Frequently asked questions - Writer

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How do I automatically update the headers and footers of my document when I modify a template?

You only have to create a link with a source file and then ask for the update. The following instructions are for an update of the header but can be applied to other elements, like the footer or the body of the text.

create a new Writer file which will be the source file for the headers;
enter the text that will appear in the header of the body of the file;
save the file as a Writer text;
create a new Writer template which will serve to build all the other files that will have the same header;
select Insert ▸ Header and Footer ▸ Default Style;
with the cursor in the header, select the Insert ▸ Section menu;
check the Link box and click the Browse... button to select the source file;
press Insert; and
save the file as a template:
- select the File ▸ Templates ▸ Save as Template... menu;
- give a name to the template; and
- press OK.

If you want to make more links, you should create a section linked to a file for each one.

Either:

create one file per link; or
create only one external file containing different sections and specify the section to insert in the dialog box.

Be careful however of the management of the links if you are working over a network. Check if the inserted link will be accessible by all the machines the same way.

To have an updated header:

create a file using the template:
- select the File ▸ New ▸ Templates menu (or press Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + N);
- select the template (by default it has been saved in My Templates under the dropdown menu);
- press OK; and
answer yes when prompted for an update of the links.

This way any change in the source file will be reflected in the files created with this template during the update.