Getting Started Guide

Tracking changes to a document
You can use several methods to keep track of changes made to a document.
1) Make your changes to a copy of the document (stored in a different folder, or
under a different name, or both), then use Writer to combine the two files and
show the differences. Choose Edit > Compare Document. This technique is
particularly useful if you are the only person working on the document, as it
avoids the increase in file size and complexity caused by the other methods.
2) Save versions that are stored as part of the original file. However, this method
can cause problems with documents of non-trivial size or complexity, especially
if you save a lot of versions. Avoid this method if you can.
3) Use Writer’s change marks (often called “redlines” or “revision marks”) to
show where you have added or deleted material, or changed formatting.
Choose Edit > Changes > Record. Later, you or another person can review
and accept or reject each change. Right-click on an individual change and
choose Accept Change or Reject Change from the pop-up menu, or choose
Edit > Changes > Accept or Reject to view the list of changes and accept or
reject them. Details are in the Writer Guide.
Tip
Not all changes are recorded. For example, changing a tab stop from
align left to align right, and changes in formulas (equations) or linked
graphics are not recorded.
Using fields
Fields are extremely useful features of Writer. They are used for data that changes in
a document (such as the current date or the total number of pages) and for inserting
document properties such as name, author, and date of last update. Fields are the
basis of cross-referencing (see below); automatic numbering of figures, tables,
headings, and other elements; and a wide range of other functions—far too many to
describe here. See Chapter 14 (Working with Fields) in the Writer Guide for details.
Linking to another part of a document
If you type in cross-references to other parts of a document, those references can
easily get out of date if you reorganize the order of topics, add or remove material, or
reword a heading. Writer provides two ways to ensure that your references are up to
date, by inserting links to other parts of the same document or to a different
document:
• Hyperlinks
• Cross-references
The two methods have the same result if you Control+click the link when the
document is open in Writer: you are taken directly to the cross-referenced item.
However, they also have major differences:
• The text in a hyperlink does not automatically update if you change the text of
the linked item (although you can change it manually), but changed text does
automatically update in a cross-reference.
Chapter 4 Getting Started with Writer 101