Layout dialog
The Zoom & View Layout dialog (Figure 46) provides the following options to control how yourdrawing is viewed on your monitor.
•

Zoom Factor – sets the zoom factor at which to display the current document and all
documents of the same type that you open thereafter.
–

Optimal – resizes the display to fit the width of the text in the document.

–

Fit width and height – displays the entire page on your screen.

–

Fit width – displays the complete width of the document page. The top and bottom
edges of the page may not be visible.

–

100% – displays the document at its actual size.

–

Variable – enter a percentage in the box for the zoom factor at which you want todisplay the document.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 41

•View Layout – used to set the view layout. Reduce the zoom factor to see the effects ofdifferent view layout settings.
–

Automatic – automatic view layout displays pages side by side, as many as the zoom
factor allows.

–

Single page – single page view layout displays pages beneath each other, but neverside by side.

–

Columns – in columns view layout you see pages in a given number of columns side byside. Enter the number of columns.

–

Book mode – in book mode view layout you see two pages side by side as in an open
book. The first page is a right page with an odd page number.

Zoom toolbar
Go to View > Toolbars > Zoom on the main menu bar to open the Zoom toolbar (Figure 47). The
tools available on this toolbar are as follows:

Figure 47: Zoom toolbar•

Zoom In – displays the slide at two times its current size. Click once on the tool, then movethe cursor onto the object and click again. You can also select the Zoom In tool and drag a
rectangular frame around the area you want to enlarge.

•

Zoom Out – displays the drawing at half its current size each time the tool is clicked.

•

100% – displays the drawing at its actual size.

•

Zoom Previous – returns the display of the drawing to the previous zoom factor you
applied. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl +, (Comma).

•

Zoom Next – undoes the action of the Previous Zoom command. You can also the
keyboard shortcut Ctrl +. (period).

•

Entire Page – displays the whole drawing on your screen.

•

Page Width – displays the complete width of the drawing. The top and bottom edges of theslide may not be visible.

•

Optimal – resizes the display to include all of the objects on the slide.

•Object Zoom – resizes the display to fit the object(s) you selected.

42 | Positioning and adjusting objects

•Zoom & Pan – zooms in for each mouse click. Ctrl+click zooms out for each click.
Shift+click lets you move (pan) around the drawing.

•

Shift – moves the drawing within the Draw workspace. Place the cursor on the drawing anddrag to move the drawing. When you release the cursor, the last tool you used is
automatically selected.

Moving and adjusting object size
When moving an object or changing its size, check the left-hand area of the Status Bar at thebottom of the Draw workspace (Figure 48). From left to right, this area shows that a shape isselected, its position on the drawing in X/Y coordinates and dimensions of the object. The units ofmeasurement are those selected in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > General on the main
menu bar.

Figure 48: Left end of Status Bar when working with objects

Moving objects
To move an object (or a group of objects), select it and then click within the object borders and holddown the left mouse button while dragging the mouse. During movement, a ghost image of theobject appears to help with repositioning (Figure 49). When the object reaches its new location,
release the mouse button.

Figure 49: Moving objects

Adjusting object size
To change the size of a selected object (or a group of selected objects), move the mouse cursor toone of the selection handles. The mouse cursor will change shape to indicate the direction of
movement for that selection handle. As you change the size of the object, a ghosted outline of theobject appears (Figure 50). When you have reached the desired size of the object, release themouse button.
The results depend on which selection handle you use. To resize an object along one axis, use aside, top, or bottom handle. To resize along both axes, use a corner handle.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 43

Figure 50: Adjusting object
size

Note
If you press the Shift key while resizing an object, the change in size will be carriedout symmetrically with respect to the two axes so that the aspect ratio of the object
remains the same. This Shift key behavior works on all selection handles.
This is the default behavior of the Shift key. However, if When creating or moving
objects has been selected in the Constrain Objects section of Tools > Options >LibreOffice Draw > Grid, the action of the Shift key is reversed and the aspect ratio
will be preserved unless the Shift key is pressed.

Modifying arcs
The size of an arc can be changed by adjusting the positions of the start and end points of an arc.
Select an arc, then right click on the arc and select Points from the drop down menu or press theF8 key. Two handles appear at the start and end of the arc (Figure 51). Click on one of thesehandles and drag it to a new position to change the shape of the arc.

Figure 51: Modifying arcs

Rotating and slanting objects
Rotating objects
To rotate an object (or a group of objects), select the object, then go to rotation mode using one of
the following methods:•

Click on the triangle on the right of the Transformations icon on the Line and Filling
toolbar and select the Rotate icon from the pop up menu. The Transformations icon
displayed on the Line and Filling toolbar will be the last transformations tool used.

•

Go to View > Toolbars > Transformations on the main menu bar and select the Rotate
icon on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 52).

44 | Positioning and adjusting objects

Figure 52: Transformations
toolbarFigure 53: Rotating objects
The object selection handles will change shape and color (Figure 53). Also a center of rotation
indicator will appear in the center of the object. As you move the cursor over the handles, thecursor changes shape. The corner handles are for rotating the object, and the top, bottom and side
handles are to shear or slant the object.
The rotation center is normally located at the center of an object. To change the position of therotation center, click on the rotation center and drag until it is at the desired position. This rotation
center can even be outside of the object.

Note
Rotation works in a slightly different way for 3D objects because it occurs in a three
dimensional space and not in a single plane. See Chapter 7 Working with 3D Objects
for more information.

Note
If you press the Shift key while rotating an object, rotation will be restricted to 15° ofmovement.
This is the default behavior of the Shift key. However, if When creating or moving
objects has been selected in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid, the actionof the Shift key is reversed: that is rotation will be restricted to 15° of movement
unless the Shift key is pressed.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 45

Figure 54: Slanting objects

Slanting objects
To slant an object, select the object and click on the Rotate icon (see “Rotating objects” above),then use the handles located at the midpoints on the top, bottom and sides of a selected object.
The cursor changes shape when it hovers over one of these midpoint handles indicating thedirection of slanting.
The axis used for slanting an object is the object edge directly opposite the midpoint handle being
used to slant the object. This axis stays fixed in location while the other sides of the object move in
relation to it as you drag the mouse cursor (Figure 54).
Click and hold the mouse button, then start to move the cursor to slant the object. A ghosted
outline of the object being slanted appears and the current angle of slanting is shown in the status
bar.

Note
If you press the Shift key while slanting an object, slanting will be restricted to 15° ofmovement.
This is the default behavior of the Shift key. However, if When creating or moving
objects has been selected in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid, the actionof the Shift key is reversed: that is rotation will be restricted to 15° of movement
unless the Shift key is pressed.

Setting exact position, size, rotation and slant
You can position and resize objects with the mouse, but this method is not exact. If you want toaccurately position and size an object, you have to use the Position and Size dialog (Figure 55) or
the Position and Size section (Figure 56) in the Properties deck on the Sidebar.
•

To open the Position and Size dialog, select the object, then go to Format > Position andSize on the main menu bar, or right-click on the object and select Position and Size fromthe context menu, or press the F4 key.

•

To open the Position and Size section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar, select theobject, then click on the Properties icon on the Sidebar and click on the down arrow next to
the Position and Size title bar to open the section.

The options available in the Position and Size dialog and Position and Size section in theProperties deck on the Sidebar are similar. However, on the Sidebar, you cannot protect theposition and size of an object or adapt an object to fit any text or set the base point position for
position and size.

46 | Positioning and adjusting objects

Figure 55: Position and Size dialog

Figure 56: Position and Size sectionin Properties deck on Sidebar

Position and Size•

Position – specify the location of the selected object on the page.
–

Position X – enter the horizontal distance that you want to move the object relative tothe base point selected in the grid.
Positioning and adjusting objects | 47

•

•

•

–

Position Y – enter the vertical distance that you want to move the object relative to thebase point selected in the grid.

–Base point – select a base point in the grid and then enter the amount that you want toshift the object relative to the base point that you selected in the Position Y and Position
X boxes. The base points correspond to the selection handles on an object. This option
is only available in the Position and Size dialog (Figure 55 on page 47).

Size – specify the amount by which you want to resize the selected object with respect tothe selected base point.
–

Width – enter a width for the selected object.

–

Height – enter a height for the selected object.

–

Keep ratio – maintains proportions when you resize the selected object.

–

Base point – select a base point in the grid, and then enter the new size dimensions forthe selected object in the Width and Height boxes. This option is only available in the
Position and Size dialog.

Protect – this option is only available in the Position and Size dialog.
–

Position – prevents changes to the position or the size of the selected object.

–

Size – prevents you from resizing the object.

Adapt – specifies, if the size of a drawing object should be adjusted to fit the size ofentered text. This option is only available in the Position and Size dialog.
–

Fit width to text – expands the width of the object to the width of the text, if the object issmaller than the text.

–

Fit height to text – expands the height of the object to the height of the text, if the object
is smaller than the text.

The units of measurement used for X//Y coordinates and the width and height of the object are set
by going to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > General.
The default location of the base points for position and size is the upper left corner of the drawing
area. You can temporarily change this base point to make positioning or dimensioning simpler byclicking on a position corresponding to the location of the base point you want to use. This change
in base point is only valid for single use and the base point is reset to the standard position of top
left corner when you close the Position and Size dialog (Figure 55 on page 47).

Rotating objects
To accurately rotate an object, click on the Rotation tab of the Position and Size dialog (Figure57). Use this dialog to define the rotation angle and the location of the pivot point. Alternatively, use
the available options on the Position and Size section (Figure 56 on page 47) in the Properties
deck on the Sidebar.
•

Pivot point – the selected object is rotated around a pivot point that you specify. The
default pivot point is at the center of the object. If you set a pivot point too far outside of theobject boundaries, the object could be rotated off of the page. This option is only available
in the Position and Size dialog (Figure 57).
–

Position X – enter horizontal distance from the left edge of the page to the pivot point.

–

Position Y – enter vertical distance from the top edge of the page to the pivot point.

–

Default settings – select where you want to place the pivot point. Default position is thecenter of the object. Changing the rotation pivot point is only valid for single use. The
pivot point is reset to default settings when you close the Position and Size dialog(Figure 57).

48 | Positioning and adjusting objects

Figure 57: Position and Size dialog - Rotation page•

Rotation – specify the number of degrees that you want to rotate the selected object, or
click in the rotation grid.
–

Angle – enter the number of degrees that you want to rotate the selected object. This
option is only available in the Position and Size dialog.

–

Default settings – click on the indicator to rotate the object. The number of degrees isshown in the Angle box as you rotate the indicator. This option is only available in the
Position and Size dialog (Figure 57).

–

Rotation – click on the indicator to rotate the selected object, or set the angle in the text
box, or select a predetermined angle from the drop down list. This option is only
available in the Position and Size section (Figure 56 on page 47) in the Properties
deck on the Sidebar.

–

Flip – flip the selected object either vertically or horizontally about its central axis. This
option is only available in the Position and Size section (Figure 56 on page 47) in theProperties deck on the Sidebar.

Slant and corner radius
To accurately set the corner radius or slant angle of an object, click on the Slant & Corner Radiustab of the Position and Size dialog (Figure 58). Options for slant and corner radius are only
available in the Position and Size dialog.
•

Corner Radius – you can only round the corners of a rectangular object. If this section isgrayed out, then you cannot set a corner radius.
–•

Radius – enter the radius of the circle that you want to use to round the corners. The
larger the value for corner radius set, the rounder the corners of an object become.

Slant – slants the selected object along the bottom edge of the object.
–

Angle – enter the angle of the slant axis. The slant angle relates to how much an object
inclines or slants from its normal vertical position on a drawing.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 49

Figure 58: Position and Size dialog - Slant & Corner
Radius page•

Control Point 1 and 2 – enter a value to set the X and Y coordinates of the top left cornerof the object. If these sections are grayed out, then you cannot set any coordinates.

Using grid and snap functions
In Draw, you can also position objects accurately and consistently using grid points, snap points
and lines, object frames, individual points on objects, or page edges. This function is known as
Snap.
It is easier to use snap functions at the highest practical zoom value for your drawing. You can use
two different snap functions at the same time. For example, snapping to a guide line and the pageedge. However, it is recommended to activate only those snap functions that you really need.

Configuring grid and snap functions
To configure the grid and snap functions in your drawing, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice
Draw > Grid on the main menu bar to display the Grid dialog (Figure 59). The grid and snap
functions can also be displayed and switched on or off using this dialog, right-clicking on yourdrawing and using the options in the context menu, or using the icons in the Options toolbar(Figure 60). If the Options toolbar is not open, go to View > Toolbars > Options on the main
menu bar.

Figure 59: LibreOffice Draw Grid and Snap options
50 | Using grid and snap functions

Figure 60: Options toolbar•••

Grid – specifies the settings for the configurable grid on your document pages. This grid
helps you determine the exact position of your objects. You can also set this grid in line withthe magnetic snap grid. If you have activated the snap grid but wish to move or create
individual objects without snap positions, keep the Shift key pressed to deactivate thisfunction for as long as needed.
–

Snap to grid – specifies whether to move frames, drawing elements, and controls only
between grid points. To change the status of the snap grip only for the current action,
drag an object while holding down the Ctrl key.

–

Visible grid – specifies whether to display the grid.

Resolution–

Horizontal – defines the unit of measure for the spacing between grid points on the
X-axis.

–Vertical – defines the grid points spacing in the desired unit of measurement on the
Y-axis.

Subdivision–

Horizontal – specify the number of intermediate spaces between grid points on the
X-axis.

–Vertical – specify the number of intermediate spaces between grid points on the Y-axis.

•

Synchronize axes – specifies whether to change the current grid settings symmetrically.
The resolution and subdivision for the X and Y axes remain the same.

•

Snap
–

To snap lines – snaps the edge of a dragged object to the nearest snap line when you
release the mouse button. You can also define this setting by using the Snap to Snap
Guides icon on the Options toolbar.

–

To the page margins – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object to thenearest page margin. The cursor or a contour line of the graphics object must be in thesnap range. In a drawing, this function can also be accessed with the Snap to Page
Margins icon in the Options toolbar.

Using grid and snap functions | 51

•–

To object frame – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object to theborder of the nearest graphic object. The cursor or a contour line of the graphics object
must be in the snap range. In drawing, this function can also be accessed with theSnap to Object Border icon in the Options toolbar.

–

To object points – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object to thepoints of the nearest graphic object. This only applies if the cursor or a contour line of
the graphics object is in the snap range. In a drawing, this function can also beaccessed with the Snap to Object Points icon in the Options toolbar.

–

Snap range – defines the snap distance between the mouse pointer and the object
contour. Snaps to a snap point if the mouse pointer is closer than the distance selected.

Constrain Objects–

When creating or moving objects – specifies that graphic objects are restrictedvertically, horizontally or diagonally (45°) when creating or moving them. You cantemporarily deactivate this setting by pressing the Shift key.

–

Extend edges – specifies that a square is created based on the longer side of arectangle when the Shift key is pressed before you release the mouse button. This
also applies to an ellipse (a circle will be created based on the longest diameter of theellipse). When Extend edges is not selected, a square or a circle will be created basedon the shorter side or diameter.

–

When rotating – specifies that graphic objects can only be rotated within the rotation
angle that you selected. If you want to rotate an object outside the defined angle, press
the Shift key when rotating. Release the key when the desired rotation angle isreached.

–Point reduction – defines the angle for point reduction. When working with polygons,
you might find it useful to reduce their editing points.

Snap to gridUsing Snap to Grid
Use the Snap to Grid function to move an object exactly onto a grid point in your drawing. Thisfunction can be switched on and off using one of the following methods:•

Go to View > Snap Guides > Snap to Grid on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on your drawing and selecting Snap Guides > Snap to Grid from the context
menu.

•

Click on the Snap to Grid icon on the Options toolbar.

Displaying grid
Displaying or turning off the grid in your drawing can be done using one of the following methods:•

Go to View > Grid and Helplines > Display Grid on the main menu bar.

•

Click on the Display Grid icon on the Options toolbar.

•

Right-click on your drawing and select Grid and Helplines > Display Grid from the context
menu.

•

Selecting Visible grid option in the LibreOffice Draw Grid dialog (Figure 59 on page 50).

52 | Using grid and snap functions

Figure 61: LibreOffice Application Colors dialog

Changing color of grid points
By default and depending on your display and computer setup, the grid points are gray and are notalways easy to see. To change the color of the grid points, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice >Application Colors to open the Application Colors dialog (Figure 61). In the
Drawing/Presentation section, select a more suitable color for the grid from the drop-down list.

Snap points and lines
Unlike the grid, snap lines and snap points are inserted by you when you want to position an object
to a specific position on your drawing. Snap lines can either be horizontally or vertically and appear
as dashed lines. Snap points appear as small crosses with dashed lines. Snap points and snap
lines do not appear in printed output.

Inserting snap points and snap lines
To insert a snap point or snap line, go to Insert > Snap Guide on the main menu bar to open the
New Snap Object dialog (Figure 62).
•

Position – sets the position of a selected snap point or line relative to the top left corner ofthe page.
–

X axis – enter the amount of space you want between the snap point or line and the leftedge of the page.

–

Y axis – enter the amount of space you want between the snap point or line and the topedge of the page.

Using grid and snap functions | 53

Figure 62: New Snap Object dialog•

Type – specifies the type of snap object you want to insert.
–

Point – inserts a snap point.

–

Vertical – inserts a vertical snap line.

–

Horizontal – inserts a horizontal snap line.

Displaying snap points and lines
Displaying or turning off snap points and lines in your drawing can be done using one of thesemethods:•

Go to View > Snap Guides > Display Snap Guides on the main menu bar.

•

Click on the Display Snap Guides icon on the Options toolbar (Figure 60 on page 51).

•

Right-click on your drawing and select Snap Guides > Display Snap Guides from thecontext menu.

Editing snap points and lines
To edit a snap point, right-click on the snap point and select Edit Snap Point from the context
menu to open the Edit Snap Point dialog (Figure 63). Enter new X and Y coordinate settings forthe snap point and click OK. Alternatively, drag a snap point to a new position on your drawing.

Figure 63: Edit Snap Point dialog

Figure 64: Edit Snap Line dialog
To edit a snap line, right-click on the snap line and select Edit Snap Line from the context menu to
open the Edit Snap Line dialog (Figure 64). Enter a new X coordinate setting for vertical snap
54 | Using grid and snap functions

lines or a new Y coordinate setting for horizontal snap lines and click OK. Alternatively, drag a snapline to a new position on your drawing.

Deleting snap points and lines
To delete a snap point, drag it back to a ruler or right-click on the snap point and select Delete
Snap Point from the context menu.
To delete a snap line, drag it back to the ruler or right-click on the snap line and select Delete
Snap Line from the context menu.

Configuring snap range
To configure the snap range of when an object snaps to position
1)

Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid on the main menu bar to open the
Options LibreOffice Grid dialog (Figure 59 on page 50).

2)Enter the number of pixels to set the proximity of when the object will snap into position in
the Snap range box. The default setting is 5 pixels.

3)

Click the OK button to set the new snap range and close the dialog.

Using Helplines
Helplines are a function in Draw to help you position objects. Helplines can be displayed while theobject is being moved. They extend from the edges of the object to the rulers at the top and left
side of your drawing and do not have a snap function (Figure 65).

Figure 65: Helplines while moving

Figure 66: LibreOffice Draw View dialog
To use guide lines, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > View dialog (Figure 66) on themain menu bar and select Helplines when moving option or click the Helplines While Moving
icon on the Options toolbar (Figure 60 on page 51).

Using Helplines | 55

Changing form of regular shapes
When drawing certain regular shapes, one or more dots are displayed in a different color to theselection handles when an object is selected. When the cursor hovers over one of these dots, itchanges shape. Clicking and dragging on one of these dots modifies the shape of the object. For
example, you can increase the corner radius of a rounded rectangle or square, change the angles
of an arc, and so on.
These dots perform different functions according to the shape selected. The shapes with formchanging dots and their functions are listed in the following sections.

Basic shapes•

Rounded rectangles and squares – use the dot to change the radius of the curve that
replaces the angled corners of a rectangle or square.

•

Circle pie – use the dots to change the size of the filled sector.

•

Isosceles triangle – use the dot to modify the triangle type.

•

Trapezoid, parallelogram, hexagon, octagon – use the dot to change the angle between thesides.

•

Cross – use the dot to change the thickness of the four arms of the cross.

•

Ring – use the dot to change the internal diameter of the ring.

•

Block arc – use the dot to change both internal diameter and size of the filled area.

•

Cylinder, cube – use the dot to change the perspective.

•

Folded corner – use the dot to change the size of the folded corner.

•

Frame – use the dot to change the thickness of the frame.

Symbol shapes•

Smiley face – use the dot to change the smile on the face.

•Sun, moon, heart – use the dot to change the shape of the symbol.

•

Prohibited – use the dot to change the thickness of the ring and the diagonal bar.

•

Double bracket, left bracket, right bracket, double brace – use the dot to change thecurvature of the bracket.

•

Left brace, right brace – use the dots to change the curvature of the brace and the positionof the point.

•

Square bevel, octagon bevel, diamond bevel – use the dot to change the thickness of thebevel.

Block arrows•

Arrows – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrows.

•

Pentagon, chevron – use the dot to change the angle between the sides.

•

Arrow callouts – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callouts.

•

Circular arrow – use the dots to change the thickness and area of the arrow.

Callouts•

Callouts – use the dots to change the length, position and angle of the pointer.

56 | Changing form of regular shapes

Stars•4-point star, 8-point star, 24-point star – use the dot to change the thickness and shape ofthe star points.

•

Vertical scroll, horizontal scroll – use the dot to change the width and shape of the scroll.

•

Doorplate – use the dot to change the inward curvature of the corners.

Curves and polygons
Bézier curves
The editing of curves depends on the mathematics of Bézier curves1. Explaining Bézier curves
goes beyond this scope of this chapter. See Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques for more
information on drawing and manipulating Bézier curves.
The editing of a Bézier curve consists in principle of moving points or tangents passing throughthese points. Each tangent has one control point at each end and a junction point where it meetsthe curve. The relative angle and distance between the control points determine the shape of thecurve. Figure 67 shows what happens starting from a basic square and changing only one point on
the square.
You can create many different shapes by moving either the junction point itself, or one or both of
the round handle points at either end of the tangent. Draw offers more possibilities when you use
the functions on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68).

Figure 67: Creating different shapes bychanging the tangent

Converting to curve or polygon
Before modifying the points on an object, you must convert the object to a curve or a polygon,
depending on what kind of effect you want to produce using one of the following methods:•

After selecting an object, go to Shape > Convert on the main menu bar and select either
To Curve or To Polygon.

•

Right click on an object and select Convert > To Curve or Convert > To Polygon from thecontext menu.

1 Bézier curves were invented by Pierre Bézier, an engineer working with the Renault car manufacturer, who developed
the technique in the 1960s. The technology was intended to make modeling the surface of vehicles easier.

Curves and polygons | 57

Figure 68: Edit Points toolbar
After converting an object to a curve or polygon, use one of the following methods to edit points on
the object:•

Go to View > Toolbars > Edit Points on the main menu bar click to open the Edit Points
toolbar (Figure 68) and click on the Points icon.

•

Right click on an object and select Points from the context menu to open the Edit Points
toolbar.

•

Select the object and press the F8 key to open the Edit Points toolbar.

You will notice that after the conversion, the handles located in the corners of the selection
rectangle have disappeared. This behavior is normal because the handles used with the tools on
the Edit Points toolbar are located along the outline or trace of the object.

Edit Points toolbar
After the Edit Points toolbar has been opened, each time you select an object that has been
converted to a curve or polygon, the toolbar will appear. Each time you deselect an object that has
been converted, the toolbar will close. Available tools on the Edit Points toolbar will depend on theobject selected and which object point has been selected.

Tangents
Before you can use tangents on an object, you must convert the object to a curve. Go to Shape >Convert > To Curve on the main menu bar or right-click on the object and select Convert > To
Curve from the context menu.

Note
Tangents are only used on curves. If an object has been converted to a polygon and atangent is added, the object is automatically converted to a curve.

Symmetric transition
Symmetric Transition converts a corner point or a smooth point into a symmetrical point. Bothcontrol points of the corner point are aligned in parallel and have the same length. They can only
be moved simultaneously and the degree of curvature is the same in both directions.
58 | Curves and polygons

1)

Convert the object to a curve and click on the selection handle where you want to place thetangent.

2)

Click on the Symmetric Transition icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68).

3)

Click and drag one of the tangent handles to change the shape of the object. Any
movement of one tangent handle is carried over symmetrically to the other handle, as
shown in Figure 69.

Figure 69: Symmetric transition

Smooth transition
Smooth Transition converts a corner point or symmetrical point into a smooth point. Both control
points of the corner point are aligned in parallel, and can only be moved simultaneously. The
control points may differentiate in length, allowing you to vary the degree of curvature.
1)

Convert the object to a curve and click on the selection handle where you want to place thetangent.

2)

Click on the Smooth Transition icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) so
you can adjust separately the lengths on each side of a tangent to make a curve flatter orsteeper.

3)

Click and drag one of the tangent handles to change the shape of the object. This creates
an asymmetric tangent with the curve flatter on the longest side of the tangent (Figure 70).

Figure 70: Smooth transition

Corner point
Use Corner Point to convert selected point or points into corner points. Corner points have two
movable control points, which are independent from each other. A curved line, therefore, does not
go straight through a corner point, but forms a corner.
It is possible to change independently the angle on each side of a tangent using the central point of
the tangent as a corner point.

Curves and polygons | 59

Figure 71: Corner point
1)

Convert the object to a curve and click on the selection handle where you want to place thecorner point.

2)

Click on the Corner Point icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) to createa corner point at the selected point (Figure 71).

3)

Click and drag the end of one of the tangents to change its angle. Each tangent can be
moved independently to create spikes and troughs in curves.

Tangent rotation
You can alter the angle by which a tangent relates to curve by clicking on one of the end points ofthe tangent and rotating it with the cursor. As you change the angle of the tangent, the shape of thecurve changes in response (Figure 72).

Figure 72: Tangent rotation

PointsMoving points
Move Points activates a mode allowing you to move points. The mouse pointer displays a small
empty square when resting on a point. Drag that point to another location. The curve on both sidesof the point follows the movement and the section of the curve between points changes shape.
Point at the curve between two points or within a closed curve and drag the mouse to shift theentire curve without distorting the form.
1)

Make sure the object is converted to a curve.

2)

Click on the Move Points icon on the Edit Points toolbar to move any of the points whenan object has been converted to a curve or polygon.

60 | Curves and polygons

Figure 73: Moving points
3)

Hover over a point until the cursor changes shape, then drag the point to create a newshape. Figure 73 illustrates how a different shape can be created from a circle by dragging
the left hand side point to the left.

Inserting points
Insert Points activates a mode in which you can insert points. You can also move points in thismode, just as in the move mode. If, however, you click on the curve between two points and movethe cursor a little while holding down the mouse button, you insert a new point. The point is asmooth point and the lines to the control points are parallel and remain so when moved.
If you wish to create a corner point, you must first insert either a smooth or a symmetrical point
which is then converted to a corner point by using Corner Point.
1)

Make sure the object is converted to a curve.

2)

Click on the Insert Points icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) to add anextra point to an existing curve or polygon.

3)

Click on the object border at the spot where you want to insert a point. The tangent typeassociated with the new point depends on where the point has been added to the object
border. Figure 74 shows a new point added to the right side of a circle then moved tocreate the shape illustrated.

Figure 74: Inserting points

Deleting points
Select a point on the border of the object, then use the Delete Points icon on the Edit Points
toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) to delete one or more selected points from the border of the object.
To select several points, click on those points while holding down the Shift key. The resulting
curve automatically changes shape around the remaining points. You can also delete selected
points by pressing the Del key on the keyboard.
Figure 75 shows what happens when three points on the left were deleted from a circle. The left
image is a curve. The right image is a curve where three points have been deleted and the result
converted to a line (see “Converting curves or lines” on page 63). This forms a straight line isformed between the two points on either side of the deleted points.

Curves and polygons | 61

Figure 75: Deleting points

Figure 76: Eliminating points

Eliminating points
The Eliminate Points icon only functions on lines with multiple points. These lines are created
when a curve is converted to a line using the Convert to Curve icon on the Edit Points toolbar.
The process of eliminating points from a line to create a straight line is shown in Figure 76.
1)

Select a curve with multiple points that has been converted to a line (see “Converting
curves or lines” on page 63).

2)

Use the mouse cursor to select the point on the line that you want to eliminate. The
selected point will be emphasized.

3)

Click on the Eliminate Points icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58).

4)

Accurately position the mouse cursor over the selected point, then click and start dragging
the selected point. As you drag, a dotted line forms between the two neighboring points.

5)

When this dotted line appears to be a straight line between the two neighboring points,
release the mouse button. The selected point is eliminated and a straight line now exists
between the two neighboring points.

62 | Curves and polygons

Converting curves or lines
Curves and lines can be easily converted to each other using the Convert to Curve icon on the
Edit Points toolbar. When a curve is converted to a line, a straight line is created between
selected points on a curve. When a line is converted to a curve, a curve is created between
selected points on a line.
1)

Select a curve or line and then select the points on the curve or line where you want to do
the conversion.

2)

Click on the Convert to Curve icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) anda curve is converted into a line or a line is converted into a curve (Figure 77).

Figure 77: Converting curves or lines

Splitting curves
1)

Select the point on the curve where you want to split it. To separate a curve at several
points simultaneously, keep the Shift key pressed down and select all of the points where
the cut will occur.

2)

Click on the Split Curve icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) to split or
cut a curve at the location of the selected point. If the object is filled, it will be emptied
because the curve that represented the object border is no longer closed (Figure 78).

3)

Deselect the curve, then drag and drop segments to move them away from the original
curve.

Figure 78: Splitting curves

Note
The point where you split the curve is now larger than the remaining points visible on
the curve, except for the curve start point which is also larger than the other points.

Curves and polygons | 63

Closing curves
1)

Select an open and existing curve (Figure 79).

2)

Select a point of the curve. Note that the start point of a curve is larger than the other points
visible on the curve.

3)

Click on the Close Bézier icon on the Edit Points toolbar (Figure 68 on page 58) to closethe curve. If the open curve was originally a closed and filled curve, then the original color
will fill the curve when it is closed.

Figure 79: Closing curves

Rotating and distorting curves
1)

Select the curve, then go to View > Toolbars > Transformations on the main menu bar toopen the Transformations toolbar (Figure 52 on page 45) and select the Rotate icon (see“Rotating and slanting objects” on page 44 for more information on rotating objects).

2)

Select one of the points on the curve and drag it to a new position to distort the curve(Figure 80).

3)

Select one of the control points at the end of the tangent line and rotate the distorted curveby dragging the cursor. The distorted curve will rotate about the center of rotation.

Figure 80: Rotating and distorting curves

64 | Curves and polygons

Draw Guide

Chapter 4
Changing Object Attributes

Formatting lines
In LibreOffice the term line indicates both a freestanding segment (line), the outer edge of a shape(border), or an arrow. In most cases the properties of the line you can modify are its style (solid,
dashed, invisible, and so on), its width, its color and the type of arrowhead.

Note
When you hover the mouse cursor over an icon or tool on a toolbar or in the Sidebar, a
pop up will indicate the purpose of the icon or tool.

Line and Filling toolbar
To format a line using the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81):1)

Make sure the line is selected in your drawing.

2)

On the Line and Filling toolbar, select the line style you want to use from the Line Styledrop-down list.

3)

On the Line and Filling toolbar, either type the line width in the Line Width text box, or use
the up and down arrows to change the line width.

4)

On the Line and Filling toolbar, click on the small triangle to the right of the Line Coloricon and select a color from the dialog that opens.

Figure 81: Line and Filling toolbar

Sidebar
To format a line using the Line section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 82):
1)Make sure the line is selected in your drawing.

2)

Click on the Properties icon on the Sidebar to open the Properties deck.

3)

Click on the down arrowhead ˅ on the left of the Line title bar to open the Line section.

Figure 82: Line section In Properties
on Sidebar

66 | Formatting lines

4)

Select from the drop-down lists the type of arrowhead for each end of the line and change
the line into an arrow. The left drop-down list adds an arrow head to the beginning of theline. The right drop-down list adds an arrow head to the end of the line.

5)

Select from the middle drop down list the type of line from the options available.

6)

Select the line width from the options in the Width drop down list or enter a width in the text
box.

7)

Select the line color from the Line Color dialog that opens when you click on the small
triangle to the right of the Color box.

8)

Deselect the line to save your changes to the line.

Line dialog
If you want to fully change the appearance of a line, then you need to use the Line dialog.
1)

Select the line in your drawing.

2)

Go to Format > Line on the main menu bar, or right-click on the line and select Line fromthe context menu to open the Line dialog (Figure 83). This dialog consists of four pages:
Line, Shadow, Line Styles and Arrow Styles and are explained in the following sections.

3)

When you have made all your changes to the selected line, click OK to close the dialog andsave your changes. The preview box at the bottom of the dialog shows the effect of yourchanges on a line.

Figure 83: Line dialog - Line pageLine page
The Line page in the Line dialog (Figure 83) is where you can set the basic parameters of the line
and is divided into three sections as follows.

Line properties
Use Line Properties to set the following parameters:•

Style – select a line style from the drop-down list.
Formatting lines | 67

•Color – select a predefined color from the drop-down list or create a custom color.

•

Width – specifies the thickness of the line.

•

Transparency – sets the transparency of a line. Figure 84 shows the effects of different
percentages in transparency levels to lines when placed over an object.

Figure 84: Line transparency(0%, 25%, 50%, 75% left to right)

Arrow styles
Arrow Styles page on the Line dialog are only applicable to individual lines and are not used forlines that form the borders of a shape.
•

Start style and End style– sets the arrow style or arrowhead for the start and end of a linefrom the drop down list.

•

Width – specifies the thickness of the arrow endings

Figure 85: Default arrow
top; centered arrow bottom

Figure 86:
Arrowheads
drop down menu

68 | Formatting lines•Center – moves the center of the arrow endings to the end point of the line. Figure 85
shows the effects of selecting this option.

•

Synchronize ends – makes the two line ends identical.

A quick way to set the arrowheads for a selected line is to click on the Arrow Style icon in the Lineand Filling toolbar to open the Arrowheads menu (Figure 86). Here you can select one of themany predefined arrowhead styles for the start and ending of a selected line.

Note
Arrowheads are only applicable to lines. They have no effect on the border of an
object.

Corner and cap styles
Corner and Cap Styles (Figure 83 on page 67) determine how the connection between twosegments looks. To appreciate the difference between these styles, choose a thick line style andobserve how the preview changes.
•

Corner style – select the shape to be used at the corners of the line. In case of a small
angle between lines, a mitered shape is replaced with a beveled shape.

