OpenOffice.org Training, Tips, and Ideas

How the New OpenOffice Chart Tool Works When You Don't Specify a Data Range

I've talked about the new chart tool in previous blogs here and here.

In both of those, though, I assumed that you would be selecting the data range in the Calc spreadsheet or Writer table before inserting the chart. Which you normally would be.

 

If you choose Insert > Chart in Calc, in the new tool, without a range selected, it's not much use. You get a big blank chart.

In Writer, however, at least in this stage of development of the tool, you get something different when you choose Insert > Object > Chart with no data range selected. Thanks to Linda from Largo for pointing this out.

It's not much good like that, of course, so right-click on it and choose Chart Data Table to input some data.

You get this window where you can not only fill in the names on the X and Y axes and the data, but you can add and remove rows and columns of data, and move rows and columns around.

This is nice if you have the data written down somewhere but not in a chart or table, and it's just quicker to slam in the data manually than to base it on a chart or table. It took about twenty seconds to make this chart. (It would have taken more if I'd had any actual data on penguins and marmots as pets. ;>  )

That was the chart data table, and then I just clicked the red X in the upper right corner to close and update the chart. Here's what it looks like.

This chart approach does lack titles, and X and Y axis titles. However, you can just make them with text boxes. Choose View > Toolbars > Drawing (deselect the chart first) and use the Text tool to draw a text box outside of the chart area. Type what you want in the text box, then drag it into the chart area.

In this example, I also clicked on and shrank the inner data part of the chart to leave room for the title I created with the text tool.

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Direct Sales of the OpenOffice.org Guidebook Are on Again!

I've got a garage full of books, and I'm not afraid to ship them. ;>

Please feel free to order directly from me again, either using Amazon or PayPal.

A Simple Way to Do Labels in OpenOffice Writer: When You Just Want to Type or Paste the Content

Here's how to just print out a few labels very simply.

I follow this procedure when I ship out books. Let's say I've got five people who've ordered books directly from me through PayPal or Amazon. I've got five emails in my inbox, with five addresses. So I need to make five labels.

I describe the simple but more labor-intensive way in the following steps. Then at the end I show what I actually do that adds a little bit of one-time extra setup and makes the whole process much simpler.

1. Choose File > New > Labels.* (See note at end.)

In this window, look at the two lists in the lower right corner. Pick the right layout, usually Avery Letter, and the kind of labels you're using (the number is on the box or envelope) like 8160.

2. Click the Options tab and make sure that the Synchronize checkbox is NOT marked.

3. Click New Document.

4. You'll see the new empty label document.

5. Now just type the content you want in each box. OR copy and paste. In my example, I copy the address from my email and paste it into the box.

If you've already used up some of the labels on the physical sheet you're going to print onto, then just start pasting or typing in the next available box.

If you have trouble clicking in a box to type, click somewhere in the blank margin around the area where the boxes are, then click in the middle of the box. You'll then see a normal blinking cursor and you'll be able to type.

6. To format the text differently, you could do a few different things. Pick any of the following; I recommend b or c.

a - Just format every text box the same, manually.

b - Format the first text box how you want it, and select some of the formatted text. Then DOUBLE-CLICK the Paintbrush icon.

Select every additional text box with text to format the same way.

Then CLICK the Paintbrush icon again and you're done.

c - Format the first text box how you want it. With some formatted text selected, choose Format > Styles and Formatting. Click and hold down on the far right icon and choose Update Style. All the other boxes will be formatted the same way.

7.  Now just stick the label sheet in your printer and print. If you want more than one sheet of labels, then just print out these, then type the new addresses over the old addresses and print a second sheet. (Or save this sheet, then choose File > Save As and save the sheet under a different name, and type the second set of addresses over the old addresses.)

* NOTE: What I actually do instead of steps 1-4 and 6 is open the label template that I created. I went through this entire process, then formatted the text the way I wanted it. I formatted the text in the first label box the way I wanted it. Then I choose Format > Styles and Formatting, I clicked and held down the mouse on the far right icon, and chose Update Style, as in step 6-c above.  After that, I chose File > Templates > Save. I named the template Labels and clicked OK.

That's what I did to create the template the way I wanted it. Then instead of step 1, I choose File > New > Templates and Documents, and pick Labels from my list of templates.

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Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs (using bookmarks) in OpenOffice Writer

You can use the Navigator for a huge number of things to find your way throughout a Writer document. Read more in this post. 

I want to point out something specific today.  You can insert bookmarks in a Writer document, and use the Navigator to find them.

Let's say that you occasionally don't write a document perfectly and completely the first time.  Maybe you're writing a manual and the subject matter expert who has the info on the new storage feature doesn't come back til next week. You have three paragraphs you need to ask her about in your manual. Plus, you've got a couple paragraphs that need to be updated next month when the new patch goes out.

Or you're writing a tourism brochure and you need more input in various sections from sponsors, and from the Parks and Rec.

