Quick Tutorials, Solutions and to the point.

Create your first presentation using libreoffice impress.

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Beginner’s guide on how to create a simple presentation in LibreOffice Impress.

LibreOffice Impress is a free and open-source presentation program for Linux, Windows and Mac. It comes with lots of features and compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint as well.

Here is a basic guide for creating a simple presentation using Impress.

Table of Contents

Create Your First Presentation

  • Open LibreOffice Impress.
  • If the template dialog opens, select a template you want. Otherwise, click Close.
  • You will be presented with the first slide with a default design – A title and content.
  • Modify your presentation slide as per your choice using the toolbar options, e.g. Changing font colour, background colour, adding text etc.
  • From the File menu, click Save As … Choose any file type you want. You can also choose the Microsoft PowerPoint file type *.ppt or *.pptx as well. You can also refer to the list of file formats supported on this page .
  • Save the file.

Template selection in LibreOffice Impress

Present and View Your Impress Presentation

  • If you want to present the Impress presentation, double-click on the saved file and open it via Impress.
  • To start the SlideShow, Press F5 Or click SlideShow > Start from First Slide from the menu.
  • If you want to start the presentation from any slide, go to the slide in Impress and press SHIFT+F5.

Slide show options

If you are a beginner in LibreOffice Impress, this tutorial may get you started with your first presentation. Drop a comment below if you are facing difficulties with your Impress presentation.

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Alfie Brown

ibreOffice Impress Slide show ==============================

It is Useless without LibreOffice installed. Runs only from the Edit page toolbar menu, can not run it independently from a file. ————————————————————————————

I am trying to build an Family History Tree – Interactive Slide show. I have it built, and saved as an .odp file. But when I try to run the Show file, it opens up in Impress in Edit mode. How do I get it to run as a Stand-alone slide show? From the Slide-Show.odp file without LibreOffice Impress be installed? I need to email the file to my family members, or anyone who does not have it installed. None can run the slide show from the file as it is. I can save it as Windows .pptx file, but interactivity is trashed, links do not work. —————————————————————————————– Creation problems:

Another shortcoming is inability to insert multipage Document.odt files into a slide. The floating frame is postal stamp size that can not be resized, and Insert text works only for few lines of text that fits into the slide. ——————————————————————————————————————————————-

Working with any objects on the slide, from background to text boxes, lines or pictures is near impossible, everything can slide every which way taking the rest with it. Some Horizontal lines just owuld not go horizontal, only on the slant. Other lines would only snap onto invisible grid lines that can not be deactivated. There is no option to fix any slide objects into place, unless you want to specifically move them. Spent more time fixing the layout instead of concentrating on the creation instead.

Abcd

What are the three options diplayed at bottom of Insert picture dialog box ?

arindam

Which dialog box?

Tina Machado

I want to create a custom slide show with specific slides for my music. I am having trouble with the music. I am sure you can fix this. We are in a crazy world of slide shows. 😉

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A Complete Beginner's Guide to Use LibreOffice

Last Updated: February 22, 2024 Tested

Downloading and Installing

Customizing toolbars, learning the menus.

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 60,633 times. Learn more...

LibreOffice is an open source, free office software that can easily rival Microsoft Word. It is a good alternative to Apache OpenOffice, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 365, Kingsoft Office, and other office suites. It is becoming increasingly popular, especially with Linux users. Anyway, some people have just switched from Word to LibreOffice, and would like to get to know LibreOffice a little more. Below is a quick, easy to read and understand article on using LibreOffice.

Step 1 Download LibreOffice from...

  • ...modify documents as a whole. This includes creating new documents, saving existing documents, and opening other documents. A useful function of the Standard toolbar is the ability to immediately create a PDF file from an Office file. Another useful function is the ability for LibreOffice to directly e-mail your document directly.
  • ...perform surface checks to the open document. This includes rolling back unwanted changes, scanning the document for spelling and grammatical errors, and initiating the copy-paste system.
  • ...insert new objects into the document. This includes inserting web links, tables, and drawings into your document.

Step 3 Learn to use the functions of the Formatting toolbar.

  • ...the Find toolbar. This toolbar enables you to search words in your document with lightning speed.
  • ...the Table toolbar. This toolbar enables you to manage a table you create.
  • ...the Bullets and Numbering toolbar. This toolbar enables you to manage document points and numbering.
  • ...the Align objects toolbar. This toolbar enables you to manage and align pictures you import into the document.

Step 4 Customize your toolbars according to your preferences.

  • ...create new documents. LibreOffice offers you a variety of document types, such as Spreadsheet (Excel) and Presentation (PowerPoint) documents. There are even documents especially designed for math and drawing! The keyboard shortcut to create a document is Ctrl + N .
  • ...open recent documents. A list of recently opened documents will appear in the drop-down menu. Just clicking it will open the document in the same window. This function can be very useful, especially if you open many documents at a time.
  • ...run wizards. This can function can be used when you setup a e-mail address, a fax, or agenda. The wizard even contains a document converter.
  • ...create templates. If you will be using the same style of writing for many times, you can consider saving the file as a template. The next time you need to use the same file type, just click the template and replace the old text with the new!
  • ...close, save, copy, and export a document. The keyboard shortcut to save a document is Ctrl + S .
  • ...send a document directly. You can email documents as OpenDocument Text, Microsoft Word, and even send the file using Bluetooth.
  • ...view the properties of a document. This window displays all the information about the document.
  • ...print your document. If your computer is connected to a printer, you can directly print your document to paper. The keyboard shortcut to print a document is Ctrl + P .
  • ...exit LibreOffice. That is something we'll consider doing at the end of this documentation. If you really don't want to continue using LibreOffice, you can quit using this shortcut: Ctrl + Q .

Step 2 Learn to use the Edit Menu.

  • ...undo and redo recent changes to a document. The keyboard shortcut to undo a change is Ctrl + Z , and the keyboard shortcut to redo a change is Ctrl + Y .
  • ...access the cut-copy-paste controls. The keyboard shortcut to cut is Ctrl + X ; the shortcut to copy is Ctrl + C , and the shortcut to paste is Ctrl + V .
  • ...determine selection mode. You can also select all text and objects within the document by pressing Ctrl + A .
  • ...compare documents. This is especially useful when comparing an old draft to a newer one.
  • ...find texts or objects. There is also a special toolbar for this particular function. The keyboard shortcut to find something is Ctrl + F .

Step 3 Learn to use the View Menu.

  • ...switch between the Print and Web layout.
  • ...add toolbars. Different toolbars can be added to suit your personal taste. If you commonly write a newsletter, you might want to add the Picture toolbar.
  • ...manually select what will be displayed in the status bar (far bottom). If you commonly type in a different language, selecting the Input Method Status can be of help to you.
  • ...select what is displayed directly on the page. This includes rulers, text boundaries, shadings, and non-printable characters.
  • ...open the navigator. The navigator displays all objects in the document, including headings, tables, bookmarks, hyperlinks, references, indexes, and comments. The keyboard shortcut to open the navigator is F5 .

Step 4 Learn to use the Insert Menu.

  • ...manual breaks. If your document consists of different topics, this can be a ready option to separate the topics on different lines, columns, or pages.
  • ...fields. This includes page numbers, date and time, subjects, titles, and authors.
  • ...special characters. If the character you wish to use cannot be found on the keyboard, you will almost certainly find it there.
  • ...hyperlinks. If you wish to link something in your document to the web or to another section of the document, you can do it using this function.
  • ...headers and footers. Type in the title of your document in the header (or footer) and it will be displayed on every page throughout the entire document.
  • ...document accessories. This includes bookmarks, cross-references, comments, envelopes, and so on. Hyperlinks can be created using a bookmark.
  • ...multimedia content. You can insert pictures, objects, other documents, and even movies into your document.

Step 5 Learn to use the Format menu.

  • ...clear direct formatting. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + M .
  • ...format your document contents. This includes formatting characters, paragraphs, bullets and numbering, pages, and more.
  • ...change different cases. If you wish your sentence to only contain uppercase letters, you can format it using this menu.
  • ...columns. If you are creating a dictionary or index, this might help you to thoroughly use your page.
  • ...edit styles and formatting. This includes formatting an object, such as anchoring, wrapping, flipping, and rotating. The keyboard shortcut to access the styles and formatting is F11 .

Step 6 Learn to use the Tables menu.

  • ...edit tables and the cells inside the table. This includes creating cells, deleting cells, merging cells, and splitting cells.
  • ...convert text to tables or tables to text.

Step 7 Learn to use the Tools menu.

  • ...check the spelling and grammar of your document. This can greatly help you in preventing errors, especially if English is not your first language.
  • ...manage the document language. This menu contains a thesaurus, a very handy tool. This menu also contains Hangul/Hanja and Traditional/Simplified Chinese conversion, an awesome tool for advanced users.
  • ...access the gallery, a collection of commonly used media files.
  • ...edit the preferences or settings of LibreOffice. This includes language options, such as [changing the interface language], saving options, personalization options, printing options, security options and many more.
  • ...access tools for advanced users. This includes tools such as macro, extension manager, XML filters, etc.

Step 8 Learn to use the Windows menu.

  • ...open or close new windows. This can be helpful if you are working on more than one document at a time.
  • ...select which document you want to work with. Again, this can be helpful if you open more than one LibreOffice document at once.

Step 9 Get help from LibreOffice.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

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  • http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/documentation/
  • http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/community-support/

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Set so that LibreOffice Impress will go straight into show slide mode

When I start my libre office presentation, I would like it to go automatically into slide show mode. How can I do so?

