OpenOffice.Org 1.0 Resource Kit

For simple, quick-and-dirty character formatting such as changing font and font size, and applying bold, italic, and underline, use the object bar (Figure 7-1). For more advanced character formatting options, see Using the Character Formatting Window on page 202.

This section shows you quick character formatting tricks, especially those you might not be familiar with.

Using the Object Bar

Using the object bar to do character formatting is fairly straightforward (see Figure 7-1). You can change font, font size, and apply or remove bold, italic, and underline formatting.

If the cursor is in a table, the object bar changes. See Disappearing Icons and Menu Items on page 99. (Use the arrow that will be displayed at the far right of the object bar if you want to switch from the table object bar to the text formatting object bar.)

Note

You can also select the text you want to format and right-click to choose different formatting options.

Quick Font and Character Background Color

There are two other object bar tools for character formatting you might not be as familiar with, as shown in Figure 7-2: font color and highlighting. The colors are from the program's standard color palette, as well as any colors you've created and added to the palette.

Using the Format Stylist "Format Painter" Tool

If you've used Microsoft Word, you know its Format Painter tool, which lets you copy all the formatting characteristics from one item and apply it to another. Writer has the same thing, called Fill Format.

It works a little differently from Word; it copies only something in the Stylist. On the other hand, it keeps working; you don't have to keep copying again and again.

1. Choose Format > Stylist to display the Stylist, and you'll see the paint-can-looking icon at the right side. Click it so the icon is slightly lighter and recessed.

2. Switch to the right style category containing the style you want to apply to text. (At this point you might realize you need to set up a new style. If so, right-click in the Stylist and choose New and create the style.) Once you've got the style selected, go to the next step.

3. Move the pointer over the text or object you want to apply the style to and click; the style will be applied to whatever you click on.

4. Click the formatting icon again when you're done, to turn off the formatting.