How do you mark those sections?

You could make them bright blue, or put in notes, but your editor is a stickler for clean docs, plus this is in a beta release so it needs to look good.

One good solution is to insert bookmarks to mark items that need to be checked or otherwise noted.

1. Click where you need to insert the bookmark.

2. Choose Insert > Bookmark.

3. Name the bookmark and click OK.

4. The name appears in the Navigator. (Press F5 to display it.)

5. When you need to go back to the section, press F5 to display the navigator.  Expand the Bookmarks item shown.

6.  Double-click the bookmark to go to.

7. You'll go to the paragraph where you inserted the bookmark. Now, do whatever you need to, for that section.

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Calc Basics: Never Type When You Can Drag

If you're new to spreadsheets, or want to make sure you're working as efficiently as possible, this post is for you.

Whenever you have a lot of similar entries to make, think drag.

Here's an example.

You've got these budget figures for 2006. The 2007 budget figures are going to be 15% more.

So you create a formula for cell C2 multiplying B2 by 1.15 to get the correct figure for C2.

There's the result, and it's correct.

But it can get really tiring, and you can potentially introduce errors, by retyping formulas like this for every additional cell. You could type the same formula, with the reference to B3, B4, B5, etc. but that would be a lot of work and not efficient.

So instead, do this. Click on the cell where you already have the correct formula, and find the tiny handle in the lower right corner. Click and hold down your mouse on that handle, and drag down through all the cells where you want that same formula.

Here's what it looks like when you're dragging, before you release the mouse.

And here's what it looks like when you release the mouse.

All the formulas and results are correct, as you can see by clicking in one of the cells.

You Can Drag Things Other Than Formulas

You can drag words like the days of the week and months.

Drag

and release

You can drag numbers.

Drag

and release.

You can set up a specific increment, like 1 1 or 1 3 5 or whatever you want, then select all the cells in the pattern and drag, then release.

Set up the pattern

then drag and release.

If you drag a word that the system doesn't recognize, then you just get a bunch of those words, which might be what you want in some circumstances.

So whenever you want to repeat something, or increment a number or standard value like a month or day, Think Drag.

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Going to a specific page in OpenOffice Writer, Using the Navigator

Here's a quick tip for how to go to a specific page.

- Press F5 to bring up the Navigator. (Read more about this great tool here.)

- You'll see one field with a number in it. That's the page number field.

- Type the page number to go to, and press Enter.

- You'll go to that page.

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Using the Navigator to get around in an OpenOffice Calc spreadsheet

I've been talking about using the Navigator in Writer. Here are a few ways to use the Navigator in OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheets.

Press F5, and you'll see the Navigator. It's got sections for the different standard things you might want to look for.  I'm going over the navigation items this time rather than the dragging and database items.

Click the graphic to see a bigger version.

Switching Sheets
If you have a lot of sheets, you might prefer to switch between using the Navigator's list. Just double-click on a sheet to go to that sheet.

Range Names
This is just a way to name a particular range of one or more cells.  To create the ranges, just select the cells and choose Insert > Names > Define. Name the range (no spaces) and click OK.

Then when you doubleclick the name in the Navigator, you'll go to that range.

Notes, Charts, Graphics, Drawing Objects, Etc.
Insert a note under Insert > Note.
Insert a chart under Insert > Chart.
Insert a graphic under Insert > Picture > From File.
Insert a drawing object by using the toolbar under View > Toolbars > Drawing.

Then the items you insert show up in the Navigator. Double-click any item listed to go to it.

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PDF Reference to the New OpenOffice.org Chart Tool

I've done an overview/walkthrough of the new OpenOffice.org charting tool that will be released with version 2.3. It's a procedural approach, so to supplement it here's a PDF reference to some of the more complicated windows. I'll be including it and similar information in an update of my workbooks and Guidebook as soon as 2.3 has been released, and I'll provide the update to the book in PDF form, as well, so those of you who've already purchased the Guidebook can have the new chart info.

A note on the new chart tool -- in this window, you can specify multiple noncontiguous ranges. However, sometimes especially when they're in another sheet, they don't seem to take. Might just be a bug not worked out yet.

 

So for now, to more reliably add noncontiguous sections, just skip that window in the wizard, click next, and use this window. Click Add, then you'll get an item called Unnamed Series for which you can set the range of cells for the name (label/heading), the categories (must be the same as all other data series) and the Y values.

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The new OpenOffice.org Charting Tool Coming in OpenOffice.org 2.3

For anyone who has grown weary of the current OpenOffice chart tool, or for anyone who has attended my classes and grown alarmed at hearing that charting is as much art as science, there is some relief in sight.

The chart tool has been improved significantly, and it's going to be included in OpenOffice.org 2.3, to be released roughly sometime this fall. If you're curious, you can download the developer version containing the chart tool here.

Read more
Download

Here's a comment from Pete who appears to be involved in the chart development.