[With Microsoft Office you can do this by renaming a presentation to .pps (from .ppt) or .ppsx (from .pptx)]

  • libreoffice

8128's user avatar

  • 1 As far as I know, Impress does not support that feature. You can only save a presentation as a .odp(presentation) and .otp(template). You can try to visit this site and this site for a possible workaround. –  Peachy Aug 19, 2012 at 3:42
  • Impress does have the option to "Save As" PowerPoint (autoplay) PPS. You can select from the "All Formats" drop-down selection when saving the file –  stephenmyall Aug 23, 2012 at 20:57

2 Answers 2

You can also do this using terminal

Open terminal Ctrl + Alt + T and run following command

I wanted to run a presentation looping on a notice board but for some odd reasons, pps files were inserting a pause of 10 seconds between last and first slides even if I set the relevant option to 0 sec, whereas odp was working fine.

CodingYourLife's user avatar

I don't know about LibreOffice, but I know its 'brother' OpenOffice. In Open Office Impress, if you right-click the file name, you will see the option 'Show'. Selecting that will open the presentation directly in show mode.

Erik's user avatar

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libreoffice how to start presentation

libreoffice how to start presentation

Getting Started Guide 7.4

Chapter 6, Getting Started with Impress

Presentations in LibreOffice

This document is Copyright © 2022 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors are listed below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General Public License ( https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html ), version 3 or later, or the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), version 4.0 or later.

All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors

To this edition

To previous editions

Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to the Documentation Team’s forum at https://community.documentfoundation.org/c/documentation/loguides/ (registration is required) or send an email to: [email protected] .

Everything sent to a mailing list, including email addresses and any other personal information that is written in the message, is publicly archived and cannot be deleted.

Publication date and software version

Published January 2023. Based on LibreOffice 7.4 Community. Other versions of LibreOffice may differ in appearance and functionality.

Using LibreOffice on macOS

Some keystrokes and menu items are different on macOS from those used in Windows and Linux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this document. For a detailed list, see the application Help.

What is Impress?

Impress is the presentation (slide show) program included in LibreOffice. Impress creates presentations in the Open Document Presentation (ODP) format, which can be opened by other presentation software or can be exported in different presentation formats.

Slides can be created that contain many different elements, including text, bulleted and numbered lists, tables, charts, and a wide range of graphic objects such as clip art, drawings, and photographs. Impress also includes a spelling checker, a thesaurus, text styles, and background styles.

This chapter introduces some features of Impress and does not attempt to cover all of the features available in Impress that can be used to create presentations. See the Impress Guide and LibreOffice Help for more information.

To use Impress for more than very simple presentations requires some knowledge of the elements which the slides contain. Slides containing text use styles to determine the appearance of that text. Creating drawings in Impress is similar to the Draw module included in LibreOffice. For more information, refer to Chapter 4, Working with Styles, Templates, and Hyperlinks, and Chapter 7, Getting Started with Draw, in this guide. It is recommended to consult the Draw Guide for more details on how to use the drawing tools.

Starting Impress

Start Impress using any of the methods described in Chapter 1, LibreOffice Basics. The main Impress window opens and, by default, the Select a Template dialog ( Figure 1 ) is displayed.

Templates included with Impress are designed to fit the two standard sizes of presentation slides: 4:3 and 16:9 ratios. However, templates will adapt to other available sizes, which can be selected by going to Slide > Slide Properties > Paper Format on the Menu bar or Format in the Slide panel in the Properties deck on the Sidebar.

Figure 1 : Select a Template dialog

Image30

To start Impress without the Select a Template dialog, deselect Show this dialog box at startup in the lower left of the dialog.

In Windows or Linux, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > General on the Menu bar and deselect Start with Template Selection under New Document .

In macOS, go to LibreOffice > Preferences > LibreOffice Impress > General on the Menu bar and deselect Start with Template Selection under New Document .

Main Impress window

The main Impress window (Figure Error: Reference source not found) has three main sections: Slides pane, Workspace, and Sidebar. At the top is the Menu bar and toolbars. Toolbars can be displayed, hidden, locked in position, or floating during the creation of a presentation.

Figure 2: Impress main window

Image10

The Slides pane and/or Sidebar can be closed by clicking the X in the upper right corner of each pane, or go to View > Slide Pane or View > Sidebar on the Menu bar to deselect. To reopen a pane, select View > Slide Pane or View > Sidebar on the Menu bar.

To maximize the Workspace area, click on the Hide/Show marker in the middle of the vertical separator line (highlighted in Figure Error: Reference source not found). Using the Hide/Show marker hides, but does not close, the Slides pane or Sidebar. To restore a pane, click again on its Hide/Show marker.

The Impress Menu bar, at the top of the main window, provides several menus common to all LibreOffice modules. The commands may differ between each LibreOffice module for File , Edit , View , Insert , Format , Tools , Window , and Help . Impress has two extra menus for Slide and Slide Show . When a menu item is selected, a submenu drops down to show commands. The Menu bar can be customized; see Chapter 13, Customizing LibreOffice.

The Workspace (normally the center of the main window) opens in Normal view. It has four standard views of Normal , Outline , Notes , and Slide Sorter . For more information, see “ Workspace views ” on page  1 .

If master slides are being used, then master views become available: Master Slide , Master Notes and Master Handout . There are no tabs for master views, which are selected by going to View on the Menu bar. For more information on master slides, see the Impress Guide .

Slides pane

The Slides pane contains thumbnail images of slides in a presentation in the order in which the slides are shown. Clicking on a slide image in the Slides pane selects it and places the slide in the Workspace where changes are made to the displayed slide.

To display or close the Slides pane, go to View > Slide Pane on the Menu bar.

To close the Slides pane, click on the X in the right top corner of the Slides pane.

To display or hide the Slides pane, use the Hide/Show marker on the left of the Workspace.

Several additional operations can be carried out on one or more slides in the Slides pane. Also, these additional operations are available from a context menu when right-clicking on a slide in the Slides pane.

Add new slides to a presentation.

Hide a slide so that it will not show in a presentation.

Delete a slide from a presentation.

Rename a slide.

Duplicate a slide (copy and paste).

Move a slide to another position in the slide order by dragging and dropping it to the desired position.

Also, the following operations can be carried out, although there are more efficient methods than using the Slides pane:

Change the slide transition following the selected slide or after each slide in a group.

Change the sequence of slides in the presentation.

Change the slide design.

Change slide layout for a group of slides simultaneously.

The Impress Sidebar, normally located on the right side of the Workspace, is similar to the Sidebar in the other LibreOffice modules. It consists of seven decks, as described below. To open a deck, use one of the following methods:

Click on its icon on the right side of the Sidebar.

Click on Sidebar Settings at the top of the Sidebar and select a deck in the drop‑down list.

Go to View on the Menu bar and select the deck required in the submenu.

The Properties deck has ten panels, allowing the slide layout to be changed and the formatting of any objects on a slide.

When a slide is selected and appears in the Workspace, the Properties deck opens with the Slide and Layouts panels available.

When an object on a slide is selected, the Properties deck has the following panels available: Character , Lists , Paragraph , Area , Shadow , Line , Position and Size , Columns , Effect , and Image . Actual panels displayed depends on the type of object selected.

On the Styles deck, drawing and presentation styles can be applied to a selected object, new styles created for drawing and presentation, and both types of styles can be modified. When saving changes to a style, the changes are applied to all of the elements formatted with that style in the presentation. For more information on styles, see “ Styles ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

On the Gallery deck, an object can be inserted into a presentation either as a copy or as a link. A copy of an object is independent of the original object. Changes to the original object have no effect on the copy. A link remains dependent on the original object. Changes to the original object are also reflected in the link. See the Impress Guide for more information.

The Navigator deck displays all objects contained in a presentation. It provides a convenient way to move between slides in a presentation or select an object on a slide. It is recommended to give slides and objects in a presentation meaningful names so that they are easily identified when using the Navigator. For more information, see “ Navigator ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

The Shapes deck provides panels quick selection of most items that are available on the Drawing toolbar: Lines and Arrows , Curves and Polygons , Connectors , Basic Shapes , Symbol Shapes , Block Arrows , Flowchart , Callout Shapes , Stars and Banners , and 3D Objects .

Slide transition

The Slide Transition deck provides a selection of slide transitions available in Impress, also controls to adjust transition speed, automatic or manual transition, and how long a selected slide is shown (automatic transition only). For more information on transitions, see “ Slide transition ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

The Animation deck provides an easy way to add, change, or remove animations to different elements or objects on a slide and how they appear during a slide show. For more information on animation, see “ Animation effects ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

Master slides

Using the Master Slides deck, the slide design can be selected for a presentation. Impress includes several designs of master slides. The default master slide is blank, but the remaining master slides have backgrounds and styled text. For more information on master slides, see “ Working with master slides ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

Rulers are positioned on the upper and left-hand sides of the Workspace. If they are not visible, go to View > Rulers on the Menu bar. The rulers show the size of a selected object on the slide using double lines (highlighted in Figure 3 ). Rulers are also used to manage object handles and guide lines when positioning objects.

To change the measurement units of the rulers, right-click on a ruler and select the measurement unit from the drop-down list, as shown in Figure 4 for the horizontal ruler. The horizontal and vertical rulers can be set to different measurement units.

The page margins in the drawing area are also represented on the rulers. The margins can be changed directly on the rulers by dragging them with the mouse. The margin area is indicated by either a grayed out area on the rulers or borders around the unused area of the ruler. This margin indication depends on computer setup and operating system.

Figure 3 : Rulers showing object size

Image4

Figure 4 : Changing ruler units

Image50

The sizes are given in the current measurement unit and might not be the same as the ruler units. The measurement unit on the Status bar is defined in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > General .

The Status bar ( Figure 5 ), located at the bottom of the Impress window, contains information that may be useful when working on a presentation. Several of the fields are the same as those in other components of LibreOffice. Some Impress-specific fields are described briefly below.

