Inserting Graphics in OpenOffice.org

From Extension Collaborative Wiki

Basics

Position your cursor in the paragraph to which you want the image anchored. Then, "Insert -> Graphics -> From File" and select the image file you want to insert.

Formatting Graphics

The "Format -> Graphics" dialog window has several tabs.

• Type
  • Size - Allows you to specify the size of the image
  • Anchor
    • To Page - Positions the graphic relative to the page's edge, border or text area.
    • To Paragraph - Positions the graphic relative a paragraph. The graphic will move with that paragraph.
    • To Character - Positions the graphic relative to a character. The graphic will move with that character.
    • As Character - The graphic is treated as a character and positioned relative to the line.
  • Position - Allows you to select how far and from which point the graphic will be positioned. Dragging the graphic will change these values.

• Options
  • Names
    • Name - A name for this graphic - useful when navigating within a large document.
    • Alternative - Used when saving as in HTML format as the "ALT" attribute for alternative browsers.
  • Protect
    • Contents - When checked the contents of this graphic cannot be altered.
    • Position - When checked the graphic cannot be dragged to another position.
    • Size - When checked the graphic cannot be resized by dragging one of the handles.
  • Properties
    • Print - Determines if this image is to be printed when the document is printed.

• Wrap
  • Settings - Graphic representations of how text is supposed to wrap around this graphic.
  • Spacing - Determines how much space is inserted around the graphic.

• Hyperlink - Used when exporting document to HTML format
  • Link to
    • URL - URL to be used for hypertext reference.
    • Name - Name to be used for this image.
    • Frame - Into which browser window the URL should open.

• Graphics
  • Flip
    • Vertically - Flip the graphic vertically.
    • Horizontally - Flip the graphic horizontally. If checked select whether the graphic should be flipped on all pages or only when it appears on a left or right page.

• Crop
  • Crop
    • Keep scale - Does not distort the graphic if checked.
    • Keep image size - If checked will put the cropped graphic in the original size allotted. Will distort the image.
    • Scale - Resize the image relative to the original size.
    • Image size - Resize the image with absolute measurements.

• Borders
  • Line arrangement - select from predefined arrangements or click on a side to define a custom border.
  • Line
    • Style - Select the line style to use.
    • Color - Select the line color to be used.
  • Shadow style - select the position and color for the shadow.
  • Spacing to contents - determine the space between the border lines and the graphic.

• Background - Select the color to be used for the background of the image. Will be used if the image has transparency or if there is some 'spacing to contents' specified in the Borders dialog.

Why don't my images show up when I share a document?

In OpenOffice.org, when you "Insert -> Graphics -> From File" there is a "Link" check box at the bottom of the dialog window. If this is checked when you insert the graphic then a link to the graphic file is actually inserted - not the graphic. This is useful if you want the graphic in the document to always show the most up-to-date version of the graphic. If you change the graphic file, then the next time you open the OpenOffice.org document, it will show the new graphic. Whereas if you inserted the graphic without the "Link" box checked, then the graphic will stay as it was when you inserted it. There are times when each method is preferred.

Another benefit of inserting graphics as links is that the document file size is reduced. This can be a large benefit if you have a lot of documents using the same image.

If you insert a graphic as a link, then move or delete the graphic file, the image in your document will no longer appear. Likewise, if you move the document to another computer, then the graphic won't appear.

OpenOffice.org remembers how you had the "Link" box set the next time you insert a graphic, so be sure to look at that check box and make sure it is set the way you want it to be set.

How can I tell if a graphic is a link or inserted?

In OpenOffice.org, from the "Format -> Graphic" dialog window, you can look under the "Graphics" tab. If there is a file name under the Link section, then it is a link. If the file name field is blank, then it is actually inserted in the document.