You can use Writer to work on large documents. Large documents can be either a single file or a collection of files assembled into a single document.
The Navigator tool displays information about the contents of a document. It also lets you quickly jump to different elements. For example, you can use the Navigator to get a quick overview of all images included in the document.
To open the Navigator, click F5. The elements listed in the Navigator vary according to the document loaded in Writer.
+ or pressClick an item in the Navigator to jump to that item in the document.
If you are working with a very large document, such as a book, you might find it easier to manage the book with a master document, rather than keeping the book in a single file. A master document enables you to quickly apply formatting changes to a large document or to jump to each subdocument for editing.
A master document is a Writer document that serves as a container for multiple Writer files. You can maintain chapters or other subdocuments as individual files collected in the master document. Master documents are also useful if multiple users are working on a single document. You can separate each user’s section of the document into subdocuments collected in a master document, allowing multiple writers to work on their subdocuments at the same time without fear of overwriting others' work.
Procedure 2.1. Creating a Master Document
Click
+ .or
Open an existing document and click
+ + .Select
in the navigator window and hold the button.Move the mouse to
and release the mouse button.
Select a file to add an existing file to the master
document
.
To create and add a new document to the master
document
, choose + . The new file opens in
another OpenOffice.org Writer window. The content of the file will be integrated
in the master document
. To save the file as part of
the master document
, switch back to the master, enter
the filename into the open file menu and click .
To enter some text directly into the master document
,
select + .
The OpenOffice.org help files contain more complete information about working with master documents. Look for the topic entitled Using Master Documents and Subdocuments .
![]() | Styles and Templates in Master Documents |
---|---|
The styles from all of your subdocuments are imported into the master document. To ensure that formatting is consistent throughout your master document, you should use the same template for each subdocument. Doing so is not mandatory. However, if subdocuments are formatted differently, you might need to do some reformatting to successfully bring subdocuments into the master document without creating inconsistencies. For example, if two documents imported into your master document include different styles with the same name, the master document will use the formatting specified for that style in the first document you import. |