For details on the contents and use of these fields, see Chapter 1, LibreOffice Basics, in this guide and the Impress Guide . To hide the Status bar, go to View on the Menu bar and deselect Status Bar .

Figure 5 : Status bar

Image5

Slide number

The slide number currently displayed in the Workspace and the total number of slides in the presentation.

Information area

This changes depending on the object selected on the slide. Examples are shown in Table  1 .

Table 1 : Examples of information

Master slide name

The master slide associated with the slide or notes page displayed in the Workspace. Right-click to pop up a list of available master slides and select one to apply it to the selected slide. Double-click to open the Available Master Slides dialog. For more information on master slides, see “ Working with master slides ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

Cursor position/Object size

Shows different information depending on whether objects are selected or not.

When no object is selected, the position numbers show the current position (X and Y coordinates) of the mouse pointer.

When an object is selected and being resized with the mouse, the object size numbers show the size of the object (width and height).

If an object is selected, the position numbers shows X and Y coordinates of the upper‑left corner and the object size number pair displays the size of the object. These numbers do not relate to the object itself, but to the selection outline, which is the smallest possible rectangle that can contain the visible parts of the object.

When an object is selected, clicking in either of these areas opens the Position and Size dialog.

Unsaved changes

Indicates if there are any unsaved changes in the presentation. Clicking this icon saves the document. If the presentation has not been saved before, the Save As dialog opens giving the opportunity to save the presentation.

Digital signatures

Indicates if the presentation has a digital signature.

Text language

Indicates the language used for any text on a presentation.

When this icon is clicked on, the slide in the workspace zooms to fit in the Workspace.

Zoom slider

When moved, the slide changes its viewing zoom in the Workspace.

Zoom percentage

Indicates the zoom level of the slide displayed in the Workspace. Clicking on zoom percentage opens the Zoom & View Layout dialog where the settings for zoom factor and view layout are adjusted.

The Navigator displays all objects contained in a presentation. It provides another convenient way to move around a presentation and find items in it.

To open the Navigator dialog ( Figure 6 ) go to View > Navigator on the Menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+F5 (macOS ⌘+Shift+F5 ). Alternatively, click on Navigator in the Sidebar to open the Navigator deck that is similar in appearance and function as the Navigator dialog.

Figure 6 : Navigator dialog

Image32

The Navigator is more useful if slides and objects (pictures, spreadsheets, and so on) are given meaningful names, instead of leaving them with default names, such as “Slide 1” and “Shape 1” and so on (as shown in Figure 6 ). Using meaningful names allows for a slide or object to be easily located in a presentation.

Many toolbars can be used during slide creation. To display or hide the various toolbars in Impress, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select the required toolbar in the submenu that appears. For example, the Standard and Drawing toolbars are displayed by default, but the Line and Filling, and Text Formatting toolbars are not shown. For more information on toolbars and how to use them, see Chapter 1, LibreOffice Basics, and the Impress Guide .

The icons used on toolbars vary depending on the computer operating system and the selection of icon size and style in Tools > Options > LibreOffice > View .

Workspace views

The Impress workspace has four standard views selected using tabs: Normal , Outline , Notes , and Slide Sorter . These tabs are normally displayed the top of the Workspace. If the tabs are not displayed, then go to View > Views Tab Bar on the Menu bar. Also, different workspace views can be selected by going to View on the Menu bar and selecting a view in the submenu. Each of the workspace views is designed to ease the completion of certain tasks.

Master views only become available in the Workspace when Master Slide , Master Notes or Master Handout are selected. There are no tabs for master views and can only be selected by going to View on the Menu bar.

Each workspace view displays a different set of toolbars when selected. To customize these toolbar sets, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar, then check or uncheck the toolbars to add or remove.

Normal view

Normal view is the main standard view for creating individual slides in a presentation. In Normal view slides are designed, text or graphics added and formatted, and any animation effects added to text or graphics.

To place a slide in Normal view of the Workspace, either click on the slide thumbnail in the Slide Pane or click on the slide name in the Navigator.

Outline view

Outline view ( Figure 7 ) contains all the slides of the presentation in their numbered sequence. It shows topic titles, bulleted lists, and numbered lists for each slide in outline format. Only the text contained in the default text boxes in each slide is shown. If you have added text boxes or graphic objects to the slides, then these objects are not displayed. Slide names are not included.

Use Outline view for the following tasks:

Make changes in the text of a slide:

Add or delete text in a slide as in Normal view.

Move a paragraph in a slide up or down by using the movement arrows on the Outline toolbar ( Figure 8 ).

Change the outline level of a paragraph in a slide using the left and right arrow buttons on the Outline toolbar.

Compare slides with in an outline. If it is noticed in an outline that another slide is required, create it directly in Outline view, or return to Normal view to create it.

Figure 7 : Example of Outline view in Workspace

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Figure 8 : Outline toolbar

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Use Notes view ( Figure 9 ) to add notes to a slide. These notes are not seen when the presentation is shown to an audience using an external display connected to a computer. Click on the words Click to add Notes and begin typing.

The Click to add notes text box can be resized using the resizing handles which appear when the edge of the notes box is selected. Move or change the size of the box by clicking and dragging on the box border.

Figure 9 : Example Notes in Workspace

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When text is inserted in the Click to add notes text box, it is automatically formatted using the predefined Notes style in Presentation Styles in the Styles deck on the Sidebar. The Notes style can be formatted to the presentation requirements. For more information on editing styles, see Chapter 4, Working with Styles, Templates and Hyperlinks, in this guide and the Impress Guide .

Slide sorter view

Slide Sorter view ( Figure 10 ) contains all the thumbnails of slides used in a presentation. Use this view to work with one slide or a group of slides.

Customizing Slide Sorter view

To change the number of slides per row in Slide Sorter view:

1)  Go to View > Toolbars > Slide View on the Menu bar to show the Slide View toolbar ( Figure 11 ).

2)  Adjust the number of slides, up to a maximum of 15, in the Slides per Row box.

Changing slide order

To change the slide order of one or a group of slides in a presentation using Slide Sorter view:

1)  Select a slide or a group of slides.

2)  Drag and drop the slide or group of slides at the location required.

Selecting a group of slides

To select a group of slides, use one of these methods:

Ctrl key – click on the first slide and, while holding the Ctrl key (macOS ⌘ ), select the required slides. The selected slides do not have to be next to each other.

Shift key – click on the first slide, and while holding the Shift key, select the final slide for the group. This selects all of the slides between the first and the last slide selected.

Mouse – position the cursor slightly outside the first slide, then click and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor until all of slides required for the group are selected.

Figure 10 : Example of Slide Sorter view in Workspace

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Figure 11 : Slide View toolbar

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Working in Slide Sorter view

Working with slides in Slide Sorter view is similar to working with slides in the Slide Pane. To make changes, right-click on a slide in Slide Sorter view and choose one of the following in the context menu:

Cut – removes the selected slide and saves it to the clipboard.

Copy – copies the selected slide to the clipboard without removing it.

Paste – inserts a slide from the clipboard after the selected slide.

New Slide – adds a new slide after the selected slide.

Duplicate Slide – creates a duplicate of the selected slide and places the new slide immediately after the selected slide.

Rename Slide – renames the selected slide.

Hide Slide – any slides that are hidden are not shown in the slide show.

Delete Slide – deletes the selected slide.

Layout – allows changes to the layout of the selected slide.

Move – allows moving or repositioning the slide in the presentation order.

Creating presentations

By default, Impress opens with the Select a Template dialog displayed to select a template for a new presentation. To create a new presentation without a template, click on Cancel in the Select a Template dialog and a blank slide opens in the Workspace and Slides pane. For more information on creating presentations, slide show options, and presentation settings, see the Impress Guide .

The first thing to do is decide on the purpose of a presentation and plan accordingly. Having an idea of the audience type, the structure, the content, and how the presentation will be delivered, will save a lot of time from the start.

New presentation

When creating a new presentation, Impress shows only one slide in the Slides pane and Workspace.

Inserting new slide

To insert a new slide into a presentation, use one of the following methods.

Go to Slide > New Slide on the Menu bar.

Right-click in the Slides pane and select New Slide in the context menu.

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+M .

Go to Slide Sorter view in the Workspace, right-click on a slide and select New Slide in the context menu.

Click on New Slide in the Presentation toolbar ( Figure 12 ). If the Presentation toolbar is not visible, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select Presentation in the drop‑down list.

Figure 12 : Presentation toolbar

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A new slide is inserted after the selected slide in the presentation. If a slide is not selected, then the new slide is inserted as the last slide in the presentation.

Duplicating slides

To duplicate a slide, select a slide for duplication in the Slides pane and use one of the following methods. A duplicate slide is inserted after the selected slide in the presentation.

Right-click on a slide in the Slides pane and select Duplicate Slide in the context menu.

Go to Slide Sorter view in the Workspace, right-click on a slide and select Duplicate Slide in the context menu.

Go to Slide > Duplicate Slide on the Menu bar.

Click on the Duplicate Slide icon on the Presentation toolbar.

Slide format

Click on Properties on the Sidebar and open the Slide panel ( Figure 13 ) to display the format options available for a presentation. The Slide panel allows for quick formatting of all slides included in a presentation and selecting master slides for a presentation. For more information on formatting slides and using master slides, see the Impress Guide .

Slide layout

By default in Impress, the Title Slide layout is used for the first slide when a new presentation is created. The layouts included in Impress range from a blank slide to a slide with six contents boxes and a title. For more information on slide layouts and slide contents, see the Impress Guide .

Figure 13 : Slide and Layouts panels in Properties deck on Sidebar

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The first slide in a presentation is normally a title slide. The layouts Title Slide , which also contains a section for a subtitle, or Title Only are the most suitable layouts for the first slide in a presentation. For the remaining slides, select the most suitable layout to use for the slide contents.

