# Using Sections

/text/swriter/guide/sections.xhp
multi-column text
text; multi-column
columns; on text pages
text columns
sections; columns in/use of
mw changed a typo in "multicolumn"
mw deleted "sections;using" and changed "section;columns in"
Using Sections
Sections are named blocks of text, including graphics or objects, that you can use in a number of ways:
- To prevent text from being edited.
- To show or hide text.
- To reuse text and graphics from other $[officename] documents.
- To insert sections of text that uses a different column layout than the current page style.
A section contains at least one paragraph. When you select a text and create a section, a paragraph break is automatically inserted at the end of the text.
You can insert sections from a text document, or an entire text document as a section into another text document. You can also insert sections from a text document as links in another text document, or in the same document.
To insert a new paragraph immediately before or after a section, click in front or behind the section, and then press Option Alt+Enter.
Sections and Columns
You can insert sections into an existing section. For example, you can insert a section containing two columns into a section that contains one column.
A section layout, for example on the number of columns, has priority over the page layout defined in a page style.
DDE