•

Cap style – select the style of the line end caps. The caps are added to inner dashes as
well.

Line shadows
Use the Shadow page (Figure 87) of the Line dialog to add and format a shadow to a selected
line. The settings on this page are the same as those for shadows applied to other objects and aredescribed in “Shadows” on page 90.
A quicker way to apply a shadow to a line is using the Shadow icon on the Line and Filling
toolbar. The main disadvantage of using the Shadow icon is that the shadow appearance will be
constrained by the shadow settings of the default graphics style.

Line styles
Use the Line Styles page (Figure 88) of the Line dialog to change the line style from the options
available from the drop menu in Properties or create a new line style. An example of the line styleselected or created is displayed at the bottom of the dialog page.

Figure 87: Line dialog - Shadow page

Formatting lines | 69

Figure 88: Line dialog - Line Styles page

Creating line styles
To create a new line style:1)

Choose Format > Line on the main menu bar, or right-click on the line and select Line
from the context menu, or select the Line icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open theLine dialog.

2)

Click on the Line Styles tab to open the Line Styles page (Figure 88).

3)

Select from the Line style drop-down menu a style similar to the style you want to create.

4)

Click Add and type a name for the new line style in the dialog that opens, then click OK.

5)

Now define the new style by selecting the line type for the new style. To alternate two line
types (for example, dashes and dots) within a single line, select different types in the two
Type boxes.

6)

Specify the Number and Length (not available for dot style) of each Type of line selected.

7)

Set the Spacing between the various elements

8)

If necessary, select Fit to line width so that the new style fits the width of the selected line.

9)

The new line style created is available only in the current document. If you want to use theline style in other documents, click the Save Line Styles icon and type a unique filename in
the Save as dialog that opens. Saved line styles have the file extension of .sod.

10)

To use previously saved line style, click the Load Line Styles icon and select a style fromthe list of saved styles. Click Open to load the style into your document.

11)

If necessary, click on the Modify button to change the name of the style.

12)

Click OK to close the dialog and save any changes you have made.

Deleting line styles
To delete a line style:1)

Choose Format > Line on the main menu bar, or right-click on the line and select Line
from the context menu, or select the Line icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open theLine dialog.

70 | Formatting lines

2)

Click on the Line Styles tab to open the Line Styles page (Figure 88).

3)

Select the line style you want to delete from the Line style drop-down list.

4)

Click on the Delete button, then confirm the deletion by clicking on the Yes button in theconfirmation dialog that opens.

5)

Click OK to close the Line dialog and save any changes you have made.

Note
When deleting line styles, make sure that the line style is not used in another drawing
or document.

Arrow styles
Use the Arrow Styles page (Figure 89) in the Line dialog to create new arrow styles, or modify
existing arrow styles, or load previously saved arrow styles.

Creating arrow styles
To create a new arrow style:1)

First draw a curve in the shape you want to use for the arrowhead, or create a shape andconvert to a curve. The top of the shape must face upward (as shown in Figure 90)
because this becomes the point of the arrow.

2)

Select the shape and, if necessary, right-click and choose Convert > To Curve from thecontext menu to convert the shape to a curve. If the shape is already a curve, To Curve will
not be available.

3)

With the selection handles showing, select Format > Line from the main menu bar, or rightclick and choose Line from the context menu.

4)

Go to the Arrow Styles page, click the Add button, type a name for the new arrow style,and click OK. The new arrowhead style will be shown in the preview.

Figure 89: Line dialog - Line Styles page

Formatting lines | 71

Figure 90: Using shapes
for arrow styles
5)

Now you can select the new style from the Arrow style list. The new style is shown at thebottom of the drop down list.

6)

The new arrowhead style created is available only in the current document. If you want to
use this arrowhead style in other documents, click the Save Line Styles icon and type aunique filename in the Save as dialog that opens. Saved styles have the file extensionof .sod.

7)

To use previously saved arrowhead styles, click the Load Line Styles icon and select thestyle from the saved list of styles. Click Open to load the style into your document.

8)

If necessary. click on the Modify button to change the name of the style.

9)

Click OK to close the dialog and save any changes you have made.

Note
The arrowhead must be a curve, which is something you can draw without lifting apencil from the paper. For example, a star can be a curve, but a smiley face cannot be
a curve because you have to reposition the pencil on the paper to draw eyes and amouth on the face.

Deleting arrow styles
To delete an arrow style:1)

Choose Format > Line on the main menu bar, or right-click on the line and select Line
from the context menu, or select the Line icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open theLine dialog.

2)

Click on the Arrow Styles tab to open the Arrow Styles page (Figure 89 on page 71).

3)

Select the arrow style you want to delete from the Arrow style drop-down list.

4)

Click on the Delete button, then confirm the deletion by clicking on the Yes button in theconfirmation dialog that opens.

5)

Click OK to close the Line dialog and save any changes you have made.

Note
When deleting arrow styles, make sure that the arrow style is not used in anotherdrawing or document.

72 | Formatting lines

Figure 91: Examples of area fill types

Formatting fill areas
The term area fill refers to the inside of an object, which can be a uniform color, gradient, hatching,bitmap or pattern as shown in Figure 91. An area fill can be made partly or wholly transparent andcan throw a shadow.

Line and Filling toolbar
Tools on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66) provide a wide number of default
fillings readily available to quickly format graphic objects. If this toolbar is not showing, go to View
> Toolbars > Line and Filling on the main menu bar. To format the area of an object:
1)

Select an object so that the selection handles are displayed.

2)

Click on Area Style/Filling on the Line and Filling toolbar and, from the drop-down list,
select the type of fill required (None, Color, Gradient, Hatching, Bitmap, Pattern) (Figure
92).

3)

Click on the right Area Style/Filling drop-down list and select one of the available options
for the selected type of area. For more information on area fills, see “Area dialog” on Page
75.

4)

–

Color options in Figure 93.

–

Gradient options in Figure 94.

–

Hatching options in Figure 95.

–

Bitmap options in Figure 96.

–

Pattern options, see Fill and Transparency in the Area section on the Sidebar (Figure97) or the Pattern section in Area page of the Area dialog (Figure 102 on page 78).

Deselect the object to save your changes to the object.

Formatting fill areas | 73

Figure 92: Area fill types

Figure 93: Color area fill

Figure 94: Gradient area fill

Figure 95: Hatching area fill

Figure 96: Bitmap area fill

SidebarTo quickly format the area of an object using the Sidebar (Figure 97):
1)

Make sure the object is selected in your drawing.

2)

Click on the Properties icon on the Sidebar, then click on the down arrowhead ˅ on the leftof the Area titlebar to open the Area section.

3)

Use the various options in the Fill and Transparency drop-down lists of the Area section toformat the fill and transparency of an object. For more information on area fills, see “Areadialog” on Page 75.

4)

Deselect the object to save your changes.

74 | Formatting fill areas

Figure 97: Area section in Properties
on Sidebar

Figure 98: Area dialog - Color page

Area dialog
Use the Area dialog (Figure 98) to change existing area fills with greater control or create your own
area fill.
1)

Select the object you wish to edit.

2)

Next format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar.
Formatting fill areas | 75

–Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Area tab to open the Area page and to apply an area fill. LibreOffice includes
several area fills already defined, but you can create area fills yourself. See “Working witharea fills” on page 79 for more information.

4)

Select the type of area fill from the drop-down list: None, Color, Bitmap, Gradient, Pattern,or Hatch. The types of area fill are explained below.

5)

Select the style of area fill from the options that become available. The number of available
options will depend on the type of area fill selected above.

6)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Types of area fill
Color fill
1)

Open the Area dialog and click on the Area tab to open the Area page.

2)

Click on Color (Figure 98) to open the options available for a color fill.

3)

In Palette, select your required palette from the drop down list and your required color fromthe available colors shown. All color fills available are solid colors.

4)

Active shows the present color fill of your selected object. After selecting a new color, apreview of the selected color appears in New in the dialog.

5)

Alternatively, enter the RGB or Hex values of a color in the appropriate text box.

6)

Alternatively, click on Pick to open the Pick a Color dialog (Figure 99). Here you can pick acolor from the color box or enter the RGB, Hex, HSB or CMYK values for your color.

7)

If you have used a color before and would like to use it again, then select your color fromthose available in Recent Colors.

8)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Figure 99: Pick a Color dialog

76 | Formatting fill areas

Figure 100: Area dialog - Gradient page

Gradient fill
1)

Open the Area dialog and click on the Area tab to open the Area page.

2)

Click on Gradient (Figure 100) to open the options available for a gradient fill.

3)

In Gradient, select your required gradient from the list of available gradients and it willappear in Preview.

4)

To override the default gradient transition in your selection, deselect Automatic in Options
and then enter the values for Type, Increment, Angle, Border, From Color and To Color in
the available boxes.

5)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Bitmap fill
1)

Open the Area dialog and click on the Area tab to open the Area page.

2)

Click on Bitmap (Figure 101) to open the options available for a bitmap fill.

3)

In Bitmap, select your required bitmap from the list of available bitmaps and it will appear inPreview.

4)

To override the settings for the bitmap in your selection, enter the values for Style, Size,
Position, Tiling Position, and Tiling Offset in the available boxes under Options.

5)

Alternatively, click on Add/Import and select an image from the file selection box that opens
to use as a bitmap fill.

6)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Pattern fill
1)

Open the Area dialog and click on the Area tab to open the Area page.

2)

Click on Pattern (Figure 102) to open the options available for a pattern fill.

3)

In Pattern, select your required pattern from the list of available pattern and it will appear inPreview.

Formatting fill areas | 77

Figure 101: Area dialog - Bitmap page

Figure 102: Area dialog - Pattern page
4)

To override the settings for the pattern in your selection, enter a new pattern in Pattern
Editor, then a new Foreground Color and Background Color in the available boxes under
Options.

5)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Hatch fill
1)

Open the Area dialog and click on the Area tab to open the Area page.

2)

Click on Hatch (Figure 103) to open the options available for a hatch fill.

3)

In Hatch, select your required hatching from the list of available hatchings and it will appear
in Preview.

78 | Formatting fill areas

Figure 103: Area dialog - Hatch page
4)

To override the settings for the hatching in your selection, enter a new values for Spacing,
Angle, Line color and Background Color in the available text boxes under Options.

5)

Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes. The area fill will then appear in theselected object.

Working with area fills
Color fills
Creating colors using Area dialog
Using the Area dialog (Figure 98 on page 75), you can create a new color as a combination of thethree primary colors Red, Green, and Blue, (RGB notation) as follows:1)

Select the object you wish to edit.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Colors button to open the Colors page.

4)

Specify the red (R), green (G) and blue (B) values on a 0 to 255 scale to create a newcolor.

5)

Click the Add button to open the Name box (Figure 104) and enter a name for the newcolor.

6)

Click OK to close the Name box and add the new color to the Custom palette.

7)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog. The new color will appear as afill in the selected object.

Working with area fills | 79

Figure 104: Color name box

Creating colors using Pick a Color dialog
You can create a new color using the Pick a Color dialog as follows:1)

Select the object you wish to edit.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Colors button to open the Colors page (Figure 98 on page 75).

4)

Click on the Pick button to open the Pick a Color dialog (Figure 99 on page 76).

5)

Create a new color using one of the following methods. A preview of the color created isshown in the colored box next to the original color in the bottom left corner of the dialog.
–

Select a color range from the colored bar, then, using the mouse, move the target in thecolored box until you are satisfied with the color selected.

–

Enter values for red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in the RGB text boxes.

–

Enter values for cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and key (K) (black) in the CMYK
text boxes.

–

Enter values for hue (H), saturation (S) and brightness (B) in the HSB text boxes. HSB
values do not change the color, but how a color looks.

6)

Click OK to close the Pick a Color dialog.

7)

Click the Add button to open the Name box (Figure 104) and enter a name for the newcolor.

8)

Click OK to close the Name box and add the new color to the Custom palette.

9)Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog. The new color will appear as afill in the selected object.

Deleting custom colors
1)

Select a filled object that uses the color fill you want to delete.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Colors button to open the Colors page (Figure 98 on page 75).

4)

Select Custom from the Palette drop-down list.

80 | Working with area fills

Figure 105: Deletingcustom colors
5)

Select the color you want to delete and click on the Delete button (Figure 105). There is no
confirmation given when deleting a color.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
It is recommended to only delete colors that you have created from the custom palette.
Deleting colors from the standard palettes that are available in LibreOffice, may cause
problems in documents that use one of the standard colors.

Gradient fills
To create a new gradient or to modify an existing one, select the Gradients tab from the Area
dialog. Several types of gradients are predefined and, in most cases, changing the colors will be
sufficient to obtain the desired result.

Note
It is recommended, even if you just want to change the two colors, that you create a
new gradient rather than modifying the predefined ones. Predefined gradients should
only be used as starting points. Also predefined gradients may have been used inother objects in your drawing or in other documents.

Creating new gradients
1)

Select the filled object you want to edit.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Gradients tab to open the Gradients page (Figure 100 on page 77).

4)

In Options, select the From Color and To Color from the drop-down lists.

Working with area fills | 81

Figure 106: Adding gradients5)

In Options, select the gradient type from the drop-down list: Linear, Axial, Radial, Ellipsoid,
Quadratic or Square. A preview of the gradient type is shown in the dialog.

6)

Set all the properties as desired. The properties used to create a gradient are summarizedin Table 1. Depending on the type of gradient selected, some properties may be grayed out.

7)

Click the Add button to open the Name box (Figure 106). Enter a name for the newgradient, then click OK to close the Name box.

8)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

Table 1: Gradient properties.
Gradient property

Meaning

Center X

For Radial, Ellipsoid, Square and Rectangular gradients, modify thesevalues to set the horizontal offset of the gradient center.

Center Y

For Radial, Ellipsoid, Square and Rectangular gradients, modify thesevalues to set the vertical offset of the gradient center.

Angle

For all the gradient types, specifies the angle of the gradient axis.

BorderIncrease this value to make the gradient start further away from the borderof the shape.

From Color

The start color for the gradient. In the edit box below enter the intensity of
the color: 0% corresponds to black, 100% to the full color.

To Color

The end color for the gradient. In the edit box below enter the intensity of
the color: 0% corresponds to black, 100% to the full color.

Modifying gradients
1)

Select an object that contains the gradient as a fill and format the area using one of thefollowing methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

2)

Click on the Gradients tab to open the Gradients page (Figure 100 on page 77).

3)

Select the gradient you have previously created and added to the Gradients displayed in
the Area dialog.

4)Enter the new values for the gradient properties that you want to change. See Table 1 formore information on gradient properties. Depending on the type of gradient selected, someproperties may be grayed out.

5)

Click Modify to save your changes. There is no confirmation given when modifying a
gradient.

6)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

82 | Working with area fills

Deleting gradients
1)

Select a filled object that uses the gradient fill you want to delete.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Gradients tab to open the Gradients page (Figure 100 on page 77).

4)

Select the gradient you want to delete.

5)

Right click on the gradient and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Click on Yes toconfirm the deletion.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
It is recommended to only delete gradients that you have created. Deleting gradientsthat are installed with LibreOffice may cause problems in documents that use one ofthese gradients.

Advanced gradient controls
LibreOffice provides advanced controls for gradients as follows.
1)

Select an object that contains the gradient as a fill.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Gradients tab to open the Gradients page in the Area dialog (Figure 100 on
page 77).

4)

Go to View > Toolbars > Transformations on the main menu bar or click on theTransformations icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open the Transformations
toolbar.

Figure 107: Interactive
gradient tool on
Transformations toolbar

Working with area fills | 83

5)Click on the Interactive gradient tool icon in the Transformations toolbar. This displays adashed line connecting two colored squares. The colors show the From Color and To Color
that are used for the selected gradient (Figure 107).

6)

Select the type of gradient you want to use for the object from the Type drop-down list in
Options on the Gradients page in the Area dialog. Properties you can adjust will dependon the gradient type you have selected and these are explained below.

7)–

Linear gradients – move the square corresponding to the From Color to change where
the gradient starts (border value). Move the square corresponding to the To Color tochange the orientation (angle value).

–

Axial gradients – move the To Color to change both the angle and border properties of
the gradient. Only the square corresponding to the To Color can be moved.

–

Radial gradients – move the From Color to modify the border property to set the widthof the gradient circle. Move the To Color to change the point where the gradient ends
(Center X and Center Y values).

–

Ellipsoid gradients – move the From Color to modify the border property to set thesize of the gradient ellipsoid. Move the To Color to change the angle of the ellipsoid axis
and the axis itself.

–

Square and rectangular gradients – move the From Color to modify the border to set
the size of the gradient square or rectangle and the angle of the gradient shape. Move
the To Color to change the center of the gradient.

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
Moving the squares will have different effects depending on the type of gradient. For
example, for a linear gradient, the start and end squares of the gradient will always besituated to either side of the center point of the object.

Bitmap fills
Editing bitmaps
1)

Select an object that contains a bitmap as a fill or insert a bitmap into a selected object (see“Pattern fill” on page 77 for more information).

2)

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar, or click on the Area icon on the Line andFilling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66), or right-click on the object and select Area to open
the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Bitmap tab to open the Bitmap page (Figure 101 on page 78).

4)

Select a bitmap from Bitmap that you want use and edit as a fill. Note that any imported
bitmaps will also be available.

5)

In Options, select the properties for Style, Size, Position, Tiling Position and Tiling Offset.
See Table 2 for more information on bitmap properties. The best way to understand bitmap
properties is to use them. Figure 108 shows examples of bitmap fills and the properties
used.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

84 | Working with area fills

Figure 108: Examples of bitmap fill
Table 2: Bitmap options.
Bitmap option

Meaning

Style – Custom
position/size

When this option is selected, the position of the bitmap in the object andthe size of the bitmap can be determined.

Style – Tiled

When this option is selected, the bitmap will be tiled to fill the area. The
size of the bitmap used for the tiling is determined by the Size settings

Style – Stretched

When this option is selected, a bitmap will be stretched to fill object area.

Size – Width

Sets the width of the bitmap. For example, 100% means that the bitmap
original width will be resized to occupy the whole fill area width, 50%
means that the width of the bitmap will be half that of the fill area.

Size – Height

Sets the height of the bitmap. For example, 100% means that the bitmap
original height will be resized to occupy the whole fill area height, 50%
means that the height of the bitmap will be half that of the fill area.

Size – Scale

When selected, bitmap size is given as a percentage for Width andHeight. When deselected, the actual size of the bitmap is given for Widthand Height.

Position

When this option is selected, the anchoring point of the bitmap isdetermined.

Tiling Position – X-Offset

Sets the offset for the width of the bitmap in percentage values. 50%
offset means that Draw will place the middle part of the bitmap at theanchor point and start tiling from there.

Tiling Position – Y-Offset

Sets the offset for the height of the bitmap in percentage values. 50%
offset means that Draw will place the middle part of the bitmap at theanchor point and start tiling from there.

Tiling Offset

Offsets the columns of tiled bitmaps by the percentage entered in thebox so that two subsequent columns of bitmaps are not aligned.

Importing bitmaps
To import a bitmap created in another program:
1)

Select an object where you want to import a bitmap into.

Working with area fills | 85

Figure 109: Importing bitmaps2)Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Bitmap tab to open the Bitmap page (Figure 101 on page 78).

4)

Click on Add/Import and a file browser dialog opens.

5)

Browse to the directory containing the bitmap file and select it, then click Open.

6)Enter a name for the new bitmap in the Name box (Figure 109), then click OK to close theName box.

7)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Deleting bitmaps
1)

Select a filled object that uses the bitmap fill you want to delete.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar.

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Bitmap tab to open the Bitmap page (Figure 101 on page 78).

4)

Right click on the bitmap and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Click on Yes to confirm
the deletion.

5)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
It is recommended to only delete bitmaps that you have created or imported. Deleting
bitmaps that are installed with LibreOffice may cause problems in documents that use
one of these bitmaps.

Pattern fills
Creating or editing patterns
1)

Select an object that contains a pattern as a fill or insert a pattern into a selected object(see “Pattern fill” on page 77 for more information).

86 | Working with area fills

Figure 110: Creating or editing patterns

Figure 111: Naming new patterns
2)Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Pattern tab to open the Pattern page (Figure 102 on page 78).

4)

Select a pattern from the options available in Pattern. Note that any imported patterns will
also be available.

5)

In Options, select the color you want to use from the drop down lists for Foreground Colorand Background Color (Figure 110).

6)

In Options – Pattern Editor, start creating or editing the pattern by clicking with the left
mouse button in the squares (pixels) that you want to fill with Foreground Color. Check thePreview window to see if the desired effect is being achieved.

7)

If you have created a new pattern, click the Add button to open the Name box (Figure 111).
Enter a name for the new pattern, then click OK to close the Name box.

8)

If you have edited a pattern, click Modify to save your changes. There is no confirmation
given when saving an edited pattern.

9)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Deleting patterns
1)

Select a filled object that uses the pattern fill you want to delete.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.
Working with area fills | 87

3)

Click on the Pattern tab to open the Pattern page (Figure 102 on page 78).

4)

Right click on the pattern and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Click on Yes to confirm
the deletion.

5)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
It is recommended to only delete patterns that you have created. Deleting patterns thatare installed with LibreOffice may cause problems in documents that use one of thesepatterns.

Hatching fills
To create a new hatching fill or to modify an existing one, select the Hatch tab from the Area
dialog. As with gradients and colors, it is better to create a new hatching fill rather than modify apredefined one. The properties that can be set for a hatching pattern are shown in Table 3.
Table 3: Hatching options.
Hatching option

Meaning

Spacing

Determines the spacing between two lines of the hatching fill. As the value
is changed the preview window is updated.

Angle

Use the mini map below the numerical value to quickly set the angle formedby the line to multiples of 45 degrees. If the required angle is not a multipleof 45 degrees, just enter the desired value in the edit box.

Line typeSet single, double or triple line for the style of the hatching fill.

Line color

Use the list to select the color of the lines that will form the hatching fill.

Background color

When selected, adds a color fill behind the lines used for the hatching fill.

Creating new hatching fills
1)

Select the filled object you want to edit and format the area using one of the following
methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

2)

Click on the Hatch tab to open the Hatch page (Figure 103 on page 79).

3)

As a starting point, select a hatching fill similar to the one that you want to create.

4)

Modify the options of the lines forming the hatching fill. A preview is displayed in the window
below the available patterns. See Table 3 for information on hatching options.

5)

Click the Add button to open the Name box (Figure 112). Enter a name for the new
hatching fill, then click OK to close the Name box. The new hatching appears at the bottomof the hatching fills displayed in Hatch.

6)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

88 | Working with area fills

Figure 112: Adding hatching fills

Modifying hatching fills
1)

Select an object that contains the hatching as a fill.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Hatch tab to open the Hatch page (Figure 103 on page 79).

4)

Select a hatching you have previously created and added to the Hatch displayed in the
Area dialog.

5)Enter the new values for the Options that become available for change. See Table 3 formore information on hatch options.

6)

Click Modify to save your changes. There is no confirmation given when modifying a
hatching.

7)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

Deleting hatch fills
1)

Select a filled object that uses the hatching fill you want to delete.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area from the context menu to open the Area
dialog.

3)

Click on the Hatch tab to open the Hatch page (Figure 103 on page 79).

4)

Select the hatching you want to delete.

5)

Right click on the hatching and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Click on Yes toconfirm the deletion.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Area dialog.

Note
It is recommended to only delete hatchings that you have created. Deleting hatchings
that are installed with LibreOffice may cause problems in documents that use one ofthese hatchings.

Working with area fills | 89

Figure 113: Area dialog - Shadow page

Shadows
Default shadows
To quickly apply a shadow to an object, select the object and click on the Shadow icon in the Lineand Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66). The shadow applied to an object using this method is
set to default settings.

Formatting shadows
For a more control when adding shadows to an object, you have to use the Shadow page on the
Area dialog as follows:1)

Select an object where you want to apply a shadow.

2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Shadow tab to open the Shadow page (Figure 113).

4)

Select Use shadow in Properties for the shadow options to become active.

5)

Select the anchor point for the direction of the shadow cast in relation to the object.

6)

In Color, select the color palette and the color you require for the shadow.

7)

In Distance, enter a distance in the text box to set spacing between the object and the
shadow.

8)

In Transparency, enter the percentage in the text box for the shadow transparency.

9)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

Transparencies
Transparency can be applied to filled objects as well as shadows and lines.
•

To apply transparency to lines, refer to “Formatting lines” on page 66.

•

To apply a transparency to shadows, refer to “Formatting shadows” on page 90.

To apply transparency to filled objects using the Transparency page on the Area dialog:
1)

Select an object where you want to apply a transparency.

90 | Working with area fills

Figure 114: Area dialog - Transparency page2)

Format the area using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66).

–

Right-click on the object and select Area to open the Area dialog.

3)

Click on the Transparency tab to open the Transparency page (Figure 114).

4)

To create a uniform transparency, select Transparency and enter a percentage in the text
box.

5)

To create a gradient transparency so that the area becomes gradually transparent, selectGradient and select the type of gradient transparency from the drop-down list: Linear, Axial,
Radial, Ellipsoid, Quadratic or Square.

6)

Set the parameters for the type of the gradient transparency you selected above. Refer toTable 4 for a description of the properties. The available parameters will depend on the typeof gradient transparency selected above.

7)

Click OK to close the Area dialog and save the changes.

Table 4: Transparency parameters.
Transparency parameters

Meaning

Centre X

For Radial, Ellipsoid, Quadratic and Square gradients. The values to
set the horizontal offset of the gradient center.

Center Y

For Radial, Ellipsoid, Quadratic and Square gradients. The values to
set the vertical offset of the gradient center.

Angle

For Linear, Axial, Ellipsoid, Quadratic and Square gradients. Specifies
the angle of the gradient axis.

BorderIncrease this value to make the gradient start further away from theborder of the object.

Start value

Value for the starting transparency gradient. 0% is fully opaque, 100%means fully transparent.

End value

Value for the ending transparency gradient. 0% is fully opaque, 100%means fully transparent.

Working with area fills | 91

Using drawing object styles
Note
In LibreOffice Draw, only drawing object styles are available in the Graphic Styles
dialog and the Styles deck on the Sidebar.
Suppose that you want to apply the same area fill, line thickness, and border to a set of objects.
This repetitive process can be greatly simplified by the use of styles. Styles allow you to define aformatting template (a style) and then to apply that style to multiple objects. For more information
on styles, see the Chapter 6 Introduction to Styles in the Writer Guide.

Linked styles
Drawing object styles support inheritance. This means that a style can be linked to another(parent) style so that it inherits all the formatting settings of the parent. You can use this property tocreate families of styles.
For example, if you need multiple boxes that differ in color, but are otherwise identically formatted,
it is recommended to create a generic style for the box including borders, area fill, font, and so on.
You then create a number of hierarchically dependent styles which differ only in the fill color
attribute. If you then need to change the font size or the thickness of the border, it is sufficient tochange the parent style and all the other linked styles will change accordingly.

Note
When styles are linked, changing a color will change the color in all linked styles.
Sometimes this is exactly what you want; at other times you do not want the changes
to apply to all linked styles. It pays to plan ahead.

Creating new styles
After creating a new style, it will be placed in All Styles and Custom Styles in the Styles deck of the
Sidebar. When the your new style is applied to an object, the new style will also appear in Applied
Styles.
Using Styles deck
1) Click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar to open the Styles deck (Figure 115).
2)

Right click on a style and select New from the context menu to open the Graphic Styles
dialog (Figure116).

3)

Click on the Organizer tab to open the Organizer page in the Graphic Styles dialog.

4)

In the Name text box, type a memorable style name.

5)

In Inherit from, select a style from the drop down list a style if you want your new style toinherit settings from a LibreOffice style.

92 | Using drawing object styles

Figure 115: Styles deck in Sidebar

Figure 116: Graphic Styles dialog - Organizer page6)

7)

Use the various pages and available options in the Graphic Styles dialog to format andcategorize your new style.
–Organizer – contains a summary of the style and its hierarchical position.

–

Font, Font Effects, Indents & Spacing, Alignment, and Tabs – set the properties of thetext inserted in a text box or in a graphic object.

–

Dimensioning – used to set the style of dimension lines.

–

Text, Text Animation, Connector, Line, Area, Shadowing, Highlighting and Transparency– determine the formatting of an object.

Click OK when finished to save your new style and close the Graphic Styles dialog.

New style from selection
1)

Select the object you want to use to create your new style, or create a new object in yourdrawing.

2)

Use the various options in the pages of the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 116), or thevarious tools on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66) to make your changes
to the object.

Using drawing object styles | 93

Figure 117: Create Style dialog
3)

Go Format > Styles > New Style from Selection on the main menu bar or click on the
New Style from Selection icon in the Styles deck on the Sidebar.

4)

In the Create Style dialog (Figure 117) that opens, type a name for the new style. Thisdialog also shows existing custom styles that are available.

5)

Click OK to save the new style and close the dialog.

Modifying or editing styles
It is recommended to only modify or edit styles that you have created. Modifying or editing styles
that are installed with LibreOffice may cause problems in other documents that use one of thesestyles.
1)

Select an object in your drawing.

2)

Open the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 116) using one of the following methods:

3)

4)

–

Go to Format > Styles > Edit Style on the main menu bar.

–

Right click on the object and select Edit Style from the context menu.

–

Right click on the object style in the Styles deck on the Sidebar and select Modify fromthe context menu.

Use the various pages and available options in the Graphic Styles dialog to modify andedit the object style.
–Organizer – contains a summary of the style and its hierarchical position.

–

Font, Font Effects, Indents & Spacing, Alignment, and Tabs – set the properties of thetext inserted in a text box or in a graphic object.

–

Dimensioning – used to set the style of dimension lines.

–

Text, Text Animation, Connector, Line, Area, Shadowing, Highlighting and Transparency– determine the formatting of an object.

Click OK when finished to save your changes and close the Graphic Styles dialog.

Editing linked styles
If you have an object in your document that uses linked styles then it is possible to edit the linked
styles that have been applied to the object. This done using the Graphic Styles dialog as follows:1)

Select an object in your drawing that uses linked styles.

2)

Go to Format > Styles > Edit Style on the main menu bar or right click on the object andselect Edit Style from the context menu to open the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 116 on
page 93).

94 | Using drawing object styles

3)

Click on the Organizer tab to open the Organizer page in the Graphic Styles dialog.

4)

Check that the style name in the Inherit from text box is the linked style you want to edit.
a) If the linked style is the one you want to edit, use the various pages in the Graphic
Styles dialog to edit the style.
b) If the linked style is NOT the one you want to edit, click on Edit Style to the right of theInherit from text box until the name of the linked is displayed. Use the various pages in
the Graphic Styles dialog to edit the style.

5)

Click OK when finished to save your changes and close the Graphic Styles dialog.

Note
Updating linked styles that are part of the default installation of LibreOffice could cause
problems in other documents that use LibreOffice default styles.

Updating styles
To update a style from changes made to an object:
1)

Select the object where you want to make changes to the style.

2)

Use the various options in the pages of the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 116 on page 93),or the various tools on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on page 66) to make yourchanges to the object.

3)

Use one of the following methods to update the style that has been applied to the object.
–

Click on the Update Style icon in the Styles deck on the Sidebar.

–

Click on Format > Styles > Update Selected Style on the main menu bar

Note
There is no confirmation when you update a style. Make sure that you only updatestyles that you have created. Updating styles that are part of the default installation of
LibreOffice could cause problems in other documents that use LibreOffice default
styles.

Applying styles
You can apply a drawing object style using the Styles deck on the Sidebar as follows:1)

Select the object where you want to apply a style.

2)

To open a list of available styles, click on the Styles icon on the Line and Filling toolbar(Figure 81 on page 66), or click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar (Figure 115 on page 93).

3)

Double click on the style name to apply the style to the selected object.

Tip
At the bottom of the Styles deck on the Sidebar there is a drop-down list. Here you
can choose to show all styles or groups of styles such as Applied Styles or Custom
Styles.

Using drawing object styles | 95

Deleting styles
You cannot delete any of the predefined styles in LibreOffice, even if you are not using them. You
can only delete user-defined (custom) styles. However, before you delete a custom style, makesure the style is not in use. To see which styles are in use, choose Applied Styles from the dropdown list at the bottom of the Styles deck on the Sidebar (Figure 115 on page 93).
Delete a custom style as follows:1)

To open a list of available styles, click on the Styles icon on the Line and Filling toolbar(Figure 81 on page 66), or click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar (Figure 115 on page 93).

2)

Select Applied Styles or Custom Styles from the drop down list at the bottom of the Styles
deck on the Sidebar to display the styles in use.

3)

Right click on the style name in the styles list and select Delete from the context menu.

4)

If the style is in use, a warning message will appear. Click Yes to delete the style. If thestyle is not in use, no confirmation message appears.

Applying special effects
As well as the basic actions of moving and resizing an object, a number of special effects can also
be applied to objects in Draw. Several of these effects are readily available in the Transformations
toolbar (Figure 118). If the Transformations toolbar is not showing, select it from View > Toolbars> Transformations on the main menu bar.
The tools available on the Transformations toolbar are described in the following sections with the
exception of the 3D rotation tool, which is described in Chapter 7 Working with 3D Objects.

Figure 118:
Transformations toolbar

Figure 119: Manually rotating an object

96 | Applying special effects

Rotating objects
Rotation of an object can be carried out manually or using a dedicated dialog. This is similar tochanging the position or size of an object.

Manual rotation
1)

Click on an object you want to rotate and the selection handles will show.

2)

To put the selected object into rotation mode, use one of the following methods. The
selection handles will change shape and color when in rotation mode (Figure 119).
–

Click again on the selected object.

–

Click on the down arrow to the right the Transformations icon in the Line and Fillingand select the Rotate icon from the context menu.

–

If the Transformations toolbar is displayed (Figure 118) click on the Rotate icon.

3)

If necessary, click and drag the rotation pivot point to change the way the object is rotated.
The pivot point is a circle and appears, by default, in the middle of the selected object.
Normally the center of an object will be just fine, but on some occasions you may wish torotate around a corner or even around a point outside the object.

4)

Move the mouse cursor over one of the corner handles and the cursor changes shape.

5)

Click and move the mouse in the direction in which you want to rotate the object. Only thecorner selection handles are active for rotation.

6)

To restrict the rotation angles to multiples of 15 degrees, press and hold the Shift key whilerotating the object. This is very handy for rotating objects through a right angle, for example
from portrait to landscape.

7)

When satisfied release the mouse button.

Sidebar rotation
To rotate an object using the Position and Size section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar(Figure 120):
1)

Click on an object you want to rotate and the selection handles will show.

2)

Click on the Properties icon on the Sidebar to open the Properties deck, then click on thedown arrowhead (˅) next to the Position and Size section to open this section.