Impress does not have the functionality to create custom layouts. However, the different elements in a slide layout can be resized and moved. For more information, see the Impress Guide .

Selecting slide layout

The available layouts are shown in the Layouts panel on the Properties deck on the Sidebar. After selecting a slide, select the slide layout using one of the following methods:

Go to the Properties deck on the Sidebar to open the Layouts panel ( Figure 13 ).

Click on Slide Layout on the Presentation toolbar to open a pop-up Layouts panel.

Click on Slide > Layout on the Menu bar to open a drop-down list showing the layouts by name.

Right-click on the selected slide and select Layout in the context menu to open a drop‑down list of slide layouts.

To view the names for slide layouts, use the tooltip feature. Position the mouse pointer on an icon in the Layouts panel (or on any other tool icon) in the Properties deck on the Sidebar and its name is displayed in a small rectangle.

Changing slide layout

Change the slide layout for a slide in a presentation as follows:

1)  Select a slide in the presentation.

2)  Select a new layout for the slide using one of the methods described in “ Selecting slide layout ” above .

Slide contents

Several layouts can contain one or more content boxes. Each of these content boxes can be configured to contain the following elements. For more information on layout content boxes, see the Impress Guide .

Slide title – click on Click to add Title and type a title in the text box. Impress enters text editing mode and the Text Formatting toolbar automatically opens.

Text – click on Click to add Text and type the contents into the text box. Impress enters text editing mode and the Text Formatting toolbar automatically opens.

Table – go to Insert > Table on the Menu bar and the Insert Table dialog opens. Enter the number of columns and rows, then click OK . The dialog closes and a table is inserted into the slide. Impress enters text editing mode and the Text Formatting and Table toolbars automatically open.

Chart – go to Insert > Chart on the Menu bar and the Impress default chart is inserted in the slide. The Chart Type panel opens in the Properties deck on the Sidebar allowing editing of the chart to the presentation requirements.

Image – go to Insert > Image on the Menu bar and a file browser opens. Navigate to where the required image is located. Select the file and click on Open . The image is placed into the slide and the file browser closes. The Image panel opens in the Properties deck on the Sidebar allowing editing of the image file.

Audio or video – go to Insert > Audio or Video on the Menu bar and a file browser opens. Navigate to where the required audio or video file is located. Select the file and click on Open . The audio or video file is inserted into the slide and the file browser closes. The Media Playback toolbar opens allowing operation of the audio or video file.

Text and graphic elements can be readjusted at any time during the preparation of a presentation. However, changing slide layout that already has contents can have a dramatic effect. If the layout is changed after contents have been added, the contents are not lost, but they may need to be reformatted.

Modifying slide elements

When a slide is inserted into a presentation, it contains elements that were included in the selected slide layout. However, it is unlikely that the predefined layouts will suit all requirements for a presentation. Elements required maybe removed or objects inserted such as text and/or graphics.

Although Impress does not have the functionality to create new layouts, it allows for the resizing and moving of the slide elements. It is also possible to add slide elements without being limited to the size and position of content boxes.

It is recommended that changes to slide elements in the layouts included in Impress are only made using Normal view, which is the default. Attempting any changes to a slide element when in Master view is possible, but may produce unpredictable results and requires extra care as well as a certain amount of trial and error.

Moving contents box

1)  Click on the outer frame of the contents box so that the selection handles are displayed.

2)  Place the mouse pointer on the frame so the pointer changes shape. This is normally a clenched hand, but depends on the computer setup.

3)  Click and drag the contents box to its new position on the slide, then release the mouse button.

Resizing contents box

2)  Place the mouse pointer on the frame so that the pointer changes shape.

3)  Click and drag the selection handle on the frame to resize the contents box, then release the mouse button.

Top and bottom selection handles change the height of a contents box.

Left and right selection handles change the width of a contents box.

Corner selection handles change width and height of a contents box.

Removing elements

1)  Click a contents box or an element to highlight it and the selection handles are displayed.

2)  Press the Delete or Backspace key to remove the contents box or element.

Adding text

There are two ways of adding text to a slide – contents box or text box. For more information, see “ Adding and formatting text ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide.

Contents box – click Click to add Text in the contents box and type the text. Outline styles are automatically applied to the text as it is inserted. If required, change the outline level of each paragraph as well as its position within the contents box by using the arrow buttons on the Outline toolbar and Workspace Outline view.

Text box – click on Insert Text Box on the Standard toolbar or Drawing toolbar to select text mode, then click on the slide. A text box is created and the Text Formatting toolbar automatically opens. Type the text and click outside the text box to end text mode.

Adding images or objects

To add images or objects to a slide, for example a picture, clip art, drawing, photograph, or spreadsheet, click on Insert on the Menu bar and select in the drop-down menu the image or object type required. See “ Inserting images, tables, charts, or media ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide .

Modifying slide appearance

To change the background and other characteristics of all slides in the presentation, the master slide has to be modified or a different master slide selected, as explained in “ Working with master slides ” on page  1 .

Figure 14 : Slide Properties dialog - Background page

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A master slide has a specified set of characteristics that acts as a template and is used as the starting point for creating other slides. These characteristics include slide background, objects in the background, formatting of any text used, and any background graphics.

Impress has a range of master slides, which are found in the Master Slides deck on the Sidebar. Additional master slides can be created or and saved, or added from other sources. See the Impress Guide for more information.

For example, to change the background of an individual slide or a master slide:

1)  Right click on a slide or master slide and select Slide Properties in the context menu to open the Slide Properties dialog ( Figure 14 ).

2)  Select the Background tab and then select the type of background to use from None , Color , Gradient , Bitmap , Pattern and Hatch .

3)  Make a selection from the various properties that are available for each type of background.

4)  Click OK to save the change and close the dialog.

For more information on inserting, formatting, and changing a background, see the Impress Guide or Draw Guide .

Modifying presentations

By default, a presentation displays all the slides in the same order as they appear in Slide Sorter view on the Workspace. It is recommended to review the entire presentation and answer some questions. Run the presentation at least once, then answer the following questions. Also there maybe more questions after running a presentation for the first time, for example:

Are the slides in the correct order? If not, some of the slides have to be moved.

Is the information well spaced and visible to members of an audience at the back of a large room? The audience may not be able to see information at the bottom of a slide, so redesign the presentation to fit the top three-quarters of a screen.

Would an additional slide make a particular point clearer? If so, create another slide.

Are some of the slides unnecessary? Hide or delete the slides not required.

Would animations help some of the slides? This is considered an advanced technique.

Should some of the slides have a different slide transition than others? The transition of those slides should be changed.

Once the questions have been answered, make the necessary changes. Making changes can be carried out in Slide Sorter view on the Workspace. For more information on running a presentation, see the Impress Guide .

Adding and formatting text

Most of the slides in a presentation are likely to contain some text. This section gives some guidelines on how to add text and change its appearance. Text used in slides is contained in text boxes. For more information on adding and formatting text, see the Impress Guide .

Two types of text boxes (AutoLayout text box and text box) are available in Impress for use on slides. Both types of text boxes can be moved, resized, and deleted.

Choose a predefined layout from the Layouts panel on the Properties deck on the Sidebar and do not select any special content type. These text boxes are called AutoLayout text boxes.

Use Insert Text Box for horizontal text, or Insert Vertical Text for vertical text on the Standard toolbar, Drawing toolbar, or Text toolbar ( Figure 15 ) to create text boxes on a slide.

Use the keyboard shortcut F2 to create text boxes on a slide for horizontal text.

When adding and formatting text, the Text Formatting toolbar ( Figure 16 ) normally opens, automatically providing a range of tools to add and format text.

If the toolbars are not visible, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select the required toolbars in the drop-down list.

The area fill and borders in AutoLayout text boxes and text boxes can be edited using the same methods that are used for graphic objects. For more information, see the Impress Guide .

Figure 15 : Text toolbar

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Figure 16 : Text Formatting toolbar

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AutoLayout text boxes

AutoLayout text boxes are automatically created when one of the slide layouts available in Impress is selected.

1)  Make sure Normal view is selected in the Workspace.

2)  Select the slide where text is to be added into an AutoLayout text box.

3)  Click on Click to add Title or Click to add text in an AutoLayout text box. The text automatically disappears and is replaced by a flashing text cursor. The Text Formatting toolbar automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

4)  Type or paste text into the AutoLayout text box and, if necessary, format the text to the presentation requirements.

5)  Click outside the AutoLayout text box to deselect it.

2)  Select the slide where the text is to be added.

3)  For horizontal text: click on the selected slide and create a text box using one of the following methods:

Single line text box: select Insert Text Box , click on the slide and then type or paste the text. The width of the text box increases as text is added creating a single line of horizontal text.

Single line text box: use the keyboard shortcut F2 , click on the slide and then type or paste the text. The width of the text box increases as text is added creating a single line of horizontal text.

Multiple line text box: select Insert Text Box , or use the keyboard shortcut F2 , click on the slide and drag to the approximate width required for the text box, then type or paste the text into the text box. The width of the text box is fixed and the height of the text box increases automatically as text is added creating multiple lines of horizontal text.

Multiple line text box from a single line text box: use the Enter key to create a new paragraph, or the keyboard combination Shift+Enter to create a line break in the text.

4)  The text box is now in edit mode and indicated by a colored border ( Figure 17 ). The width and final position of the text box can be adjusted after adding text into the text box.

5)  Click outside the text box to deselect it.

Figure 17 : Example of a text box in edit mode

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Vertical text

In addition to normal text boxes where text is horizontally aligned, it is possible to insert text boxes where the text is vertically aligned. Vertical text is available only when Asian languages are enabled in Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages .

