Ubuntu
openoffice.org package

Why is it impossible to apply 100% character width to an entire document.

Asked by BlackDalek

Do this to get the bug to show -
First change the character width for whole document. Press select all (Ctrl+A) then Format>Character...> Position > scale width 10%

Now try to change it back to 100%. Press select all (Ctrl+A) then Format>Character...> Position > scale width 100%. - Nothing happens.
It is possible to enter scale widths between 1% and 99% ONLY - entering 100% has no effect across multiple paragraphs.

The only way to restore the whole document to 100% character width is to format each paragraph separately - Try doing that over a 100 page document.

I can see what is going wrong. When multiple paragraphs are selected, each with different styles and formatting, the default value is shown in the scale width box (100%). And since 100% is already in the box, the program has no way of knowing that you are actually entering a new value.

What should be happening is that when you select multiple paragraphs, the scale width box should be empty. That way, if you then enter 100% in the box, the program will recognise that a number has been entered and act on it accordingly.

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BlackDalek (dalekky) said : 		#1

I forgot to mention... you need to test this on a large document with multiple paragraphs.
Also forgot to mention, it is also possible to enter scale widths from 101% and upwards to whatever the maximum limit is. So long as it isn't 100%.

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marcus aurelius (adbiz) said : 		#2

why would anyone want to do that? are you trying to break the program for some reason?

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BlackDalek (dalekky) said : 		#3

Thanks for the smart-arse reply.

I was given a document to work with which had been entirely squashed horizontally to 75% in order to fit an A5 size page to DL size. I had to restore the character width 100%, that is how I discovered the bug and work-around to fix it. (if you enter 100.0% it works - the extra decimal place tricks the program into thinking a new value has been entered).

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