3)

Click on and then rotate the rotation indicator in Rotation or enter the rotation angle in the
text box or select a predetermined rotation angle from the drop-down list. The object rotates
as you move the rotation indicator or enter an angle in the text box.

4)

When satisfied with the rotation of the object, click outside the object to fix rotation in place.

Rotation dialog
Instead of rotating an object manually or using the Sidebar, you can use the Rotation page in the
Position and Size dialog (Figure 121) for a more precise control when rotating an object.
1)

Click on an object you want to rotate and the selection handles will show.

2)

Press the F4 key, or select Format > Position and Size on the main menu bar, or rightclick on the object and select Position and Size from the context menu to open the
Position and Size dialog.

3)

Click the Rotation tab to open the Rotation page.

4)

In the Pivot Point, enter a figure in Position X and/or Position Y text boxes to reposition thepivot point relative to the top left corner of the drawing, or select a position for the pivot
point in Default settings. The default position for the pivot point is the center of the object.

Applying special effects | 97

Figure 120: Position and Size sectionin Properties on Sidebar

Figure 121: Position and Size dialog - Rotation page
5)

In the Rotation Angle, enter an angle in the Angle text box by which to rotate the object, or
click and drag the rotation indicator in Default settings until you reach the required angle. As
you click and drag, the angle is shown in the Angle text box.

6)

Click OK to save your changes, rotate the object and close the Position and Size dialog.

Flipping objects
Quick flipping
The quickest and easiest method to flip an object horizontally or vertically is as follows:1)

Select the object you want to flip and the selection handles will be displayed.

98 | Applying special effects

2)

Use one of the following methods to flip the object vertically or horizontally:–

Right click on the object and select Flip > Horizontally or Flip > Vertically from thecontext menu.

–

In the Position and Size section of the Properties deck on the Sidebar, click on one of
the icons Flip the selected object vertically or Flip the selected object horizontally.

–

Click on the Vertical or Horizontal icon on the Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 81 on
page 66).

Flip tool
Using the Flip tool on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 118 on page 96), you can also change
the position and angle that the object flips over.
1)

Select the object you want to flip and the selection handles will be displayed.

2)

Click the Flip tool on the Transformations toolbar and the axis of symmetry appears as adashed line through the middle of the object. The object will be flipped about this axis ofsymmetry (Figure 122).

3)

Click and drag one or both ends of the axis of symmetry to set the orientation of the axis.

4)

Place the cursor over one of the object selection handles until it changes shape.

5)

Click and drag the object across to the other side of the axis of symmetry until the object
appears flipped over. The angle and position of the flip will depend on the angle andposition of the axis of symmetry.

6)

Release the mouse button and the object is flipped.

Figure 122: Using Flip tool on Transformations
toolbar

Applying special effects | 99

Note
If you press the Shift key while moving the axis of symmetry, it will rotate in 45 degreeincrements.

Mirror copies
At the moment there is no mirror command existing in Draw. However, mirroring an object can beemulated by using the Flip tool as follows:1)

Select the object you want to make a mirror copy of and copy the object to the clipboard.

2)

Select the Flip tool on the Transformations or Line and Filling toolbars.

3)

Move the axis of symmetry to the desired location of the mirror axis, then flip the object.

4)

Click on an empty area of the page to deselect the object.

5)

Paste from the clipboard to put a copy of the object back into its original location and now
you have a mirror copy.

6)

If necessary, select both objects and realign them by going to Shape > Align on the main
menu bar, or right click and select Align from the context menu and then select the type ofalignment.

Distorting images
Three tools on the Transformations toolbar let you drag the corners and edges of an object todistort the image.
•Distort distorts an object in perspective.

•

Set to Circle (slant) creates a pseudo three-dimensional effect.

•

Set in Circle (perspective) creates a pseudo three-dimensional effect.

In all three cases you are initially asked if you want to transform the object to a curve. This is anecessary first step, so click Yes. Then you can move the object handles to produce the desired
effect. Examples of using these tools are shown in the following figures.

Distorting
Select an object and click on the Distort icon on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 118 on page96). After converting to a curve as requested, move the handles to stretch the object. The corner
handles distort the corners, the vertical midpoint handles distort the figure horizontally and thehorizontal ones distort it vertically (Figure 123).

Setting in circle (perspective)
Select an object and click on the Set in Circle (perspective) icon in the Transformations toolbar(Figure 118 on page 96). After converting to a curve as requested, click and move one of theselection handles to give a pseudo three dimensional perspective) (Figure 124).

Setting to circle (slant)
Select an object and click on the Set to Circle (slant) icon in the Transformations toolbar (Figure
118 on page 96). After converting to a curve as requested, click and move one of the selection
handles to give a pseudo three dimensional slant perspective (Figure 125).

100 | Applying special effects

Figure 123: Distorting an object

Figure 124: Setting an object to a circle withperspective

Figure 125: Setting an object to a circle
with slant

Applying special effects | 101

NoteTransforming an object into a curve is a safe operation, but it cannot be reversed otherthan by clicking Format > Undo on the main menu bar.

Dynamic gradients
You can control transparency gradients in the same manner as color gradients and both types ofgradient can be used together. With a transparency gradient, the direction and degree of object fillcolor changes from opaque to transparent. In a color gradient, the fill changes from one color toanother, but the degree of transparency remains the same.
Two icons are present on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 118 on page 96) to dynamicallycontrol transparency and color gradients. Even if you have not assigned transparency to an object
with a color fill, you can control the transparency by clicking on the Interactive transparency toolicon. This defines a transparency gradient and a dashed line connecting two squares appears on
the object. Move the two squares to modify the gradient. You can define the direction of thegradient (vertical, horizontal, or at any angle) and the spot at which the transparency begins.
A regular color gradient is defined in the same manner. Select an object, then select a gradient fillfrom the Gradients page of the Area dialog (Figure 100 on page 77). The Interactive gradienttool icon is now active on the Transformations toolbar. When you click on the Interactive
gradient tool, a dashed line connecting two squares appears on the object, just as it does for atransparency gradient.
In both transparency gradient and gradient fill, click outside the object to set the gradient.
In the example shown in Figure 126 there is a single color object and a transparency gradient,
covering part of the underlying object. This gradient transparency can be dynamically adjusted.
Direction of transparency is changed by moving the white square and the distance over which it isapplied by moving the green square.

Note
Moving the squares will have different effects, depending on the type of gradient. For
example, for a linear gradient, the start and end squares of the gradient will always besituated to either side of the center point of the object.

Figure 126: Example of a dynamic
gradient

102 | Applying special effects

Draw Guide

Chapter 5
Combining Multiple Objects

Grouping objects
Grouping of objects is similar to putting objects into a container. You can move the objects as agroup and apply global changes to the objects within the group. A group can always be undone
and the objects that make up the group can always be manipulated separately.

Temporary grouping
A temporary grouping is when several objects are selected. Any changes to object parameters thatyou carry out are applied to all of the objects within the temporary group. For example, you canrotate a temporary group of objects in its entirety.
To cancel a temporary grouping of objects, simply click outside of the selection handles displayedaround the objects.

Grouping
To group objects together permanently:
1)

2)

Select the objects you want to group using one of the following methods. Selection handles
will then appear around all the objects selected for the group (Figure 127).
–

Click on each object in turn while holding down the Shift key.

–

Use the Select tool on the Drawing toolbar and draw a selection rectangle around theobjects using the cursor.

Group the selected objects using one of the following methods:–

Right-click on the group and select Group from the context menu.

–

Go to Shape > Group > Group on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+G .

When objects are grouped, any editing operations carried out on that group are applied to all
objects within the group. If you click on one object in the group, the whole group is selected.
The objects within a group also retain their own individual properties and can be edited
independently. See “Editing individual group objects” on page 105 for more information.

Figure 127: Grouping objects

104 | Grouping objects

Ungrouping
To undo or ungroup a group of objects:
1)

Select the group of objects which is indicated by selection handles appearing around thegroup (Figure 127).

2)

Ungroup the group of objects using one of the following methods:–

Right-click on the group and select Ungroup from the context menu.

–

Go to Shape > Group > Ungroup on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G .

Editing individual group objects
You can individually edit an object within a group without ungrouping the group.
1)

After selecting a group, enter the group using one of the following methods. When you
enter a group, objects outside the group cannot be selected for editing (Figure 127).
–

Right-click on the group and select Enter Group from the context menu.

–

Go to Shape > Group > Enter Group on the main menu bar.

–Press the F3 key.

–

Double-click on the group.

2)

Once inside the group, click on any object to individually edit it (Figure 128).

3)

After making your changes to an individual object, exit the group using one of the following
methods:–

Right-click on the group and select Exit Group from the context menu.

–

Go to Shape > Group > Exit Group on the main menu bar–

Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+F3.

–

Double-click outside the group.

Figure 128: Editing in a group

Nesting groups
You can create a group of groups, which are more commonly known as nesting groups. When you
create nested groups, Draw retains the individual group hierarchy and remembers the order inwhich groups were selected. That is, the last individual group selected will be on top of all the othergroups within a nested group.

Grouping objects | 105

Ungrouping and entering a nested group works in exactly the same way as for individual groups in“Grouping” on page 104, “Ungrouping” on page 105 and “Editing individual group objects” on page
105.

Combining objects
Combining objects is a permanent merging of objects that creates a new object. The original
objects are no longer available as individual entities and cannot be edited as individual objects. Any
editing of a combined object affects all the objects that were used when combination was carriedout.

Combining
1)

Select the objects you want to combine.

2)

Combine the selected objects using one of the following methods:–

Right-click on the selection and select Shapes > Combine from the context menu–

Go to Shape > Combine on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Shift+K .

At first glance, the results can seem rather surprising, but once you understand the rules governing
combination in Draw, combining objects will become clearer.
•

The attributes (for example, area fill) of the resulting object are those of the object furthestback. In Figure 129, it is the circle and Figure 130 it is the yellow rectangle.

•

Where the objects overlap, the overlapping zone is either filled or empty depending onwhether the overlap is even numbered or odd numbered. Figure 130 shows that where theoverlap number is even, you get an empty space and where the overlap number is odd,
you get a filled area.

Figure 129: Combining objects

106 | Combining objects

Figure 130: Area fill on overlapping objects

Tip
You can reorder objects so they are further back or further forward in the arrangement
order. Right-click on the object and select Arrangement from the context menu andselect one of the options available. For more information, see “Arranging objects” onpage 113.

Splitting combined objects
An object which has been combined from several objects can be split into individual objects using
one of the following methods after selecting the combined object:•

Going to Shape > Split on the main menu bar•

Using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K .

However, the original objects will retain the formatting of the combined object and will not revert
back to their original formatting.
In Figure 131, the left graphic is the original object, as shown on the left in Figure 130. The rightgraphic is the result of splitting and the individual objects have taken the formatting of the
combined object, as shown on the right in Figure 130.

Figure 131: Splitting a combined object

Figure 132: Breaking a combined object

Combining objects | 107

Breaking combined objects
When an object is combined from several objects, the combined object can be broken into its
constituent parts by going to Shape > Break on the main menu bar. This means that the original
objects are broken into their constituent parts; for example, a rectangle will be broken into four
separate lines and the area fill will be lost, as shown by the right graphic in Figure 132. The left
graphic in Figure 132 is the original combined object.

Connecting lines
The constituent parts of an object can be connected together by selecting all the constituent partsof the object and going to Shape > Connect on the main menu bar. This connects the parts
together and closes the object resulting in the area becoming filled with the area fill it had before
the object was broken.

Merging, subtracting, or intersecting objects
After you have selected more than one object, the merge, subtract, and intersect functions become
available. This allows you to create a new object with a new shape.

Merge
When you merge objects, a new object is created with a shape that follows the shape of themerged objects. The area fill of the merged object is determined by the area fill of the object that is
at the rear of all the other objects, as shown in Figure 133.
After selecting several objects, use one of the following methods to merge the objects:•

Go to Shape > Merge on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the selected objects and select Shapes > Merge from the context menu.

Figure 133: Merging objects

Figure 134: Subtracting objects

108 | Merging, subtracting, or intersecting objects

Subtract
When you subtract objects, the objects at the front are subtracted from the object behind. This
leaves a blank space that the subtracted objects occupied creating a new shape, as shown in
Figure 134.
After selecting several objects that overlap each other, use one of the following methods tosubtract objects:•

Go to Shape > Subtract on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the selected objects and select Shapes > Subtract from the context menu.

Intersect
When you intersect objects, the front objects and the exposed area of the object at the rear are
removed. This creates a new object from the area of the object at the rear that was covered by theobjects at the front, as shown in Figure 135.
After selecting several objects that overlap each other, use one of the following methods tointersect objects:•

Go to Shape > Intersect on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the selected objects and select Shapes > Intersect from the context menu.

Figure 135: Intersecting objects

Practical example
The example in Table 5 shows how you can use the merge, subtract, and intersect functions tocreate a knife with a wooden handle.
Table 5: Creating a knife
Draw an ellipse and then a rectangle overlapping half of
its width.

Select both shapes, right-click, and select Shapes >Subtract from the context menu.

Draw another rectangle and put it over the top half of theellipse.

Merging, subtracting, or intersecting objects | 109

Select both shapes, right-click, and select Shapes >Subtract from the context menu.
Draw a small ellipse covering just the lower right corner.

Select both shapes, right-click, and select Shapes >Subtract from the context menu. The knife blade shapeis now complete.
To make the handle, draw a rectangle and an ellipse.
Merge the shapes together.
Position the handle on the blade. Select the handle andblade, then group together to create a drawing of theknife.

Duplication and cross fading
Duplication
Duplication makes copies of an object while applying a set of changes (such as color or rotation) tothe duplicates.
To duplicate an object or group of objects:
1)

Select an object or group of objects, then duplicate the object(s) using one of the following
methods to open the Duplicate dialog (Figure 136):–

Go to Edit > Duplicate on the main menu bar.

–

Go to Shape > Duplicate on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard shortcut Shift+F3 .

2)

Select the number of copies, placement, enlargement, and the start and end colors for yourduplicate copies.

3)

Click OK and your duplicate copies are created. An example of a duplication is shown in
Figure 137. Each duplicate object is a separate object.

4)

To group the duplicate objects into one group, see “Grouping objects” on page 104.

5)

To combine the duplicate objects into one object, see “Combining objects” on page 106.

The Duplicate dialog (Figure 136) has the following options:•

Number of copies – enter the number of copies you want to make.

•Placement – sets the position and rotation of a duplicate object with respect to the selected
object.
–X axis-- enter the horizontal distance between the centers of the selected object and the
duplicate object. Positive values shift the duplicate object to the right and negativevalues shift the duplicate object to the left.

–

Y axis – enter the vertical distance between the centers of the selected object and the
duplicate object. Positive values shift the duplicate object down and negative values
shift the duplicate object up.

110 | Duplication and cross fading

Figure 136: Duplicate dialog

Figure 137: Duplication example–••

Angle – enter the angle (0 to 359 degrees) by which you want to rotate the duplicate
object. Positive values rotate the duplicate object in a clockwise direction and negativevalues in a counterclockwise direction.

Enlargement – sets the size of a duplicate object.
–

Width – enter the amount by which you want to enlarge or reduce the width of the
duplicate object.

–

Height – enter the amount by which you want to enlarge or reduce the height of the
duplicate object.

Colors – sets the colors for the selected object and the duplicate object. If you make morethan one copy, these colors define the start and end points of a color gradient.
–

Start – choose a color for the selected object.

–

End – choose a color for the duplicate object. If you are making more than one copy,
this color is applied to the last copy.

Duplication and cross fading | 111

Figure 138: Cross-fading dialog

Figure 139: Cross-fading example

Cross fading
Cross-fading transforms one object shape into another object shape. The result is a new group ofindividual objects that includes the start and end objects. The intermediate steps show thetransformation from one object shape to another object shape.
To cross-fade two objects:
1)

Select two objects and go to Shape > Cross-fading on the main menu bar to open the
Cross-fading dialog (Figure 138).

2)

Select the number of Increments for the transformation.

3)

If necessary, select Cross-fade attributes and Same orientation.

4)

Click OK to perform the cross-fading and close the Cross-fading dialog. An example ofcross-fading is shown in Figure 139 with Same orientation deselected. The object createdis a group of objects.

5)

To ungroup this group of objects so that you can use the individual objects, see“Ungrouping” on page 105.

The Cross-fading dialog has the following options:•

Increments – enter the number of shapes you want between the two selected objects.

•

Cross-fade attributes – applies cross-fading to the line and fill properties of the selected
objects. For example, if the selected objects are filled with different colors, a color transition
between the two colors is applied.

•Same orientation – applies a smooth transition between the selected objects.

112 | Duplication and cross fadingPositioning objects
Arranging objects
When you combine, merge, subtract, or intersect objects, the end result varies depending on which
object is at the front and which object is at the back. Each new object that you place on a drawing
automatically becomes the front object and all the other objects move backwards in positioning
order. Arranging objects allows you to change the order in which objects are positioned.
First select one or more objects, then use one of the following methods to select a positioning
arrangement:•

Click on small triangle to the right of the Arrange icon on the Standard toolbar to open a
pop up toolbar.

•

Click one of the positioning icons on the Line and Filling toolbar.

•

Click on Shape > Arrange on the main menu bar and select one of the arrangement
options.

The positioning tools available are as follows and shown in Figure 140:•

Bring to Front – brings the selected object to the front of the group.

•

Bring Forward – brings the selected object forward one step.

•

Send Backward – sends the selected object one step backward.

•

Send to Back – sends the selected object to the back of the group.

•

In Front of Object – moves the selected object in front of another selected object.

•

Behind Object – moves the selected object behind another selected object.

•

Reverse – reverses the order of the selected objects. This tool is grayed out if only one
object is selected.

Note
The positioning tools can be turned into a floating toolbar by clicking at the top of the
pop up toolbar and dragging it to a new position on your drawing workspace.

Figure 140: Position toolbar

Positioning objects | 113

Figure 141: Align
Objects toolbar

Aligning objects
To make your drawing look more professional, you can align objects with each other. Select one ormore objects and use one of the following methods to align objects:•

Click on small triangle to the right of the Align icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open
a pop up toolbar.

•

Go to Shape > Align on the main menu bar and select the alignment required.

The alignment tools available are as follows and shown in Figure 141:•

Left – aligns the left edges of the selected objects. If only one object is selected, the leftedge of the object is aligned to the left page margin.

•Centered – horizontally centers the selected objects. If only one object is selected, thecenter of the object is aligned to the horizontal center of the page.

•

Right – aligns the right edges of the selected objects. If only one object is selected, theright edge of the object is aligned to the right page margin.

•

Top – vertically aligns the top edges of the selected objects. If only one object is selected,
the top edge of the object is aligned to the upper page margin.

•Center – vertically centers the selected objects. If only one object is selected, the center ofthe object is aligned to the vertical center of the page.

•

Bottom – vertically aligns the bottom edges of the selected objects. If only one object isselected, the bottom edge of the object is aligned to the lower page margin.

Note
The alignment tools can be turned into a floating toolbar by clicking at the top of the
pop up toolbar and dragging it to a new position on your drawing workspace.

Distributing objects
Distributing objects allows you to space three or more objects evenly along the horizontal axis or
the vertical axis. Objects are distributed using the outermost objects in the selection as base points
for spacing.

114 | Positioning objects

Figure 142: Distribution dialog
Select at least three objects, then use one of the following methods to open the Distribution
dialog (Figure 142) and arrange the objects:•

Go to Shape > Distribution on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click and select Distribution from the context menu to open.

•

Click on the Distribution icon on the Line and Filling toolbar.

The options available in the Distribution dialog are explained as follow:•

Horizontal distribution specifies the horizontal distribution between the selected objects.
–

None – does not distribute the objects horizontally.

–

Left – distributes the selected objects so that the left edges of the objects are evenly
spaced from one another.

–

Center – distributes the selected objects so that the horizontal centers of the objects areevenly spaced from one another.

–Spacing – distributes the selected objects horizontally so that the objects are evenly
spaced from one another.

–

Right – distributes the selected objects so that the right edges of the objects are evenly
spaced from one another.

• Vertical distribution specifies the vertical distribution between the selected objects.
–

None – does not distribute the objects vertically.

–

Top – distributes the selected objects so that the top edges of the objects are evenly
spaced from one another.

–

Center – distributes the selected objects so that the vertical centers of the objects areevenly spaced from one another.

–Spacing – distributes the selected objects vertically so that the objects are evenly
spaced from one another.

–

Bottom – distributes the selected objects so that the bottom edges of the objects areevenly spaced from one another.

Positioning objects | 115

Draw Guide

Chapter 6
Editing Pictures
Raster Graphics

Introduction
Earlier chapters of the Draw Guide have dealt only with vector graphics. The most common typesof vector graphics in use are as follows:•

SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics. An Extensible Markup Language (XML) based vector
image format for two-dimensional graphics with support for interactivity and animation.

•

EPS – Encapsulated PostScript. A PostScript document format usable as a graphics fileformat. EPS files are more-or-less self-contained, reasonably predictable PostScript
documents that describe an image or drawing and can be placed within another PostScript
document.

•

AI – Adobe Illustrator. A proprietary file format developed by Adobe Systems forrepresenting single-page vector-based drawings in either the EPS or PDF formats.

However, Draw also contains a number of functions for handling raster graphics (bitmaps) such as
photographs and scanned pictures, including import, export, and conversion from one format toanother.
Draw can read all the majority of graphic file formats. It has a subset of capabilities similar to rastergraphics programs like Adobe Photoshop or Gimp. Raster graphics are generally images or
pictures that use one of the following formats, which are the most common formats in use:•

JPG/JPEG – acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group which created the format. It is
the most common image format on World Wide Web and most digital cameras produce
JPEG images as default.

•

GIF – Graphics Interchange Format. GIF is a bitmap image format that is popular becauseof its wide support and portability.

•

PNG – Portable Network Graphics. PNG is a raster image format which supports losslessdata compression and also background transparency.

•

TIF/TIFF – Tagged Image File Format. TIFF is flexible, adaptable, and capable of storing
image data in a lossless format.

•

BMP – BitMaP. It is also known as bitmap image file, which is a dot matrix data structure.

Importing graphics
Inserting
To import graphic files into your drawing, go to Insert > Image on the main menu bar or click on
the Insert Image icon on the Standard toolbar to open the Insert Image dialog (Figure 143).
Draw contains import filters for the majority of graphic formats. If the file you want to import has agraphic format not covered by the import filters, then it is recommended to use one of the many
free graphic conversion programs to convert the file into a format that Draw recognizes.
If you select the Preview option in the Insert Image dialog, a preview of the file is shown in thebox on the right-hand side. This makes it much easier to select the file you want and also checks
that Draw can import the file format used.

Importing graphics | 117

Figure 143: Insert Image dialog

Embedding
Embedding a graphic into a drawing makes the graphic a permanent part of the drawing. Anychanges you make to an embedded graphic will only appear in the drawing. The original graphic
file will not be affected.
Embedding happens when you import a graphic into a drawing using the Insert Image dialog(Figure 143), copying and pasting, scanning a graphic, or dragging and dropping.
The main advantage of embedding graphics into your drawing is that the graphic is always
available no matter what computer is used to open the drawing.
The main disadvantage of embedding graphics is that it creates large file sizes, which may not bedesirable if you have limited capacity for storing computer files. Also, if the original graphic is
altered, then your drawing will not have an up to date version each time you open your document.

Note
When you embed a graphic into a LibreOffice document or drawing, you must makesure that the Link option is not selected in the Insert Image dialog.

Linking
Linking a graphic to a drawing does not insert the graphic into the drawing, but a link is created towhere the graphic file is located on your computer. Each time the drawing is opened, any linked
graphics will be displayed in the drawing.
The main advantage of linking a graphic file to a drawing is if the original graphic file is altered or
replaced by a new graphic with the same filename. The next time you open the drawing, the latest
version of the graphic will also open in the drawing. Also the drawing file size is much smaller andthe original graphic can easily be edited with specialized external applications.
The main disadvantage of linking graphics is that the link between the drawing and the graphic file
must be maintained for linking to work correctly. If you move the drawing to another computer, thenany linked files must also be moved to the same computer and the same folder on that computer.

118 | Importing graphics

Figure 144: Edit Links dialog
To link a graphic file to your drawing, select the Link option in the Insert Image dialog (Figure 143)
before selecting the file and clicking on the Open button. This opens a confirmation dialog to
inform you that the graphic file will not be stored with your drawing, but only referenced as a link.
•

Click on Link to link the file and close the confirmation dialog.

•

Click on Embed Graphic if you do not want the file to be linked and embed the file. This
will also close the confirmation dialog.

Note
When a graphic file is linked to a LibreOffice document or drawing, the format of thelinked graphic is not changed.
Changes made in your LibreOffice drawing to a linked graphic will apply only to the linked graphic
placed into your the drawing. The original graphic file will not be affected when it has been linked toyour drawing.
Links can be updated, modified, or broken as follows:
1)

Go to Edit > Links to External File on the main menu bar to open the Edit Links dialog(Figure 144).

2)

Select the link to be edited.

3)

Click on Modify, Break Link, or Update as appropriate.

4)–

Modify – changes the source file for the selected link.

–

Break Link – breaks the link between the source file and the current document. The
most recently updated contents of the source file are kept in the current document.

–

Update – updates the selected link so that the most recently saved version of the linked
file is displayed in the current document.

Click Close to close the Edit Links dialog when you have finished editing the link.

Note
If you click Break Link, then the linked graphic becomes embedded in your drawing.

Importing graphics | 119

ScanningWith most scanners you can directly insert a scanned image into a drawing or document. Scanned
images are embedded using PNG format. Make sure that your scanner is configured for thecomputer and supported by the SANE system for a Linux operating system, or TWAIN for a
Windows or Mac operating system.
To insert an image from the scanner:
1)

Place a document, drawing, or photograph in the scanner and make sure that the scanneris switched on and ready.

2)

If this is the first time the scanner has been used, go to Insert > Media > Scan > SelectSource on the main menu bar to select the scanner. If the scanner has been used before,
go to Insert > Image > Scan > Request on the main menu bar.

3)

The rest of the procedure depends on the scanner driver, interface, and computer operating
system. You will normally be required to specify scanning options such as resolution, scan
window, and so on. Consult the documentation that came with the scanner for more
information.

4)

When the image has been scanned, Draw places it in the drawing. At this point it can beedited like any other graphic.

Note
If there is more than one scanning device connected to the computer, you will be able
to select the device when you select the source. This selection will then become thedefault source when using scan requests until another device is used as the scanningsource.

Copying and pasting
Copying a graphic and then pasting the graphic into another drawing is another way of embedding
graphics into a drawing (this is also called using the clipboard). The copied graphic can be animage already embedded in another document or drawing, or it can be a graphic file such as a
drawing, document or photograph.
After copying you can also choose the format when you paste a graphic into Draw using Edit >Paste Special > Paste Special on the main menu bar to open the Paste Special dialog (Figure145). Available formats will depend on the type of image copied onto the clipboard.

Figure 145: Paste Special dialog

120 | Importing graphics

Note
When copying and pasting images into your drawing, please respect the copyright andlicense of the image you have copied.

Dragging and dropping
Dragging and dropping is another method of embedding graphics into a drawing and can be usedon graphics that have been embedded or linked. The way that dragging and dropping works isdetermined by the computer operating system. Behavior of dragging and dropping is normallycontrolled using the Ctrl or Ctrl+Shift keys in combination with the mouse.
Objects and images which are used frequently can be stored in the Draw Gallery. From the Gallery,a copy of the object or image can be simply dragged onto the drawing. Working with the Gallery isdealt with in Chapter 10 Advanced Draw Techniques.

Figure 146: Export dialog

Importing graphics | 121

Figure 147: Example export options

Exporting graphics
Exporting files
By default Draw saves drawings in the *.ODG format. Some software programs cannot open thesefiles. To make your drawings available for other programs, you can export the file in various
formats.
1)

Open the ODG file you want to export.

2)

Go to File > Export on the main menu bar and the Export dialog (Figure 146) opens.

3)

If required, enter a new filename for the exported file in File name and navigate to the folder
where you want to place the exported file.

4)

Select the required format from the drop down list in File format.

5)

Click Export and your file will be exported as a new file in its new format.

6)

Depending on the format selected, another dialog may open allowing you to select therequired options for the selected format. An example dialog for WMF export options isshown in Figure 147.

7)

Depending on the additional dialog that may open, click on Export, Create, or OK and yourfile will be exported as a new file in its new format.

Exporting objects
Exporting individual objects from a drawing file is similar to “Exporting files” above. You have toopen your drawing file and then select the object or objects you want to export from your drawing
file.

Formatting raster objects
Raster graphics can be edited and formatted using one of the following methods to add or change
filters and adjust the properties of color, lines, areas, and shadows:•

Go to Format > Image on the main menu bar and use one of the tools in the context menu
that opens.

•

Use the tools on the Image toolbar. See “Image toolbar” on page 123 for more information.

•

Use the tools available in the Shadow and Image sections on the Properties deck of the
Sidebar. See “Shadow and Images sections on Sidebar” on page 125 for more information.

122 | Formatting raster objects

•Some raster graphics may have a text element. For more information on formatting text see
Chapter 9 Adding and Formatting Text.

Raster graphics included in a group behave like other objects when the properties of the group areedited and formatted.

Naming raster graphics
It is recommended to name any objects that are raster graphics in your drawing. This will make thenamed raster graphics visible and available in the LibreOffice Navigator. Use of one of thefollowing methods to open the Name dialog (Figure 148) allowing you to enter a name for theselected raster graphic:•

Go to Format > Name on the main menu bar.

•

Right click on the raster graphic and select Name from the context menu.

Figure 148: Name dialog

Image toolbar
The Image toolbar (Figure 149) normally appears when you select an image or picture that is araster graphic. The Image toolbar can be fixed at the top of your drawing or as a floating toolbar.
The default set of tools on the Image toolbar are as follows and are indicated by a tick mark in
Figure 149:•

Position and Size (F4) – opens the Position and Size dialog. See Chapter 3 Working with
Objects and Object Points for more information.

•

Align – opens the Align Objects toolbar where you align an object in relation to otherobjects in the drawing. See Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information.

Figure 149: Image toolbar and Visible Buttons

Formatting raster objects | 123•Arrange tools – a set of seven tools that are used to move a selected object either forward
or backward in relation to other objects in the drawing. See Chapter 5 Combining Multiple
Objects for more information.

•Line Style – opens a drop down list with different line styles. In this context, line refers to
the outline of the border. See Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes for more information.

•Line Width – allows you to change the width of a line. See Chapter 4 Changing Object
Attributes for more information.

•Line Color – allows you to change the color of a line. See Chapter 4 Changing Object
Attributes for more information.

•

Area Style/Filling – allows you to change the type of filling used in a shape. See Chapter 4
Changing Object Attributes for more information.

•

Shadow – sets the default shadow effect around the picture. See Chapter 4 Changing
Object Attributes for more information.

•

Filter – opens the Image Filter toolbar which is described in “Image filter toolbar” on page
128.

•

Image mode – changes the display of the graphic from color to grayscale, black and white,or a watermark. This setting affects only the display and printing of the picture; the original
picture file remains unchanged.
–

Default – the graphic is displayed unaltered in color.

–

Grayscale – the graphic is displayed in 256 shades of gray.

–Black/White – the graphic is displayed in black and white.

–

Watermark – the color, brightness, contrast and gamma settings are reduced so thatthe graphic can be used as a watermark (background). These default settings can be
adjusted using the Color toolbar (Figure 150).

Figure 150: Color toolbar•

Crop Image – crops or trims a picture. When you click on this tool, crop marks appear
around the picture. Drag one or more of these marks to crop the picture to your desired
size. For more information on cropping, see “Cropping” on page 125.

•

Vertically – flips the selected object vertically. See Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes
for more information.

•

Horizontally – flips the selected object horizontally. See Chapter 4 Changing Object
Attributes for more information.

•

Transformations – opens the Transformations toolbar. See Chapter 4 Changing Object
Attributes for more information.

•

Transparency – adjust the degree of transparency of the picture between 0% (opaque)and 100% (fully transparent).

•

Color – opens the Color toolbar (Figure 150) so you can adjust the values of the RGB
colors, brightness, contrast, and Gamma. These adjustments do not affect the original
picture, but the values are stored in Draw as a separate formatting set.
–Red, Green, Blue – select values between –100% (no color) to +100% (full intensity);
0% represents the original color value of the graphic.

–

Brightness – select a value between –100% (totally black) and +100% (totally white).

–Contrast – select a value between –100% (minimum) and +100% (maximum).

124 | Formatting raster objects

–Gamma – this affects the brightness of the middle color tones. Select a value between
0.10 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) Try adjusting this value if changing brightness orcontrast does not give you the required result.

Shadow and Images sections on Sidebar
The Shadow and Image sections (Figure 151) in the Properties deck on the Sidebar are as
follows:•

Shadow – sets the default shadow effect around a raster graphic. See Chapter 4 Changing
Object Attributes for more information.

•

Image – changes the display of a raster graphic from color to grayscale, black and white, ora watermark and also allows you to adjust the RGB color settings of a raster graphic. For
more information see “Image toolbar” on page 123.

Figure 151: Shadow and Image
sections in Properties deck on the
Sidebar

Cropping
Cropping is a method of hiding unwanted areas of an image or changing the size of an image inyour drawing.
Changes made when cropping an image only change the display of the graphic in your drawing
and not the original graphic file. If you want to use a cropped graphic in another drawing, you mustuse one of the following methods after selecting the cropped graphic:

Cropping | 125

Figure 152: Image Export dialog•

Go to File > Export on the main menu bar to open the Export dialog. Navigate to the folder
you want to use, then enter a filename and click on Export. See “Exporting graphics” onpage 122 for more information.

•

Go to Format > Image > Save on the main menu bar or right click on the cropped graphic
and select Save from the context menu. Click on Yes to save the modified image and open
the Image Export dialog (Figure 152). Select the file format you want to use, navigate to
the folder you want to use, then enter a filename and click on Save.

Quick cropping
After selecting an image, it can be cropped quickly using one of the following methods:•

Click on the Crop tool on the Standard toolbar.

•

Click on the Crop tool on the Image toolbar (if displayed).

•

Go to Format > Image > Crop on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the image and select Crop from the context menu.

Selection handles will appear around the selected image and are used as follows:•

Top, bottom, left and right selection handles crop the image in one direction only.

•

Corner selection handles crop the image in two directions. For example, top right corner will
crop the image from the top and from the right.

126 | Cropping

Figure 153: Crop dialog

Crop dialog
For more control and accuracy over the cropping functions, it is recommended to use the Cropdialog (Figure 153). After selecting an image, go to Format > Image > Crop Dialog on the main
menu bar to open the Crop dialog.
••

Crop – use this section to trim or scale the selected graphic, or to add white space aroundthe graphic.
–

Keep scale – maintains the original scale of the graphic when cropping so that only thesize of the graphic changes.