Creating vertical text boxes is similar to creating horizontal text boxes. Use the Insert Vertical Text tool on the Standard, Drawing, or Text toolbars to create a vertical text box with single or multiple lines. The height of the text box is fixed and the width of a vertical text box increases automatically as text is added to a multi-line text box.

Quick font resizing

To quickly increase or decrease the font size of selected text by using the tools Increase Font Size ( Ctrl+] ) (macOS ⌘+]) and Decrease Font Size ( Ctrl+[ ) (macOS ⌘+[) on the Text Formatting toolbar. The amount by which the font size changes depends on the standard sizes available for the font in use.

AutoLayout text boxes automatically adjust font size of any text inserted into the box. For example, if a long piece of text is inserted into an AutoLayout text box, the font size may decrease in size to fit into the box.

Pasting text

Text can be added to an AutoLayout or normal text box by copying it from another document and pasting it into Impress. However, the formatting of the pasted text will probably not match the formatting of the surrounding text or that of the other slides in the presentation. This may be what is required on some occasions. However, to make sure that the presentation style is consistent and does not become a patchwork of different styles, font types, bullet points, and so on, the text has to be formatted to match the rest of the presentation.

Unformatted text

It is good practice to paste text without formatting and apply the formatting later.

1)  Highlight and copy the text from another document or slide.

2)  Create a text box on a slide and make sure the text cursor is flashing in the text box. Alternatively, select an AutoLayout text box on a slide. See “ Text boxes ” on page  1 and see “ AutoLayout text boxes ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide for more information.

3)  Paste unformatted text into the text box using one of the following methods. Text is pasted at the cursor position in the text box formatted using the Default Drawing Style or Presentation Style if text was pasted into an AutoLayout text box.

Go to Edit > Paste Special > Paste Unformatted Text on the Menu bar.

Click on the triangle ▼to the right of the Paste tool on the Standard toolbar and select Unformatted Text in the context menu.

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+V (macOS ⌘+Shift+V ) and select Unformatted text on the dialog that opens.

4)  Format the text to the presentation requirements using the tools on the Text Formatting toolbar or the options in Format on the Menu bar.

The Presentation style used in AutoLayout text boxes cannot be changed by selecting another presentation style. Make sure the AutoLayout text box uses the presentation style required. Change outline levels and outline styles using the Tab key or Shift+Tab key combination. See the Impress Guide for more information.

AutoLayout text box formatting of pasted text

If text is being pasted into an AutoLayout text box, the appropriate outline style has to be applied to the text giving it the same look and feel as the rest of the presentation.

2)  Paste the text into the AutoLayout text box, then select the pasted text.

3)  Select Format > Clear Direct Formatting on the Menu bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+M (macOS ⌘+Shift+M ) to make sure any formatting is removed from the pasted text.

4)  Use the four arrow buttons on the Outline toolbar to move the text to the appropriate position and give it the appropriate outline level.

Left arrow promotes a list entry by one level (for example from Outline 3 to Outline 2). Alternatively, place the cursor at the beginning of the paragraph and use the Shift+Tab keys.

Right arrow demotes a list entry by one level. Alternatively, place the cursor at the beginning of the paragraph and use the Tab key.

Up arrow moves a list entry up in the list order.

Down arrow moves a list entry down in the list order.

5)  If necessary, modify the presentation style to format the text to the presentation requirements to change font attributes, tabs, and so on. See the Impress Guide for more information. Alternatively, apply any necessary manual or direct formatting to the text.

Text box formatting of pasted text

Pasting formatted text into a text box overwrites any formatting and replaces the text box style.

2)  If necessary, create a text box on a slide and make sure the text cursor is flashing in the text box. See “ Text boxes ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide for more information.

3)  Paste formatted text into the text box. Text is pasted at the cursor position in the text box and the text formatting of the pasted text overwrites any style formatting of the text box.

4)  Select Format > Clear Direct Formatting on the Menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+M (macOS ⌘+Shift+M ) to make sure any formatting is removed from the pasted text.

5)  Select the required drawing style to format the text from the available drawing styles.

6)  If necessary, modify a drawing style or create a new drawing style to format the text to the presentation requirements. See the Impress Guide for more information.

Drawing styles can be created in Impress and are only available for the presentation which is being created and has been saved. Templates can also be created that include any drawing styles required. For more information, see the Impress Guide .

Creating lists

The procedure to create an unordered (bulleted) or ordered (numbered) list varies depending on the type of text box used. The tools to manage and format a list are the same. To change the appearance of a list, see Changing list type ” on page  1 .

Figure 18 : Example of outline levels in AutoLayout text box

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In AutoLayout text boxes and by default, the outline styles available are unordered lists. An example of these outline styles is shown in Figure 18 . These outline styles are presentation styles and cannot be deleted, but can be modified or updated to the presentation requirements. See the Impress Guide for more information.

Create a slide using an AutoLayout text box with an unordered list as follows:

1)  Go to View > Normal on the Menu bar to open Normal view.

2)  Select a layout for the slide using one of the following methods:

Right-click in a blank area on the slide and select a layout in the context menu.

Go to Slide > Layout on the Menu bar and select a layout in the drop-down list.

Select a layout in the Layouts panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

3)  Click on the text ● Click to add Text and start typing the first list item.

4)  Press Enter to start a new list point or use the keyboard combination Shift+Enter to start a new line without creating a new list point. The new line will have the same indentation as the list point.

To switch off bullets altogether, click on Toggle Unordered List on the Text Formatting toolbar.

Changing outline level

In AutoLayout text boxes, change the outline level as follows:

1)  To demote the outline level of a list point, use one of the following methods:

Press the Tab key.

Click on Demote on the Outline toolbar.

Click on Demote in the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

Go to Format > Lists on the Menu bar and select Demote in the submenu.

Use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift+Right Arrow (macOS ⎇+Shift+Right Arrow )

2)  To promote the outline level of a list point, use one of the following methods:

Use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Tab .

Click on Promote on the Outline toolbar.

Click on Promote in the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

Go to Format > Lists on the Menu bar and select Promote in the submenu.

Use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift+Left Arrow (macOS ⎇+Shift+Left Arrow )

3)  To move a list point lower or higher in the list order without changing the outline level, use one of the following methods:

Click on Move Down or Move Up on the Outline toolbar.

Click on Move Down in the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

Go to Format > Lists on the Menu bar and select Move Down or Move Up in the submenu.

Use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift+Down Arrow (macOS ⎇+Shift+Down Arrow ) or Alt+Shift+Up Arrow (macOS ⎇+Shift+Up Arrow ).

In AutoLayout text boxes, promoting or demoting an item in the list corresponds to applying a different outline style. The second outline level corresponds to Outline 2 style, the third outline level to Outline 3 style, and so on. A change in level and style produces other changes, for example, to font size, bullet type, and so on.

Create an unordered or ordered list in a text box as follows:

1)  Create a text box on a slide and make sure the cursor is flashing in the text box. See “ Text boxes ” on page  1 on how to create a text box.

2)  Create a list using one of the following methods:

Click on Toggle Unordered List or Toggle Ordered List on the Text Formatting toolbar.

Click on Toggle Unordered List or Toggle Ordered List in the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

Go to Format > Lists on the Menu bar and select Unordered List or Ordered List in the submenu.

3)  Type the text and press Enter to start a new list point or use the keyboard combination Shift+Enter to start a new line without creating a new list point. The new line will have the same indentation as the list point.

4)  To increase or decrease the indent level of a list point, or move a list point up or down, see “ Changing outline level ” on page  1 .

Changing list type

The list type can be changed for an unordered or ordered type for the entire list or for a single point only as follows:

1)  Select a point in a list, or select the entire list in the text box. Alternatively, click on the border of the text box so that the resizing handles are displayed to select the entire list.

2)  Change the list type f rom unordered to ordered list, or ordered to unordered as described in “ Text boxes ” above .

3)  If required, change the type of bullet or number used for the list:

a)  Click on the triangle ▼ to the right of the Toggle Unordered List or Toggle Ordered List on the Text Formatting toolbar or the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar.

b)  Select a bullet or number type from the options available in the drop-down window as shown in Figure 19 .

c)  If necessary, click on More Bullets or More Numbering in the drop-down window to open the Bullets and Numbering dialog for further options to change the list appearance. See the Impress Guide for more information.

Figure 19 : Available types for bullet and number lists

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Changing bullet or number format

The bullet or number format used in a list can be changed for the entire list or for a single point only as follows:

2)  Click on the triangle ▼ to the right of the Toggle Unordered List or Toggle Ordered List on the Text Formatting toolbar or the Lists panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar to open a drop-down dialog displaying the format options available.

3)  Select a bullet or number type from the options available in the drop-down window as shown in Figure 19 .

4)  If necessary, click on More Bullets or More Numbering in the drop-down window to open the Bullets and Numbering dialog for further options to change the list appearance. See the Impress Guide for more information.

The Bullets and Numbering dialog can also be opened by going to Format > Bullets and Numbering on the Menu bar, or by right-clicking on a list point and selecting Bullets and Numbering in the context menu.

If a list was created in an AutoLayout text box, then the Outline styles can be modified to change the list type and/or format. Changes made to an Outline style apply to all the slides that use that style. For details, see the Impress Guide .

Text columns

Text in a presentation can be formatted into columns inside text boxes and objects. However, columns cannot be used on separate parts of text inside a text box or object. The whole of the text box or object has to be used for columns.

Figure 20 : Text dialog - Text Columns page

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Figure 21 : Columns panel in Properties deck on Sidebar

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The type of columns used in Impress are continuous flow columns. This means that when text reaches the bottom of a column, it automatically flows into the next column as text is added. This type of columns is also known as newspaper columns.

