OpenOffice.org Writer for Microsoft Word users:

How to perform common tasks

Title:	OpenOffice.org Writer for Microsoft Word users
Version:	1.0
First edition:	May 2004
First English edition:	May 2004

Contents

Overview	ii

Terminology	1

Set up the program to work your way	2

Write, edit, and review documents	3

Control page layout	4

Use templates and styles	6

Use fields	7

Work with large or complex documents	8

Work with graphics	9

Overview

Experienced users of Microsoft Word may take awhile to discover how to do common tasks in OOoWriter, because some of the menus and the terminology are a bit different. In a few cases no direct equivalent method is available.

This document summarizes my research and experiments with OOoWriter 1.1.1, Microsoft Word 2000, and Word 2002 (XP) running on Windows ME. You may find some differences if you're using another operating system or another version of OpenOffice.org.

This document covers only some of the things a former user of Word might wish to know.

Copyright and trademark information

The contents of this document are subject to the Public Documentation License Version 1.0 (the "License"); you may only use this document if you comply with the terms of this License. A copy of the License is available at http://www.openoffice.org/licenses/PDL.rtf.

The Original Documentation is Chapter 10, "Moving from Microsoft Word" in Taming OpenOffice.org Writer 1.1. The Initial Writer of the Original Documentation is Jean Hollis Weber © 2003. All Rights Reserved. Initial Writer contact:
jean@taming-openoffice-org.com. The Initial Writer contact is for reporting errors in the documentation. For questions regarding how to use the software, subscribe to the Users Mailing List and post your question there: http://support.openoffice.org/index.html.

All trademarks within this guide belong to legitimate owners.

Feedback

Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to:
dev@documentation.openoffice.org

Acknowledgments

Thanks to everyone who made constructive suggestions for changes and additions to this document, including Andrew Brown, Daniel Carrera, and Ian Laurenson.

Modifications and updates

Version	Date	Description of Change
0.1	18 June 2003	Draft issued for comment.
1.0	9 May 2004	First release, after updating for OOo1.1.1 and incorporating suggestions from reviewers

Terminology

Most functions and controls have the same or similar names in Microsoft Word and OpenOffice.org Writer, but a few are different. This table compares some common terms in the two programs.

Microsoft Word	OpenOffice.org Writer
Office Assistant	Help Agent
ScreenTips or ToolTips	Tips
Wildcards	Regular expressions
(no equivalent)	Long-click (click and hold on an icon to display a tear-off toolbar)
Smart tags	Do not exist in OOo

Set up the program to work your way

Most functions are found in similar places in both programs, but a few are slightly different, and the degree of control varies. This table summarizes where to find the setup choices.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Turn off Office Assistant (Help Agent)	Help > Microsoft Word Help > Options	Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > General
Turn off autocompletion		Tools > AutoCorrect/AutoFormat > Word Completion tab, deselect Enable Word Completion.
Set up document window (rulers, status bar, default toolbars, etc)	View > select required items	View > select required items
Change measurement system	Tools > Options... > General	Tools > Options... > Text Document > General
Customize toolbars	Tools > Customize	View > Toolbars > Customize (or) Tools > Configure (or) Right-click on toolbar > Customize or Configure
Customize menus	Tools > Customize	Tools > Configure
Display font names in their font (in toolbar drop-down font list)	Tools > Customize > Options	Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > View, select Preview in fonts lists
Always show full menus (include unavailable and little-used items)	Tools > Customize > Options	Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > View, select Inactive menu items
Show/hide ScreenTips (ToolTips) on toolbars	Tools > Customize > Options	Help > Tips, uncheck
Always create backup copy	Tools > Options > Save	Tools > Options > Load/Save > General
Autosave every x minutes	Tools > Options > Save	Tools > Options > Load/Save > General
Show paragraph marks, tabs, etc.	Tools > Options > View	Tools > Options > Text Document > Formatting Aids
Change file locations	Tools > Options > File Locations	Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Paths
Change user information	Tools > Options > User Information	Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > User Data
Set up AutoCorrect and AutoFormat options	Tools > AutoCorrect Options	Tools > AutoCorrect/AutoFormat > Options tab