–

Keep image size – maintains the original size of the graphic when you crop so that only
the scale of the graphic changes. To reduce the scale of the graphic, select this option
and enter negative values in the cropping boxes. To increase the scale of the graphic,enter positive values in the cropping boxes.

–

Left and Right – if Keep scale is selected, enter a positive amount to trim the left or rightedge of the graphic, or a negative amount to add white space to the left or right of thegraphic. If Keep image size is selected, enter a positive amount to increase thehorizontal scale of the graphic, or a negative amount to decrease the horizontal scale of
the graphic.

–

Top and Bottom – if Keep scale is selected, enter a positive amount to trim the top or
bottom of the graphic, or a negative amount to add white space above or below thegraphic. If Keep image size is selected, enter a positive amount to increase the verticalscale of the graphic, or a negative amount to decrease the vertical scale of the graphic.

Scale – this section is used to change the scale of the selected graphic as it appears in a
drawing.
––•

Width – enter a percentage value to change the width of a selected graphic.
Height – enter a percentage value to change the height of a selected graphic.

Image Size – this section is used to change the size of the selected graphic.
––

Width – enter a value for the width of the selected graphic
Height – enter a value for the height of the selected graphic.

Cropping | 127

–

Original Size – the original size of the graphic is displayed above the button. Clicking on
this button and then clicking OK resets the selected graphic to its original size.

Note
In the Crop dialog, the Width and Height are treated as independent values. Changing
one without the other can result in significant distortion of the image and this may not
be what you want.

Image filter toolbar
Draw offers eleven filter effects that work on the current view of a graphic and they can be
combined. Filters always apply to the entire graphic and it is not possible to use filters to edit only apart of the graphic.
Select a raster graphic to open the Image toolbar (Figure 149 on page 123), then click on theFilter icon to open the Image Filter toolbar (Figure 154).

Figure 154: Image Filter toolbar

Note
If your graphic is embedded, all graphic filters are applied directly to the graphic that isdisplayed in your drawing and cannot be undone in a subsequent session. The originalgraphic is not changed. Save your drawing to keep any filter effects applied to thegraphic in your drawing.
After you save and close the drawing, the graphic filter effects become permanent. If
you do not want to retain a graphic filter, you must use Edit > Undo on the main menu
bar to cancel the filter effect before saving the file.
The filters available on the Image Filter toolbar are as follows:•

Invert image filter – inverts or reverses the color values of a color image (similar to a color
negative), or the brightness values of a grayscale image. Apply the filter again to revert tothe original graphic (Figure 155).

128 | Image filter toolbar

Figure 155: Invert image filter•

Smooth image filter – softens or blurs the image by applying a low pass filter reducing thecontrast between neighboring pixels and produces a slight lack of sharpness (Figure 156).
Selecting this filter opens the Smooth dialog (Figure 157) where you can set and use thesmooth radius parameter when you click OK.

Figure 156: Smooth image filter

Figure 157: Smooth dialog•

Sharpen image filter – sharpens the image by applying a high pass filter, increasing thecontrast between neighboring pixels emphasizing the difference in brightness. This will
accentuate the outlines and the effect will be strengthened if you apply the filter several
times (Figure 158).

Figure 158: Sharpen image filter•

Remove Noise image filter – removes noise by applying a median filter comparing every
pixel with its neighbor. It then replaces any pixel with extreme values that deviate in color bya large amount from the mean value with a pixel that has a mean color value. The amountof picture information does not increase, but because there are fewer contrast changes
resulting in an image that looks smoother (Figure 159).
Image filter toolbar | 129

Figure 159: Remove
noise image filter

Figure 160: Solarization image filter

Figure 161: Solarization dialog•

Solarization image filter – solarization is a phenomenon in photography where an image
recorded on a negative or on a photographic print is wholly or partially reversed in tone.
Dark areas appear light or light areas appear dark. Solarization was originally aphotochemical effect used during photographic film development and is now used in thedigital world of computing to create a change or reversal of color (Figure 160). Selecting theSolarization filter opens the Solarization dialog (Figure 161), where you can define theThreshold value for solarization. Entering a Threshold value above 70% reverses the color
values. Selecting the Invert option causes all the colors to be inverted.

•

Aging image filter – aging creates a look that resembles photographs developed in theearly days of photography. All pixels are set to their gray values and then the green andblue color channels are reduced by the amount specified in Aging degree in the Aging
dialog. Red color channel is not changed (Figure 162). Selecting the Aging image filter
opens the Aging dialog(Figure 163), where you can define the Aging degree and create an
old look for your graphic as shown in the right picture in Figure 162.

130 | Image filter toolbar

Figure 162: Aging image filter

Figure 163: Aging dialog•

Posterize image filter – posterizing reduces the number of colors in an image making it
look flatter. When used on a photograph, posterizing can make the photograph look like apainting. Selecting the Posterize image filter opens the Posterize dialog, where you candefine the number of poster colors to produce the effect you want (Figure 164 and Figure
165).

Figure 164: Posterize image filter

Image filter toolbar | 131

Figure 165: Posterize dialog•

Pop Art image filter – select the Pop Art image filter to change the colors of an image to a
pop-art format (Figure 166).

Figure 166: Pop Art image
filter•Charcoal Sketch image filter – selecting the Charcoal Sketch image filter displays animage as a charcoal sketch. The contours of the image are drawn in black and the originalcolors are suppressed (Figure 167).

Figure 167: Charcoal
Sketch image filter•

Relief image filter – this image filter calculates the edges of an image in relief as if theimage is illuminated by a light source. Selecting the Relief image filter opens the Emboss
dialog where you can select the position of the Light source producing shadows that differ
in direction and magnitude (Figure 168 and Figure 169).

Figure 168: Relief image filter

132 | Image filter toolbar

Figure 169: Emboss dialog•

Mosaic image filter – this image filter joins groups of pixels and converts them into a
rectangular tile in a single color creating an image that appears to be a mosaic. The larger
the individual rectangles created, the fewer details the mosaic graphic has. Selecting thisimage filter opens the Mosaic dialog, where you can set the number of pixels used tocreate the Width and Height of each tile created. Selecting Enhanced edges will enhancethe edges of each tile to create a sharper definition (Figure 170 and Figure 171).

Figure 170: Mosaic image filter

Figure 171: Mosaic dialog

Replacing colors
The Color Replacer only allows you to replace or change a color in embedded graphics foranother color or set a color as transparent. Up to four colors can be replaced at once. The tool
works on the entire graphic and you cannot select an area of the graphic for editing.
The selection list for replacement colors shows all the available colors in the current color palette ofthe drawing. You cannot define any new colors here, but you can add colors to the available palette
before using the Replace Color tool. For more information, see Chapter 10 Advanced Draw
Techniques.

Replacing colors | 133

Figure 172: Color Replacer dialog

Note
The Color Replacer can only be used on embedded graphics. If you try to use theColor Replacer on a linked graphic, you will get the following error message “Thisimage is linked to a document. Do you want to unlink the image in order to edit it?”Replacing colors
Replace colors in an embedded image as follows:
1)

Go to Tools > Color Replacer on the main menu bar to open the Color Replacer dialog(Figure 172).

2)

Select an embedded image to start using the Color Replacer.

3)

Click on the Pipette icon at the top of the Color Replacer dialog to activate the color
selection mode.

4)

Move the cursor over the color you want to replace in the selected image and click on thecolor to be replaced. A check box is now marked and the selected color appears in Source
color.

5)

If necessary, select another three colors in the selected image. Only a maximum of fourcolors can be selected.

6)Enter the amount of tolerance required for replacing the color in the Tolerance box. The
default selection is 10% tolerance.

7)

In Replace with, select a color from the drop-down list for each color selected. Transparent
is the default selection.

8)

After selecting up to four colors for replacement, click Replace to replace the colors in theselected graphic.

9)

There is no preview of the effect. If the result is not what you required, select Edit > Undo
in the main menu bar and repeat the color replacement.

134 | Replacing colors

Replacing transparent areas
It is also possible to replace transparent areas in an embedded image with a color.
1)

Go to Tools > Color Replacer on the main menu bar to open the Color Replacer dialog(Figure 172).

2)

Make sure the embedded image is NOT selected.

3)

Select Transparency in the Color Replacer dialog.

4)

Select a color from the drop-down list next to Transparency.

5)

Click Replace to replace the transparent areas with the selected color.

6)

There is no preview of the effect. If the result is not what you required, select Edit > Undo
in the main menu bar and repeat the transparency replacement.

Tolerance parameter
The Tolerance parameter is used to set how much of the source color in an embedded image isreplaced by another color.
•

Replacing colors that are similar to the color you are replacing, enter a low value for thetolerance parameter.

•

Replacing a wider range of colors, enter a higher value for the tolerance parameter.

Conversion
Contour conversion
Contour conversion converts an image creating, from the original image, a polygon or group ofpolygons with four corner points with the image set as a background graphic. Any editing must becompleted before carrying out a contour conversion because you can not carry out any further
editing on the image.
1)

Make sure that all editing has been completed to the image you are going to convert and it
is selected in your drawing.

2)

Go to Shape > Convert > To Contour on the main menu bar, or right-click on the image
and select Convert > To Contour.

If the conversion creates a group of polygons (for example a text object), then you must enter thegroup using one of the following methods before selecting an individual polygon:•

Go to Shape > Enter Group on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the converted image and select Enter Group from the context menu.

•

Press the F3 key.

Polygon conversion
Polygon conversion is used to convert a selected image to a group of polygons filled with color.
The image is also converted to a vector graphic and can be resized with no loss of image quality or
distortion of any text.
After conversion, you can break the graphic into groups of polygons and then split these groups
into individual polygons. Breaking and splitting allows you to edit or delete individual colors within
the graphic.

Conversion | 135

Figure 173: Convert to Polygon dialog

Converting
1)

Select the image in your drawing.

2)

Convert the image into a polygon using one of the following methods and the Convert to
Polygon dialog opens (Figure 173):–

Go to Shape > Convert > To Polygon on the main menu bar.

–

Right-click on the image and select Convert > To Polygon from the context menu that
opens.

3)

Select the Number of colors and Point reduction to be used in the conversion.

4)

Select Fill holes to prevent any blank areas appearing in your image.

5)

Enter the number of pixels to use for Tile size.

6)

Click Preview to check how your converted graphic will look.

7)

Make any necessary changes to the settings and check the preview again.

8)

If you are satisfied, click OK to convert your image to a polygon and close the Convert to
Polygon dialog.

Conversion options and controls•

Number of colors – enter the number of colors to be displayed in the converted image.
LibreOffice generates a polygon for each occurrence of a color in the image. The range forthe number of colors is between 8 and 32.

•

Point reduction – removes color polygons that are smaller than the pixel value you enter.
The range for point reduction is between 0 and 32 pixels.

•

Fill holes – fills the blank areas in the graphic that can be created when applying a point
reduction.

•

Tile size – enter the size of the rectangle for the background fill. The range of tile sizes is
between 8 and 128 pixels.

136 | Conversion

•Source image – preview of the original image.

•

Vectorized image – preview of the converted image.

•Preview – creates a preview of the converted image without applying any changes.

•

OK – converts the image to a vector graphic consisting of polygons. The result is a metafile
in SVM format (StarView Metafile) used by LibreOffice and allows transfer of the converted
image to other LibreOffice documents.

Breaking
After converting an image to polygons, you can break the vectorized image into groups ofpolygons. Each group of polygons consists of one color and becomes an object that can be used inanother drawing.
1)

Convert your image to polygons, see “Converting” above.

2)

Select your image is selected, then use one of the following methods to break the image
into a group of polygons:

3)–

Go to Shape > Break on the main menu bar.

–

Right-click on the image and select Break from the context menu.

Click on a color in your image then drag the group of polygons filled with that color out ofyour image to create a new image OR press the Delete key and delete the color from yourimage.

SplittingAfter converting an image to polygons and breaking the image into groups of polygons, you canthen split these polygon groups into individual polygons.
1)

Convert your image to polygons, see “Converting” above.

2)

Break your image into groups of polygons, see “Breaking” above.

3)

Select your image, then use one of the following methods to split the groups of polygons
into individual polygons:–

Go to Shape > Split on the main menu bar.

–

Right-click on the image and select Shapes > Split from the context menu.

–

Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K .

4)

Select an individual polygon (or several polygons) in your image and drag it out of yourimage to create new images in your drawing.

5)

Alternatively, press the Delete key to delete the selected polygon(s) from your image.

Bitmap conversion
All drawing objects placed into a LibreOffice drawing are vector graphics and these vector graphics
can be converted to a bitmap (raster graphic)in PNG format. Any transparency effects in theoriginal vector graphic are lost during conversion even though the PNG format used LO Draw
supports transparencies.
Use one of the following methods to convert a vector graphic to a bitmap:•

Go to Shape > Convert > To Bitmap on the main menu bar.

•

Right-click on the graphic and select Convert > To Bitmap from the context menu.

Conversion | 137

Figure 174: LO Draw Print Options dialog

Figure 175: LibreOffice Draw Print dialog for current
document

Print options
If you have only a monochrome (single color) printer or are experiencing problems with printing,then the following settings may help with printing your drawing. You can set up printing so that all
text and all graphics are printed either in grayscale or black and white.
The general settings are in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Print on the main menu bar toopen the Options – LibreOffice Draw – Print dialog (Figure 174). These options apply to all
drawings that you print using LibreOffice Draw.
To set printing options for the current document only, go to File > Print on the main menu bar or
use the keyboard combination Ctrl+P and click on the LibreOffice Draw tab in the Print dialog(Figure 175).

138 | Print options

Figure 176: LibreOffice Print Options dialog
To set printing options for all the modules in LibreOffice, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice >Print (Figure 176). These printing options allow you to reduce the amount of print data sent to a
printer or file. Also printer warnings can be given if the wrong paper size or orientation andtransparency is used.

Print options | 139

Draw Guide

Chapter 7
Working with 3D Objects

Introduction
Although Draw does not match the functionality of leading drawing or picture editing programs, it iscapable of producing and editing 3D drawings.
In Draw there are two different types of 3D objects available: 3D scenes and extruded 3D shapes.
The Status Bar indicates when a 3D scene has been selected (Figure 177). However, the Status
Bar only indicates a shape has been selected (Figure 178) when an extruded 3D shape isselected.

Figure 177: Status Bar showing 3D scene selected
Figure 178: Status Bar showing Shape selected
Depending on which type you choose, there are different possibilities for further editing of theobject (rotation, illumination, perspective, and so on). Extruded 3D shapes are simpler to set up
and edit, but 3D scenes allow for greater customization.
3D objects can be created using one of the following methods:•••

3D Objects – these are ready made 3D objects, which are 3D scenes. Selected using oneof the following methods:–

Click on 3D Objects in the Drawing toolbar (Figure 179 on page 142).

–

Select a 3D object in 3D Objects in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.

Convert a 2D object into a 3D scene use one of the following tools on the Drawing toolbar(Figure 179 on page 142):–

To 3D – creates a 3D scene containing an extrusion object.

–

To 3D Rotation Object – creates a 3D scene into a rotation object using a default
rotation axis.

–

In 3D Rotation Object – creates a 3D scene into a rotation object using a user definedrotation axis

Toggle Extrusion – creates a 3D shape by by extruding a 2D object into 3D. Only 3D
shapes that have been extruded can be converted back to a 2D object.

3D object types
3D scenes
3D scenes are created from objects with dimensions using x, y, and z coordinates and can containobject types, such as cube, sphere, extrusion object and rotation object. These object types do notexist outside a 3D scene.
The Status Bar displays 3D scene selected (Figure 177) when a 3D object is selected that has
been created from a 2D object using body rotation or conversion, or it is a ready-made 3D object
that has been inserted into your drawing.
A 3D scene acts similar to a group. Just like a group, you have to enter a 3D scene to edit anindividual object in the 3D scene and then exit after you finished editing. See Chapter 5 Combining
Multiple Objects for more information on entering, editing and exiting groups.

3D object types | 141

When you create a 3D scene from a selection of more than one 2D object, a group is automaticallycreated as a single 3D scene. You can enter this 3D scene so that you can change, edit and rotate
individual objects within the 3D scene.

Note
You cannot ungroup into individual objects a 3D scene that has been created from aselection of 2D objects.

3D shapes
3D shapes are solid objects that have three dimensions. These dimensions are length, width, andheight. While 2D shapes are flat, 3D shapes that have depth to them.
A 3D shape is created when a 2D shape or an object from the Fontwork Gallery is turned into 3D
using tool Toggle Extrusion. The Status Bar displays Shape selected (Figure 178) when this typeof 3D object is selected.
A 3D shape can be viewed and edited in 3D or 2D mode. To edit in 2D mode, switch off extrusion,
carry out your editing and switch back to 3D mode using extrusion.

Note
Extrusion can only be used when you select a 2D shape, or select a 3D object that has
been extruded from a 2D shape or an object from the Fontwork Gallery by using thetool Toggle Extrusion. It is not available for text, lines, arrows, curves and polygons.

Drawing toolbar
Before you begin creating 3D objects in your drawing, it is recommended that you add the 3D and
extrusion tools to the Drawing toolbar (Figure 179) using Visible Buttons (Figure 180) or
Customize Dialog (Figure 181).

Figure 179: Drawing toolbar with 3D tools

Note
The 3D icons are only available when you select a 2D object, text or Fontwork Gallery
and are not included with the default set of icons on the Drawing toolbar.

142 | Drawing toolbar

Figure 180: Visible Buttons on Drawing toolbar

Figure 181: Customize dialog

Visible Buttons
1)

Click on the down pointing triangle ▼, or right-click in an empty area on the Drawing
toolbar and select Visible Buttons from the context menu.

2)

Select the 3D buttons/tools you require from Visible Buttons (Figure 180). The 3D button
selected will appear on the Drawing toolbar. A check mark (✓) against each name in
Visible Buttons indicates which button is installed on the Drawing toolbar.

Drawing toolbar | 143

Customize Toolbar
1)

Right-click in an empty area on the Drawing toolbar and select Customize Toolbar fromthe context menu opening the Customize dialog (Figure 181).

2)

Make sure that Drawing is displayed in the Target text box.

3)

In Available Commands scroll down until you have located the 3D button you require.

4)

Alternatively, enter the name of the 3D button you require in the Search text box and the
3D button will appear in Available Commands.

5)

Click on the right facing arrow

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the Customize dialog. The 3D button will appear
on the Drawing toolbar.

➡︎and the 3D button will appear in Assigned Commands.

Creating 3D objects
3D ready made objects
3D ready made objects are 3D scenes and are inserted into your drawing using one of thefollowing methods:•

Click on the triangle to the right of the 3D Objects icon on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 179
on page 142) and select a 3D object from the pop up options. The 3D Objects icon
displayed on the Drawing toolbar will depend on the 3D object that had been previously
selected and used.

•

Go to View > Toolbars > 3D-Objects on the main menu bar to open the 3D-Objects
toolbar (Figure 182). The selection and drawing of 3D objects is the same as clicking on the
3D Objects icon on the Drawing toolbar.

•

Go to Shapes > Insert > 3D Objects on the main menu bar.

•

Go to Shapes > Default > 3D Objects on the Sidebar and select a 3D object. The
selection and drawing of 3D objects is the same as the ones available on the Drawing and
3D-Objects toolbars.

Figure 182: 3D-Objects
toolbar

Note
Ready made 3D objects can be repositioned, resized and edited similar to 2D basic
shapes. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects for more information.

Extrusion using To 3D
The To 3D tool converts a 2D object into a 3D scene by extruding the 2D object towards theobserver. The scene is rotated by 20deg around the horizontal axis to make the 3D effect more
visible. Examples of using the To 3D tool are shown in Figure 183.

144 | Creating 3D objects

Figure 183: Examples of To 3D conversion
A 2D object is converted into a 3D scene using one of the following methods:•

Right-click on a 2D object selected in your drawing, then select Convert > To 3D from thecontext menu.

•

Select a 2D object in your drawing and click on the To 3D icon in the Drawing toolbar(Figure 179 on page 142).

•

Select a 2D object in your drawing and click on the To 3D icon in the 3D Effects dialog(Figure 189 on page 149).

Rotation
To 3D Rotation Object
The To 3D Rotation Object tool converts a 2D object into a 3D scene by rotating the object using
the left edge of the bounding box around the object as the axis of rotation. Examples of using To
3D Rotation are shown in Figure 184, where a thick line has been used as an example object. The
actual 3D shape created also depends on the angle and shape of the object being rotated.
A 2D object is converted into a 3D scene using one of the following methods:•

Right-click on a 2D object selected in your drawing, then select Convert > To 3D Object
Rotation from the context menu.

•

Select a 2D object in your drawing and click on the To 3D Object Rotation icon in the
Drawing toolbar (Figure 179 on page 142).

Figure 184: Examples of To 3D Rotation Object conversion

In 3D Rotation Object
The In 3D Rotation Object tool converts a 2D object into a 3D scene by rotating the object using a
movable axis of rotation.
Examples of adjusting the rotation location and angle are shown in Figure 185 where a thick line
has been used as an example object. The actual 3D scene created also depends on the angle andshape of the object being rotated.
1)

Draw a 2D object and make sure it is selected.

2)

Click on the In 3D Rotation Object icon in the Drawing toolbar (Figure 179 on page 142).

Creating 3D objects | 145

Figure 185: Example of In 3D Rotation Object conversion
3)

Adjust the position and angle of the rotation axis. This is shown as a dashed line withrotation points at each end.

4)

Click anywhere outside the 2D object and it is converted into a 3D scene.

Toggle Extrusion
Extrusion is where parallel surfaces are moved to create a 3D shape. In Draw, the 2D surface is
moved forwards out of the drawing level. At the same time the object is slightly tilted and central
projection turned on creating the impression of a 3D shape. Draw uses a default value for thisextrusion (body depth) based on the size of the 2D object. The value can be changed after the
extrusion; see “Editing 3D objects” on page 147).
Extrusion conversion is carried out using Toggle Extrusion tool creating a 3D shape from a 2D
object. Extrusion only works on basic shapes, symbol shapes, block arrows, flowcharts, callouts,
and stars and banners that are included as a part of the default set of tools on the Drawing toolbar
or in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar. Extrusion can also be used on any objects created using the
Fontwork Gallery. Example extrusions are shown in Figure 186.
1)

Draw the 2D object in your drawing and make sure it is selected.

2)

Click on the Toggle Extrusion icon on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 179 on page 142) toconvert the 2D object into a 3D shape.

3)

To convert a 3D conversion back into a 2D object, select the 3D object and click on the
Toggle Extrusion icon.

Note
Extrusion can not be used on text objects created using Insert Text Box or Insert
Vertical Text on the Standard toolbar.

146 | Creating 3D objects

Figure 186: Examples of Toggle Extrusion conversion

Editing 3D objects
Note
Where 3D scenes have been created from more than one 2D object, a 3D scene
group is automatically created. You cannot ungroup this 3D scene group and any
editing carried out will affect all 3D objects within the group. To edit an individual 3D
object within this 3D scene group, you must enter the group. See Chapter 5
Combining Multiple Objects more information on working with groups.

Position, Size and Rotation
Editing the position, size and rotation of 3D objects is similar to 2D objects. See Chapter 3 Working
with Objects and Object Points for more information.

3D settings
The 3D-Settings toolbar (Figure 187) is only used to edit a 3D shape that has been created from a
2D object using Toggle Extrusion (see “Toggle Extrusion” on page 146 for more information).
To open the 3D-Settings toolbar, go to View > Toolbars > 3D-Settings on the main menu bar.
The 3D-Settings toolbar only becomes active when a 3D shape has been selected that has beencreated using Toggle Extrusion.
The tools available for editing 3D shapes are as follows and shown in Figure 187. The result of any
changes made using these editing tools is applied to the selected 3D shape immediately and the3D effect is displayed.
•

Toggle Extrusion – used to create a 3D shape from a 2D object. If necessary, can also be
used to switch off the 3D effects created by extrusion allowing you to edit the underlying 2D
object.

•Tilt Down – tilts the selected object downward (horizontal axis rotation) by 5 degrees eachtime the icon is used.

•

Tilt Up – tilts the selected object upward (horizontal axis rotation) by 5 degrees each timethe icon is used.

•

Tilt Left – tilts the selected object left (vertical axis rotation) by 5 degrees each time theicon is used.

Editing 3D objects | 147

Figure 187: 3D-Settings toolbar•

Tilt Right – tilts the selected object right (vertical axis rotation) by 5 degrees each time theicon is used.

•

Depth – opens a pop-up menu where you can set the extrusion depth from an object by afixed or custom amount.

•Direction – opens a pop-up menu where you can set the view direction to create an
extrusion in either a perspective or parallel projection.

•

Lighting – opens a pop-up menu where you can set the direction and intensity of thelighting when creating an extrusion.

•

Surface – opens a pop-up menu where you can set the surface of the extrusion as matt, or
wireframe display.

•

3D Color – opens a pop-up menu where you can set the color used for the extrusion. This
color does not have to be the same as the color used for the original 2D object.

Figure 188 shows an example of tilting left, increasing extrusion depth and changing 3D color
using the 3D-Settings toolbar.

Figure 188: Example of 3D-settingschangedNote
The 3D Effects dialog described below cannot be used on 3D shapes created using
Toggle Extrusion because the correct formatting results will not be achieved. If you
use the 3D Effects dialog in error, you can remove any incorrect formatting by going toFormat > Default Formatting on the main menu bar.

148 | Editing 3D objects

Figure 189: 3D Effects dialog - Geometry page3D effects
The 3D Effects dialog offers a wide range of possible settings for editing 3D ready made objects or
3D scenes. This dialog can also be used to convert a 2D object to 3D using the tools in the bottom
left corner of the dialog.
To open the 3D Effects dialog (Figure 189), click on the 3D Effects icon on the Drawing toolbar(Figure 179 on page 142).
Any 3D effects that you apply to a 3D scene are not carried out until you click on Assign in the top
right of the 3D Effects dialog. This allows you to make all the 3D effect changes before applying
them to your 3D scene.

3D conversion
In the bottom left corner of the 3D Effects dialog are icons allowing you to convert a 2D object into
a 3D scene and to change the projection used in a 3D scene.
•

Convert to 3D – converts the selected object into a 3D scene. This tool works in the same
way as “Extrusion using To 3D” on page 144.

•

Convert to Rotation Object – converts a 2D object into a 3D scene using body rotation.
This tool works in the same way as “To 3D Rotation Object” on page 145.

•

Perspective On/Off – switches perspective projection on or off for a 3D scene. Perspective
projection is a type of drawing that graphically approximates on a 2D surface (for example
paper) the images of 3D objects so as to approximate actual visual perception. It issometimes also called perspective view or perspective drawing or simply perspective.

Editing 3D objects | 149

3D Effects – Geometry
On the Geometry page of the 3D Effects dialog (Figure 189) you can make changes to thegeometry of a 3D object.
•

Geometry – defines the properties for an object in a 3D scene created from a 2D object.
–

Rounded edges – enter the amount by which you want to round the corners of a 3D
shape as shown by the example in Figure 190. The default setting for rounded edges is10%.

Figure 190: Rounded edges example–

Scaled depth – enter the amount by which to increase or decrease the frontal area ofthe selected 3D object. Figure 191 shows an example where the scaled depth has been
increased to 150% and then decreased to 50%. The default setting for scaled depth is100%.

Figure 191: Scaled depth example–

Rotation angle – enter the angle in degrees to rotate a 2D object that has been
converted to 3D using To 3D Rotation Object. Figure 192 shows an example of a 2D
circle converted to 3D and the rotation angle changed to 150 degrees.

Figure 192: Rotation angle example–

Depth – enter the extrusion depth for the selected 3D object. This option is not available
for 2D rotation objects converted to 3D using To 3D Rotation Object. Figure 193
shows an example of a 2D circle converted to a 3D cylinder with the extrusion depth
increased to 3 cm.

150 | Editing 3D objects

Figure 193: Depth increase example•

Segments – changes the number of segments that Draw uses to draw a 3D rotation object.
The higher the number of segments, the smoother the object surface will be. However, ahigh segment number may increase the time it takes to generate the 3D object on yourdisplay. Figure 194 shows the difference on a 3D sphere when the segments have been
increased from 10 to 30 segments horizontally and vertically.
–

Horizontal – enter the number of horizontal segments to use in the selected 3D rotation
object.

–Vertical – enter the number of vertical segments to use in the selected 3D rotation
object.

Figure 194: Segments example•

Normals – modifies the rendering style of the 3D surface (Figure 195 and Figure 196).
–

Object-Specific – renders the 3D surface according to the shape of the object. For
example, a circular shape is rendered with a spherical surface.

–

Flat – renders the 3D surface as polygons.

–

Spherical – renders a smooth 3D surface regardless of the shape of the object.

–

Invert Normals – an inverted normal is a normal that is pointing in the wrong direction.
This tells a computer that an outside face is actually an inside face when it is not. If you
have a hollow design, an inverted normal can be indicated as you have both surfaces
facing in and out in the same model.

Figure 195: Normals example - Object-Specific, Flat, Spherical

Editing 3D objects | 151

Figure 196: Invert Normals and DoubleSided Illumination examples–

Double-Sided Illumination – lights the outside and the inside of the object. This has only
an effect, if the inside is drawn at all, see double-sided. This is a setting for the whole ofthe 3D scene and not for a single object within the scene.

–

Double-Sided – a 3D object has outside (front) and inside (back) faces. With DoubleSided switched off, only the outside face of the object is rendered. The effect, whenlooking from outside, is that the object solid, but, when looking from inside, the front
face is transparent. If there is no view to the inside face, normally for an extruded 3D
object with solid texture, the Double-Sided should be switched off to improve
performance during rendering. Any 3D object created using rotation often allow aninside view and it is recommended that Double-Sided is switched on.

Figure 197: 3D Effects dialog - Shading page152 | Editing 3D objects

3D Effects – Shading
On the Shading page of the 3D Effects dialog (Figure 197) you can set the shading, shadow, andcamera options for the selected 3D object.
•

Shading – specifies the type of shading applied to a 3D object (Figure 198).
–

Gouraud Mode – estimates the surface normal of each vertex in a polygonal 3D model
specified for each vertex or found by averaging the surface normals of the polygons thatmeet at each vertex.

–

Phong Mode – calculates the normal of a point in the polygon by interpolating thenormals of the vertices. The angle between normal and lighting direction determines
how much of the lighting is used to color the pixel.

–

Flat Mode – assigns a single color of shading to a single segment on the surface of theobject.

Figure 198: Shading mode examples•

Shadow – adds or removes a shadow from a selected 3D object (Figure 199). A shadow
will be generated only from the first light source.
–

3D Shadowing On/Off – switches the shadowing on or off.

–

Surface angle – enter an angle from the light source to the surface between 0 to 90
degrees to cast a shadow.

Figure 199: Shadow angle example•

Camera – sets the camera options for a selected 3D scene as if you are actually using acamera to take a photograph (Figure 200). The settings affect only central perspective notparallel projection.
–

Distance – enter the distance to leave between the camera and the center of theselected 3D scene. The default setting for distance is 2.6cm.

–

Focal length – enter the focal length of the camera lens, where a small value
corresponds to a fish-eye lens and a large value to a telephoto lens. The default setting
for focal length is 10cm.

Editing 3D objects | 153

Figure 200: Camera distance and focal length example

Figure 201: 3D Effects dialog - Illumination
page

3D Effects – Illumination
The Illumination page of the Effects dialog (Figure 201) defines how a 3D scene is lit and thesettings apply to all 3D objects in a scene. You can specify the direction of the light source, color of
the light source and the ambient light for the 3D scene.
By default one light source is already selected when you open the Illumination page. You canselect another light source or use more than one light source for illumination. A maximum of eightsources can be used and each light source can use a different color. Figure 201 shows three lightsources selected with each color having a different color
1)

Select a Light source icon to turn the light source on. The icon changes to an illuminated
bulb.

2)

Press the space bar or click again on the selected light source to adjust the color for thelight source.

154 | Editing 3D objects

3)

Select a color for the light from the drop-down list for Light source. A different color can beused for each light source selected.

4)

Select a color from the drop-down list for Ambient light to set the color of the surrounding
light.

5)

To deselect a light source, select a Light source and click on it again.

The light source location and color are shown in the lower right corner of the Illumination page. The
vertical slider bar adjusts the lighting angle and the horizontal slider bar rotates the light about theobject. Alternatively you can click on the light point and drag the light source to where you want it.
To change the preview from a sphere to a cube, click on the small square to the right of thehorizontal slider bar and below the vertical slider bar.
Each light source selected is shown as a small colored sphere in the color specified for it. The
larger colored sphere indicates the active light source.

3D Effects – Textures
On the Textures page of the Effects dialog (Figure 202) you can set the properties of the surface
texture for a selected 3D object. The Textures page is only available after you have set the area fillof a 3D object to Gradient, Hatching or Bitmap. For more information on changing area fill, see
Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes.
••

Type – sets the color properties of the texture.
–

Black & White – converts the texture to black and white.

–

Color – converts the texture to color.

Mode – shows or hides shading.
–Only Texture – applies the texture without shading.

–

Texture and Shading – applies the texture with shading. To define the shading options
for the texture, see “3D Effects – Shading” above.

Figure 202: 3D Effects dialog - Textures page

Editing 3D objects | 155

–
•

•

•

Texture, Shadow and Color – applies the texture with a shadow and color. To define
the shading options for the texture, see “3D Effects – Shading” above.

Projection X – sets the options for displaying the texture along the X axis. Only one of thethree following options can be selected.
–

Object-Specific – automatically adjusts the texture for best fit based on the shape andsize of the object. This is the default setting for all but extrusion objects.

–

Parallel – applies the texture parallel to the horizontal axis and is mirrored on the rearside of the object. This is the default setting for extrusion objects.

–

Circular – wraps the horizontal axis of the texture pattern around an object.

Projection Y – sets the options for displaying the texture along the Y axis. Only one of thethree following options can be selected.
–

Object-Specific – automatically adjusts the texture for best fit based on the shape andsize of the object. This is the default setting for all but extrusion objects.

–

Parallel – applies the texture parallel to the vertical axis and is mirrored on the rear sideof the object. This is the default setting for extrusion objects.

–

Circular – wraps the vertical axis of the texture pattern around an object.

Filter – filters out noise that can occur when you apply a texture to a 3D object.
–

Filtering On/Off – applies a soft focus filter blurring the texture slightly to remove
unwanted speckles.

3D Effects – Material
On the Materials page of the Effects dialog (Figure 203) you can change the appearance of a 3D
object to represent different materials. Materials and textures can be combined with each otherand it is a matter of trial and error to achieve the desired result.