Columns in text boxes and graphic objects are created as follows:

1)  For text boxes – click the border of a text box to select it so that the selection handles are displayed indicating that the text box is in edit mode.

2)  For graphic objects – double-click on a graphic object to select it so that the selection handles are displayed and the cursor flashes in the center of the object indicating that the object is in text edit mode.

3)  Open the options for text columns using one of the following methods:

Right-click in the text box or graphic object and select Text Attributes in the context menu to open the Text dialog, then click on the Text Columns tab to open the Text Columns page ( Figure 20 ),

Click on Columns in Properties on the Sidebar to open the Columns panel ( Figure 21 ).

4)  Set the number of columns required in the Number of columns box and the required spacing between the columns in the Spacing box.

5)  Save the changes and deselect the text box or graphic object using one of the following methods:

For the Text dialog, click OK to save the changes and close the dialog, then click outside the text box to deselect it.

For the Columns panel in the Properties deck on the Sidebar, click outside the text box or graphic object to deselect it and save the changes.

6)  Type in the required text or use copy and paste to enter the required text into the text box or graphic object. Any text entered will be in column format.

7)  If necessary, format the text to the presentation requirements.

8)  Click outside the text box or graphic object to deselect it and save the changes.

Any text inside a text box or graphic object automatically flows into column format when the changes are saved.

Inserting images, tables, charts, or media

A contents box on a slide can contain images, tables, charts, or media as well as text. The Insert toolbar ( Figure 22 ) provides quick access to relevant tools. This section provides an overview of how to work with these objects. For more information, see the Impress Guide .

Inserting images

1)  Open the slide in Normal view on the Workspace where the image is going to be inserted.

2)  Open the Insert Image file browser using one of the following methods:

Go to Insert > Image on the Menu bar.

Click on Insert Image on the Insert toolbar ( Figure 22 ).

Click on Insert Image on the Standard toolbar.

3)  Navigate to the location of the file and select the image file required.

4)  Click Open to place the image in the center of the slide.

5)  Reposition and resize the image to the presentation requirements.

Figure 22 : Insert toolbar

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Inserting tables

When a table is inserted into a slide, the Table toolbar ( Figure 23 ) automatically opens. This toolbar in Impress offers the same functions as the Table toolbar in Writer, with the exception of the calculation functions Sort and Sum. To use Sum and Sort in a presentation, a Calc spreadsheet has to be inserted into the slide.

If the Table toolbar does not automatically open, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select the Table toolbar.

Figure 23 : Table toolbar

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Entering data into table cells is similar to working with text box objects. Click in a cell and begin typing. To move around cells quickly, use the following keyboard options:

Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to another cell if the cell is empty, or to the next character if the cell already contains text.

Press the Tab key to move to the next cell on the right and press Shift+Tab to move to the next cell on the left.

Using the Menu bar

1)  Open the slide in Normal view on the Workspace and go to Insert > Table on the Menu bar to open the Insert Table dialog ( Figure 24 ).

2)  Select the Number of columns and the Number of rows required for the table.

3)  Click OK to place the table in the center of the slide and close the Insert Table dialog.

4)  The Table Design panel on the Properties deck on the Sidebar opens ( Figure 25 ). Select a table design, the type of rows, and the type of columns required.

5)  If necessary, reposition and format the table on the slide to the presentation requirements.

Figure 24 : Insert Table dialog

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Figure 25 : Table Design panel in Properties deck on Sidebar

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Figure 26 : Insert Table grid

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Using Insert or Standard toolbar

1)  Open the slide in Normal view on the Workspace and click on Table on the Insert toolbar or the Standard toolbar to open the Insert Table grid ( Figure 26 ).

2)  Click and drag the mouse pointer to create the number of columns and rows required.

3)  Click the mouse button to place the table in the center of the slide and the Insert Table grid closes.

4)  The Table Design panel on the Properties deck in the Sidebar opens ( Figure 25 ). Select a table design, the type of rows, and the type of columns from the options available.

Select More Options at the bottom of the Insert Table grid ( Figure 26 ) to open the Insert Table dialog ( Figure 24 ) where the number of rows and columns required can be selected.

Inserting charts

To insert a chart into a selected slide in Normal view on the Workspace, use one of the following methods:

Go to Insert > Chart on the Menu bar.

Click on Insert Chart on the Insert toolbar.

Click on Insert Chart on the Standard toolbar.

Impress switches to chart view, the Formatting toolbar ( Figure 27 ) automatically opens, and the Chart Type panel on the Properties deck on the Sidebar opens ( Figure 28 ). To change the chart type, insert the required data, and change the formatting, see the Impress Guide and the Calc Guide .

Figure 27 : Formatting toolbar

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Figure 28 : Chart Type panel in the Properties deck on the Sidebar

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Figure 29 : Gallery deck on Sidebar

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Inserting audio or video

Using file browser

1)  Go to Insert > Audio or Video on the Menu bar, or click on Insert Audio or Video on the Insert toolbar and the Insert Audio or Video file browser opens.

2)  Navigate to the folder where the file is located and select the audio or video file you want to insert onto a slide. Only the audio and video files that are compatible with Impress will be highlighted in the file browser.

3)  Click Open to place the audio or video file in the center of the slide. The Media Playback toolbar opens while the audio or video file is selected.

4)  Reposition and/or resize the audio or video file. See the Impress Guide for more information.

Using the Gallery

1)  If the Gallery deck ( Figure 29 ) is not already open, use one of the following methods:

Go to View > Sidebar on the Menu bar to open the Sidebar, then select Gallery .

Go to View > Gallery on the Menu bar.

2)  Browse to a category containing media files, for example Sounds .

3)  Click on the audio or video file required and drag it onto the slide. The Media Playback toolbar automatically opens.

Inserting graphics, spreadsheets, and OLE objects

Graphics, such as shapes, callouts, and arrows, are often useful to complement the text on a slide. These objects are handled much the same way as graphics in Draw. For more information on inserting graphics, see Chapter 7, Getting Started with Draw in this guide, the Impress Guide, or the Draw Guide .

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets embedded in Impress include most of the functionality of Calc spreadsheets and are capable of performing complex calculations and data analysis. If the data has to be analyzed or formulas applied, then these operations are best performed in a Calc spreadsheet and the results displayed in an embedded Calc spreadsheet or in an Impress table. For more information on spreadsheets, see the Impress Guide and the Calc Guide .

OLE objects

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a software technology that allows linking and embedding of spreadsheets, charts, drawings, formulas, and text files into an Impress presentation.

The major benefit of using OLE objects is that it provides a quick and easy method of editing the object using tools from the software used to create the object. These file types can all be created using LibreOffice and OLE objects can be created from new or from an existing file.

When inserting a new OLE object into a presentation, it is only available in that presentation and can only be edited using Impress. For more information on inserting and formatting OLE objects, see the Impress Guide .

Working with master slides

A master slide is a slide that is used as the starting point for other slides. It is similar to a page style in LibreOffice Writer as it controls the basic formatting of all slides based on it. A presentation can have more than one master slide.

A master slide has a defined set of characteristics, including the background color, graphic, or gradient. It also can include objects (for example, logos, decorative lines) in the background; headers and footers; placement and size of text frames; and text formatting.

All of the characteristics of master slides are controlled by styles. The styles of any new slide created are inherited from the master slide from which it was created. In other words, the styles of the master slide are available and applied to all slides created from that master slide. Changing a style in a master slide results in changes to all the slides based on that master slide. It is possible to modify each individual slide without affecting the master slide.

Master slides have two types of styles: presentation styles and drawing styles. The presentation styles included with Impress can be modified, but new presentation styles cannot be created or deleted. The drawing styles included with Impress can be modified, but cannot be deleted. However, new drawing styles can be created and these drawing styles can be deleted.

It is highly recommended to use the master slides whenever possible. However, there are occasions where manual changes are needed for a particular slide, for example editing an individual slide to enlarge the chart area when the text and chart layout is used.

Impress comes with a collection of master slides, which are are shown on the Master Slides deck of the Sidebar ( Figure 30 ).

Figure 30 : Master Slides deck on Sidebar

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Figure 31 : Default master slide

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This deck has three panels: Used in This Presentation , Recently Used , and Available for Use . Click the expand marker on the title bar of a panel to expand it and show thumbnails of the master slides, or click the collapse marker to collapse the panel to hide the thumbnails.

Each of the master slides shown in the Available for Use panel is from a template of the same name. These presentation templates are included when LibreOffice is installed on a computer. If templates have been created or added from other sources, master slides from those templates also appear in this list.

If a new presentation is created without using one of the templates available, then a default master slide is available. This default master slide is a good starting point for creating master slides. An example of the default master slide is shown in Figure 31 .

Creating master slides

1)  Go to View > Master Slide on the Menu bar to open Master view in the Workspace. The Master View toolbar also opens ( Figure 32 ). If the Master View toolbar does not open, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select Master View .

2)  Create a new master slide using one of the following methods. The new master slide appears in the Slides pane:

Click on New Master in the Master View toolbar.

Right-click on a master slide in the Slides pane and select New Master in the context menu.

Go to Slide > New Master on the Menu bar.

3)  Rename the new master slide using one of the following methods to open the Rename Master Slide dialog:

Click on Rename Master on the Master View toolbar.

Right-click on the new master slide in the Slides Pane and select Rename Master in the context menu.

Figure 32 : Master View toolbar

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4)  Enter a memorable name for the new master slide, then click OK to save the changes and close the dialog.

5)  Make sure the new master slide is selected in the Slides pane and add all the text, graphics and master elements that are required. For more information on adding, editing, formatting and managing the different types of objects on a master slide, see the Impress Guide .