Write, edit, and review documents

Most writing, editing, and reviewing techniques in OOoWriter are similar to those in Microsoft Word, but the details often vary.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Jump quickly to other parts of a document	Edit > Go to (or) Outline view	Edit > Navigator (or F11), double-click on required heading, figure, table, etc.
Choose language for spelling checker	Tools > Language > Set Language	Tools > Options > Language Settings > Language. (Note: OpenOffice.org has no grammar checker.)
Ignore some text when checking spelling	Select text; Tools > Language > Set Language > Do not check (or) Format > Style > Modify> Format > Language	Select text; right-click > Character > Font > Language = [None] or the real language of the selected text, if that is foreign.
Recheck spelling	Tools > Spelling & Grammar > Recheck Document	Always rechecks
Find and replace text, formatting, and styles	Edit > Replace > More; choices as needed	Edit > Find&Replace; details are a bit different
Use wildcards (regular expressions) in find and replace	Edit > Replace > More > select Use Wildcards checkbox	Edit > Find&Replace; select Regular Expressions checkbox. Wildcards differ from those in MSWord.
Choose, create, or edit a custom dictionary	Tools > Options > Spelling & Grammar > Custom Dictionaries	Tools > Options > Language Settings > Writing Aids
Create exception (exclude) dictionary	File > New, type words, Save As > text only, file extension .EXC	As for custom dictionary, but select Exception [-] checkbox
Track changes (choose options)	Tools > Options > Track Changes	Tools > Options > Text Document > Changes
Protect document for editing	Tools > Protect Document	Edit > Changes > Protect Records
Mark and track changes	(Word 2000) Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes	Edit > Changes > Record
Insert comments associated with a change	Highlight text; Insert > Comment	Edit > Changes > Comment
Insert notes (comments not associated with a change)	Highlight text; Insert > Comment	Insert > Note
Show changes as pop-up text	Options > View > Screentips	Help > Tips (and) Help > Extended Tips
Merge documents	Tools > Merge Documents	Edit > Changes > Merge Document
Accept or reject changes	View > Toolbars > Reviewing	Edit > Changes > Accept or Reject
Change document properties	File > Properties	File > Properties
Get a word count	Tools > Word Count (can get word count for selection)	File > Properties > Statistics tab. (Cannot get word count for selection without using add-in macro.)
Create AutoText entry	Select text; Insert > AutoText > New	Select text; Edit > AutoText (or) CTRL+F3
Insert AutoText	Type shortcut and press F3	Type shortcut and press F3 (or) type Name of AutoText entry and press Enter. OOo distinguishes between the “name” and the “shortcut” of an AutoTextentry; Word does not.

Control page layout

This section covers such things as margins, headers and footers, columns, and frames.

OOoWriter controls basic page setup somewhat differently than Word does.

Microsoft Word page setup

Page setup (paper size, orientation, margins, and so on) is a property of the document as a whole. To change the setup for a page, you need to define a separate section with the changed setup. For example, if you specify headers and footers, they apply to the entire document, unless you change them in specific sections.

OpenOffice.org Writer page setup

Page setup is a property of the page style. You can define many page styles—for example, First Page, Left Page, Index Page, and Default. If you change the page layout for one page style, only that style will be affected.