Figure 203: 3D Effects dialog - Materials page156 | Editing 3D objects

Figure 204: Pick a Color dialog•••

Material – assigns a predefined color from a color palette or lets you create your own color.
Custom colors are stored in the custom palette, see Chapter 11 Advanced Draw
Techniques for more information on color.
–

Favorites – select a color from a predefined color palette, or a predefined custom color
from the custom palette. Only applicable, if the Area fill is set to Color and then thecolor selected in Favorites becomes the area fill color–

Object color – select a color from a predefined color palette, or a predefined custom
color from the custom palette. Only applicable, if the Area fill is set to Color and thenObject color becomes the area fill color.

–

Illumination color – select a color to illuminate the object and to brighten parts of theobject which lie in shadow. This makes the object seem more illuminated.

Specular – sets the light reflection properties for the selected object simulating thereflecting capacity of the surface. The position of the illuminated point is determined by thesetting of the first light source.
–

Color – select the color that you want the object to reflect.

–

Intensity – enter the intensity of the specular effect.

Colors Dialog icon – opens the Pick a Color dialog (Figure 204) where you define yourown colors using the two-dimensional graphic and numerical gradient chart. Any colors
created are stored in the custom palette. See Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques formore information on color.

Note
Metallic and glass surfaces do not simulate well because the appearance of thesematerials is produced using reflection.

Editing 3D objects | 157

Tip
Do not use a very high brightness values for individual colors. These are all additiveand it is easy to end up with a colored area that is white.

Combining objects
Multiple 3D objects cannot be combined using the Combine command (Shape > Combine on themain menu bar or Shift+Ctrl+K). You have to create multiple 2D objects first, then create a single
3D object as follows (see Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information on combining
objects):
1)

Create multiple 2D objects and carry out all the necessary editing changes.

2)

Make sure that all 2D objects are selected you want to use for a single 3D object.

3)

Create a single 3D object combining the multiple 2D objects using one of the following
methods (example conversions shown in Figure 205):–

Click on To 3D or To 3D Rotation Object on the Drawing toolbar.

–

Right click on the selected multiple 2D objects and select Convert > To 3D or To 3D
Rotation Object from the context menu.

–

Go to Shape > Convert > To 3D or To 3D Rotation Object on the main menu bar.

Figure 205: 3D object created frommultiple 2D objects

Figure 206: Assembling 3D objects

158 | Combining objects

Assembling 3D objects
3D objects that each form a separate 3D scene can be combined or assembled into a single 3D
scene as follows and shown in Figure 206:
1)

Insert a 3D object (for example, a cube) from 3D Objects on the Drawing toolbar or
Shapes deck on the Sidebar.

2)

Insert a second 3D object (for example, a sphere) from 3D Objects on the Drawing toolbar
or Shapes deck on the Sidebar.

3)

If necessary, set the area fill to None and the lines to Continuous to create wire frame
objects (as shown in Figure 206). This will make it easier to position both objects in theassembled 3D scene.

4)

Select the second 3D object (sphere) and go to Edit > Cut on the main menu bar or rightclick on the object and select Cut from the context menu.

5)

Double-click the first 3D object (cube) to enter its group or go Shape > Group > Enter
Group on the main menu bar.

6)

Go to Edit > Paste on the main menu bar or right-click on the first 3D object and selectPaste from the context menu. The sphere now appears inside the cube and is now part ofthe same group. If you want, you can edit the individual objects or change their position
within the group.

7)

Double-click outside the 3D assembled scene to exit the group, or go to Shape > Group >Exit Group on the main menu bar.

Note
The second object will also reappear in its original position when you carry out the
Paste command. This object is NOT part of the assembled 3D scene and can bedeleted if necessary.

Assembling 3D objects | 159

Draw Guide

Chapter 8
Connections, Flowcharts, andOrganization Charts

Introduction
Connectors and glue points were briefly introduced in Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes. Thissection describes them in more detail and how to use them.
Connectors are lines or arrows whose ends automatically dock to a connection or glue point on an
object. Connectors are useful when drawing, for example, flowcharts and organization charts. The
connecting lines between objects remain intact even when objects are moved or rearranged. Also,
if you copy an object with a connector, the connector is also copied.

Connectors and glue points
Connectors
Draw has a comprehensive selection of connectors to help you connect objects in, for example, aflowchart or organization chart. The default set of connectors can be accessed using one of thefollowing methods:•

Click the small triangle to the right of the Connector icon on the Drawing toolbar(highlighted in Figure 207). The icon changes shape depending on the last connector used.

•

Select a connector from Shapes > Default > Connectors on the Sidebar (Figure 208).

The connectors on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 207) can be displayed as a floating toolbar as
follows:
1)

Click on the small triangle on the right of the Connector icon on the Drawing toolbar.

2)

Click at the top of the pop up toolbar and drag it on to the Workspace.

3)

Release the mouse button and the pop up toolbar becomes a floating toolbar (Figure 209).

Figure 207: Drawing toolbar

Figure 208: Connectors section in
Shapes deck on Sidebar

Connectors and glue points | 161

Figure 209: Connectors toolbar

Figure 210: Connectors toolbar Visible Buttons

Connector types
The full range of predefined connectors can be accessed by clicking on the small downward facing
triangle on the Connectors toolbar and selecting Visible Buttons (Figure 210). The connectors
available on the toolbar are indicated by a check mark against the name.
Connectors fall into four type groups:•

Standard connectors – connector name starts with Connector. Line segments run
vertically and horizontally. Draws a connector with one or more 90-degree angle bends.
Click on an object glue point on an object, drag to a glue point on another object, thenrelease.

162 | Connectors and glue points•Line connectors – connector name starts with Line. Consists of a line segment with two
smaller segments at the ends and draws a connector that bends near a glue point. Click on
an object glue point, drag to a glue point on another object, then release. To adjust thelength of the line segment between a bend point and a glue point, click the connector anddrag the bend point.

•

Straight connectors – connector name starts with Straight. Consists of a single line anddraws a straight line connector. Click on an object glue point, drag to a glue point onanother object, then release.

•

Curved connectors – connector name starts with Curved. Based on Bézier curves andcurve around objects. Draws a curved line connector. Click on an object glue point, drag to
a glue point on another object, then release.

Adding connectors
When you select a connector and move the mouse pointer over a filled object or the edge of an
unfilled object, glue points appear. A glue point is a fixed point where you can attach a connector
line. You can also add custom glue points to an object, see “Glue points” on page 164 for more
information.
To draw a connector, select the connector type and click on a glue point on an object. Drag the
cursor to a glue point on another object and then release. Figure 211 shows a standard connector
drawn between two objects. Remember not to drag the connector so that it overlaps or touches
any objects and creates a confusing drawing. If this does happen, see “Modifying connectors”
below on how to change the connector route to avoid any objects the connector crosses over.
You can also drag a connector to an empty part of your document. When you release the mousebutton, the unattached end of the connector is locked into place until you drag the end to adifferent location.

Figure 211: Connector between two objects

Modifying connectors
To detach or reposition a connector, click and drag either end of the connector line to a different
location.
To change the connector route between objects avoiding any objects on the route, click on acontrol point on the connector line and drag it to a new position. In Figure 211, the control points
are shown as small red squares.
To modify a connector, right-click on the connector and select Connector from the context menu to
open the Connector dialog (Figure 212). Use this dialog to change connector type and its
properties.
•

Line skew – defines the skew of the line and the dialog preview displays the result.

•Line spacing – sets the spacing for the connectors.
–

Begin horizontal – enter the amount of horizontal space you want at the beginning of
the connector.
Connectors and glue points | 163

Figure 212: Connector dialog•–

Begin vertical – enter the amount of vertical space you want at the beginning of theconnector.

–

End horizontal – enter the amount of horizontal space you want at the end of theconnector.

–

End vertical – enter the amount of vertical space you want at the end of the connector

Preview window – a left click zooms in on the preview and a right click zooms out..

Note
You cannot swap the ends of the connector using the Connector dialog, that is startpoint becomes the end point and the end point becomes the start point. To swap theends of a connector, you have to draw a new connector in the opposite direction.

Glue points
Glue points are not the same as the selection handles of an object. The selection handles are formoving or changing the shape of an object (see Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points
for more information). Glue points are used to fix or glue a connector to an object so that when theobject moves, the connector stays fixed to that object.
All Draw objects have glue points, which normally are not displayed and only become visible when
the Connectors icon on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 207 on page 161) is selected. Note that theConnectors icon changes shape depending on the last connector tool used.
To add, customize or delete glue points to an object, go to View > Toolbars > Glue Points on themain menu bar to activate the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 213). This toolbar only becomes visible
after using one of the following methods:•

Click on the Show Glue Point Functions icon on the Standard or Drawing toolbars.

•

Select Edit > Glue Points on the main menu bar.

164 | Connectors and glue points

Figure 213: Glue Points toolbar and Visible
Buttons

Note
The Show Glue Point Functions icon on the Drawing toolbar is not part of thedefault set of tools for the Drawing toolbar. To add this icon, right click in an empty on
the Drawing toolbar and select Visible Buttons > Glue Points from the context
menu.

Glue point types
When the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 213) opens, only the six tools on the left of the toolbar are
active. The remaining six tools on the right of the toolbar only become active when the Glue Point
Relative icon is deselected.
The following briefly describes the function of each tool on the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 213).
•

Insert Glue Point – inserts a glue point where you click in an object.

•

Exit Direction Left – connector attaches to the left edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Top – connector attaches to the top edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Right – connector attaches to the right edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Bottom – connector attaches to the bottom edge of the selected glue point.

•

Glue Point Relative – maintains the relative position of a selected glue point when you
resize an object. This tool is selected by default when the Glue Point toolbar opens.

The following six tools only become active when the Glue Point Relative tool is deselected.
•

Glue Point Horizontal Left – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the left edge of the object.

•

Glue Point Horizontal Center – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the center of the object.

•

Glue Point Horizontal Right – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the right edge of the object.

•

Glue Point Vertical Top – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains fixedat the top edge of the object.
Connectors and glue points | 165

•Glue Point Vertical Center – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the vertical center of the object.

•

Glue Point Vertical Bottom – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the bottom edge of the object.

Note
Each glue point you have added can have only one horizontal position and one vertical
position. Only one of the horizontal position tools and one of the vertical position tools
can be selected and used at any one time.

Adding glue points
By default, most objects normally have four glue points. Add additional glue points to an object asfollows:
1)

Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to open the Glue
Points toolbar:–

Click on the Show Glue Point Functions icon on the Standard or Drawing toolbars.

–

Select Edit > Glue Points on the main menu bar.

2)

If the Glue Points toolbar does not open, go to View > Toolbars > Glue Points on themain menu bar.

3)

Select the object and then the Insert Glue Point icon, or right click on a glue point you
have previously inserted and select Insert Glue Point from the context menu.

4)Move your cursor to a position where you want the glue point on an object and click toinsert the glue point.

5)

To move a glue point to another position, click on the glue point and drag it to its new
position.

Tip
When adding, moving or customizing glue points, it is recommended to use the zoom
function to make it easier to work with glue points. See Chapter 3 Working with
Objects and Object Points for more information. Also, glue points snap to the grid
making it easier to position a glue point.

Customizing glue points
Only glue points that have been added to an object can be customized. The default glue points
included with an object cannot be customized.
Customize the exit direction for the added glue point as follow:
1)

Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to activate glue
points that have been added to an object:–

Click on the Show Glue Point Functions icon on the Standard or Drawing toolbars.

–

Select Edit > Glue Points on the main menu bar

2)

If the Glue Points toolbar does not open, go to View > Toolbars > Glue Points on themain menu bar.

3)

Double-click on a glue point that you have added to select the glue point for customization.

166 | Connectors and glue points

4)

Select an exit direction you want to use for the connector you will be attaching to the glue
point from the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 213 on page 165), or right click on the glue point
and select the exit direction from the context menu.

Customize the horizontal and vertical positioning for the added glue point as follow:
1)

Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to activate glue
points that have been added to an object:–

Click on the Show Glue Point Functions icon on the Standard or Drawing toolbars.

–

Select Edit > Glue Points on the main menu bar

2)

If the Glue Points toolbar does not open, go to View > Toolbars > Glue Points on themain menu bar.

3)

Double-click on a glue point that you have added to select the glue point for customization.

4)

Click on the Glue Point Relative icon on the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 213 on page165) to deselect this tool, or right-click on the glue point and deselect Glue Point Relativefrom the context menu.

5)

Select the horizontal and vertical positioning tools you want to use for the glue point. Only
one horizontal positioning tool and one vertical positioning tool can be used at any one
time.

Deleting glue points
Only glue points that have been added to an object can be deleted. The default glue points
included with an object cannot be deleted.
1)

Select the glue point you have previously added and now want to delete.

2)

Press the Delete key or go to Edit > Cut on the main menu bar.

Connector text
Text can be easily added to connectors, then formatted or edited to make, for example, yourflowchart or organization chart easier to follow. See Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes and Chapter
9 Adding and Formatting Text for more information on working with text.

Figure 214: Text Formatting toolbar

Adding text
1)

Select the connector and the control points become active.

2)

Click on the Text icon or Text Vertical icon (if active) on the Standard toolbar. A flashingtext cursor appears close to the connector and the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 214)
opens.

3)

If necessary, use the tools available on the Text Formatting toolbar or go to Format > Text
on the main menu bar to change the text format.

4)Type the text and, when you have finished typing your text, move the cursor away from thetext and connector and click to end the text mode. This also closes the Text Formatting
toolbar.

Connectors and glue points | 167

Figure 215: Text dialog – Text page

Figure 216: Text dialog – Text Animation page

Formatting and editing text
1)

Select the connector and the control points become active.

2)

Click on the Text icon or Text Vertical icon (if active) on the Standard toolbar and the Text
Formatting toolbar (Figure 214) opens.

3)

Use the tools available on the Text Formatting toolbar or go to Format > Text on the main
menu bar to change the text format.

4)

Right-click on the connector text and select Text from the context menu to open the Text
dialog (Figure 215) allowing you to change how the text appears next to the connector:–

Drawing Object Text – allows you to fit the text to the connector rectangle (frame) or
allow the text to follow the contour of the connector.

–

Spacing to Borders – creates margins around the text within the connector rectangle.

–

Text Anchor – positions the text within the connector rectangle.

168 | Connectors and glue points

5)

If required, click on the Text Animation tab (Figure 216) where you can select options toanimate the text. However, this is not recommended unless you are going to display thedrawing as part of a presentation. See the Impress Guide for more information on text
animation.

6)

When you have finished editing the text, move the cursor away from text and connector
and click to end the text mode. This also closes the Text Formatting toolbar.

Flowcharts
For drawing flowcharts (also known as flow diagrams), Draw has a Flowchart toolbar (Figure 217)
that includes a large selection of flowchart tools to help you to easily draw a flowchart. To open the
Flowchart toolbar:
1)

Click on the small triangle to the right of the Flowchart icon on the Drawing toolbar toopen the Flowchart pop up menu. Note that this icon changes shape depending on the lastflowchart tool used.

2)

Click at the top of the Flowchart menu and drag it into your workspace.

3)

Release the mouse button and the Flowchart menu becomes a floating Flowchart toolbar.

Figure 217: Flowchart toolbar and Visible Buttons
Flowcharts | 169

Recommended basic steps to follow when creating a flowchart:
1)

When adding objects to your flowchart, see Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes for
information on how to draw and resize object shapes.

2)

Add text to each flowchart shape to make it easily identified in the flowchart. See Chapter 2
Drawing Basic Shapes and Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques for more information.

3)

Use connections lines in your flowchart. This allows repositioning of an object in your chart
while maintaining connections with the other objects in the chart. See “Connectors and glue
points” on page 161 for more information.

4)

Use the zoom, grid and snap functions to help in positioning objects in your flowchart. See
Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more information.

5)

Use the alignment and distribution functions to give your flowchart a more professional
look. See Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information.

6)

Duplicate objects when you require more than one of the same shape and size. See
Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information.

Organization charts
Draw does not have a toolbar for organization charts, but these charts are easily created using
basic shapes, flowchart shapes, connection points and connector lines. Hierarchy in an
organization is easily indicated using shading and/or color. When using shading and color in an
organization chart, make sure that your selection provides a good contrast between the text andthe shading or color to make the chart easy to read on a computer display or in a printed
document.

Figure 218: Example organization chart
An example of an organization chart is shown in Figure 218. This was drawn using the process
shape from the Flowchart toolbar and connection lines.
1)

When adding objects to your chart, see Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes for information on
how to draw and resize object shapes.

2)

Add text to each object in the organization chart to make it easily identified in the chart. See
Chapter 2 Drawing Basic Shapes and Chapter 11 Advanced Draw Techniques for more
information.

3)

Use connections lines in your organization chart. This allows repositioning of an object inyour chart while maintaining connections with the other objects in the chart. See“Connectors and glue points” on page 161 for more information.

4)

Use the zoom, grid and snap functions to help in positioning objects in your chart. See
Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more information.

5)

Use the alignment and distribution functions to give your organization chart a more
professional look. See Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information.

6)

Duplicate objects when you require more than one of the same shape and size. See
Chapter 5 Combining Multiple Objects for more information.

170 | Organization charts

Draw Guide

Chapter 9
Adding and Formatting Text

Introduction
When text is used in drawings, it is placed inside an object or inside a text box. This chapter
describes how to create, format, use, and delete text. It also discusses the various types of textthat can be inserted into a drawing. Finally, it provides information on how to insert special forms oftext such as numbered or bulleted lists, tables, fields, hyperlinks, and Fontwork.

Text
Text mode
Before any text can be typed in a drawing, text mode has to be activated. Click on the Insert Text
icon for horizontal text or the Insert Vertical Text icon for vertical text on the Standard toolbar(Figure 219) or Drawing toolbar (Figure 220). The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 221)
automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

Figure 219: Standard toolbar - text tools highlighted

Figure 220: Drawing toolbar - text tools highlighted

Figure 221: Text Formatting toolbar
If the Insert Vertical Text icon is not visible on the Standard or Drawing toolbars, it can be
activated as follows:
1)

Go to Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages on the main menu bar to open
the Languages page in the Options dialog.

2)

In Default Languages for Documents, select the Asian option and Default – Chinese(simplified) is displayed in the scroll box.

3)

Click Apply then OK to close the Options dialog and save your changes.

4)

Restart LibreOffice to activate vertical text.

Adding text
When you add text to a drawing, a text box is automatically created to contain the text. By default,
the text box expands horizontally to accommodate a single line of text. To change the default
setting, you have to format the text box, see “Error: Reference source not found” on page Error:
Reference source not found for more information.
1)

Activate text mode, see “Text mode” above for information.

2)

Click in your drawing at the approximate position where you want to place the text. A text
box is created containing a flashing cursor.

3)

Start typing your text. As you type the text box automatically expands horizontally toaccommodate a single line of text. Also, the left corner of the Status Bar indicates that you
are in text edit mode and the position of your cursor (Figure 222).

172 | Text

Figure 222: Text information in Status Bar

Figure 223: Character and Paragraphsections in Sidebar Properties
4)

To create multiple lines in the text box being created use one of the following methods:–

Use the Enter key to create single line paragraphs inside the text box. The text box
expands vertically to accommodate more lines of text.

–

Create a text box before typing text, see “” below for more information. As you reach thehorizontal limit of the text box, the text will automatically word wrap inside the text box
and the text box expands vertically as it fills.

5)

When you have finished typing text, click outside the text box to exit text mode. The Text
Formatting toolbar closes and the Line and Filling toolbar opens in its original position.

6)

To format and/or reposition this text box, see “Moving, resizing, rotating and formatting text
boxes” below and Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more information.

7)

If required, format the text, select the text using the various tools on the Text Formatting
toolbar (Figure 219 on page 172) or in the Character and Paragraph sections in theProperties deck of the Sidebar (Figure 223). For more information on text formatting, see“Formatting text” on page 180.

Creating text boxes
It is recommended to create a text box before before entering any text in your drawing. This will
give you an opportunity to create, for example, a caption for a shape, an explanatory note, or adrawing title block similar to those used in engineering drawings.
Text | 173

1)

Activate text mode, see “Text mode” on page 172 for information.

2)

Click and drag to create a text box on the drawing setting the width of the text box. The
height of the text box automatically increases as you type or add text.

3)

Release the mouse button when you have reached the desired width for your text box. A
flashing cursor appears in the text box and the text box, depending on your computer
system, has a border indicating edit mode.

4)

Type or paste your text in the text box. The status bar at the bottom of the drawing
workspace indicates that you are in text edit mode and the cursor position within the text
box (Figure 222 on page 173).

5)

Click outside the text box to deselect and cancel text mode. The Text Formatting toolbar
closes and the default Line and Filling toolbar opens in its original position.

6)

If required, format the text using the various tools on the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure219 on page 172) or in the Character and Paragraph sections in the Properties deck of the
Sidebar (Figure 223 on page 173). For more information on text formatting, see “Formattingtext” on page 180.

Note
Text boxes use a simplified edit engine and are designed for text only. Text boxes
cannot contain illustrations, inline pictures, formulas, tables or shapes.

Moving, resizing, rotating and formatting text boxes
You can format, move, resize and rotate a text box just like any other object in your drawing. For
more information, see Chapter 3 Working with Objects.

Moving text boxes
1)

Click on the text in a text box to switch the text into edit mode and the text box border isdisplayed.

2)Move the cursor over the border. The cursor changes shape to the move symbol for yourcomputer setup (for example, a clenched hand).

3)

Click and drag the text box to a new position in your drawing. A semi-transparent copy of
the text box shows where your text box will be placed (Figure 224).

4)

Release the mouse button when the text box is in the required position.

5)

To accurately position a text box, use the Position and Size dialog or the Position andSize section on the Sidebar. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points formore information on the Position and Size dialog or the Position and Size section on the
Sidebar.

Figure 224: Moving a text box

174 | Text

Resizing text boxes
1)

Click on the text in a text box to switch the text into edit mode. If the text box does not havea border defined, then a border is displayed depending on your computer setup.

2)Move the cursor over one of the selection handles and the cursor changes shape to theresizing symbol for your computer setup (for example, a double-headed arrow).

3)

Click and drag the border to a new position to resize the text box. A semi-transparent copyof the text box shows is displayed as you resize (Figure 225).

4)

Release the mouse button when the text box reaches the desired size.

5)

If necessary, adjust the height or width of the text box using the selection handles.

6)

To accurately resize a text box, use the Position and Size dialog or the Position and Sizesection on the Sidebar. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more
information on the Position and Size dialog or the Position and Size section on the
Sidebar.

Figure 225: Resizing a text box.

Rotating text boxes
1)

Click on the text in a text box to switch the text into edit mode. If the text box does not havea border defined, then a border is displayed depending on your computer setup.

2)

Click on the text box border so that the selection handles are visible indicating that the text
box is now edit mode.

3)

Click again on the text border or select the Rotation tool on the Transformations toolbar.
The selection handles change shape and color.

4)

Click and drag on a corner handle to rotate the test box. A ghosted outline of the text box
being rotated appears and the current angle of rotation is shown in the status bar (Figure
226).

5)

Release the mouse button when the text box is at the desired rotation angle.

6)

To accurately rotate a text box, use the Rotation page in Position and Size dialog or the
Position and Size section on the Sidebar. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object
Points for more information on the Position and Size dialog or the Position and Sizesection on the Sidebar.

Figure 226: Rotating text boxes
Text | 175

Note
When in rotation mode, the top, bottom, and side handles though visible, are notavailable for use on a text box. Also, text boxes can not be sheared, slanted, flippedvertically or flipped horizontally.

Formatting text boxes
Text boxes can be treated just like other basic shapes in your drawing when you want to format thearea or border (line) of a text box. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more
information on formatting text boxes.

Formatting text boxes
Text boxes can be treated just like other basic shapes in your drawing when you want to format thearea or border (line) of a text box. See Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more
information on formatting text boxes.

Note
Make sure you click on the Text… icon to open the Text dialog and NOT the Text ►icon. The Text ► icon opens a context menu allowing you to format text and not the
text box.
Formatting how text appears inside a text box is as follows:1)

2)

Select a text box and use one of the following methods to open the Text dialog (Figure
227).
–

Right click on the text box and select Text… from the context menu.

–

Go to Format > Text… on the main menu bar.The Text icon opens a context menu
allowing you to format text and not the text box.

On the Text page (Figure 227), select the options required in Drawing Object Text andSpacing to Borders.

Figure 227: Text dialog

176 | Text

Figure 228: Text dialog - Text Animation3)

On the Text Animation page (Figure 228), select the options required in Effect andProperties. However, this is not recommended unless you are going to display the drawing
as part of a presentation. See the Impress Guide for more information on text animation.

4)

Click on OK to save your selected options and close the dialog.

Deleting text boxes
1)

Click on the text in a text box to switch the text into edit mode and the text box border isdisplayed.

2)

Click on the text box border so that the selection handles are visible indicating that the text
box is now edit mode.

3)

Press the Delete key and the text box is deleted without any warning.

Using text with Draw objects
Text can be added to most Draw objects. The exceptions are control elements like buttons,
polygons, curves or 3D objects.
By default, a Draw object is not dynamic when it is first created and does not behave like a text
box. Text does not word wrap and to keep text within the borders of the object, you have to use
paragraphs, line breaks, smaller text size, increasing the object size, or a combination of all four
methods.
To create text in a Draw object (Figure 229) and use word wrap in a Draw object is as follows:1)

Create an object in your drawing and make sure the object is selected with the selection
handles displayed.

2)

Click on the Insert Text icon for horizontal text or Insert Vertical Text icon for vertical text
on the Standard or Drawing toolbar and a text cursor starts flashing in the center of theselected object. Also, the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page 172) automatically
opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

3)

Alternatively, double-click on an object to automatically enter horizontal text editing mode.

Using text with Draw objects | 177

Figure 229: Example of object word wrap

Figure 230: Text dialog - Word wrap text to shapeselected4)

To change to vertical text after double clicking on an object, click on the Insert Vertical
Text icon for vertical text on the Standard or Drawing toolbar.

5)

Start typing your text. If your text text goes outside the object borders, use paragraphs, line
breaks, smaller text size, increasing the object size, or a combination of all four methods tokeep the text within object borders.

6)

Alternatively, to make sure your text word wraps staying within the borders of an object,
proceed as follows:a) Right-click on the text inside the object and select Text… from the context menu to
open the Text dialog (Figure 230).
b) Click on the Text tab to open the Text page.
c) In Custom Shape Text select the option Word wrap text in shape.
d) Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes.
e) When finished typing text, click outside of the object to cancel text mode and save yourchanges. The text inside the object will now word wrap, as shown in Figure 229.

7)

To format how the text appears inside an object, see “Formatting text” on page 180.

178 | Using text with Draw objects

Note
If double-clicking does not work, then go to View > Toolbars on the main menu bar
and open the Options toolbar. Select the Double-click to edit Text option or press
the F2 key.

Inserting text
Pasting text
Text may be inserted into a text box or object by copying text from another document and pasting
into the text box or object on your drawing. However, pasted text may not match the formatting of
the text that has already been included on your drawing. This may be what you want on someoccasions, but in most cases it is better to make sure that text format is consistent throughout yourdrawing.

Note
If you paste copied text directly into a drawing and not into an object using Format >Paste on the main menu bar or the keyboard short cut Ctrl+V , the text is pasted in as
an OLE object and not as a Draw object. It is recommended to paste text into Draw as
unformatted text to create a text object in Draw.

Pasting unformatted text
It is good practice to paste text without formatting and apply the formatting later so it matches the
text already in your drawing.
1)

Copy the text you want to use, then move your cursor into position on the drawing.

2)

Paste your copied text using one of the following methods:–

Go to Edit > Paste Special > Paste Unformatted Text on the main menu bar.

–

Go to Edit > Paste Special > Paste Special on the main menu bar and the Paste
Special dialog (Figure 231) opens. Select Unformatted text and click OK to close thedialog.

–Use the keyboard shortcut Control+Shift+V and the Paste Special dialog (Figure 231)
opens. Select Unformatted text and click OK to close the dialog.

Figure 231: Paste Special dialog
Inserting text | 179–3)

Click on the small triangle next on the right of the Paste icon on the Standard toolbar
and select Unformatted text from the context menu.

The copied text will be pasted into a text box at the cursor position and formatted to thedefault paragraph style of the object.

Pasting PDF text
PDF text is pasted into a text box at the center of your drawing or into a selected object.
1)

Select the text in a PDF file you want to use and copy to the clipboard.

2)

Click in your LibreOffice drawing and paste the copied PDF text into your drawing using
one of the following methods. The PDF text is copied into your drawing and the text retains
some of the formatting from the PDF file.
a) Go to Edit > Paste on the main menu bar.
b) Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V .
c) Right click in your drawing and select Paste from the context menu.

3)

If required, see “Pasting unformatted text” above to paste unformatted text into yourdrawing. The PDF text is pasted using the default text formatting for your drawing.

Formatting pasted text
1)

Select the text you have just pasted (see “Selecting text” below for more information). The
Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Lineand Filling toolbar.

2)

Use the formatting tools that are available on the Text Formatting toolbar, or go to Format
on the main menu bar and select a formatting tool from the drop-down menu.

3)

Alternatively, go to Format > Styles on the main menu bar and select an option from thecontext menu or use one of the options available on the Styles deck on the Sidebar. See“Using graphic styles” on page 185 for more information.

Inserting special characters, non-breaking spaces and hyphens
For information on how to insert special characters, non-breaking spaces and hyphens into adrawing, see the Getting Started Guide and the Writer Guide for information.

Formatting text
The appropriate use of text formatting can give text in a drawing a consistent look, making yourdrawing look more professional without any distracting elements. Formatting text may require
some intervention in character attributes (for example, font color), paragraph attributes (forexample, alignment) or list attributes (for example, type of bullet).

Selecting text
Before formatting any text, the text must be selected in a text box or object:
1)

Make sure the text box or object is selected where you want to select text.

2)

Click in the text you want to select to position the cursor.

3)

Select the text to be formatted using one of the following methods:–

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+A to select all the text.

–

Click and drag the cursor over the text.

–

Press Shift then use the left or right arrow keys to select characters.

180 | Formatting text–Press Shift+Ctrl then use the left or right arrow keys to select whole words.

–

Press Shift+Home to select text to the beginning of the line.

–

Press Shift+End to select text to the end of the line.

Direct text formatting
Direct text formatting is normally carried out on text in LibreOffice Draw. However, in situations
where you need to perform the same formatting to several paragraphs of text, then the use ofparagraph styles is recommended.

Tip
Sometimes it is very useful to re-apply the default style to a selection of text removing
any manual formatting applied to it, especially if a mistake has been made and you are
not sure how to undo it. To revert back to the default style, select the manuallyformatted text and select Format > Clear Direct Formatting on the main menu bar.

Direct character formatting
Characters can be formatted independently from the format used for a paragraph. This character
formatting overrides any paragraph formatting applied directly or using a paragraph style. There
are no character styles available for text in LibreOffice Draw. Any character formatting must be
applied directly.

Note
If a text box or object has been selected, but the text is NOT selected, any character
formatting will be applied to all of the text contained within the text box or object.
1)

Click on text where you want to format characters. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)

Select the characters you want to format. See “Selecting text” above for information on how
to select text.

3)

Use one of the following methods to open the Character dialog (Figure 232):–

Go to Format > Character on the main menu bar.

–

Right-click on the selected characters and select Character from the context menu.

4)

Make your formatting changes to the selected characters using the options available in thetabbed pages of the Character dialog.

5)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

6)

Alternatively, use the tools available on the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page172) or the Character section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar to format thecharacters.

7)

To cancel any changes you have made to the character format, click Reset in the
Character dialog or go to Format > Clear Direct Formatting on the main menu bar andthe characters revert back to the original paragraph formatting.

Formatting text | 181

Figure 232: Character dialog

Character formatting options
The formatting options in the tabbed pages of the Character dialog (Figure 232) are used asfollows:•

Font – select the desired font type, its base attributes (Italic, Bold, Language, and so on) as
well as the size. A sample of the font is displayed in the lower part of the dialog. This fontpage is also available when creating or modifying a graphics style.
If support for Asian language and Complex Text Layout (CTL) has been enabled (Tools >Options > Language Settings > Languages), then the Font page is divided into threeparts for Western, Asian, and CTL text fonts allowing you to specify text fonts and their
attributes for the majority of font families.

•

Font Effects – apply special effects to the text (Font Color, Text Decoration and Effects). A
sample of the text is displayed in the lower part of the dialog as a quick visual check of theeffects applied. This page is also available when creating or modifying a graphics style.

•

Position – select the type of position, scaling and spacing applied to text. This page is notavailable when creating or modifying a graphics style.
–

Position – sets the text position relative to the baseline when you need to insert
subscripts or superscripts.

–

Scaling – specifies the percentage of the Scale width (font width) by which to compress
or expand the individual characters of the selected text.

–

Spacing – sets the spacing between the characters of the font, which can be defined in
number of points.

182 | Formatting text

–•Pair kerning – automatically adjusts the spacing between certain pairs of characters tovisually improve the appearance.

Highlighting – sets the color used when you highlight text.

Direct paragraph formatting
Any individual or direct paragraph formatting will override any formatting that has been applied
using a drawing object style.
1)

Click on text where you want to format paragraphs. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)

Select the paragraph you want to format. For more information about selecting text, see“Selecting text” on page 180.

3)

Use one of the following methods to open the Paragraph dialog (Figure 233):–

Go to Format > Paragraph on the main menu bar.

–

Click the Paragraph icon on the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page 172).

–

Right-click on the selected text and select Paragraph from the context menu.

4)

Make your formatting changes to the selected paragraph using the options available in thetabbed pages of the Paragraph dialog.

5)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

6)

To cancel any changes you have made to the paragraph format, click Reset in the
Paragraph dialog and the paragraph revert back to the original formatting.

7)

Alternatively, use the tools available on the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page172) or the Paragraph section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar to format theparagraphs.

Figure 233: Paragraph dialog - Indents & Spacing page

Formatting text | 183

Paragraph formatting options
The formatting options for the tabbed pages of the Paragraph dialog (Figure 233) are as follows:•

Indents and Spacing (Figure 233) – determines the indents and spacing used in aparagraph.
–

Indent – modifies the indentation of the text (before and after) as well as the indentationof the first line.

–

Spacing – defines the space before and after each paragraph formatted with the style.

–Line spacing – determines the spacing between two lines formatted with the style. Notethat selecting Proportional spacing requires specifying the percentage of a line to be
used as spacing; 100% single line, 200% double line, 50% half a line. If Leading isselected, specify the amount of line spacing in your default unit of measurement.

Tip
You can change the default unit of measurement by going to Tools > Options >LibreOffice Draw > General on the main menu bar.
•

Asian Typography (Figure 234) – sets the following properties relative to line changes andis only available if the Asian option is selected in Tools > Options > Language Settings >Languages on the main menu bar.
–

Apply list of forbidden characters to the beginning and end of lines.

–

Allow hanging punctuation.

