Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055 
|
Post by Ria Stone on Jul 22, 2016 10:59:31 GMT -8
Hola, I was experimenting with OpenOffice, so I am still a novice at using it.
I took one of my previously published books and converted it to OpenOffice. There were some formatting problems to fix due to the conversion but my biggest problem was when I created a PDF/X file, the typeface sizes were larger than the original.
I checked the file and the style formatting had not changed. I found this conversion malfunction odd. I used typical typefaces and sizes, Arial and New Times Roman.
Has anyone else experienced this with OpenOffice?
|
|
|
|
Post by Julie Harris on Jul 22, 2016 14:04:37 GMT -8
Silly thing to say but what percentage view was the PDF file? Over 100 makes it seem bigger. Open office is what you see is what you get, like Word so it shouldn't change font sizes. And did you print a test page from source OO doc as well as PDF? Also check the settings, if any appear, for the PDF output too. Scaling off, etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by David Ellis on Jul 22, 2016 16:41:59 GMT -8
My experiences with Open Office were ten years ago, but...
I hate it.
If all you do is write a few notes now and then, it works. I heavily use the special features of Word such as tables (never on my novels) and shortcuts. They fail spectacularly with Open Office. The margins and spacing so also never seemed right and caused issues every time I converted them to or from Open Office. I will never use that program for anything that actually matters to me.
I'm not surprised the formatting changed.
All that said, I know others who actually like the program. It never worked for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ted on Jul 22, 2016 18:40:56 GMT -8
Ria, I suggest you download Libre Office as it has much more support and developers nowadays and seems to be the go-to MSWord replacement. Here is the link... www.libreoffice.org/I've used Libre Office and Open Office for many years. For the last 5 or 6 years I've been using Libre Office only. When I was using MSWord doc files for uploading to Smashwords about 7 or 8 years ago I sometimes got an error message from Smashwords regarding some formatting error or errors. I would copy the offending MSWord doc to Open Office, make sure TOC and Bookmarks were okay, then save file as a MSWord .doc file. I then uploaded it to Smashwords and the file usually past with no errors. Computers. Sheesh! |
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
|
Post by Ria Stone on Aug 4, 2016 10:46:46 GMT -8
Silly thing to say but what percentage view was the PDF file? Over 100 makes it seem bigger. Open office is what you see is what you get, like Word so it shouldn't change font sizes. And did you print a test page from source OO doc as well as PDF? Also check the settings, if any appear, for the PDF output too. Scaling off, etc. I did check the view percentage. Viewed previously published at 100% and OpenOffice pdf at 100%, very different. I wish it were that easy. I did not print out a sample page. I thought I looked at the scaling settings also but will look again, thanks. |
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
|
Post by Ria Stone on Aug 4, 2016 10:48:33 GMT -8
Ria, I suggest you download Libre Office as it has much more support and developers nowadays and seems to be the go-to MSWord replacement. Here is the link... www.libreoffice.org/I've used Libre Office and Open Office for many years. For the last 5 or 6 years I've been using Libre Office only. When I was using MSWord doc files for uploading to Smashwords about 7 or 8 years ago I sometimes got an error message from Smashwords regarding some formatting error or errors. I would copy the offending MSWord doc to Open Office, make sure TOC and Bookmarks were okay, then save file as a MSWord .doc file. I then uploaded it to Smashwords and the file usually past with no errors. Computers. Sheesh! I will give Libre Office a try, thanks. Hope you are doing well. |
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
|
Post by Ria Stone on Aug 11, 2016 16:22:27 GMT -8
Ria, I suggest you download Libre Office as it has much more support and developers nowadays and seems to be the go-to MSWord replacement. Here is the link... www.libreoffice.org/I've used Libre Office and Open Office for many years. For the last 5 or 6 years I've been using Libre Office only. When I was using MSWord doc files for uploading to Smashwords about 7 or 8 years ago I sometimes got an error message from Smashwords regarding some formatting error or errors. I would copy the offending MSWord doc to Open Office, make sure TOC and Bookmarks were okay, then save file as a MSWord .doc file. I then uploaded it to Smashwords and the file usually past with no errors. Computers. Sheesh! I am about to give up. I spend more time responding to my devices need for updates or new passwords or yuck, yuck. Just to access my email, I have get a code on my phone and enter it. So, I downloaded Libre Office and my macbook doesn't recognize it as a valid application. I give up. What little energy I have left, I want to write. I ticked off at so many of these so-called online publishers, you have jump through hoops to set up an account must less give them a manuscript in the format THEY like. Is D2D the one that says it does have a formatting style guide, BS.They do. Anyway, I am ranting. I have spent months trying to get various manuscripts to work with other online publishers and there is always a snag. |