When you set up a page style, you can specify which page style applies to the next page, so when text flows from one page to the next, the correct page style will automatically apply to the following pages. For example, you could specify a First Page style to be followed by a Left Page style, to be followed by a Right Page style, to be followed by a Left Page style—a common setup in books.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Define margins	File > Page Setup > Margins	Format > Page >Page
Specify different headers and footers on first, odd, and even pages	File > Page Setup > Layout > Headers and Footers section	Define different page styles for First, Left (even), and Right (odd) pages, using Header and Footer tabs
Edit headers and footers	View > Headers and Footers, then type or insert fields; can also double-click in existing header or footer regions	After you have specified Header and Footer areas for a page, they are always active. Single-click to type or insert fields
Change from roman to arabic page numbers in the footer of a page	Insert a section break, deselect “Same as Previous” in the second section, define a new footer with page numbers restarting at 1 in arabic numerals	Insert a manual page break and apply a different page style
Use paragraph styles for page layout	Can define paragraph styles with offset from left margin, with heading styles aligned left or right	Can define paragraph styles with offset from left margin, with heading styles aligned left or right
Use columns for page layout	Insert continuous sections to switch from single to multiple columns on one page	Format > Page > Columns (or) Insert/Format > Section > Columns (or) other methods
Use frames or text boxes for page layout	Frames are used in Word 97 but mostly replaced by text boxes in Word2000 and 2002; can be linked to flow text from one to next, as in a newsletter	Insert > Frame (can link frames to flow text from one to next, as in a newsletter); “text boxes” are fields, not positioning devices
Use tables for page layout	Table > Insert > Table (use dialog to format)	Insert > Table (use dialog to format)
Put portrait headers on landscape pages	Use rotated text box linked to header	Use rotated text in a frame
Set first page number to greater than 1	Insert > Page Numbers > Format	In first paragraph on first page, Format > Paragraph > Text Flow > Breaks, select Enable and With Page Style, choose the page style, specify the page number.
View and edit facing pages	File > Print Preview; click Zoom button to enable editing	File > Page Preview shows pages on wrong sides of screen, so you may want to insert a blank page before the first page while writing a draft. You cannot edit in page preview mode.

Use templates and styles

A full discussion of the similarities and differences in the use of templates and styles would take too long for this summary document, but the following table should get you started.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Find which template is associated with a document	Tools > Templates and Add-ins	File > Document Properties > General tab.
Specify default template	"Normal" template is default	File > Templates > Organize, choose any template to be the default
Create a new template	File > Save As, set type to Document Template (.DOT)	File > Templates > Save
Edit a template	File > Open, choose template	File > Templates > Edit
Copy styles between templates	Tools > Templates and Add-ins > Organizer	File > Templates > Organize. Copy styles with Ctrl + drag and drop between templates and documents
Create a new document from a template	File > New (opens a list of templates)	File > New > Templates and Documents
Apply a different template to a document	Tools > Templates and Add-ins > Attach, select template, Open	Start a new document based on the different template; copy contents of old document into new document.
Apply a style to text	(Word 2000) Select from Style List or Style dialog (XP) Can also use task pane.	Format > Styles (or press F11), double-click style in list; after one use, paragraph styles appear in Apply Style list on Formatting object bar.
Change a style definition	(Word 2000) Format > Style > Modify; (XP) can also select in task pane and click Modify	Select style in Stylist, right-click, choose Modify; or Format > Styles > Catalog, select style, click Modify.
Create a new style	Format > Style > New	Format > Styles > Catalog, click New.
Use outline numbering	Format > Style, select style > Format > Numbering	Tools > Outline Numbering

Use fields

A full discussion of the similarities and differences in the use of fields would take too long for this summary document, but the following table should get your started.

Major differences exist in the use of cross-references.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Insert a field	Insert > Field (or) CTRL+F9 for blank field	Insert > Fields
Define a number range field	Insert > Field, use SEQ (sequence)	Insert > Fields > Other > Variables > Number range
Insert a bookmark	Select text; Insert > Bookmark	Select text; Insert > Bookmark
Insert a cross-reference to a bookmark	Insert > Cross Reference, choose Bookmark as type	Insert > Cross Reference > Bookmark
Insert a cross-reference to a heading	Insert > Cross Reference, choose Heading as type	Either bookmark the heading or use Insert > Cross Reference > Set Reference to mark the heading, then Insert > Cross Reference > Insert Reference
Insert a cross-reference to a figure or table	Insert > Cross Reference, choose type	Insert > Cross Reference > Insert Reference > Figure (or Table)
Insert a cross-reference from document A to an item in document B	Use Includetext fields	Keep a manual list of cross-reference names (case sensitive) when you set them in document B. When you insert the cross-reference in document A, you must type the name of the item (in document B) in the Name box on the Fields dialog instead of selecting the name from the Selection list.
Use conditional content	Use IF or other fields, or styles (all workarounds)	Insert > Fields > Other > Variables (among other ways)

Work with large or complex documents

A full discussion of the similarities and differences in working with large or complex documents would take too long for this summary document, but the following table should get your started.

