Content Controls in Writer

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Foreword

This video shows how to create and apply the new "Content Controls in Writer" and links to this page here for more information and details. Word users expect to be able to import their document into Writer and find a corresponding feature set. Form filling is a common application that now promises improved compatibility. See Blogpost by Miklos Vajna: https://vmiklos.hu/blog/sw-content-controls.html
The existing controls remain available.

Link to the Video

Link to the Video (in German [DE]): Inhalts-Steuerelemente in Writer This video is in work!

Content Controls

Writer now has Content Controls - a new way to create and fill out forms in a compatible way. These features are intended to improve compatibility with the DOCX format. The following Content control types are available:
Rich Text | Plain Text | Picture | Check Box | Combo Box | Drop-Down-List | Data Control

Form menu

You can access the Content controls via the Form ▸ Content controls menu.

Rich Text

Position the cursor where you want to insert the Rich Text element. Select Form ▸ Content Controls ▸ Rich Text from the menu to insert a Rich text field. Place the cursor in the field and enter the desired text.

Images

Position the cursor where you want to insert the "Images" element. Select Form ▸ Content Control ▸ Picture from the menu to insert a field for an image. When you click the element for the first time, the file search window opens and you can select an image file. If you cancel this process, the next time you click on the element, it will be highlighted and you can select "Insert Image". The original inserted image has a rectangle shape. Due to the default square shape of the Picture element, the image was compressed. You can now change this. Double-click on the image in the Picture element. The Image dialog appears, which contains several tabs. "Image" dialog with more tabs There you have in the tab "Position and Size" a button Original Size. If you click there, the square image element including the image will be resized and proportioned.

Note:
Be aware, when choosing the Original Size button, that very large images may not fit into the proportion of the page size.

Check Box

A content control checkbox consists of a single character. It serves to make a binary selection, i.e., checkmark or not. It consists of a small square and can assume two states. The checkbox acts as a toggle switch; each time you click it, the state changes.

Dropdown-List

The dropdown list element is used to provide multiple selection options. Insert a Dropdown-List. To do this, choose Form ▸ Content Controls ▸ Drop-Down List from the menu for inserting. Initially, only one entry is available and selectable. Right-click on the Drop-Down list field. Select Content Control Properties from the context menu. The "Content Control Properties" dialog appears. There you can create your selection texts for the Dropdown-List. Enter a parent title for your list. Click the Add button to enter a value.

completed Drop-Down List / fertige Dropdown Liste

Date control

This field is used to display a date that can be selected via a mini calendar. Insert a date field. To insert it, select Form ▸ Content Control ▸ Date Control from the menu. The element appears with the text "Choose a date". When you place the cursor in this text, a Selection arrow appears on the right of the element. Click on this arrow to get a calendar showing the current date. Use the left and right arrows to jump from month to month in the calendar. In the calendar's monthly overview, click on the desired day or double-click it to display the date. Or press the ↵ Enter - key when you have highlighted the desired date. The date will now be displayed.
To change the format of the Date, place the cursor in the Date. Choose Form ▸ Content Controls ▸ Properties from the menu. The "Content Control Properties" dialog appears with the formats for Date. Select the date format you want and click OK. For the format to take effect, you must select the Date again and press the ↵ Enter - key.

Formatting Content Controls

You can format the "Rich Text", "Plain Text", "Check Box", "Combo Box", "Dropdown-List" and "Date Control" Content Controls as you wish. For this you can use Paragraph- and Character styles, as usual.

Further Informations

Online-Help

Content Controls
Using Content Controls in LibreOffice Writer

Create a fillable form in Writer

Documentation / Manuals

Here you will find the Documentation / Manuals: Documentation / Manuals

Any questions?

For questions on this topic go to: Ask.LibreOffice

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