–

Apply spacing between Asian and non-Asian text.

•

Tabs (Figure 235) – determines the Position, Type and Fill Character of tab stops. This
page is also available in the Graphics Styles dialog.

•

Alignment (Figure 236) – determines paragraph alignment. A preview shows the effects ofthe changes. Paragraph alignment can also be carried out using the alignment icons on the
Text Formatting toolbar and the Paragraph section on the Properties deck of the Sidebar.

•

Options – sets the paragraph alignment depending on the option selected.

•

Text-to-text – sets vertical alignment of text when there is a mix of font sizes on the sameline of text. The options are Automatic, Base line, Top, Middle and Bottom.

•

Properties – sets the text direction. Left-to-right (LTR) and Right-to-left (RTL) are only
available if Complex text layout language has been selected.

Figure 234: Paragraph dialog - Asian Typography page184 | Formatting text

Figure 235: Paragraph dialog - Tabs page

Figure 236: Paragraph dialog - Alignment page

Using graphic styles
Applying the same format options to a Draw object or text is a repetitive process that can begreatly simplified by the use of styles. Graphic styles in Draw allow you to define a formatting
template (a style) and then apply that style to several graphic or text objects.
For more information on graphic styles for graphic settings such as area or border lines, see
Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes in this guide. For more information on text styles see theWriter Guide.
Draw has several styles readily available for use with objects and text. These default styles cannot
be deleted or renamed, but can be modified using the various options available in the Graphic
Styles dialog (Figure 237).

Using graphic styles | 185

Figure 237: Graphic Styles dialog - Organizer page

Figure 238: Styles deck in Sidebar

Linked styles
The styles in Draw support inheritance. This means that a style can be linked to another (parent)
style so that it inherits all the formatting settings of the parent. You can use this property to create
hierarchical or families of styles. Figure 238 shows an example of linked or hierarchical styles
used in Draw.
For example, if you need multiple blocks of text that differ in size, but are otherwise identicallyformatted, it is recommended to create a generic style for the type of font, style of font, and so on.
You then create a number of hierarchically dependent styles which differ only in the font size. If you
then need to change the font style, it is sufficient to change the parent style and all the other linked
styles will change accordingly.

186 | Using graphic styles

Note
When styles are linked, changing a font attribute will change the font attribute in alldescendant linked styles. Sometimes this is exactly what you want; at other times you
do not want the changes to apply to all linked styles. It pays to plan ahead.

Creating new styles
After creating a new style, it will be placed All Styles and Custom Styles in the Styles deck of the
Sidebar (Figure 238). When your new style is applied to an object or text, the new style will also
appear in Applied Styles.
1)

2)

Carry out all the formatting changes to the selected text, then use one of the following
methods to create a new style:–

Go to Format > Styles > New Style from Selection on the main menu bar to open theGraphic Styles dialog (Figure 237 on page 186).

–

Right click on a style name in the Styles deck on the Sidebar (Figure 238) and selectNew from the context menu.

–

Click on the New Style from Selection icon on the Styles deck in the Sidebar (Figure238) to open the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 237 on page 186).

If using the Graphics Style dialog, proceed as follows:a) Click on the Organizer tab to open the Organizer page (Figure 237 on page 186).
b) Enter a unique name for your style in Name.
c) If you are NOT linking the new style to another style in your drawing, select None fromthe drop down list in Inherit from.
d) If you are linking the new style already created in your drawing, select the style namefrom the drop down list in Inherit from.
e) Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

3)

If you have clicked on the New Style from Selection icon on the Styles deck in the
Sidebar (Figure 238), enter a style name in the Create Style dialog (Figure 239) that has
opened. Click OK to close this dialog and save your changes.

Figure 239: Create Style dialog

Using graphic styles | 187

Modifying or editing styles
It is recommended to only modify or edit styles that you have created.
1)

Select text or an object with text in your drawing. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219
on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)Open the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 237 on page 186) using one of the following
methods:

3)–

Go to Format > Styles > Edit Style on the main menu bar.

–

Right click on the object and select Edit Style from the context menu.

–

Right click on the object style in the Styles deck on the Sidebar (Figure 238 on page186) and select Modify from the context menu.

Use the various pages and available options in the Graphic Styles dialog to modify andedit the style as follows:–

Organizer – shows the style name, the style name where settings have been inheritedfrom, style category and the settings for the style it contains.

–

Font, Font Effects, Indents & Spacing, Alignment, and Tabs – set the properties of thetext inserted in a text box or in a graphic object.

–

Dimensioning – used to set the style of dimension lines.

–

Text, Text Animation, Connector, Line, Area, Shadowing, Highlighting and Transparency– determines the formatting of an object.

4)

Click OK when finished to save your changes and close the Graphic Styles dialog.

5)

Alternatively, select your text and perform all the formatting changes, then proceed asfollows:a) Select a style in Styles deck on the Sidebar (Figure 238 on page 186).
b) Click on the Update Style icon and the style is saved with the new format attributes.

Editing linked styles
If you have an object in your document that uses linked styles then it is possible to edit the linked
styles that have been applied to the object using the Graphic Styles dialog as follows:1)

Select text or an object with text in your drawing that uses linked styles. The Text
Formatting toolbar (Figure 219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line andFilling toolbar.

2)Open the Graphic Styles dialog (Figure 237 on page 186) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to Format > Styles > Edit Style on the main menu bar.

–

Right click on the object and select Edit Style from the context menu.

–

Right click on the object style in the Styles deck on the Sidebar (Figure 238 on page186) and select Modify from the context menu.

3)

Click on the Organizer tab to open the Organizer page in the Graphic Styles dialog.

4)

Check that the style name in the Inherit from text box is the linked style you want to edit.

5)–

If the linked style is the one you want to edit, use the various pages in the Graphic
Styles dialog to edit the style.

–If the linked style is NOT the one you want to edit, click on Edit Style to the right of theInherit from text box until the name of the linked is displayed. Use the various pages in
the Graphic Styles dialog to edit the style.

Click OK when finished to save your changes and close the Graphic Styles dialog.

188 | Using graphic styles

Applying styles
You can apply a style to text in a text box or in an object as follows:1)

Select the text where you want to apply a style. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 219
on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)

Click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar to open the Styles deck (Figure 238 on page 186).

3)

Select the style name you want to use in the Styles deck on the Sidebar.

4)

Double click on the style name in the Styles deck on the Sidebar to apply the style to theselected object.

Tip
At the bottom of the Styles deck on the Sidebar there is a drop-down list. Choose toshow all styles or groups of styles such as Applied Styles or Custom Styles.

Deleting styles
You cannot delete any of the predefined styles in LibreOffice, even if you are not using them. You
can only delete user-defined (custom) styles. However, before you delete a custom style, makesure the style is not in use. To see which styles are in use, choose Applied Styles from the dropdown list at the bottom of the Styles deck on the Sidebar.
Delete a custom style as follows:
1)

Click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar to open the Styles deck (Figure 238 on page 186).

2)

Select Applied Styles or Custom Styles from the drop down list at the bottom of the Styles
deck on the Sidebar to display the styles in use.

3)

Right click on the style name in the styles list and select Delete from the context menu.

4)

If the style is in use, a warning message will appear. Click Yes to delete the style. If thestyle is not in use, no confirmation message appears.

Creating bulleted and numbered lists
Bulleted and numbered lists can be created in text boxes, shapes, and objects. However, whencreating lists in shapes and objects, remember that shapes and objects are not dynamic and do
not automatically expand as you create a list.

Note
Creating bulleted or numbered lists in Draw is similar to LibreOffice Writer, but thefunctionality in Draw has been reduced.

Creating lists
Bulleted or numbered lists can be created using text boxes or Draw objects as follows:
1)

Click on text where you want to create a bulleted list. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)

Select all of the text you want to use in a bulleted or numbered list.

3)

A bulleted or numbered list is created using one of the following methods and default
settings for lists:

Creating bulleted and numbered lists | 189

4)–

Click on Toggle Bullet List or Toggle Numbered List icons on the Text Formatting
toolbar.

–

Click on Toggle Bullet List or Toggle Numbered List icons in the Lists section on theProperties deck of the Sidebar.

–

Go to Format > Lists > Bulleted List or Numbered List on the main menu bar.

To change the format of the list as you create it, click on the small triangle on the right of
the list icons and select a list style from an option in the pop up window (Figures 240 and
241).

Figure 240: More bullet lists

Figure 241: More number lists

Adjusting list item levels
Each list item in a bulleted or numbered list can have its level adjusted within a list as follows:
1)

Click at the beginning of a list item to position the flashing cursor at the correct position.
The flashing cursor must be at the beginning of the list item to demote or promote the list
item in a list.

2)

To demote the position of the list item, press the Tab key. Each press of the Tab key will
demote the list item down one more level in the list.

3)

To promote the position of the list item, press use the key combination Shift+Tab . Eachpress of the Shift+Tab key combination will promote the list item up one more level in thelist.

Editing and customizing a list
You can edit and customize the appearance of a list by changing the bullet type or numbering forthe entire list or a single entry or the outline level of a list item. All changes are made using theBullets and Numbering dialog.
1)

Select the list items you want to edit and customize. The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure219 on page 172) automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

2)

To open the Bullets and Numbering dialog (Figure 242), go to Format > Bullets andNumbering on the main menu bar, or right-click on the selected text and select Bullets
and Numbering from the context menu.

3)

Select the Level you want to edit and customize.

4)

Change various options in Properties, Separator, Size, Position, and Scope to format thelist style for each level in the list. The Preview box shows how your list will look as you
make a selection.

190 | Creating bulleted and numbered lists

Figure 242: Bullets and Numbering dialog
5)

To cancel any changes you have made, click Reset. The list reverts back to its originalformatting.

6)

When you are satisfied with your list, click on OK to save your changes and close thedialog.

List format options
The following options are available in the Bullets and Numbering dialog (Figure 242).
•

Level – sets the outline level of list items from the left hand side of the page. Each levelcan be set to a different type of list. Select Levels 1 – 10 to modify simultaneously all levels
in a list.

•

Properties – sets how each list item looks in the list.

•–

Type – sets the type of list marker used (alpha, numeric or image).

–

Color – selects the color used for the list marker so that it stands out from the text in thelist item.

–

Start at – enter the first value of the list marker (for example, you might want the list to
start at 4 instead of 1).

Separator – allows you to set what characters are used to separate the list marker from thetext in the list item.
–

Before – enter any text to appear before the list marker (for example, Step)–

After – enter any text to appear after the list marker (for example, a punctuation mark)Creating bulleted and numbered lists | 191

•Size – specifies the size (Rel. size) of the list marker relative to the size of the characters in
the list item. This can be larger or smaller than the text size used for the list item. In case ofa graphic as bullet, the size is the absolute size of the graphic. The checkbox “Keep ratio”
connects width and height, so entering one value calculates the other automatically.

•

Position – allows you to set the indentation and spacing of list markers and the list items.

•–

Indent – sets the indentation of the list marker from the left side of the text box orobject.

–Width – sets the indentation distance of the text from the list marker creating a hanging
indent, which is normal for bulleted or numbered lists.

–

Relative – if checked, the indent of the list item is measured relative to the settings ofthe parent level when linked styles are used.

–

Alignment – sets the alignment (left, center or right) of a list marker inside the area,
which is defined by Width. This is useful when using a numeric list marker that willconsist of two or more characters to maintain correct spacing between the list marker
and list item.

Scope
–

Slide – applies any changes to all items in your drawing.

–

Selection – applies any changes only to the selected items in your drawing.

–

Apply to Master – applies any changes to any items in the master page of your drawing,
if you have created a master page.

Adjusting list item levels
Each list item in a bulleted or numbered list can have its level adjusted within a list as follows:
1)

Click at the beginning of a list item to position the flashing cursor at the correct position.
The flashing cursor must be at the beginning of the list item to demote or promote the list
item in a list.

2)

To demote the position of the list item, press the Tab key. Each press of the Tab key will
demote the list item down one more level in the list.

3)

To promote the position of the list item, press use the key combination Shift+Tab . Eachpress of the Shift+Tab key combination will promote the list item up one more level in thelist.

Using tables
Tables are useful when you want to show structured information in your drawing, for example a
specification list or drawing title block. You can create tables directly in Draw, eliminating any needto embed a Calc spreadsheet or a Writer text table in your drawing. The tables provided by Draw
do have a limited functionality.

Creating tables
When working with tables, it is useful to know the number of rows and columns required as well as
the appearance. Tables are placed at the center of a drawing and cannot be placed into objects or
shapes. Also, unlike text boxes and other objects, tables cannot be rotated.
1)

Go to Insert > Table on the main menu bar to open the Insert Table dialog (Figure 243).

2)

Select the required number of columns and rows for the table.

192 | Using tables

Figure 243: Insert Table dialog

Figure 244: Insert table grid3)

Click OK to place a table in the center of your drawing and close the dialog.

4)

Alternatively, click on the Table icon on the Standard toolbar to open the Table grid (Figure
244).

5)

Click and drag the cursor until you have the required number of columns and rows, thenclick again. A table is placed at the center of your drawing and the Table grid closes.

6)

Move the table into position by dragging it to its new position, see “Moving text boxes” onpage 174 for more information.

Table toolbar
The Table toolbar (Figure 245) contains the majority of the tools you need to edit a table and is
only active and visible when a table is selected. If the Table toolbar does not display when you
select a table, go to View > Toolbars > Table on the main menu bar.
Normally, the Table toolbar is docked at the top or bottom of your workspace. To make the toolbar
into a floating toolbar:•

If the toolbar is docked in a horizontal position, click at the left end of the toolbar and dragthe toolbar onto the workspace.

•

If the toolbar is docked in a vertical position, click at the top of the toolbar and drag thetoolbar onto the workspace.

Using tables | 193

Figure 245: Table toolbar and Visible Buttons

Modifying tables
Once the table is added to your drawing, you can control its appearance, size, position, and so on
using a combination of the tools that are available in Draw.
•

Table – creates a new table in a drawing. Opens the Insert Table dialog (Figure 243 on
page 193) where you can select the required number of rows and columns.
Alternatively, click on the small triangle next to the Table icon to open a graphic
representation for creating a table (Figure 245). To use this tool, move the mouse to theright and down in the grid until you have the columns and rows you require and click the left
mouse button. Clicking on More Options opens the Insert Table dialog.

•

Border Style – changes the line style of the borders of selected cells. Click on the small
triangle next to the Border Style icon to open a drop down list where you can choose froma range of predefined styles.

•

Border Color – changes the color of the borders of selected cells. Click on the small
triangle next to the Border Color icon to open a drop down list where you can choose acolor from a range of predefined palettes or create a custom color.

•

Borders – selects predefined border configurations of selected cells. Click on the small
triangle next to the Borders icon to open a drop down list where you can choose the borderconfiguration.

•

Area Style/Filling – select the cells to be filled, then select the type of fill from the dropdown list: None, Color, Gradient, Hatching, or Bitmap. The fillings drop-down menu thenshows the available fillings for the selected area fill type.

194 | Using tables•

Merge Cells – merges the selected cells into one cell. Note that the contents of the merged
cells are also merged. You can also merge cells by right-clicking in the selected cells andselecting Merge Cells from the context menu that opens.

•

Split Cells – make sure that the cursor is positioned on a cell you want to split, then click toopen the Split Cells dialog (Figure 246). Select the number of cells required from the split
as well as whether the cell should be split horizontally or vertically. When splitting
horizontally, you can select the Into equal proportions option to get cells of equal size. The
contents of the split cell remain in the original cell (the one on the left or top).

•

Optimize – evenly distributes the selected cells either horizontally or vertically. Click on thesmall triangle next to the Optimize icon to open a drop down list where you can choose
from a range of predefined options to optimize the selected cells.

•

Align Top, Center Vertically, Align Bottom – you can select the vertical alignment of text
in a cell by selecting the required cells and clicking on one of these tools.

Figure 246: Split Cells dialog

Figure 247: Table Design section in
Sidebar Properties
Using tables | 195

•Insert Row Above, Insert Row Below, Insert Column Before, Insert Column After –select a row or column and use these four tools to insert a row or column.

•

Delete Row, Delete Column – select rows or columns and use these tools to delete
selected rows and columns from your table.

•

Select Table, Select Column, Select Row – select a table, column, or row if you want toperform the same change to attributes for a table, column, or row.

•

Table Design – opens the Table Design section (Figure 247) in the Properties deck on the
Sidebar where you can select design and display options for your table.

•

Table Properties – opens the Table Properties dialog, which contains the following tabbed
pages. You can also open this dialog by right-clicking on the table and selecting Table
Properties from the context menu.
–

Font (Figure 248) – select the desired font type and family, style (Italic, Bold, etc.), size,and language. A sample of the font is displayed in the lower part of the dialog.

–

Font Effects (Figure 249) – use to apply options in Font Color, Text Decoration andEffects to text.

–

Borders (Figure 250) – use to apply options in Line Arrangement (presets and user
defined for borders), Padding (cell margins for contents) and Line (style, color andwidth of borders).

–

Background (Figure 251) – changes the background of selected cells and provides thesame functions as the Area dialog (see Chapter 4 Changing Object Attributes for more
information).

–

Reset – clicking this button resets the Table Properties dialog back to its original
options.

Figure 248: Table Properties dialog - Font page196 | Using tables

Figure 249: Table Properties dialog - Font Effects page

Figure 250: Table Properties dialog - Borders page

Using tables | 197

Figure 251: Table Properties dialog - Background page

Position and size
On a drawing, you can change position and size of a table. However, the table cannot be rotatedor sheared. See “Moving, resizing, rotating and formatting text boxes” on page 174 for more
information.

Deleting tables
Whole table
Make sure the whole table is selected and the selection handles are visible, then delete the wholetable using one of the following methods:•

Select Delete Row or Delete Column on the Table toolbar (Figure 245 on page 194).

•

Right click and select Delete > Delete Row or Delete Column in the context menu.

Row or column
Click in a table cell, then delete the table row or column using one of the following methods. The
table selection handles will not be displayed.
•

Select Delete Row on the Table toolbar (Figure 245 on page 194) to delete the row that isselected.

•

Right click and select Delete > Delete Row in the context menu to delete the row that isselected.

•

Select Delete Column on the Table toolbar (Figure 245 on page 194) to delete the columnthat is selected.

•

Right click and select Delete Column in the context menu to delete the column that isselected.

Cell contents
Delete cell contents in a table as follows:1)

Select the cell (or cells) contents.

2)

Press the Delete or Backspace key on the keyboard.

198 | Using tables

Using fields
Fields allow the automatic insertion of text into a drawing. You can think of a field as a kind of
formula which is calculated when the drawing is loaded or printed and the result is displayed in thedrawing.

Inserting fields
A text box is created when you insert a field and can be repositioned just like any other text box.
See “Text” on page 172 for more information.
1)

Move the cursor where the field will be positioned.

2)

Go to Insert > Field on the main menu bar.

3)

Select a field from the options shown in the context menu.

The fields available in Draw are as follows:•

Date (fixed) – inserts the current date when the field was inserted.

•

Date (variable) – inserts a field that is updated with the date each time the file is opened.

•

Time (fixed) – inserts a field displaying the current time when the field was inserted.

•

Time (variable) – inserts a field which is updated with the time each time the file is opened.

•

Author – inserts the author of the drawing. This information is derived from the value
recorded in the general options. To modify this information go to Tools > Options >LibreOffice > User Data on the main menu bar.

•

Page Number – inserts the page number for each page in a multi page drawing.

•

Page Title – inserts a page name for each page in a drawing.

•

Page Count – inserts the total number of pages in a drawing.

•

File Name – inserts a field that contains the name of the file.

Customizing fields
The appearance of fields can be customized as follows. Page Number, Page Count and Page
Title fields cannot be customized.
1)

Place the cursor at the start of the field data and go to Edit > Fields on the main menu bar
to open the Edit Field dialog (Figure 252).

2)

Select the desired format from the available options.

3)

Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog.

4)

Alternatively, right-click on the field and select the required options from the context menu.

Figure 252: Edit Field dialog

Using fields | 199

Figure 253: Hyperlink dialog

Using hyperlinks
When inserting text that can be used as a hyperlink (for example website address or URL), Draw
formats it automatically, creating the hyperlink and applying color and underlining.

Inserting hyperlinks
1)

Click in the text box at the position where you want to insert a hyperlink.

2)

Go to Insert > Hyperlink on the main menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K to
open Hyperlink dialog (Figure 253).

3)

Select the type of hyperlink you want to insert and the options you want to use.

4)

Click Apply to insert the hyperlink and save your selections. If you are creating several
hyperlinks, click Apply after each one.

5)

Click Close or OK to save your changes and close the Hyperlink dialog.

On the left side, select one of the four types of hyperlinks. The dialog changes according to thetype of hyperlink selected.
•

Internet – select whether the link is Web or FTP. Enter the required web address (URL).

•

Mail – enter the details for the email, also the subject.

•Document – creates a hyperlink to another document or to another place in the drawing,commonly referred to as a bookmark.

•–Enter the document path, or click on the Open File icon to open a file browser. Leave
this blank if you want to link to a target in the same drawing.

–

Optionally, you can specify a target (for example. a specific slide). Click on the Target
icon to open the Target in Document dialog, where you can select the target, or, if you
know the name of the target, you can type it into the box.

New Document – creates a hyperlink to a new document.

200 | Using hyperlinks

–

Select Edit now to edit the newly created document immediately or Edit later to create
a new document and edit it later.

–

Choose the type of document to create (text, spreadsheet, etc.).

–

The Select path icon opens a file browser so that you can choose the directory for the
new document.

Tips
To prevent LibreOffice from automatically turning website addresses (URLs) into
hyperlinks, go to Tools > AutoCorrect > Options and deselect the URL Recognition
checkbox.
To change the color of hyperlinks, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Application
Colors. In Custom Colors scroll to Unvisited links and/or Visited links, select thecheckboxes, pick the new colors and click OK. Caution: this will change the color for
all hyperlinks in all components of LibreOffice which may not be what you want.
The Further Settings section on the Hyperlink dialog is common to all the hyperlink types,
although some choices are more relevant to some types of links.
•

Frame – determines how the hyperlink will open. This applies to documents that open in a
Web browser.

•

Form – specifies if the link is to be presented as text or as a button. See “Working withhyperlink buttons” on page 28 for more information.

•

Text – specifies the text that will be visible to the user.

•

Name – applicable to HTML documents. It specifies text that will be added as a NAME
attribute in the HTML code behind the hyperlink.

Editing text hyperlinks
1)

Select the hyperlink.

2)

Go to Edit > Hyperlink on the main menu bar to open the Insert Hyperlink dialog (Figure
253).

3)

Make your editing changes from the available options, then click Apply when done. If you
need to edit several hyperlinks, click Apply after each one.

4)

Click Close or OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

Image maps
An image map defines areas of an image (called hotspots) with hyperlinks to web addresses, otherfiles on the computer, or parts of the same document. Hotspots are the graphic equivalent of text
hyperlinks. Clicking on a hotspot causes LibreOffice to open the linked page in the appropriate
program (for example, the default browser for an HTML page; LibreOffice Calc for a ODS file; a
PDF viewer for a PDF file). You can create hotspots of various shapes and include several
hotspots in the same image.
To use the ImageMap Editor (Figure 254):
1)

In your Draw document, select an image in which you want to create a hotspot.

2)

Go to Tools > ImageMap on the main menu bar to open the ImageMap Editor.

3)

Select the type of hotspot area you want use from the icons at the top of the ImageMap
Editor – Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, Freeform Polygon.

Using hyperlinks | 201

Figure 254: ImageMap Editor
4)

Draw the hotspot area onto the selected image.

5)

Enter the address pointed by the hyperlink in the Address: text box using the addressformat: file:///<path>/document_name#anchor_name.

6)

Click the Apply icon to apply the settings.

7)

When done, click the Save icon to save the image map to a file, then close the ImageMap
Editor.

The main part of the ImageMap Editor shows the image on which the hotspot is defined. A hotspot
is indicated by an outline of the type of hotspot shape used. The ImageMap Editor contains thefollowing tools:•

Apply icon – applies the changes.

•

Open, Save, and Select icons.

•

Hotspot shapes: Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, Freeform Polygon.

•

Edit Points, Move Points, Insert Points and Delete Points icons: advanced editing tools
to manipulate the shape of a polygon hotspot. Select Edit Points to activate the othericons.

•

Undo and Redo icons•

Active icon – toggles the status of a selected hotspot between active and inactive.

•

Macro icon – associates a macro with the hotspot instead of just associating a hyperlink.

•

Properties icon – sets the hyperlink properties and adds the Name attribute to thehyperlink.

•

Address: text box – address pointed to by the hyperlink. You can also point to an anchor ina document.

•

Text: text box – type the text that you want to be displayed when the mouse pointer is
moved over the hotspot.

•

Frame: – where the target of the hyperlink will open and the option available is _self (opens
in the active browser window).

202 | Using hyperlinks

Fontwork
With Fontwork you can create graphical text art objects to make your work more attractive. There
are many different settings for text art objects (line, area, position, size, and more), so you have alarge choice.
Fontwork is also available with the Writer, Calc, and Impress modules of LibreOffice, but you will
notice small differences in the way that each component displays it.

Creating Fontwork
1)

Click on the Fontwork icon on the Drawing or Standard toolbar or go to Insert >Fontwork on the main menu bar to open the Fontwork Gallery dialog (Figure 255).

2)

Select a Fontwork style from the dialog and click OK. The selected Fontwork appears inyour drawing and the dialog closes.

Figure 255: Fontwork Gallery dialog

Figure 256: Editing Fontwork text
Fontwork | 203

Figure 257: Fontwork toolbar and
Visible Buttons
3)

Double-click on the word Fontwork to switch on editing mode.

4)

Type your own text to replace the word Fontwork and your text appears over the word
Fontwork as shown in Figure 256.

5)

Press the Esc key or click outside the selected area and your text replaces the word
Fontwork.

Fontwork toolbar
The Fontwork toolbar (Figure 257) becomes visible and active on the workspace when you selecta Fontwork object. If the toolbar is not visible, go to View > Toolbars > Fontwork on the main
menu bar.
The Fontwork toolbar contains the following tools:•

Fontwork Style – opens the Fontwork Gallery dialog (Figure 255).

•

Fontwork Shape – changes the shape of the selected object. Shapes available are shownin Figure 258.

•

Fontwork Same Letter Heights – changes the height of characters in the selected
Fontwork object. Toggles between normal height where the characters have different
heights to where all characters have the same height.

•

Fontwork Alignment – specifies the text alignment within the frame. Options available areleft align, center, right align, word justify, and stretch justify. The effects of the text alignment
can only be seen if the text spans over two or more lines. In the stretch justify mode, alllines are filled completely.

•

Fontwork Character Spacing – selects the spacing between characters and whether
kerning pairs should be used. Options available are very tight, tight, normal, loose, veryloose and custom spacing. For custom spacing, input a percentage value: 100% is normal
character spacing, less than 100% character spacing is tighter, and more than 100%
character spacing is looser.

•

Toggle Extrusion – converts the Fontwork object into a 3D shape using extrusion. See
Chapter 7 – 3D Objects for more information.

204 | Fontwork

Figure 258: Fontwork shapes

Modifying Fontwork
A Fontwork object can be treated like any other object in Draw. It can be resized, rotated, skewed,
slanted, flipped, and so on. For more information on modifying a Fontwork object, see Chapter 3 –Working With Objects, Chapter 4 – Changing Object Attributes and Chapter 5 – Combining
Multiple Objects.
It is possible to treat Fontwork text as an object and apply all the formatting that has been
described in this chapter. Assign line properties only to Fontwork which does not have a 3D effect,otherwise the changes will not be visible.
You can modify some of the Fontwork shapes just as you modify the angles of trapezoid andparallelogram basic shapes by moving the dot that is displayed along with the selection handles.

Fontwork | 205

Draw Guide

Chapter 10
Printing, Exporting andE-mailingPrinting
Quick printing
To quickly print a document or drawing, click on the Print Directly icon on the Standard toolbar(Figure 259) to send the entire document to the default printer that is defined for your computer.

Figure 259: Standard toolbar

Note
You can change the action of the Print Directly icon by sending a document to theprinter defined for the document instead of the default printer for the computer. Go to
Tools > Options > Load/Save > General and select the Load printer settings with the
document option.
If the Print Directly icon is not visible on the Standard toolbar, right click in an empty
area on the toolbar and select Visible Buttons from the context menu. Select Print
Directly from the displayed list and the icon is added to the toolbar.

Figure 260: Print dialog - General options

Printing | 207

Note
Due to different computer setups and different operating systems, the Print dialog(Figure 260) that appears on your monitor may differ from the one shown above.
However, the printing options available for LibreOffice will remain the same.

Controlled printing
For more control over printing, open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260) using one of thefollowing methods:•

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

•

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

•Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

Note
The options selected in the Print dialog only apply to the printing of the current
document that is open in Draw. To specify default print settings for LibreOffice, go toTools > Options > LibreOffice > Print on the main menu bar.

General options
The following general options are an example of what you may see on the Print dialog (Figure
260).
•

Printer – select the printer to use from the printers available in the drop down list.

•

Range and Copies – select from the following options:•–

All Pages; Pages (select page number); Even pages; Odd pages; Selection–

Paper sides: Print on one side (simplex); Print on both sides (duplex long edge binding);
Print on both sides (duplex short edge binding)–Number of copies: enter number of copies required for document–

Collate: collates multiple copies into separate printed documents–

Order: print pages of document in reverse order

Page Layout – select from the following options:–

Paper size: select from drop down list–

Orientation: select automatic, portrait or landscape–

Pages per sheet: select how many pages are printed on a sheet of paper–

Order: printing order of multiple pages on a sheet of paper–

Draw a border around each page–

Brochure: prints the document so you can fold the pages like a booklet

LibreOffice Draw options
The following options are available LibreOffice Draw page of the Print dialog (Figure 261) where
you can define settings that are specific to the current document type:•Contents – prints the Page name and/or Date and time on the drawing•

Colors – print the drawing in Original colors, Grayscale, or Black & white.

208 | Printing

Figure 261: Print dialog - LibreOffice Draw options•

Size – print the drawing using one of the following options:–

Original size–

Fit to printable page–

Distribute on multiple sheets of paper: used if the drawing is too large for the paper size
being used.

–

Tile sheet of paper with repeated pages: used to print multiple copies of a drawing on a
page.

Note
The following printing instructions are examples only. Actual method of printing
depends on computer operating system, computer setup and the printer being used.

Printing multiple pages on a single sheet
To print multiple pages of a document on one sheet of paper:
1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

Printing | 209

2)

In the Page Layout section, select from the Pages per sheet drop-down list the number ofpages to print per sheet. The preview panel on the right shows how the pages will look in
the printed document.

3)

In the Page Layout section, select from the Order: drop down list how you want themultiple pages printed on the sheet of paper.

4)

To distinguish each page on a sheet, select Draw a border around each page.

5)

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Selecting pages to print
In addition to printing a full document, you can choose whether to print individual pages, a range of
pages, or a highlighted selection within a document.

Individual page1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

2)

In the Ranges and Copies section, select the Pages option.

3)Enter the page number of the page to print.

4)

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Range of pages
1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

2)

In the Ranges and Copies section, select the Pages option.

3)Enter the page number of the pages to print (for example 1-4 or 1,3,7,11), or any
combination of the two (for example: 1-4,7-9,10).

4)

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Selection printing
1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

2)

In the Ranges and Copies section, select the Even pages, Odd pages or Selection
options.

3)

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

210 | PrintingBrochure or booklet printing
In Writer, Impress, and Draw, you can print a document with two pages on each side of a sheet ofpaper, arranged so that when the printed pages are folded in half, the pages are in the correct
order to form a booklet or brochure.

Tip
Plan your document so it will look good when printed half size; choose appropriate
margins, font sizes, and so on. You may need to experiment.

Single-sided printerTo print a brochure or booklet on a printer only capable of single-sided or simplex printing:
1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

2)

Select the printer you want to use if more than one printer is connected to your computer.

3)

Click Properties to open the properties dialog for the selected printer.

4)

Check the printer is set to the same orientation (portrait or landscape) as specified in thepage setup for your document. Usually the orientation does not matter, but it does forbrochures and booklets.

5)

Click OK to return to the Print dialog.

6)

Select the Brochure option in the Page Layout section.

7)

Select Even pages or Odd pages in the Range and Copies section.

8)

Click OK to print the even or odd pages.

9)

Take the printed pages out of the printer, turn the pages over, and put them back into theprinter in the correct orientation to print on the blank side. You may need to experiment a bit
to find out what the correct arrangement is for your printer.

10)

If you selected Even pages, now select Odd pages in the Range and Copies section. If
you selected Odd pages, now select Even pages in the Range and Copies section.

11)

Click OK to finish printing the document.

Double-sided printerTo print a brochure or booklet on a printer that is capable of double-sided or duplex printing:
1)

Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

2)

Select the printer you want to use if more than one printer is connected to your computer.

3)

Click Properties to open the properties dialog for the selected printer.

4)

Check the printer is set to the same orientation (portrait or landscape) as specified in thepage setup for your document. Usually the orientation does not matter, but it does forbrochures and booklets.
Printing | 211

5)Click OK to return to the Print dialog.

6)

In the Paper sides option, select Print on both sides (duplex long edge) printing from thedrop down list. Actual options available for duplex printing depend on the printer model andthe computer system being used.

7)

Select the Brochure option in the Page Layout section.

8)

In the Range and Copies section, select the All pages option.

9)

Click OK to print the document.

Black and white or grayscale printing
You may wish to print documents in black and white or grayscale on a color printer. However, somecolor printers may only allow you to print in color regardless of the settings you choose. Moredetails can be found in the information that came with your printer.

Printer settings
To change the printer settings to print in black and white or grayscale:
1)2)Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

Select the printer you want to use if more than one printer is connected to your computer.

Figure 262: Example printer properties dialog

212 | Printing

3)

Click Properties to open the properties dialog for the printer. The available choices
available depend on printer model and computer operating system, but you should easilyfind options for the Color settings. An example of what you may see is shown in Figure 262.

4)

In Color or Additional Features, select either Black & White or Grayscale from theavailable options.

5)

Click OK to close the properties dialog and return to the Print dialog.

6)

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Tip
Grayscale is the best option if you have any colored text or graphics in the document.
Colors will print in shades of gray giving more detail. When printing color in black andwhite some of this detail maybe lost.

LibreOffice settings
To change the LibreOffice settings to print all colored text and graphics as grayscale:1)

Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Print on the main menu bar.

2)

In Defaults, select Convert colors to grayscale option.

3)

Click OK to save the change and close the dialog.

4)Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:

5)–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Draw settings
To change the Draw settings to print all color text and graphics as either black and white orgrayscale:1)

Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw> Print on the main menu bar.

2)

In the Quality section, select either Grayscale or Black & white option.

