Text Justification Formatting Not Maintained in Libreoffice Writer Master File?

users
#1

Can someone please explain why the text justification formatting is not
maintained in this example please? Any workarounds?

I open the child file and note the text is left justified. I then open the
master (parent) file that references only this child file, and the text is
center justified. I change this to left justified and try and save the
changes. Then on closing and re-opening the master file - the changes are
not maintained.

I have enclosed the test files and a video showing the behavior at
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/pj06nba040ij1/office-formatting-issue

Linux Mint 17.1 64 bit
LibreOffice Version: 4.3.1.2
Build ID: 958349dc3b25111dbca392fbc281a05559ef6848

Thanks!

#2

Can someone please explain why the text justification formatting is not maintained in this example please?

By design, I think. The Writer Guide (Chapter 13) says "If a style with the same name exists in the master document and in the subdocuments (for example, Default Style), then the style is applied as defined in the master document." The idea is evidently that different layouts can be maintained in subdocuments and their reflection in master documents.

Any workarounds? I open the child file and note the text is left justified. I then open the master (parent) file that references only this child file, and the text is center justified.

Because your Default paragraph style in the master document is centre aligned.

I change this to left justified and try and save the changes. Then on closing and re-opening the master file - the changes are not maintained.

You set left alignment using paragraph formatting. When you reopen the master document, I think it refreshes the text from the subdocument and your change is overridden. If you set the left alignment in paragraph *style* formatting instead (i.e. change the master document's Default paragraph style), you should find that your change is preserved.

If you prefer, I think you can create a custom paragraph style in the subdocument (with a name different from any existing in the master document) and apply this to the text there. That style should then be automatically imported into the master document.

I'm not sure why you are saving your subdocument in the foreign .docx format; wouldn't LibreOffice's native .odt format be easier and more reliable?

You will want to read "Styles in master documents and subdocuments" in Chapter 13 of the Writer Guide, particularly the reference to templates. If you change the Default paragraph style in whatever template you used so that it has left rather than centre alignment, you may find matters easier to control.

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker

#3

Aha! OK I think I fixed it by changing the default paragraph style in the
master doc to left-justified. Thank you! Unfortunately the child documents
are traded with a business associated so it really is better I keep them in
their native format which is docx unfortunately.