Writer Guide

Figure 103: Using an icon on the Insert toolbar to create
a frame
When you release the mouse button, a box appears
where the cursor is located in the document. This box
represents the frame: an area isolated from the main
document.
To add content to a frame, first deselect the frame by clicking
somewhere else on the page. Then, click inside the frame so that the
cursor shifts its focus there. Now add content just like you would on
the main page. When you are done, deselect the frame.
Moving, resizing, and changing frame attributes
When an object is added to Writer, it is automatically enclosed in a
frame of a predetermined type. The frame sets how the object is placed
on the page, as well as how it interacts with other elements in the
document. You can edit the frame by modifying the frame style it uses
or by using a manual override when a frame is added to the document.
Frame styles are discussed in Chapter 7 (Working with Styles).
To change the size or location of a frame, first select the frame, then
use either the mouse or the Frame dialog box (Figure 104). Using the
mouse is faster but less accurate. You might use the mouse for gross
layout and the dialog box for fine-tuning.
You can resize the frame manually (by clicking on the green squares
and dragging to the appropriate size) or start adding content to it (the
frame will resize automatically if, for example, you add a large picture
to it) or go back to the Frame dialog box and set the size and other
characteristics.
To change the location of the frame using the mouse, drag and drop
one of the edges or having the cursor anywhere within the frame. (The
I-bar cursor changes to a four-headed arrow when properly positioned
for a drag-and-drop move.) To change the size of the frame, drag one of
the handles. Drag a handle on one of the sides to enlarge or reduce the
text frame in one dimension only; drag a corner handle to enlarge or
reduce it in both dimensions.
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