3)

Click OK to save the change and close the dialog.

4)Open and use the Print dialog (Figure 260 on page 207) using one of the following
methods:

5)–

Go to File > Print on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard Ctrl+P .

–Click on the Print icon on the Standard toolbar.

Click OK to print the document and close the dialog.

Exporting
LibreOffice can export documents to PDF (Portable Document Format). This industry-standard fileformat is ideal for sending a file for someone else to view using Adobe Reader or other PDF
viewers. The process and dialogs are the same for Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw, with a few
minor differences mentioned in this section.

Exporting | 213

Figure 263: PDF Options dialog

Directly as PDF
Click on the Export Directly as PDF icon on the Standard toolbar to export the entire document
using your default PDF settings. You are asked to enter the file name and location for the PDF file,
but you cannot choose page range, image compression, or other options.

Controlling PDF content and quality
For more control over the content and quality of the resulting PDF, you have to use the option
Export as PDF. For more information on available options, see the Getting Started Guide.
1)

Go to File > Export As > Export as PDF on the main menu bar to open the PDF Options
dialog (Figure 263).

2)

Use this dialog to select options in the General, Initial View, User Interface, Links,
Security and Digital Signatures pages.

3)

When you have selected the appropriate options, click Export.

4)

In the dialog that opens, enter the location and file name of the PDF to be created.

5)

Click Export to save the file in PDF format.

Other formats
LibreOffice uses the term “export” for some file operations involving a change of file type. If you
cannot find what you want in File > Save As, look in File > Export. LibreOffice can export files invarious formats, which are listed in the drop-down list for file format. See Chapter 6 Editing
Pictures in this guide for more information on exporting graphics.
To export a file in another format:
1)

Go to File > Export on the main menu bar to open the Export dialog (Figure 264).

214 | Exporting

Figure 264: Export dialog
2)

Navigate to the directory where you want to export your drawing.

3)

Specify a file name for the exported document in the File name text box.

4)

Select the required format from the File format drop-down list.

5)

Click Export to save the file and close the dialog.

Note
The content of the exported file will depend on the elements selected on the page. No
selection results in the entire image being exported. For most export formats, only theimage on the current page will be exported.

Web pages
To export a multi-page Draw document to a series of web pages, go to File > Export on the main
menu bar and select HTML Document as the file type to open the HTML Export dialog. Follow the
prompts to create the web pages. If required, a navigation aid can be generated to help in movingfrom page to page. For more information, see Chapter 12 Creating Web Pages in the Getting
Started Guide.

E-mailing documents
LibreOffice provides several ways to send documents quickly and easily as an e-mail attachment in
OpenDocument format (LibreOffice default format), or as a PDF. You can email a document toseveral recipients. For more information, see Chapter 10 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing in theGetting Started Guide.

Note
Documents can only be sent from the LibreOffice menu if a mail profile has been setup.

E-mailing documents | 215

OpenDocument format
To email the current document in OpenDocument format:
1)

Go to File > Send > Email Document on the main menu bar. LibreOffice opens yourdefault e-mail program with the document attached.

2)

In your e-mail program, enter the recipient, subject, and any text you want to add, thensend the e-mail.

PDF format
To email the current document as a PDF file:1)

Go to File > Send >-E-mail as PDF on the main menu bar. LibreOffice creates a PDF
using the default PDF settings and then opens your email program with the PDF fileattached.

2)

In your e-mail program, enter the recipient, subject, and any text you want to add, thensend the e-mail.

216 | E-mailing documents

Draw Guide

Chapter 11
Advanced Draw TechniquesMulti-page documents
Draw documents, like Impress presentation documents, can consist of multiple pages. This allows
you to create a drawing that has several sections and stored as one file on a computer.
When pages are inserted into a drawing, they are automatically named as Slide 1, Slide 2, and soon in the Navigator. As you change page order, the pages are automatically renumbered. However,
if you want to easily identify each page, then it is recommended to give each page a memorable
name.

Page pane
By default the Page Pane (Figure 265) appears docked on the left of the workspace when you
open Draw and shows every page in the drawing as a thumbnail. If the Page Pane is not
displayed, go to View > Page Pane on the main menu bar.

Note
The Page Pane is called Pages when it is in its docked position on the left of theworkspace.

Figure 265: Draw main window showing Page Pane, Workspace and Sidebar

218 | Multi-page documents

Figure 266: Navigator dialog

Figure 267: Navigator deck on Sidebar
The Page Pane is used as follows to help you control pages in your drawing:•

Select a page using one of the following methods and the page will appear in theWorkspace for editing:–

Click on a page thumbnail in the Page Pane.

–

Press the F5 key to open the Navigator dialog (Figure 266).

–

Go to View > Navigator on the main menu bar to open the Navigator dialog (Figure
266).

–

Click on the Navigator icon on the Sidebar to open the Navigator deck (Figure 267).

•

Select a thumbnail in the Page Pane, then drag and drop the thumbnail to change the pageorder in the document.

•

Click and drag on the separator line between the Page Pane and Workspace to change
the width of the Page Pane.

•

Click on the middle of the separator line to show or hide the Page Pane.

•

Press and hold the Ctrl key, then double-click in the title bar of the Page Pane to undock it
and turn it into a floating window.

•

Click in the title bar and drag the Page Pane to turn it into a floating window.

•

Press and hold the Ctrl key, then double-click in the title bar of the floating Page Pane todock it back into its default position on the left of the workspace.
Multi-page documents | 219

•Click in the title bar and drag the Page Pane to return it to its docked position on the left
side of the Workspace.

•

Right-click in the Page Pane and select New Page from the context menu to insert a page
into your drawing.

•

Go to Page on the main menu bar to carry out one of the following actions listed in thecontext menu:–

Select New Page to insert a new page.

–

Select Duplicate Page to insert a duplicate page. The duplicate page will be a duplicateof the page selected in the Page Pane.

–

Select Insert Page from File and the Insert File dialog opens. Navigate to the folder
where the file is located, select then click on Insert.

–

Select Rename Page and the selected page in the Page Pane is renamed.

–

Select Delete Page and the selected page in the Page Pane is deleted.

•

Right-click on a page in the Page Pane and select New Page, Delete Page or Rename
Page from the context menu.

•

Select Page > Move on the main menu bar and select Page to Start, Page Up, Page
Down and Page to End from the context menu to move a selected page in the page order.

•

Select Page > Navigate on the main menu bar and select To First Page, To Previous
Page, To Next Page and To Last Page from the context menu to select a page for editing.

Master pages
A master page is a page that is used as the starting point for other pages in your drawing. It issimilar to a page style in Writer and controls the basic formatting of all pages based upon it. A
drawing can have more than one master page so that you can assign a different look to pages inyour drawing, for example title page, contents page, and drawing pages.
A master page has a defined set of characteristics, including the background color, graphic, or
gradient; objects (such as logos, decorative lines, and other graphics) in the background, theformatting of text, blocks of standard text, and insert fields such as page numbering, date, andfilename.

Note
LibreOffice uses interchangeable terms for one concept: slide master, master slide,and master page. All refer to a page which is used to create other pages. Whensearching for information in Draw Help, it may be necessary to use alternative searchterms.

Master page view
To add text, objects and fields to a master page, go to View > Master on the main menu bar toopen the master page view and open the Master View toolbar (Figure 268). If this toolbar does notopen, go to View > Toolbars > Master View on the main menu bar.
To return to normal page mode, click on Close Master View in the Master View toolbar or go to
View > Normal on the main menu bar.

220 | Multi-page documents

Figure 268: Master
View toolbar

Creating master pages
Each drawing you create already has a default master page, but you can create extra masterpages to change the look of some of the pages in your multi-page drawing.
1)

Go to View > Master on the main menu bar to open the master page view.

2)

Click on the New Master icon in the Master View toolbar (Figure 268) to create a newmaster page. The new master page is automatically selected allowing you to add a new setof items to create a new look for your pages.

Renaming master pages
Each new master page created has the default name of Default 1, Default 2, and so on. It is
recommended to rename your new master page with a more meaningful name. The default masterpage that was created when you first created your drawing can also be renamed.
1)

Go to View > Master on the main menu bar to open the master page view.

2)

Right-click on a master page in the Page Pane and select Rename Page from the context
menu or click on the Rename Master icon on the Master View toolbar (Figure 268). This
opens the Rename Master Slide dialog (Figure 269) where you can type a new name.

3)

Click OK to save the master page with its new name and close the dialog.

Figure 269: Rename Master
Slide dialog

Deleting master pages
The Delete option and Delete icon are only available when there is more than one master page inyour drawing. You cannot delete the default master page that was created when you first createdyour drawing.
1)

Go to View > Master on the main menu bar to open the master page view.

2)

Select and right-click on a master page in the Page Pane and select Delete Page from thecontext menu or click on the Delete Master icon in the Master View toolbar (Figure 268).

Inserting fields
You can insert fields on each master page by going to Insert > Field on the main menu bar andselecting a field from the context menu. The following fields can be inserted into a master page.

Multi-page documents | 221•Date (fixed) – inserts the current date into the master page as a fixed field. The date is not
automatically updated.

•

Date (variable) – inserts the current date into the master page as a variable field. The dateis automatically updated when you open the file.

•Time (fixed) – inserts the current time into the master page as a fixed field. The time is not
automatically updated.

•

Time (variable) – inserts the current time into the master page as a variable field. The time
is automatically updated when you open the file.

•

Author – inserts the first and last names listed in the LibreOffice user data into the active
page. Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data on the main menu bar to enter
your user data into LibreOffice.

•Page Number – inserts the page number into every page of the drawing. To change thenumber format, go to Page > Properties on the main menu bar to open the Page Setup
dialog (Figure 270). Click on the Page tab and select a number format from the drop-down
list in Layout Settings.

•

Page Title – inserts the page title. A page title is created in Normal view by going to Page
> Rename Page on the main menu bar and entering a title in Name text box in the
Rename Page dialog (Figure 271) that opens.

•

Page Count – inserts the total number of pages in your drawing.

•

File name – inserts the name of the active file. The name only appears after you save thefile.

Figure 270: Page Setup dialog

Figure 271: Rename Page dialog

222 | Multi-page documents

Figure 272: Edit Field dialog

Figure 273: Available Master Slides dialog

Editing field format
The format of Date, Time, Author or File name fields is edited as follows on a master slide:1)

Click on the field to select it.

2)

Select the field content.

3)

Go to Edit > Fields... on the main menu bar to open the Edit Field dialog (Figure 272).

4)

Select an option from the drop down lists for Language and Format.

5)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

Assigning master pages
When your drawing has more than one master page, you can assign different master pages todifferent pages.
1)

Go to View > Normal on the main menu bar and select the page in the Page Pane youwant to assign a new master page to it.

2)

Right-click on the page in the Workspace and select Change Slide Master from thecontext menu to open the Available Master Slides dialog (Figure 273).
Multi-page documents | 223

Figure 274: Load Master Slide dialog
3)

Select the master page design you want to use in Select a Slide Design.

4)

If necessary, select the Exchange background page option to use the selected master pagefor all pages in the drawing.

5)

If necessary, select the Delete unused backgrounds option to delete any master pages
shown in Select a Slide Design that have not been assigned to a page.

6)

Click OK to assign the selected master page to your page and close the dialog.

Master pages from templates
You can use master pages, which are defined in templates available in LibreOffice. Any masterpages loaded into your drawing are adapted to the page size of your drawing. This may causesome images to be stretched when adapted to fit your drawing page size.
1)

Go to View > Master on the main menu bar and open Master view in your drawing.

2)

Right click on the master page displayed in your drawing and select Change Master Slidefrom the context menu to open the Available Master Slides dialog (Figure 273)

3)

Click on Load… in the Available Master Slides dialog (Figure 273) to open the Load
Master Slide dialog (Figure 274).

4)

Chose a template category from list displayed in Categories.

5)

Choose a template from the list displayed in Templates. A preview of the selected template
is displayed in Preview.

6)

Click OK to close the Load Master Slide dialog and the Available Master Slides dialog
opens displaying the template in Select a Slide Design.

7)

Select the master page design you want to use in Select a Slide Design.

8)

If necessary, select the Exchange background page option to use the selected master pagefor all pages in the drawing.

9)

If necessary, select the Delete unused backgrounds option to delete any master pages
shown in Select a Slide Design that have not been assigned to a page.

10)

Click OK to assign the selected master page to your page and close the dialog.

224 | Multi-page documents

Templates
A template is a special type of document that you use as a basis for creating other documents. For
example, you can create a template for company drawings so that any new drawing has yourcompany logo and name on the first page and any remaining pages in your drawing only show thecompany name.
Templates can contain anything that regular documents can contain, such as text, graphics, a setof styles, and user-specific setup information such as measurement units, language, the default
printer, and toolbar and menu customization.
•

You can create a specific template for any document type (text, spreadsheet, drawing, orpresentation).

•

If you do not specify a template when you start a new drawing or document, then thedrawing or document is based on a set of properties that are hard coded in LibreOffice.

•You can create a default template for your drawings. See “Default template” on page 228
for more information.

•

For more information on templates and templates from other sources, see the Getting
Started Guide Chapter 3 Using Styles and Templates.

Note
Draw does not have any predefined templates when it is installed on a computer.
However, you can install templates from other sources or create your own templates;
these methods are described in the following sections.

Creating templates
1)

Open the drawing that you want to use for a template, or open and edit a template that you
want to use as a basis for your new template.

2)

Add any extra content and styles or edit the content and styles in your drawing.

Figure 275: Save As Template dialog

Templates | 225

3)

Save your template using one of the following methods to open the Save As Template
dialog (Figure 275):–

Go to File > Templates > Save As Template on the main menu bar to open the Save
As Template.

–

Click on the small triangle to the right of the Save icon on the Standard toolbar andselect Save as Template on the context menu to open the Save As Template.

4)Enter a name for your template in the Template Name text box.

5)

Select a category where you want to save your template in the Template Category box.

6)

If you want the template to be used as the default template in Draw, then select the option
Set as default template.

7)

Click on Save to save your template and close the dialog.

8)

Alternatively, go to File > Save As on the main menu bar to open the Save as dialog(Figure 276).

9)

Navigate to the LibreOffice folder where templates are stored. Actual folder depends on
your computer system and setup.

10)Enter a filename with the extension .otg in the File name: text box.

11)

In the File type: drop down list, select ODF Drawing Template (.otg) as the file type.

12)

Click on Save to save your template and close the dialog.

Note
When using the Save as dialog (Figure 276), you must use the LibreOffice templates
folder for your template for the Template Manager to recognize and find yourtemplate.

Figure 276: Save as dialog

226 | Templates

Using templates
Quick Start Center
If LibreOffice is not open, create a new drawing using a template is as follows:
1)

Start LibreOffice and click on Templates in the Quick Start Center to open a display ofavailable templates for all LibreOffice applications.

2)

Alternatively, if LibreOffice is not open, start LibreOffice and click on the small triangle to theright of Templates in the Quick Start Center, then select Draw Templates to open adisplay of available templates for Draw.

Templates dialog
Instead of using the default settings in LibreOffice to create a new drawing, use a template fromthe Templates dialog (Figure 277) as follows:1)

If Draw is already open, use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog(Figure 277):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

From the Filter drop down lists for applications and category, select the template you want
to use for your new drawing.

3)

Click on Open to create a new drawing in Draw and close the dialog.

Figure 277: Templates dialog

Templates | 227

Figure 278: Open dialog

Open file dialog
If you know which folder contains the template you want to use for a new drawing, proceed asfollows:
1)

Go to File > Templates > Open Template on the main menu bar to open the Open dialog(Figure 278).

2)

Navigate to the folder where the template is located.

3)

Select the template you want to use.

4)

Click on Open to open the template in Draw and close the dialog.

5)

Go to File > Save As on the main menu bar to open the Save as dialog (Figure 276 on
page 226).

6)

Enter a filename using the extension .odg in the File name: text box.

7)

In the File type: drop down list, select ODF Drawing (.odg) as the file type.

8)

Click on Save to save your new drawing and close the dialog.

Default template
If you create a new drawing and do not select a template, LibreOffice creates the drawing using a
set of properties that are hard coded in LibreOffice. However, you can set any drawing template tobe the default template, even a template that you have created, so long as it is located in a
category displayed in the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227).

Setting template as default
Set a template as default for use with a new drawing is as follows:1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):228 | Templates–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawings as the application and the template category
where the template you want to use is located.

3)

Select the template.

4)

Right-click on the template and select Set as default from the context menu. There is no
confirmation that the selected template has become the default template for new drawings.
The default template is indicated by check mark at the top left corner of the template icon.

5)

Click on Cancel to close the dialog. The next time you create a new drawing, it will becreated using the default template.

Note
If you have created a new drawing that you want to use as the default template, thenyou must save the drawing as a template first before you can use it as the default
template. See “Creating templates” on page 225 for more information.

Resetting default
To reset Draw back to the LibreOffice default properties for new drawings:
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

Right-click on the default template. The default template is indicated by check mark at the
top left corner of the template icon.

3)

Select Reset Default from the context menu. There is no confirmation that Draw has been
reset to using LibreOffice default properties when a new drawing is created.

4)

Click on Cancel to close the dialog. The next time you create a new drawing, it will becreated using the LibreOffice default properties.

Editing templates
You can edit template styles and content, and then, if you wish, reapply the template styles todrawings that were created from that template.

Note
You can only reapply styles. You cannot reapply content.

Editing1)

2)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Template Manager on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

Locate the template you want to edit and select it.

Templates | 229

Figure 279: Confirmation dialog for style update3)

Right click on the selected template and select Edit from the context menu. The template
opens in Draw.

4)

Edit the template just as you would any other drawing.

5)

Go to File > Save on the main menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S to save thetemplate.

6)

To save the edited template as a new template, see “Creating templates” on page 225 formore information.

Updating documents from modified template
The next time that you open a drawing that was created from the changed template, you will be
asked to confirm whether you want to update the styles in your drawing to the formatting used in
the modified template (Figure 279).
•

Click Update Styles to update any styles in the document that have been changed in thetemplate and close the confirmation dialog.

•

Click Keep Old Styles if you do not want to update any styles in the document that havebeen changed in the template and close the confirmation dialog.

Note
If you select Keep Old Styles, then the confirmation dialog will not appear again thenext time you open the document after changing the template it is based on. You will
not get another chance to update the styles from the template.

Organizing templates
LibreOffice can only use templates that are in LibreOffice template folders (categories). You cancreate new LibreOffice template folders (categories) and use them to organize your templates. For
example, separate categories for different projects or clients. You can also import and export
templates.

Tip
The location of LibreOffice template folders varies with your computer operating
system. To learn where the template folders are stored on your computer, go to Tools> Options > LibreOffice > Paths on the main menu bar.

230 | TemplatesFigure 280: Template category name dialog

Creating template folders
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application.

3)

Click on the Settings icon and select New Category from the context menu.

4)Enter a name for the new category in the dialog that opens (Figure 280).

5)

Click OK to save the new category as a new category (folder) in LibreOffice and close thedialog.

Note
You can not create a new sub-categories inside existing LibreOffice categories. Any
template category created is added to the template category list in the Templatesdialog.

Renaming template folders
It is recommended to ONLY rename template folders (categories) that you have created.
Renaming LibreOffice template folders could cause problems with the other LibreOffice modules.
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application and the category you want torename.

3)

Click on the Settings icon and select Rename Category from the context menu.

4)Enter a new name for the category in the name dialog that opens (Figure 280).

5)

Click OK to save the renamed category as a category (folder) in LibreOffice and close thedialog.

Templates | 231

Figure 281: Delete Category dialog

Deleting template folders
You cannot delete the template folders supplied with LibreOffice or installed using the Extension
Manager. You can only delete folders that you have created.
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page 227):–

Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application and the category you want todelete.

3)

Click on the Settings icon and select Delete Category from the context menu.

4)

Select the category in the Delete Category dialog that opens (Figure 281).

5)

Click OK to delete the category and close the dialog.

6)

Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the folder.

Moving templates
To move a template from one template folder to another template folder:1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page
227):
– Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.
–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application and the category where thetemplate is located.

3)

Click on the Move icon and the Select Category dialog (Figure 282) opens.

4)

Select a category from Select from Existing Category or enter a name for a new category
in Create a New Category.

5)

Click OK to move the template and close the dialog.

232 | TemplatesFigure 282: Moving templates dialog

Deleting templates
You cannot delete the templates supplied with LibreOffice or installed using the Extension Manager
from inside LibreOffice. You can only delete templates that you have created or imported. Althoughsystem administrators can remove or add templates manually in the LibreOffice installation folder.

1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page
227):
– Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.
–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application and the category where thetemplate is located.

3)

Right click on the template you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu.

4)

Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the template and close the dialog.

5)

Click Cancel to close the Templates dialog.

Importing templates
If the template that you want to use is in a different location, you must import it into a LibreOffice
template folder.

1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page
227):
– Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.
–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

Click the Import icon and the Select Category dialog (Figure 282) opens.

3)

Select a category from Select from Existing Category or enter a name for a new category
in Create a New Category for the imported template.

4)

Click OK and a standard file browser dialog opens.

Templates | 233

5)

Navigate to the folder containing the template you want to import, select it and click Open.
The file browser closes and the template appears in the selected category.

6)

Alternatively, click on the Browse online templates icon to open your browser at the
LibreOffice template page and download the template you want to a folder on yourcomputer.

7)

Repeat Steps 1 thru 5 above to import the downloaded template into LibreOffice.

Note
The Extension Manager provides an easy way to import and install templatecollections that have been packaged as extensions. For more information about the
Extension Manager, see the Getting Started Guide.

Exporting templates
1) Use one of the following methods to open the Templates dialog (Figure 277 on page
227):
– Go to File > New > Templates on the main menu bar.
–

Go to File > Templates > Manage Templates on the main menu bar.

–

Use the keyboard short cut Shift+Ctrl+N .

2)

In the Filter drop down lists, select Drawing as the application and the Category where thetemplate is located.

3)

Select the template you want to export and click the Export icon to open a file browser
window.

4)

Navigate to the folder where you want to export the template to, select it and click Select.
The file browser closes and the template appears in the selected folder.

5)

Click OK to close the information dialog.

Multiple layers
Layers in LibreOffice Draw allow you to assemble elements on a drawing page that are related.
Think of layers as individual workspaces that you can hide from view, hide from printing, or lock.
Layers do not determine the stacking order of objects on your drawing page, except for theControls layer which is always in front of all other layers. The stacking order of objects on yourdrawing page is determined by the sequence in which you add the objects. You can rearrange thestacking order by going to Shape > Arrange on the main menu bar.
Layers in a drawing are indicated by tabs located above the Status bar. Click on a tab to select alayer. Figure 283 shows the Layout layer has been selected.

Figure 283: Layer tabs

Note
You can lock a layer to protect its contents, or hide a layer and its contents from viewor from printing. When you add a new layer, the layer is added to all of the pages inyour drawing. However, when you add an object to a layer, it is only added to thecurrent drawing page.
234 | Multiple layers

Note
If you want the object to appear on all of the pages (for example, a company logo),
add the object to the master page by going to View > Master on the main menu bar.
To return to your drawing, go to View > Normal on the main menu bar.

Default layers
In Normal view, LibreOffice Draw provides three default layers that are visible to the user andthese default layers cannot be deleted or renamed.
•

Layout – is the default workspace where objects are normally placed.

•

Controls – used for form controls that have been assigned an action. Objects on this layer
are always in front of objects on other layers. Normally, form controls are not printed andthe Printable setting has to be set deselected.

•

Dimension Lines – is where the dimension lines are drawn. By switching the layer to showor hide, you can easily switch dimension lines on and off.

In Master view, the layer Background objects is where you can place objects that you want toappear on every page in your drawing, for example date, page number, drawing title and so on.

Inserting layers
1)

Right-click the layer tab area at the bottom left of the Workspace area and select Insert
Layer from the context menu, or go to Insert > Layer on the main menu bar to open theInsert Layer dialog (Figure 284) or click right from existing layers on the tab area.

2)

Type a meaningful name for the layer in the Name and Title text boxes. If necessary, typea description for the layer in the Description text box.

3)

Select Visible if you want the layer to be visible in your drawing. When Visible is notselected, the layer is hidden and its name in the layer tab changes color to blue.

Figure 284: Insert Layer dialog

Multiple layers | 235

4)

Select Printable if you want the layer to print when you print your drawing. Not printing isuseful if you want use a draft layer for guides or annotations that you use in making thedrawing, but do not want to appear in the final output. The name of a layer is underlined in
the layer tab bar when the Printable option is turned off.

5)

Select Locked to prevent any objects on this layer from deletion, editing, or moving. No
additional objects can be added to a locked layer. Locking a layer is useful, for example,
when a base plan is to be protected while adding a new layer with other details. The nameof a locked layer is written in italic in the layer tab bar.

6)

Click OK to close the dialog and the new layer automatically becomes active.

Modifying layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer from the context menu or
double-click on the layer tab or use Format > Layer… on the main menu bar to open the
Modify Layer dialog. This dialog is similar to the Insert Layer dialog in Figure 284.

2)

Make your changes to the layer, then click OK to save the changes and close the dialog.

Working with layers
Selecting a layer
To select a layer, click on the name tab for the layer at the bottom of the drawing workspace. Whena layer is selected, objects added to your drawing will only be added to that layer. Form controls
are automatically added to the Controls layer and dimension lines added to the Dimension Lines
layer.
If there are several layers in your drawing, a layer tab may not not be visible on the layer tab bar.
Use the navigation icons on the left of the layer tab bar to navigate to the layer you want to use or
modify.

Hiding layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer from the context menu or
double-click on the name tab to open the Modify Layer dialog.

2)

Clear the Visible check box and click OK. The text on the layer name tab changes color toblue. Any objects placed on a hidden layer will no longer be visible on the other layers inyour drawing.

3)

Alternatively, hold down the Shift key and click on the name tab to hide the layer.

Showing hidden layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer from the context menu or
double-click on the name tab to open the Modify Layer dialog.

2)

Check the Visible check box and click OK. The text for the layer name tab changes to thedefault color for text for your computer setup. Any objects placed on a hidden layer will now
become visible on the other layers in your drawing.

3)

Alternatively, hold down the Shift key and click on the name tab to make the layer visible.

Locking layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer from the context menu or
double-click on the name tab to open the Modify Layer dialog.

2)

Check the Locked check box and click OK. The text on the layer name tab is underlined.
Locking a layer prevents any modification of the layer.

236 | Multiple layers

3)

Alternatively, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the name tab to lock the layer.

Unlocking layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer from the context menu or
double-click on the name tab to open the Modify Layer dialog.

2)

Uncheck the Locked check box and click OK to allow modification of the layer. The text on
the layer name tab is no longer underlined.

3)

Alternatively, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the name tab to unlock the layer.

Renaming layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Rename Layer from the context menu.

2)Type a new name for the layer and click outside the tab area to save the change.

3)

Alternatively, follow the procedure in “Modifying layers” on page 236 to rename the layer.

4)

Alternatively, hold down the Alt key and click on the name tab. The name becomes
editable and is already selected. Enter the new name and press Enter key.

Deleting layers
1)

Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Delete Layer from the context menu.

2)

Confirm the deletion and the layer and all its objects are deleted.

Moving objects layer to layer
If an object, or a group of objects, is selected, the layer where the object has been placed is shownat the left end of the Status Bar. Move an object, or a group of objects, from one layer to anotherlayer using one of the following methods:•

Click and hold on the object until the cursor changes shape. While holding down mousebutton, drag the cursor to the tab of the destination layer and release the mouse button.
The position of the object will not change, but its new layer is displayed in the Status Bar.

•

Go to Edit > Cut on the main menu bar or right click on the object and select Cut from thecontext menu. Click on the tab of the destination layer to make it the active layer. Then go
to Edit > Paste on the main menu bar or right click on the Workspace and select Pastefrom the context menu. The position of the object will not change, but its new layer isdisplayed in the Status Bar.

Note
You can only rename or delete layers that you have added to a drawing. The default
layers Layout, Controls, Dimension Lines and Background objects, cannot berenamed or deleted.

Dimensioning
Draw allows you to dimension objects and display these dimensions to make your drawing look
more like an engineering drawing. When you create dimensions, they are automatically placed on
the Dimension Lines layer (see “Default layers” on page 235 for more information).

Dimensioning | 237

Configuring dimensioning
Two ways are available to access the options to configure dimensioning. Both methods use asimilar dialog where you can change the length, measurement, and guide properties of adimension line.

Drawing object styles
1)

Use one of the following methods to access your drawing styles to open the Graphics
Styles dialog (Figure 285):–

Go to Format >Styles > Edit Styles on the main menu bar.

–

Click on the Styles and Formatting icon on the Line and Filling toolbar to open the
Styles deck on the Sidebar, then right click on a style and select Modify from thecontext menu.

–

Press the F11 key on your keyboard to open the Styles deck on the Sidebar, thenright click on a style and select Modify from the context menu.

–

Click on the Styles icon on the Sidebar to open Styles deck, then right click on a styleand select Modify from the context menu.

2)

Click on the Dimensioning tab to open the Dimensioning page in the dialog.

3)

Make the changes you want for dimensioning using the various options in Line andLegend sections on the Dimensioning page.

4)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

5)

To reset the dimensioning options to the default properties of the template, open theGraphics Style dialog as given in Steps 1 and 2 above, then click on Standard.

Figure 285: Graphic Styles dialog - Dimensioning page238 | DimensioningFigure 286: Dimension Line dialog

Dimension line dialog
1)

Draw a dimension line. See “Dimensioning objects” on page 241 for more information.

2)

Right-click on the dimension line and select Dimensions from the context menu to open
the Dimension line dialog (Figure 286).

3)

Make the changes you want to use for dimensioning using the various options in this dialog.
These options are also available on the Dimensions page in the Graphics Styles dialog(Figure 285):

4)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

Dimensioning options
With reference to the Dimensions page in the Graphics Style dialog (Figure 285) and theDimension Line dialog (Figure 286), the dimensioning options are as follows. The preview in the
dialog will change as you change the following options showing how the dimension line will appear
in your drawing. An example dimension line is shown in Figure .
•Line – sets the distances between the dimension line and guides with respect to eachother, dimension baseline and object. The baseline is not visible in a drawing, but isindicated by baseline points on each of the guides.
–

Line distance – specifies the distance between the dimension line and the object or thebaseline. A minimum of -10mm to a maximum of 10mm can be entered in the text box.
Lower the value, the closer the dimension line is to the object or baseline.

–

Guide overhang – is the distance the guide either extends above the dimension line oris below the dimension line. A minimum of -10mm to a maximum of 10mm can beentered in the text box. Using a positive value and the guide overhang extends above
the dimension line. Using a negative value and the guide overhang is below thebaseline.

Dimensioning | 239

•–

Guide distance – specifies the length of the right and left guides below the dimension
line toward the object. A minimum of -10mm to a maximum of 10mm can be entered in
the text box. Positive values extend the guides above the baseline and further awayfrom the object. Negative values extend the guides below the below and closer to theobject.

–Left guide – specifies the length of the left guide starting at the dimension line. A
minimum of -10mm to a maximum of 10mm can be entered in the text box. Positive
values extend the guide below the dimension line toward the object. Negative values
move the guide away from the object.

–

Right guide – specifies the length of the right guide starting at the dimension line. A
minimum of -10mm to a maximum of 10mm can be entered in the text box. Positive
values extend the guide below the dimension line toward the object. Negative values
move the guide away from the object.

–

Measure below object – reverses the positions and lengths of the dimension line andguides set in Line options.

–

Decimal places – specifies the number of decimal places used for the display of line
properties.

Legend – sets the properties of the dimension text.
–

Text position – determines the position of the dimension text with respect to thedimension line and the guides. The AutoVertical and AutoHorizontal checkboxes must
be cleared before you can assign a text position.

–

AutoVertical – determines the optimal vertical position for the dimension text.

–

AutoHorizontal – determines the optimal horizontal position for the dimension text.

–

Parallel to line – displays, when selected, the text parallel to the dimension line or, whendeselected, at 90 degrees to the dimension line.

–

Show measurement units – shows or hides the dimension measurement units. You canalso select a measurement unit you want to display from the drop down list.

Note
The dimensioning options are always linked and stored with the current work page. All
the changes that you make apply only to this document. New documents are started
with the standard properties of Draw. If you want to use the dimensioning options for
future drawings, save your drawing as a template.

Figure 287: Example dimension line

240 | Dimensioning

Guide selection handles
The guide selection handles at the top and bottom of the guides are used to extend the guides
more than the limits of -10mm to 10mm in the Dimensions page in the Graphics Style dialog(Figure 285) and the Dimension Line dialog (Figure 286).
With reference to the dimension example in Figure 287, the guide selection handles are used asfollows:•

Top guide selection handles – select either selection handle and drag the handle toincrease or decrease the guide overhang of both guides.

•

Lower left guide selection handle – select the left guide selection and drag the handle toincrease or decrease of the left guide distance.

•

Lower right guide selection handle – select the right guide selection and drag the handle
to increase or decrease of the right guide distance.

Tip
When dimensioning objects, it is recommended to use the zoom function, guide lines
and snap functions so that you can accurately place dimension lines on an object. See
Chapter 3 Working with Objects and Object Points for more information.

Dimensioning objects
1)

Click on the small triangle next to the Lines and Arrows icon on the Drawing toolbar toopen the Lines and Arrows pop-up toolbar (Figure 288).

NoteThis icon changes depending on the last tool used for Lines and Arrows. Also, thistoolbar can become a floating toolbar by clicking at the top of the pop-up toolbar anddragging it into the Workspace.
2)

Click on the Dimension Line icon and the cursor normally changes to a cross. Thisdepends on your computer setup.

Figure 288: Lines and Arrows toolbar

Figure 289: Dimensioning objects

Dimensioning | 241

3)

Position the cursor at one corner of the object, then click and drag the cursor to the othercorner of the object to draw the dimension line. To restrict drawing the dimension line in thehorizontal or vertical direction, press and hold the Shift key while dragging the cursor.

4)

Release the mouse button when you reach the other corner of the object and thedimension line is drawn with the dimension automatically added (as shown in Figure 289).
The dimension line is also placed automatically on the Dimension Lines layer. See “Default
layers” on page 235 for more information.

5)

To edit the text of the dimension, double-click on an unselected dimension line to enter text
edit mode and make your changes. Click outside the dimension line to save the changes.

6)

To configure the dimension line. See “Configuring dimensioning” on page 238 for more
information.

Note
After editing the dimension text, entering your own text and then deleting your text, youhave to save your drawing and reopen it to enable automatic measurements for
dimensioning.

Note
If drawing to scale, the dimension configuration values in the Dimensions page in theGraphics Style dialog and the Dimension Line dialog will also be to scale. For
example, a value of 10mm in the dialog will result in a dimension value of 300mm if thescale has been set to 1:30.