Thanks for the nice overview. 
Please mentions also that many limitions will be overcome with the next
release. It's not only about a new (and shiny :) ) wizard. For example
multiple data series will be possible. Error bar for most kind of
charts will be possible. Regression lines with the function and R^2 are
implemented too. The performance regarding large data sets is improved.
EXCEL im- and export was improved considerably. Many of these features
are essential for engineers, students and scientists in their daily
job.
Worth to read:
http://graphics.openoffice.org/chart/whatsnewinchart2.html

However, there is still a long list of existing issues though OOo is
close to perfection. Any Volunteers will to finish the few remaining
items?
http://www.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_type=DEFECT;issue_type=TASK;issue_type=PATCH;issue_status=UNCONFIRMED;issue_status=NEW;issue_status=STARTED;issue_status=REOPENED;email1=;emailtype1=exact;emailassigned_to1=1;email2=;emailtype2=exact;emailreporter2=1;issueidtype=include;issue_id=;changedin=;votes=;chfieldfrom=;chfieldto=Now;chfieldvalue=;short_desc=;short_desc_type=substring;long_desc=;long_desc_type=substring;issue_file_loc=;issue_file_loc_type=substring;status_whiteboard=;status_whiteboard_type=substring;keywords=;keywords_type=anytokens;field0-0-0=component;type0-0-0=equals;value0-0-0=Chart;field0-0-1=short_desc;type0-0-1=substring;value0-0-1=chart;field0-1-0=short_desc;Submit%20query=Submit%20query&order=issues.issue_id

Here's a tour of it. I'm getting to know the details myself right now, but this is the gist. OK, a fairly detailed gist.

Here's the basic data we're working with.

I like to select the data since it means less typing, or just less dragging, later. Select the data and choose Insert > Chart. You get this. Click this and any other illustrations to see them bigger.

Window 1: Chart Type
Note that you get a preview of the chart as you go along, in the document. This preview of course disappears when you click Cancel without creating a chart.

There are more up front variations, it seems. Here are a few.

Who doesn't love an exploded donut?

Or a nice XY Scatter.

Or a Net.

A Column and Line with options for how many lines.

And here are the 3D options.

In this window you just pick a type, a variation, any associated options, and you click Next.

Window 2: Data Range

Here you get the choices for what data is involved. Normally in a simple chart you could just have A1 to D5 in a contiguous block. But when you don't have that, you get to specify that ahead of time. Not that this is new but it's more obvious and easier.

You could change the range just by typing something different in the Data Range field. In this, I skip the D column entirely. Use a semicolon to separate non-contiguous ranges of data.

You also have the option, again not new, to have the data in rows or in columns.

Rows

Columns

And you also get the options at the bottom of the window, First Row as Label and First Column as Label. This is the same kind of thing you specify when sorting; you're saying, if you check the box, that the first row is identifying data, not data to be charted, and ditto with the first column. You usually want to mark both. Or at least I do.

Here's what the chart looks like with both boxes marked.

And the same chart with both unmarked.

Click Next.

Window 3: Data Series

Here, you get even more control over exactly what cells are used for the labels (Names) and for the data (Y-Values). For instance, if you wanted the label for Sales to not be Sales but to be some other term off in cell J14, you could enter $J$14 instead in the Range for Name field shown.

Select Names, then select each of the items in the Data Series list and make changes if necessary for them in the Range for Name and Categories fields.

Then select Y-Values, and do the same thing for each item in the Data Series list.

If you want to add an entirely new set of data to the chart, just click Add. You'll get an Unnamed Series. Then set the Name and YValues for that one, too. Or click Remove to remove any chunk of data in the Data Series window from the chart.

Note that the Categories will be the same for all data series. If you change them for one item in the Data Series list, they'll change for all.

When done, click Next.

Window 4: Chart Elements
You're nearly there. This is the simple stuff.

Then click Finish. And you've got your chart.

Modifying the Chart Once It's Created
Modifying after creation is a tish less twitchy though not that fundamentally different.

One thing: used to be, you could just select the chart by clicking on it once, right-click, and choose to change the data series. Now you just need to double-click it, then right-click and choose Data Ranges.

Essentially,  you double-click the chart, then either rightclick, use the Format menu, or use the Format toolbar. You can also double-click on an item in the chart.

The menu and toolbar have a fewer options, which will take getting used to but is a little simpler.

Here's the menu, and the toolbar after it.

To make a change to a particular bar in this chart, you do essentially the same thing as you used to. Double-click the chart, click on one of the bars to get the data series, then click on the specific bar to modify.

- Third click

- Fourth click

- Options under Object Properties (right-click, double-click, or use menu or toolbar)

- And results

To change titles, just double-click on them and type (after the requisite click, then double-click). This is the same as before.

Overall, not a makeover top to bottom. But nicer. I'm not a frequent chart user, so please give me your comments on what is the most useful.

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