6)  When the new master slide has been created, use one of the following methods to return to Normal view:

Click Close Master View on the Master View toolbar.

Go to View > Normal on the Menu bar.

7)  Save the presentation file before continuing.

Applying master slides

To apply a master slide to all slides or selected slides in a presentation:

1)  Click on Master Slides on the right of the Sidebar to open the Master Slides deck.

2)  Right-click on the required master slide in the Used in This Presentation panel.

3)  Select Apply to All Slides or Apply to Selected Slides in the context menu.

Loading additional master slides

In a presentation, it may be necessary to mix multiple master slides that belong to different templates (for more information on templates, see the Impress Guide ). For example, a completely different layout for the first slide of the presentation maybe required, or a slide from a different presentation maybe added to the current presentation.

1)  Select the slide or slides on the Slides pane where the master slide is to be changed.

2)  Go to Slide > Change Slide Master on the Menu bar to open the Available Master Slides dialog ( Figure 33 ).

Figure 33 : Available Master Slides dialog

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Figure 34 : Load Master Slide dialog

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3)  To add master slides, click on Load to open the Load Master Slide dialog ( Figure 34 ).

4)  In the Load Master Slide dialog, select the template category and the template from which to load the master slide

5)  Click OK to close the Load Master Slide dialog and the master slides from the selected template appear in the Available Master Slides dialog.

6)  In the Available Master Slides dialog, select the master slide required in the Select a Slide Design box.

7)  To apply the selected master slide to all slides in the presentation, select the Exchange background page check box. To apply the slide design to the selected slides only, deselect the Exchange background page check box.

8)  Click OK to apply the selection to the slides and close the dialog.

The master slides in the template selected are now shown in the Available for use panel on the Master Slides deck on the Sidebar.

Modifying master slides

The following items can be changed on a master slide. For more information, see the Impress Guide :

Background (color, gradient, hatching, or bitmap).

Background objects (for example, adding a logo or decorative graphics).

Text attributes for the main text area and notes.

Size, placement, and contents of header and footer elements to appear on every slide.

Size and placement of default frames for slide titles and content.

To modify a master slide, follow these steps:

1)  Select View > Master Slide on the Menu bar. This also opens the Master View toolbar.

2)  Select a master slide for editing in the Slides pane so that it appears in the Workspace.

Figure 35 : Slide Properties dialog - Slide page

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3)  Go to Slide > Slide Properties on the Menu bar or right-click in the Workspace and select Slide Properties in the context menu to open the Slide Properties dialog ( Figure 35 ).

4)  Use the various options in the Slide, Background, and Transparency pages in the Slide Properties dialog to make changes to the format of the master slide.

5)  Click OK to save the changes and close the Slide Properties dialog.

6)  Select an object on the master slide, then right-click on the object to open a context menu.

7)  Select one of the options in the context menu to edit the object. Selecting an option may open another context menu, a dialog, an application or file browser window to make the necessary changes to the selected object.

8)  Click Close Master View on the Master View toolbar or go to View > Normal on the Menu bar to exit from editing master slides.

9)  Save the presentation file before continuing.

Any changes made to one slide when in Master Slide mode appears on all slides using this master slide. Always make sure to close Master Slide and return to Normal view before working on any of the presentation slides.

The changes made to an element on a slide in Normal view is not overridden by subsequent changes to the master slide. There are cases, however, where it is desirable to change a manually modified element of a slide to the style defined in the master slide. To change to default formatting, select the element and select Format > Clear Direct Formatting on the Menu bar.

Adding text, footers, and fields to master slides

Text, footers, or fields can be added to a master slide so those elements appear on every slide in a presentation. Headers are not normally added to slides.

1)  Go to View > Master Slide on the Menu bar to open Master View.

2)  Insert a text box on the master slide, see “ Text boxes ” on page  1 for more information.

3)  Type or paste the text into the text box.

4)  Click outside the text box when finished adding text.

5)  Go to View > Normal on the Menu bar or click Close Master View on the Master View toolbar when finished.

Default footers

By default, a slide footer consists of three sections, each containing a default field:

Left section – date and time, labeled Date Area . Field name is <date/time> .

Center section – footer text, labeled Footer Area . Field name is <footer> . This section could be the presentation title, file name, or other information.

Right section – slide number, labeled Slide Number Area . Field name is <number> .

The default footer fields are set up as follows using the Header and Footer dialog ( Figure 36 ):

2)  Go to Insert > Header and Footer on the Menu bar to open the Header and Footer dialog.

Figure 36 : Header and Footer dialog - Slides page

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3)  Click on the Slides tab to open the options available for inserting footers onto a slide.

4)  Select Date and Time for the date and time to appear in the left section of the footer.

For a fixed date and time, select Fixed and enter the date required in the Fixed text box.

For a variable date and time, select Variable , then select the format and language in the Format and Language drop-down lists. Using a variable date and time means that each time the presentation is opened, the date and time are updated.

5)  To place text in the footer center section, select Footer and then type or paste the text into the Footer text input field.

6)  To place the slide number in the right section of the footer, select Slide number .

7)  If the footer is not going to appear on the first slide of a presentation, select Do not show on the first slide . The first slide is normally the title slide of a presentation.

8)  Click Apply to save the changes and close the Header and Footer dialog.

9)  To format the text used for the default footer fields, see the Impress Guide.

10)  Click Close Master View on the Master View toolbar or go to View > Normal on the Menu bar when setting up the default footer fields is completed.

The default sections in a footer can be formatted, resized, and repositioned. See “ Adding and formatting text ” on page  1 for more information.

Custom footers

The default fields in a footer section can be replaced with text or manual fields as follows:

1)  Go to View > Master Slide on the Menu bar to open the master slide view.

2)  Highlight the default field in the footer section and press the Delete or Backspace key. A flashing text cursor will appear in the footer section and the Text Formatting toolbar automatically opens replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

3)  Type in the required text or insert a manual field into the footer section. For more information, see “ Manual fields ” on page 1 .

4)  Format the text or manual field placed in the footer section. See “ Adding and formatting text ” on page  1 and the Impress Guide for more information.

5)  Click outside the footer section to close the Text Formatting toolbar and reopen the Line and Filling toolbar.

6)  Click Close Master View on the Master View toolbar or go to View > Normal on the Menu bar when setting up a custom footer section is completed.

Manual fields

Manual fields can be added as text objects on a master slide or replace one of the default footer fields and are as follows:

Date (fixed)

Date (variable) – updates automatically each time the presentation is opened.

Time (fixed)

Time (variable) – updates automatically each time the presentation is opened and each time a slide is opened more than once during a presentation.

Author – first and last names listed in the LibreOffice user data.

Slide number – the sequence number of the slide, without the word “Slide”.

Slide Title – defaults to Slide 1, Slide 2, and so on if the slides have not been renamed.

Slide Count – the number of slides in the presentation.

To change the author information, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data on the Menu bar.

Adding comments

Impress supports comments similar to those in Writer and Calc. For more about adding, navigating, and replying to comments, see Chapter 2, Getting Started with Writer.

Before using comments, make sure that the user name and initials are entered into Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data . The name and initials then appear in the comment marker and in the Author field of the comment. If more than one person edits the document, each person is automatically allocated a different background color.

1)  In Normal View , go to Insert > Comment on the Menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+C to open a blank comment ( Figure 37 ).

A small box containing the user initials appears in the upper left-hand corner of the slide, with a larger text box beside it. Impress automatically adds the user name and current date at the bottom of the text box.

2)  Type or paste the comment into the text box.

3)  Move the small comment markers to the required position on the slide. Normally, this is on or near the text or object being referred to in the comment.

4)  To show or hide the comment markers, choose View > Comments on the Menu bar.

5)  Select Tools > Options > LibreOffice > User Data to configure the name and initials that appear in comments.

Figure 37 : Adding a comment

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Figure 38 : Example of Master Handout layout

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Figure 39 : Header and Footer dialog - Notes and Handouts page

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Figure 40 : Example of Print dialog – LibreOffice Impress page

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Printing handouts

Handouts are used for distributing copies of presentation slides to each member of the audience. Handouts are only available in View > Handout on the Menu bar and are printed using the printing options in Impress.

The printing of handouts depends on the printer, computer operating system, and how a computer is set up. The following is only an example of how to print handouts.

1)  Go to View > Master Handout on the Menu bar to open the Master Handout layout in the Workspace. An example Master Handout is shown in Figure 38 .

2)  Go to Insert > Header and Footer on the Menu bar to open the Header and Footer dialog ( Figure 39 ).

3)  Click on Notes and Handouts tab, the select the required header and footer options as follows:

Select Header and then enter text in the Header text: text box.

Select Date and time and then select either Fixed or Variable for the date and time.

If a fixed date and time was selected, enter the date and/or in the text box.

If a variable date and time was selected, select the Format for the date and time in the drop-down list.

If a variable date and time was selected, select the Language to set the options for the date and time format in the drop-down list.

Select Footer and then enter text in the Footer text: text box.

Select Page Number if you want the handout pages numbered.

4)  Click on Apply to All to save the options for the handouts and close the Header and Footer dialog.

5)  Go to File > Print on the Menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P (macOS ⌘+P ) to open the Print dialog and click on the LibreOffice Impress tab to open the page for printing options of handouts. An example Print dialog is shown in Figure 40 .

6)  In Document , select the required options in the drop-down lists as follows:

Type: – select Handouts in the drop-down list.

Slides per page: – select how many slides are printed on a sheet of paper.

Order: – select the order in which the slides are printed on a sheet of paper.

7)  In Contents , select Slide name , Date and time , and/or Hidden pages if these items are to be printed.

8)  In Color , select how the handouts are printed.

9)  In Size , select the size for how the handouts are printed.

10)  Click on Print to print the handouts and close the Print dialog.