|
|
|
Post by Julie Harris on Aug 12, 2016 2:46:15 GMT -8
Mac. I can't help, but can offer sympathy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ted on Aug 12, 2016 3:31:07 GMT -8
So, I downloaded Libre Office and my macbook doesn't recognize it as a valid application. I give up. Here is some help from LibreOffice web site ( www.libreoffice.org/get-help/install-howto/os-x/ ): Users of Mac OS X 10.8 and later versions: if you are running MacOS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), you may run into a problem with Apple's new Gatekeeper. A solution is: the first time you run LibreOffice, right-click (control-click) the LibreOffice.app icon and choose Open from the context menu. You will be asked if you really want to start the program – confirm this to launch it. For additional details, you may find this article helpful. |
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
|
Post by Ria Stone on Aug 12, 2016 10:27:45 GMT -8
Here is some help from LibreOffice web site ( www.libreoffice.org/get-help/install-howto/os-x/ ): Users of Mac OS X 10.8 and later versions: if you are running MacOS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), you may run into a problem with Apple's new Gatekeeper. A solution is: the first time you run LibreOffice, right-click (control-click) the LibreOffice.app icon and choose Open from the context menu. You will be asked if you really want to start the program – confirm this to launch it. For additional details, you may find this article helpful. Ted, Thanks for your advice. Always appreciated. I had deleted the previous download, so I downloaded Libre Office again, and this time I had no problem. Grrr. I am beating pillows here. I can't even begin to list what I have to go through just to use my devices. Every day, it is some new headache. All the fun of using these devices is gone. Leave me alone in just Word or Pages, I am fine but boy once I need to use that document for some other purpose, it's like Chinese water torture. And boy does my smart phone think it is smart, try typing a text and it thinks it knows what you want to say or what app you want to use, or who you want to call. I play music to divert my frustrations because no matter what I am doing, I am cursing. I have always thought that someone should invent and sell a plain vanilla suite of programs/apps for the less technologically inclined :-) |
|
Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
|
Post by Ria Stone on Aug 12, 2016 10:29:25 GMT -8
Here is some help from LibreOffice web site ( www.libreoffice.org/get-help/install-howto/os-x/ ): Users of Mac OS X 10.8 and later versions: if you are running MacOS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), you may run into a problem with Apple's new Gatekeeper. A solution is: the first time you run LibreOffice, right-click (control-click) the LibreOffice.app icon and choose Open from the context menu. You will be asked if you really want to start the program – confirm this to launch it. For additional details, you may find this article helpful. Ted, Thanks for your advice. Always appreciated. I had deleted the previous download, so I downloaded Libre Office again, and this time I had no problem. Grrr. I am beating pillows here. I can't even begin to list what I have to go through just to use my devices. Every day, it is some new headache. All the fun of using these devices is gone. Leave me alone in just Word or Pages, I am fine but boy once I need to use that document for some other purpose, it's like Chinese water torture. And boy does my smart phone think it is smart, try typing a text and it thinks it knows what you want to say or what app you want to use, or who you want to call. I play music to divert my frustrations because no matter what I am doing, I am cursing. I have always thought that someone should invent and sell a plain vanilla suite of programs/apps for the less technologically inclined :-) P.S. I opened the manuscript I was working on in Libre Office and so far it looks Great!!! Thanks |
|
pamiekay
New Member
Posts: 4
|
Post by pamiekay on Nov 20, 2016 21:46:32 GMT -8
Hello Ria,
I am a few months late on your posting, but I did just join! I did the same thing as you trying to get just the right formatting to be approved, but I finally figured it out. Oh, about 100versions later, via many hours of reading and watching how to videos.
It's great to hear you stayed with it - so important.
I'm still trying to find more information on formatting as I am writing children's books - so mostly images. In your search for information have you found anything out about epub 2 and images? I'm not, yet, ready to jump into epub 3.
Ah, forgot to say that I did get Openoffice 3 to work, but it is for a PC.
My apologies if I'm not using the board correctly. I'll learn!
--Pamie Kay
|
|
|
|
Post by jaydax on Nov 23, 2016 3:45:13 GMT -8
I used to use OpenOffice and LibreOffice Ted's right Libre is better. I missed the many features of Microsoft Office though and eventually took out a subscription to Office 365. That means for one low and relatively painless monthly payment I get 5 copies of the full and latest Office product. I use Word, Excel, OneNote and Outlook. Seldom bother with the rest. Sorry LibreOffice - no contest.
|
|