Major differences exist in the use of master documents. The table does not attempt to summarize all these differences. Other how-to documents are being written to describe the use of master documents in detail.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Create a table of contents, list of figures, or an alphabetic index	Insert > Index and Tables	Insert > Indexes and Tables > Indexes and Tables
Insert index entries	ALT+SHIFT+X	Insert > Indexes and Tables > Entry (or) click Insert Index Marker icon
Create a bibliographic database	Use database, e.g. Microsoft Access	Tools > Bibliography Database
Insert bibliographic references into text	Link to field in database	Insert > Indexes and Tables > Bibliographic Entry
Insert footnotes and endnotes	Insert > Footnote	Insert > Footnote (or) click Insert Footnote Directly icon
Insert other files	Insert > File, choose Insert or As Link	Insert > File
Cross-reference between documents	Use Includetext fields	Keep a manual list of cross-reference names (case sensitive) when you set them in document A. To insert a cross-reference from document A to an item in document B, you must type the name of the item in the Name box instead of selecting it from the Selection list.
Use master documents	Not recommended	File > Send > Create Master Document; use Navigator to insert subdocuments

Work with graphics

Most graphics work should be done outside Word or Writer, with the graphic files embedded or linked to the Word or Writer file. However, you can do some simple graphics using the drawing tools in Word or Writer. This table covers the basics.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Create Drawing objects	(Word 2000) View > Toolbars > Drawing; (XP) Insert > Picture > New Drawing	Click Show Draw Functions icon
Combine graphics objects and drawing objects	(Word 2000) Edit > Picture > Reset Picture Boundary; (XP) Use drawing canvas	Place all objects in a frame
Insert graphics files into a text document (embed or link)	Insert > Picture > From File, choose Insert or As Link	Insert > Graphics > From File
Anchor graphics	Format > Picture > Layout > Advanced > Picture Position	Use icons on Graphics object bar, or right-click and choose from pop-up menu, or click Format > Graphics
Wrap text around graphics	Format > Picture (or Object) > Layout	Use icons on Graphics object bar, or right-click and choose from pop-up menu, or click Format > Graphics > Wrap
Crop graphics	Format > Picture > Cop, (or) click Crop tool on Picture toolbar	Format > Graphics > Crop
Create captions for graphics	Select graphic; Insert > Reference > Caption	Select graphic; Insert > Caption
Annotate graphics	Use drawing objects; group, or place in frame or on drawing canvas (XP)	Place all objects in a frame
Insert watermark	Format > Background > Printed Watermark > Picture (or Text) Watermark	Format > Page Style > Background (or) create drawing object, Arrange > To Background, Anchor > To Page

Use keyboard shortcuts

This table summarizes some of the built-in keyboard shortcuts used in Microsoft Word and their equivalents in OpenOffice.org Writer. Functions without built-in keyboard shortcuts can be performed using toolbar icons, or you could assign your own key combinations.

Table contributed by Ian Laurenson.

To do this...	in Microsoft Word...	in OpenOffice.org Writer...
Underline words not spaces	Control + Shift + W	No equivalent
Change font size	Control + Shift + P	No standard equivalent
Thesaurus	Shift + F7	Control + F7
Show/hide non-printing characters	Control + Shift + *	Control + F10
Hanging Indent	Control + T	No standard equivalent
“Unhang” Indent	Control + Shift + T	No standard equivalent
Indent	Control + M	No standard equivalent
“UnIndent”	Control + Shift + M	No standard equivalent
Superscript	Control + Shift =	Control+Shift+P
Subscript	Control + =	Control + Shift + B
Remove character formatting	Control + Spacebar	Right click > Default
Remove paragraph formatting	Control + Q	No equivalent
Jump to previous edit point	Shift + F5	Need to use the reminders on the Navigator

Use keyboard shortcuts

OpenOffice.org Writer for Microsoft Word users	10

Contents

OpenOffice.org Writer and Microsoft Word: Comparison of ways to do things	x

OpenOffice.org Writer for Microsoft Word users

Jean Weber

2003-06-13T09:31:17

Scott Carr