Drawing to scale
In Draw a drawing is made on a predefined drawing area. This is normally Letter or A4 page size
depending on your locale, computer setup, and the default printer connected to your computer.
However, depending on the actual size of the drawn objects, it is often convenient to reduce orenlarge the drawing by scaling (for example 1:10 or 2:1).
You can specify a scale value by going to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > General (Figure290) and selecting a value from the Drawing scale drop-down list. The default setting for this option
is 1:1. When you make a change to the drawing scale, it is reflected in the rulers at the top and left
side of your drawing.
Any change in the drawing scale has no effect on the basic drawing operations. Draw automaticallycalculates the necessary values (for example, dimension lines). The spacing of the grid points is
independent of drawing scale as the grid is an optical drawing aid and not a drawing element.
An increase in scale (for example 1:4) allows you to draw objects that would not fit into the paper
size for your drawing. A decrease in drawing scale (for example 4:1) allows you to draw small
objects accurately at an increased size to make them easier to understand. An example of drawing
to scale is shown in Figure 291. All three rectangles are the same size.
•

The left rectangle was drawn at the default 1:1 scale and dimensioned.

•

The drawing scale was then changed to 1:4 and the dimensions were automaticallyincreased by Draw to reflect the decrease in scale for the center rectangle.

•

The drawing scale was then changed to 4:1 and the dimensions were automaticallydecreased by Draw to reflect the increase in scale for the right rectangle.

242 | Drawing to scaleFigure 290: LibreOffice Draw dialog - General page

Figure 291: Examples of drawing to scale

Views
You can use several views of the same document. They can use different settings for visible,
printable and locked for layers, different zoom factors, different origins, or even use master pageand normal page at the same time. The document format can only contain one view. So make surethat the view you want to save is active when saving.
To get a new view, go to Window > New Window on the main menu bar to open a new window.
Arrange the windows according to your operating system. The windows act on the same
document. A change to the document in one window is immediately reflected in the other window.

Gallery
Draw includes several images in the Gallery. These images are grouped into themes (for example
Arrows, Bullets, Computers, Diagrams, Environment and so on). The Gallery deck on the Sidebar(Figure 292) lists the available themes. Click on a theme and its images are displayed below thetheme list.

Gallery | 243

Figure 292: Gallery deck in Sidebar
You can create themes and add your images into the new theme to the Gallery. For more
information on creating themes and adding images, see “Creating themes and adding images” onpage 245.
You can also delete images and themes from the Gallery. For more information on deletingthemes and images, see “Deleting gallery themes and images” on page 246.

Note
It is recommended NOT to delete themes or images that are part of the default
installation of LibreOffice. Deletion could cause problems in other LibreOffice modules
where the default Gallery themes and images have been used.

Using the Gallery
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Gallery deck on the Sidebar (Figure 292):–––

Click on the Gallery icon on the Sidebar.
Go to Insert > Media > Gallery on the main menu bar.
Click on the Open Clip Art and Media Gallery on the Standard toolbar.

2)

Select a theme at the top of the Gallery deck.

3)

Use one of the following methods to place an image into your drawing:
–
–
–

4)

Click on an image in the Gallery deck and drag the image into your drawing.
Right-click on an image and select Insert from the context menu and the image isplaced at the centre of your drawing.
Right-click on an image and select Copy from the context menu and then paste theimage into your drawing. The image is placed at the center of your drawing.

Edit the gallery image to your preferences. For more information on editing pictures, see
Chapter 6 Editing Pictures.

244 | Gallery

Creating themes and adding images
1)

Use one of the following methods to open the Gallery deck on the Sidebar (Figure 292):–

Click on the Gallery icon on the Sidebar.

–

Go to Insert > Media > Gallery on the main menu bar.

2)

Click on New Theme at the top of the Gallery deck to open the Properties of New Theme
dialog (Figure 293).

3)

Type a memorable name for your theme in the text box.

4)

Click OK to save the new theme and close the dialog.

5)

Right-click on the new theme name that you have created and select Properties from thecontext menu to open the Properties of New Theme dialog (Figure 293).

6)

Click on the Files tab to open the Files page of the Properties of New Theme dialog(Figure 294).

7)

Click on Find Files to open the Select Path dialog (Figure 295).

8)

Browse to the folder that contains the images you want to use.

Figure 293: Properties of New Theme dialog – General page

Figure 294: Properties of New Theme dialog - Files page

Gallery | 245

Figure 295: Select Path dialog for gallery theme images
9)

Click Select to select the files contained in the folder and the Select Path dialog closes.
The list of files contained in the folder now appear in the Properties of New Theme dialog.

10)

Select the files you want to use in for your new theme and click Add. The added files will
disappear from the file list and the images will appear in the Gallery.

11)

If you want to add all the files in the list, click Add All. All the files will disappear from the list
and the images will appear in the Gallery.

12)

Click OK when finished and close the Properties of New Theme dialog.

Deleting gallery themes and images
1)

Right-click on a theme or image in the Gallery.

2)

Select Delete from the context menu.

3)

A confirmation message appears. Click Yes and the image or theme.

Note
The image is a linked file and only the link is deleted from the Gallery. The original
image file is not deleted.

Updating the Gallery
All the images in the Gallery are linked files. Occasionally, it is beneficial to update a theme you
have created to make sure that all the files are still there. To do so, right-click on a theme you havecreated and you have added at least one file and then select Update from the context menu.

Renaming themes
To rename a theme you have created, right-click on the theme name and select Rename from thecontext menu.

246 | Gallery

Note
It is recommended NOT to rename themes or images that are part of the default
installation of LibreOffice. Renaming could cause problems in other LibreOfficemodules where the default Gallery themes and images have been used.

Using drawing objects with Gallery
As well as adding images to the Gallery, you can also drawing objects as follows:1)

Select the theme where you want to add a drawing object or create a new theme.

2)

Click on a drawing object you have created and drag the object to the selected theme andrelease mouse button. These objects are stored in a folder in your user directory.

After being added to the Gallery, the drawing object loses its connection to graphic styles and allproperties are set as direct formatting. The drawing object can be in new Draw documents andalso used in the other LibreOffice modules in the same way as any other object from the Gallery.

Adding complete themes
There are two ways to add a complete theme to the Gallery:•

If there is a folder with themes, you can add a path to that folder in Tools > Options >LibreOffice > Paths > Gallery. Click on Edit… and select the folder that contains thethemes. Disadvantage of this method is you might get themes already installed. You cannot
delete a single theme from that folder in your Gallery, but you have to remove the total setof themes by removing the path to the folder.

•

Gallery themes can be installed as extensions. Search for themes athttps://extensions.libreoffice.org/extensions.

ColorsDraw (like all LibreOffice components) uses color palettes for the representation of colors. You cancreate colors and color palettes to suit your own needs by modifying colors in a palette, adding
other colors, or creating custom color palettes.

Note
LibreOffice uses the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color model internally for printing in all of
its software modules. The CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black)) controls areprovided only to ease the input of color values using CMYK notation.
•

RGB model – stands for Red, Green, Blue. It is based on the additive color model of lightwaves and is designed for electronic displays and computers.. This means, the more color
you add, the closer you get towards white. RGB is created using scales from 0 to 255. So,
black would be R=0, G=0, and B=0. White would be R=255, G=255, and B=255.

•

CMYK model – stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black). It is a subtractive color
model where you have to subtract colors to get to white. It is mainly used in printing which
is why the ink cartridges for your printer are labeled CMYK. CMYK works on a scale of 0 to100. If C=100, M=100, Y=100, and K=100, you end up with a black color. But, if all fourcolors equal 0, you end up with true white.

Colors | 247

•

HSB values – stands for hue, saturation, brightness. HSB values are an alternative
representation of the RGB color model and was designed to be more closely align with theway human vision perceives color-making attributes. You can use HSB values to fine tune
any custom colors that you create.

Tip
More information on color models and color values can be found at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_model.

Changing colors
Changing colors in objects you use color palettes to select colors. These color palettes are
installed with LibreOffice and are used in all the LibreOffice modules. Using these color palettes issimilar across all types of objects, but accessing the color palettes does vary according to the typeof object selected.

Color Bar
Although LibreOffice includes tools that allow you to precisely specify a color, LibreOffice also
includes a Color Bar that allows you to quickly change the color of an object in your drawing. By
default, the colors available in the Color Bar are from the Standard palette.

Note
If you have changed the color palette in the Area or Line dialogs, the color paletteused by the Color Bar also changes to the selected color palette.
1)

Select the object in your drawing where you want to quickly change the color.

2)

Go to View > Color Bar on the main menu bar to open the Color Bar (Figure 296).

3)

Left-click on a color to change the area fill color or right-click on a color to change the line
color of a selected object.

4)

To remove a color from an object with a fill color, click on the X box in the bottom left cornerof the Color Bar.

5)

To close the Color Bar, go to View > Color Bar on the main menu bar and deselect ColorBar.

Area fill colors
Use the Area dialog as follows:1)

Select an object that has an area fill color, for example a colored square or triangle.

2)

Open the Area dialog (Figure 297) using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar.

–

Right click on the object and select Area from the context menu.

–

Click on the Area icon on the Line and Filling toolbar.

3)

Click on the Color button to open the Color page.

4)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in Colors > Palette.

248 | Colors

Figure 296: Color Bar dialog

Figure 297: Area dialog - Color page
5)

Click on a color from the ones displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog. The selected fill color will appear in
the selected object.

Use the Area section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 298) as follows:1)

Select an object that has an area fill color, for example a colored square or triangle.

2)

Make sure the Area section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar is expanded.

3)

In the Fill drop down list, make sure Color is selected.

4)

Click on the small triangle to the right of Select the color to apply to open the Fill Color
palette.

5)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Fill Color palette.

6)

Click on a color from the colors displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

7)

The Fill Color palette will close and the selected fill color will be applied to the object.

Use the Fill Color palette available on the Line and Filling or Drawing toolbar as follows:1)

Select an object that has an area fill color, for example a colored square or triangle.

2)

Click on the small triangle to the right of Fill Color on the Line and Filling or Draw toolbar
to open the Fill Color palette.

Colors | 249

3)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Fill Color palette.

4)

Click on a color from the colors displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

5)

The Fill Color palette will close and the selected fill color will be applied to the object.

Figure 298: Properties deckon Sidebar - Area section

Figure 299: Line dialog - Color palette

250 | Colors

Lines or border colors
The Line Color palettes for lines and borders are identical in appearance and use as the Fill Color
palettes used for area fill colors.
Use the Line dialog (Figure 299) as follows:1)

Select a line or object in your drawing.

2)

Open the Line dialog using one of the following methods:–

Go to Format > Line on the main menu bar.

–

Right click on the line or object and select Line from the context menu.

–

Click the small triangle to the right of the Color drop down list.

3)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Line Color palette

4)

Click on a color from the ones displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

5)

The Line Color palette will close and the selected color will be applied to the line or border.

6)

Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog.

Use the Line section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 300) as follows:1)

Select a line or object in your drawing.

2)

Make sure the Line section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar is expanded.

3)

Click on the small triangle to the right of Select the color of the line to open the Line Color
palette.

Figure 300: Properties deckon Sidebar - Line section

Colors | 251

4)

Alternatively, click on the small triangle to the right of the Line Color icon on the Line andFilling toolbar to open the Line Color palette.

5)Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Line Color palette.

6)

Click on a color from the ones displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

7)

The Line Color palette will close and the selected color will be applied to the line or border.

Use the Line Color palette available on the Line and Filling or Drawing toolbar as follows:1)

Select a line or object that in your drawing.

2)

Click on the small triangle to the right of Line Color icon on the Line and Filling or
Drawing toolbar to open the Line Color palette.

3)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Line Color palette.

4)

Click on a color from the colors displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

5)

The Line Color palette will close and the selected color will be applied to the line or border.

Object text
The Font Color palette for text is accessed using the Font Color icon in the Character section in
the Properties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 301), or the Font Color icon available on the Text
Formatting toolbar.
The Font Color palette for text is identical in appearance and use as the Fill Color and Line Color
palettes used for area fill, line and border colors.

Figure 301: Properties deck on
Sidebar - Character section

252 | Colors

Note
The Text Formatting toolbar automatically replaces the Line and Filling toolbar whentext is selected in your drawing. If the Text Formatting toolbar does not appear, go to
View > Toolbars on the main menu bar and select Text Formatting.
1)

Select text in a text box or text contained in an object in your drawing.

2)

Click on the small triangle to the right of the Font Color icon in the Character section in theProperties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 301), or the Font Color icon available on the Text
Formatting toolbar to open the Font Color palette.

3)

Select the color palette to use from the drop down list in the Font Color palette.

4)

Click on a color from the colors displayed, or select a color that has been previously usedfrom Recent Colors.

5)

The Font Color palette will close and the selected color will be applied to the text.

Creating colors
Any custom colors created are automatically placed in the Custom palette. The Custom palette isavailable across all modules of LibreOffice.

Note
LibreOffice uses only the RGB color model for printing in color. The RGB values of theselected color are displayed below the preview boxes.
To create a custom color using the Area dialog (Figure 297 on page 249) is as follows:
1)

Go to Format > Area on the main bar to open the Area dialog.

2)

Click on the Color button to open the Color page.

Figure 302: Pick a Color dialog
Colors | 253

Figure 303: Name dialog
3)

Select a predefined palette from the drop down list to open a color palette that contains acolor similar to the one you want to create.

4)

Select a color in the color palette that is similar to the one you want to create. The color
appears in the New preview box.

5)

If you know the RGB values of your custom color, enter these values in the RGB boxes
under the New preview box. The color in the New preview box will change as you change
the values.

6)

If you do not know the RGB values, then create your custom color as follows:a) Click on the Pick button to open the Pick a Color dialog (Figure 302).
b) Select the color range in the vertical bar, then click and drag the small target circle until
you have a color that is close to the color your require. You will notice that the values for
RGB, HSB and CMYK will change as you move the small target circle.
c) Alternatively and if you know the CMYK percentage values, enter these percentage
values in the CMYK boxes. You will notice that the RGB values will also change tomatch the CMYK percentage values.
d) Click OK to close the Pick a Color dialog and your custom color appears in the New
preview box on the Area dialog.

7)

On the Area dialog, click Add in the Custom Palette option to open the Name dialog(Figure 303).

8)Enter a memorable name for your custom color in the text box in the Name dialog.

9)

Click OK to save the name for your custom color and close the Name dialog. Your custom
color will be added to the custom palette.

Note
When you select one of the RGB or HSB options, the main color display in the Pick a
Color dialog (Figure 302) changes its color range to help you create a new color.

Note
It is important to use a memorable name for your custom color so that you can easily
recognize it in the Custom palette. If you do not give the color a memorable name, thecolor will be given a hex number, which will make it difficult identifying colors when you
have more than one custom color.

Deleting colors
Only colors that you have created and are available in the custom palette can be deleted asfollows:

254 | Colors

1)

Go to Format > Area on the main menu bar to open the Area dialog (Figure 297 on page
249).

2)

Click on the Color button to open the Color page.

3)

Select the custom palette from the drop down list in Colors > Palette.

4)Select the color you want to delete.

5)

In Custom Palette, click on Delete and the color is deleted without any confirmation.

6)

Click OK to close the Area dialog.

Bézier curves
In LibreOffice you can use Bézier2 curves in your drawing. A curve is defined by means of a startpoint, an end point, and, where necessary, control points. For points on the curve the terms nodes
or anchors are often used. For more information and an explanation of the mathematicalbackground of Bézier curves, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezier_curve.
Bézier curves are very useful for experimenting with the shape and form of curves. In point mode
you can change the curve alignment by dragging the points with the mouse. In the example shownin Figure 304, the curve leaves the start point P0 in the direction of the first control point P1 andarrives at the end point P3 from the direction of the second control point P2. The more distant acontrol point is from the start or end point the smaller the curvature at that point. If a control pointlies directly on one of these points, it has no influence on the curve.

Figure 304: Example of a Bézier curve

Drawing Bézier curves
1)

Click on the Curve icon in the Curves and Polygons section of the Shapes deck on the
Sidebar or in the Drawing toolbar.

2)

Click at the start point where you want to draw the curve and, keeping the mouse buttonpressed, drag the cursor to the approximate the position of the end point for the curve.

3)

Release the mouse button, then drag the end point of the curve to its end position.

4)

Double-click when you have reached the end position of the curve and a curve is drawn.
The arc of the curve is determined by the distance you have dragged to create the end
point.

5)

Click on the Points icon on the Drawing toolbar or press the F8 key to open the Edit
Points toolbar (Figure 305).

6)

Click once on the curve to display the start and end points. The start point of the curve islarger than the end point.

2Bézier curves were invented by Pierre Bézier, an engineer working with the Renault car manufacturer, who developed
the technique in the 1960s. The technology was intended to make modeling the surface of vehicles easier.

Bézier curves | 255

7)Move the cursor over the start or end point and drag the control point to change the curve
shape. As you drag a start or end point, a control point appears at the end of a dashed line
connected to the point you have selected, as shown in Figure 306.

8)

When you have the position for your start or end point, release the cursor and the control
point remains active.

9)

Click on the control point and drag it to also change the shape of the curve.

10)

When you have finished editing the curve, click anywhere on the workspace to deselect the
curve and stop editing points.

Figure 305: Edit Points toolbar

Figure 306: Control points on a
curve

Edit Points tools
After the Edit Points toolbar has been opened, each time you select an object that has been
converted to a curve or polygon, the toolbar will appear. Each time you deselect an object that has
been converted, the toolbar will close. Available tools on the Edit Points toolbar will depend on theobject selected and which object point has been selected.
With reference to Figure 305, the tools available on the Edit Points toolbar allow you to edit andchange the shape of a Bézier curve and are explained as follows:•

Points – allows you to activate or deactivate the edit mode for Bézier objects. In the edit
mode, individual points of the drawing object can be selected.

256 | Bézier curves•Move Points – activates a mode in which you can move points. Click on a point and drag it
to another location. The curve on both sides of the point follows the movement; the sectionof the curve between points changes shape. Point at the curve between two points or within
a closed curve and drag the mouse to shift the entire curve without distorting the form.

•

Insert Points – activates the insert mode and allows you to insert points. You can also
move points, just as in the move mode. If, however, you click at the curve between two
points and move the mouse a little while holding down the mouse button you insert a new
point. The point is a smooth point, and the lines to the control points are parallel and remain
so when moved. If you wish to create a corner point you must first insert either a smooth ora symmetrical point which is then converted to a corner point by using Corner Point.

•

Delete Points – deletes one or several selected points. If you wish to select several points,
click the appropriate points while holding down the Shift key. After selecting the points to
be deleted, click this icon or press Delete key.

•

Convert To Curve – converts a curve into a straight line or converts a straight line into acurve. If you select a single point, the curve segment after the point will be converted. If you
convert the segment from straight to curve, the point itself and the other end point of thesegment each gets a control point. If you convert from curve to straight these control points
are removed. If you select more than two points, each time you click this icon, a different
portion of the curve will be converted. If necessary, round points are converted into corner
points. If a section of the curve is straight, the end points of the line have a maximum of
one control point each.

•

Close Bézier – closes or opens a poly line or a curve. A line is closed by connecting thelast point with the first point. The first point is indicated by an enlarged square.

•

Split Curve – splits a curve into two or more curves. Select the point or points where youwant to split the curve, then click.

•

Corner Point – converts the selected point or points into corner points (Figure 307). Corner
points have two movable control points, which are independent from each other. A curvedline, therefore, does not go straight through a corner point, but forms a corner.

Figure 307: Corner point•

Smooth Transition – converts a corner point or symmetrical point into a smooth point(Figure 308). Both control points of the corner point are aligned in parallel and can only be
moved simultaneously. The control points may differ in length, allowing you to vary the
degree of curvature.

Figure 308: Smooth transition point•

Symmetric Transition – converts a corner point or a smooth point into a symmetrical point(Figure 309). Both control points of the corner point are aligned in parallel and have thesame length. They can only be moved simultaneously and the degree of curvature is thesame in both directions.

Bézier curves | 257

Figure 309: Symmetric transition point•

Eliminate Points – The angle from which the point reduction is to take place can be set bygoing to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid.

Adding comments to a drawing
Draw supports comments similar to those in Writer and Calc.
1)

Go to Insert > Comment the main menu bar. A comment box appears with a small marker
box containing your initials in the upper left-hand corner of your drawing. Draw
automatically adds your name and the date at the bottom of the comment (Figure 31).

2)Type or paste your comment into the text box.

3)

To apply basic formatting to the text, right-click and select the formatting option from thecontext menu.

4)

To delete a comment, right-click on the comment or marker box or click on the small
triangle in the bottom right of the comment and select a delete option from the context
menu.

5)

To move a comment, click on the small marker box and drag it to a new position.

6)

To show or hide the comments, go to View > Comments on the main menu bar.

Figure 310: Comment in a drawing

Note
For your initials and name to appear in a comment, you have to enter your user data.
Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data on the main menu bar and enter all
the necessary data. If more than one person edits the document, each author is
automatically allocated a different background color.

258 | Adding comments to a drawing

Connecting and breaking lines
It is possible in Draw to connect separate line elements together to make one line, or to break aline that is composed of separate elements.
•

To connect lines, select the lines and go to Shape > Connect on the main menu bar. End
points on the line are joined together. The resulting shape is a poly line, not a closed shape.

•

To break a line that is composed of separate elements, select it and go to Shape > Breakon the main menu bar. Deselect the object and then select each separate element. Eachseparate element is indicated with start and end points. Click on an element and drag it to a
new position.

Coordinate system
X and Y axes
The x-axis is the horizontal position of an object and the y-axis is the vertical position of an object.
The rulers do not show a minus sign if there are negative coordinates. However, the minus sign for
negative coordinates is shown in the position field in the Status Bar and the Position and Sizedialog.

Workspace
The Workspace is larger than the drawing page. The area outside the drawing page is one page
width right and left and a half page above and below the drawing page. The size of the drawing
page is indicated by highlighted portions in the horizontal and vertical rulers.
You can draw objects that are partly or wholly outside the drawing page. However, when thedrawing is printed, any portion of an object or an object not on the drawing page is not printed,
saved or exported. This allows the Workspace area around the drawing page to be used for drafts
when creating objects.

Object position
The coordinates of objects and snap guides are shown relative to the origin. The default origin for
coordinates (0.00/0.00 position) is the top-left corner of the drawing page without margins or the
top left corner of the drawing page where the margins intersect. To change the default origin, click
and drag the intersection of the rulers in the top left corner of the Workspace to the desired
position. Guide lines will appear as you drag the default origin to its new position. This origin
setting is only for the current view and is not saved in the document.
The area inside the default origin is the area used for the grid when the option Snap to Grid andDisplay Grid are selected. To reset the default origin back to its original setting at the top-left cornerof the page, double click in the top-left corner on the Workspace where the horizontal and verticalrulers meet.

Accuracy
Draw uses internally integer values in 1/100 mm. Therefore it is not possible to get an exact
position for 1/8 inch, for example. Also, many dialog fields are restricted to two decimals. To workin maximal possible accuracy, go to Tools > Options > Draw > General and set the option Unit ofmeasurement to Millimeter. The rulers will also show metric units. However, to use your favoritemeasurement unit, right click on the ruler and select your favorite measurement unit from thecontext menu.
Coordinate system | 259

Draw Guide

Appendix A
Keyboard Shortcuts

Introduction
You can use LibreOffice without requiring a pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, by using
its built-in keyboard shortcuts. Tasks as varied and complex as docking and un-docking toolbars
and windows, or changing the size or position of objects can all be accomplished with only akeyboard. Although LibreOffice has its own extensive set of keyboard shortcuts, each component
provides others which are specific to its work.
For help with LibreOffice keyboard shortcuts, or using LibreOffice with a keyboard only, search the
LibreOffice Help using the “shortcut” or “accessibility” keywords.
In addition to using the built-in keyboard shortcuts (listed in this Appendix), you can also define
your own. You can assign shortcuts to standard Draw functions or your own macros and save themfor use with Draw only, or with the entire LibreOffice suite.
To adapt shortcut keys to your needs, use the Customize dialog as described in this section.

Tips on using macOS
Some keystrokes and menu items are different on macOS from those used in Windows and Linux.
The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this book. For a moredetailed list, see the application Help.
Windows or LinuxmacOS equivalent

EffectTools > Options
menu selection

LibreOffice > Preferences

Access setup options

Right-click

Control+click and/or rightclick depending on computer
setupOpen a context menu

Ctrl (Control)⌘ (Command)

Used with other keys

F5

Shift+⌘+F5Open the Navigator

F11

⌘+T

Open the Styles deck in the Sidebar

Note
Some of the shortcut keys in this appendix may be assigned to your desktop system.
Keys that are assigned to the desktop system are not available to LibreOffice. Try toassign different keys either for LibreOffice in Tools > Customize > Keyboard, or inyour computer system. For more information on customizing LibreOffice, see theGetting Started Guide.

Tips on using macOS | 261

Draw-specific function keys and keyboard shortcuts
Function keys
Shortcut keys

EffectF1

Opens LibreOffice Draw Help

F2Enters text mode, to add or edit text.

F3

Enters group to edit individual objects.

Shift+F3

Opens the Duplicate dialog.

Ctrl+F3

Exits a group.

F4

Opens the Position and Size dialog.

F5

Opens the Navigator.

F7

Check spelling.

Ctrl+F7

Opens the thesaurus.

F8

Turns Edit Points on/off.

Ctrl+Shift+F8

Fits text to frame.

Shift+F10

Opens context menu of a selected object.

F11

Opens the Styles and Formatting dialog.

Shortcut keys for drawings
Shortcut Keys

EffectPlus (+) key

Zooms in.

Minus (-) key

Zooms out.

Multiple (×) Key (number
pad)

Zooms to fit entire page in screen.

Divide (÷) Key (number
pad)

Zooms in on the current selection.

Ctrl+Shift+GGroups selected objects.

Shift+Ctrl+Alt+A

Ungroups selected group.

Ctrl+Shift+K

Combines selected objects.

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K

Un-combines selected objects.

Ctrl+Shift+Plus (+) key

Brings current selection to front.

262 | Draw-specific function keys and keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut Keys

EffectCtrl+Plus (+) key

Brings current selection forward.

Ctrl+Minus (-) key

Sends current selection backward.

Ctrl+Shift+Minus (-) key

Sends current selection to back.

Page Up

Switches to previous page.

Page Down

Switches to next page.

Ctrl+Page Up

Switches to previous layer.

Ctrl+Page Down

Switches to next layer.

Arrow KeyMoves the selected object in the direction of the arrow key.

Ctrl+Arrow Key

Moves the page view in the direction of the arrow key.

Ctrl+click while dragging
an object.

Creates a copy of the object being dragged when mouse button isreleased. Note that this shortcut key works only when the Copy whenmoving option in LibreOffice > Preferences > LibreOffice Draw >General is enabled (this option is enabled by default).

Ctrl+Enter with keyboard
focus (F6) on a drawing
object icon on Tools bar .

Inserts a drawing object of default size into the center of the current
view.

Shift+F10

Opens the context menu for the selected object.

F2Enters text mode.

Enter

Enters text mode if a text object is selected.

Ctrl+Enter

Enters text mode if a text object is selected. If there are no text
objects or if you have cycled through all of the text objects on thepage, a new page is inserted.

Alt

Press the Alt key and drag with the mouse to draw or resize an
object from the center of the object outward.

Alt + click on an object

Selects the object behind the currently selected object.

Alt+Shift + click on an
objectSelects the object in front of the currently selected object.

Shift key while selecting
an object

Adds or removes object to or from the selection.

Shift key while moving
an object

Constrains the movement of the selected object by multiples of 45
degrees.

Shift key while dragging
to create or resize an
objectConstrains the size to keep the object aspect ratio.

Draw-specific function keys and keyboard shortcuts | 263

Shortcut Keys

EffectTab

Cycles through the objects on the page in the order in which they
were created.

Shift+Tab

Cycles through the objects on the page in the reverse-order in which
they were created.

Esc

Exits current mode.

Page Pane navigation
Shortcut Keys

EffectHome/End

Sets the focus to the first/last page.

Left/Right arrow keys orPage Up/Page Down

Sets the focus to the next/previous page.

Enter

Creates a new page.

General function keys and keyboard shortcuts
Opening menus and menu items
Shortcut Keys

ResultOpens a menu where <?> is the underlined character of the menu
you want to open. For example, Alt+F opens the File menu.

Alt+<?>

With the menu open, menu items have underlined characters. To
access these menu items directly, press the underlined character key.
Where two menu items have the same underlined character, press
the character key again to move to the next item.
If an item in a menu has no underlined character, you need to click it
directly.

Esc

Closes an open menu.

F6

Repeatedly pressing F6 switches the focus and circles through thefollowing objects:
Menu bar
Every toolbar from top to bottom and from left to rightEvery free window from left to right
Document

Shift+F6

Switches through objects in the opposite direction.

Ctrl+F6

Switches the focus to the document.

F10 or Alt

Switches to the Menu bar and back.

264 | General function keys and keyboard shortcuts

Accessing menu commands
Press Alt or F6 or F10 to select the first item on the menu bar (the File menu). With theright- arrow , the next menu to the right is selected; with the left-arrow , the previous menu. The
Home and End keys select the first and the last item on the Menu bar.
The down-arrow opens a selected menu. An additional down-arrow or up-arrow moves theselection through the menu commands. The right-arrow opens any existing submenus.
Press Enter to execute the selected menu command.

Accessing toolbar commands
Press F6 repeatedly until the first icon on the toolbar is selected. Use the right and left arrows
to select an icon on a horizontal toolbar. Similarly, use the up and down arrows to select an icon
on a vertical toolbar. The Home key selects the first icon on a toolbar and the End key, the last.
Press Enter to activate the selected icon. If the selected icon normally requires a consecutive
mouse action, such as inserting a rectangle, then pressing the Enter key is not sufficient; in thesecases, press Ctrl+Enter .
•Press Ctrl+Enter on an icon to create a draw object. The draw object will be placed into
the middle of the view, with a predefined size.

•

Press Ctrl+Enter on the Selection tool to select the first draw object in the document. If you
want to edit, size, or move the selected draw object, first use Ctrl+F6 to move the focus
into the document.

Navigating and selecting with the keyboard
You can navigate through a document and make selections with the keyboard.
•

To move the cursor, press the key or key combination given in the following table.

•

To select the characters under the moving cursor, additionally hold down the Shift key
when you move the cursor.

Key

Function

Plus Ctrl key

Right, left
arrow keys

Moves the cursor one character tothe left or to the right.

Moves the cursor one word to the leftor to the right.

Up, down
arrow keys

Moves the cursor up or down one
line.

(Ctrl+Alt) Moves the current
paragraph up or down.

Home

Moves the cursor to the beginning of
the current line.

Moves the cursor to the beginning of
the document.

End

Moves the cursor to the end of thecurrent line.

Moves the cursor to the end of the
document.

PgUp

Scrolls up one page.

Moves the cursor to the header.

PgDn

Scroll down one page.

Moves the cursor to the footer.

General function keys and keyboard shortcuts | 265

Controlling dialogs
When you open any dialog, one element (such as a button, an option field, an entry in a list box, ora checkbox) is highlighted or indicated by a dotted box around the field or button name. Thiselement is said to have the focus on it.
Shortcut Keys

ResultEnter

Activates selected button. In most cases where no button is selected,
Enter is equivalent to clicking OK.

Esc

Closes dialog without saving any changes made while it was open. In
most cases, Esc is equivalent to clicking Cancel. When an open
drop-down list is selected, Esc closes the list.

Spacebar

Checks an empty checkbox. Clears a checked checkbox.

Up, down arrow keys

Moves focus up and down a list. Increases or decreases value of avariable. Moves focus vertically within a section of dialog.

Left, right arrow keys

Moves focus horizontally within a section of a dialog.

Tab

Advances focus to the next section or element of a dialog.

Shift+Tab

Returns focus to the previous section or element in a dialog.

Alt+Down Arrow

Shows items in a drop-down list.

Getting help
Shortcut Keys

ResultF1

Opens the LibreOffice Help dialog. In LibreOffice Help: jumps to thefirst help page of the selected tab.

Shift+F1

Turns the cursor into the What’s This? question mark. Shows the tip
for an item underneath the cursor.

Shift+F2

Shows tip for a selected item.

Esc

In LibreOffice Help: goes up one level.

Managing documents
Shortcut Keys

ResultCtrl+F4 or Alt+F4

Closes the current document. Closes LibreOffice when the last open
document is closed.

Ctrl+O

Launches the Open dialog to open a document.

Ctrl+S

Saves the current document. If you are working on a previously
unsaved file, the shortcut launches the Save As dialog.

Ctrl+N

Creates a new document.

266 | General function keys and keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut Keys

ResultShift+Ctrl+N

Opens the Templates and Documents dialog.

Ctrl+P

Opens the Print dialog to print the document.

Ctrl+Q

Closes the application.

Del

In the Save and Open dialogs, deletes the selected files or folders.
Items can be retrieved from the Recycle Bin (Trash).

Shift+Del

In the Save and Open dialogs, deletes the selected files or folders.
Items are permanently deleted: they can not be retrieved from the
Recycle Bin (Trash).

BackspaceIn the Save and Open dialogs, shows contents of the parent folder ofthe current directory.

Editing
Shortcut Keys

ResultCtrl+X

Cuts selected items.

Ctrl+C

Copies selected items to the clipboard.

Ctrl+V

Pastes copied or cut items from the clipboard.

Ctrl+Shift+V

Opens the Paste Special dialog.

Ctrl+A

Selects all.

Ctrl+Z

Undoes last action.

Ctrl+Y

Redoes last action.

Ctrl+Shift+Y

Repeats last command.

Ctrl+F

Opens the Find dialog

Ctrl+H

Opens the Find & Replace dialog.

Ctrl+Shift+F

Searches for the last entered search term.

Ctrl+Shift+R

Refreshes (redraws) the document view.

Ctrl+Shift+I

Shows or hides the cursor in read-only text.

Selecting rows and columns in tables
Shortcut keys

ResultSpacebar

Toggles row selection, except when the row is in edit mode.

General function keys and keyboard shortcuts | 267

Shortcut keys

ResultCtrl+Spacebar

Toggles row selection.

Shift+Spacebar

Selects the current column.

Ctrl+Page Up

Moves pointer to the first row.

Ctrl+Page Down

Moves pointer to the last row.

Defining keyboard shortcuts
In addition to using the built-in keyboard shortcuts listed in this Appendix, you can define your own
keyboard shortcuts. See the Getting Started Guide for more information on defining keyboard
shortcuts.

Further reading
For help with LibreOffice keyboard shortcuts, or using LibreOffice with a keyboard only, search the
LibreOffice Help using the key words “shortcut keys” or “accessibility”.

268 | Further reading