Creating a photo album

Impress can create a photo album from a set of photographs and images. The photo album can be a multimedia show with vacation pictures and/or graphics and images as a presentation file.

1)  Create a new presentation or open an existing presentation.

2)  Select the slide that is going to precede the photo album. In a new presentation, this will be the first slide.

3)  Go to Insert > Media > Photo Album on the Menu bar to open the Create Photo Album dialog ( Figure 41 ).

4)  Click on Add to open a file browser and navigate to the folder where the images are located.

5)  Select the images required and click Open . This closes the file browser and the selected files appear in the Create Photo Album dialog.

Figure 41 : Create Photo Album dialog

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6)  Select the number of images per slide in the Slide layout: drop-down list.

7)  If required, select Add caption to each slide . This inserts a text box on each slide allowing captions to be added to the images.

8)  If required and there is only one image per slide, select Fill Screen for each image to fill the entire slide.

9)  Create the required sequence of photos or pictures by moving image files up or down in the list of images.

10)  When the sequence of images is ready, click Insert Slides to create the number of slides required for the photo album. The sequence can be changed later.

11)  If required, copy and paste images between slides as with any other elements that can be placed on a slide.

12)  If required, set up the photo album to run as a presentation. See “ Presentations (slide shows) ” below , “ Running presentations ” on page  1 , and the Impress Guide.

Presentations (slide shows)

Impress allocates reasonable default settings for presentations, while at the same time allowing for customizing many aspects of the presentation experience. This section provides an introduction to presentations. For more information on creating, formatting and running presentations, see the Impress Guide .

Most of the tasks are best done in Slide Sorter view in the Workspace where the majority of the slides in a presentation can be viewed. Go to View > Slide Sorter on the Menu bar or click on the Slide Sorter tab at the top of the Workspace.

Multiple presentations – single set of slides

There may be more slides than the time available for a presentation, or only a brief overview is required first and then a more detailed presentation at a later date. Impress provides two tools for this: hiding slides and custom slide shows.

Hiding slides

1)  Select slides for hiding in the Slides pane or Slide Sorter view in the Workspace.

2)  Hide the selected slides using one of the following methods. Hidden slides are grayed out in the Slides pane or Slide Sorter view in the Workspace.

Go to Slide > Hide Slide on the Menu bar.

Right-click on the slide thumbnail and select Hide Slide in the context menu.

Click on Hide Slide in the Slide View toolbar.

3)  To show a hidden slide, use one of the following methods.

Go to Slide > Show Slide on the Menu bar.

Right-click on the hidden slide thumbnail and select Show Slide in the context menu.

Click on Show Slide in the Slide View toolbar.

Custom slide shows

1)  Select the slides required for a custom slide show in the Slides pane or Slide Sorter view in the Workspace.

2)  Go to Slide Show > Custom Slide Show on the Menu bar to open the Custom Slide Shows dialog ( Figure 42 ).

3)  Click on New and the Define Custom Slide Show dialog opens ( Figure 43 ).

Figure 42 : Custom Slide Shows dialog

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Figure 43 : Define Custom Slide Show dialog

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4)  Type a name for the new custom slide show in the Name text box.

5)  In the Existing slides list, select the slides to include in the show.

6)  Click the >> button to include the slides in the Selected slides list. Several slides can be selected and included at the same time. Hold down the Shift key and click the first and last slide in a group to select that group, or hold down the Ctrl key (macOS ⌘ )and click on individual slides to select them.

7)  If required, rearrange the slide order in the Selected slides list. Click on a slide name and drag it to a new position in the list, then release the mouse button.

8)  Click OK to save the custom slide show and return to the Custom Slide Shows dialog.

9)  To activate a custom show, select it in the list in the Custom Slide Shows dialog and then select the Use custom slide show option.

10)  Click Start to test the custom slide show or click OK to close the Custom Slide Shows dialog.

Slide transitions are effects and/or sounds that take place between slides when slides change in a presentation and can add a professional look to a presentation, smoothing the change over between slides. For more information on how to setup slide transitions, modify slide transitions, and to advance slides in a presentation, see the Impress Guide .

1)  Click on Slide Transition in the Sidebar to open the Slide Transition deck ( Figure 44 ).

2)  In the Slides pane or Slide Sorter view in the Workspace, select the slides where slide transitions are going to be applied.

3)  Click on a transition to apply it to the selected slide.

4)  To apply the same transition to all slides in the presentation, click Apply Transition to All Slides at the bottom of the Slides Transition deck.

Figure 44 : Slide Transition deck on the Sidebar

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5)  To check how the transition looks, click Play at the bottom of the Slides Transition deck. Alternatively, to automatically preview how the transition looks when it is applied, select Automatic Preview at the bottom of the Slides Transition deck.

6)  In the Advance Slide section, select how the slides change in a presentation.

On mouse click – each time the mouse is clicked, the presentation advances to the next slide.

Automatically after – enter a time in box to elapse before the next slide in the presentation advances into view.

Playing sounds or music

Sound or music can be played during a presentation as a transition effect. When using music in a presentation, make sure any copyright or license for the music is not being infringed.

1)  Click on Slide Transition on the Sidebar to open the Slide Transition deck.

2)  In the Slides pane or Slide Sorter view in the Workspace, select the slide to add sound or music.

3)  In the Modify Transition section, select a sound in the Sound drop-down list.

4)  To play music, use the following steps to select a music file:

a)  Select Other sound in the Sound drop-down list.

b)  In the file browser window that opens, navigate to where the music file is located.

c)  Select the music file required and click Play to check if the music is suitable.

d)  If the music is suitable, click Open to add the music to the selected slide and close the file browser window.

5)  To play a sound or music file continuously in the slide show, select the option Loop until next sound . The sound or music file restarts once it is finished until the next sound or music file that is inserted in the slide show.

Do not select the Apply Transition to All Slides option, otherwise the selected music file restarts at every slide.

The sound or music file is linked to a presentation rather than embedded. If the presentation is going to be displayed on a different computer, remember to make sure that the music file is available on the computer where the presentation will be played. The link to the sound or music file must be established before starting the presentation.

Animation effects

Slide animations are similar to transitions, but they are applied to individual elements in a single slide, such as title, chart, shape, or individual bullet point. Animations can make a presentation more lively and memorable. However, as with transitions, heavy use of animations can be distracting and even annoying for an audience expecting a professional presentation.

Animations are best applied using Normal view in the Workspace so that you can easily select individual objects on a single slide.

Figure 45 : Animation deck in Sidebar

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On a slide, an element such as a graphic or an entire text box has selection handles around it when selected. If you select only a portion of the text in a text box, any selection handles may not be visible. For more information on animation effects, see the Impress Guide .

1)  Go to View > Normal on the Menu bar to open Normal view in the Workspace.

2)  Select an element on a slide for animation.

3)  On the Sidebar, select Animation to open the Animation deck ( Figure 45 ).

4)  Select a slide in the Animation panel and then click on Add Effect (+ plus sign) in the Effects panel to open the animation options.

a)  Select an animation category in the Category drop-down list.

b)  Select an animation effect from the available options in the Effect list.

c)  Select how the animation starts in the Start drop-down list.

d)  Select the direction of the animation in the Direction drop-down list.

e)  Enter a time for the duration of the animation in the Duration box.

f)  Enter a time for the delay of when the animation starts in the Delay box.

5)  If required, select Automatic Preview so that how the animation looks can be checked when applied to a slide element.

6)  Click Play to check how the animation looks when applied to a slide element.

Running presentations

1)  Open the presentation and start the slide show using one of the following methods:

Use the keyboard shortcut F5 to start from the first slide or Shift+F5 to start from the current slide.

Go to Slide Show > Start from First Slide or Start from Current Slide on the Menu bar.

Click on Start from First Slide on the Slide Sorter toolbar.

2)  If the slide transition is set to Automatically after x sec , the slide show starts and runs after the set time has elapsed.

3)  If the slide transition is set to On mouse click , click the left mouse button, or press the down arrow key, the right arrow key, the page down key, or the space bar.

4)  To navigate backwards through a slide show one slide at a time, press the up arrow key, the left arrow key, or the page up key.

5)  To access more navigation options during a slide-show, right-click on a slide and use the options available in the context menu.

6)  When the last slide has displayed, the message Click to exit presentation... is displayed on screen. Press the Esc key or click the left mouse button to exit the slide show.

7)  To exit the slide show and return to the Impress workspace at any time, press the Esc key during the slide show.

During the presentation, any animations on a slide are run in the specified order as the slide is displayed.

Presenter Console

The Presenter Console provides extra control over slide shows when using dual displays, such as a laptop and a large display or projector for an audience. The view seen on a laptop display includes the current slide that can be seen by the audience, the next slide in the presentation, any slide notes, and a presentation timer.

The Presenter Console only works with operating systems that support two displays. When two displays are being used, one display can be a laptop.

The Presenter Console has to be enabled in Impress before use. Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > General ( Figure 46 ) and select Enable Presenter Console in Presentation .

The Presenter Console provides the following views for making a presentation:

Default view – displays the current slide, including any effects and the next slide in the presentation ( Figure 47 ). Click on the Previous and Next arrows to navigate through the presentation.

Notes view – click on Notes to switch to display any notes that accompany each slide in the presentation ( Figure 48 ). Click on Notes again to return to the default view.

Slides view – click on Slides to switch to display the slide thumbnails that are being used for the presentation ( Figure 49 ). Click on Slides again to return to the default view.

Exchange – click on this icon to switch the Presenter Console between displays.

Figure 46 : Options LibreOffice Impress General dialog

Image29

Figure 47 : Presenter Console - Default view

Image45

Figure 48 : Presenter Console - Notes view

Image46

Figure 49 : Presenter Console - Slides view

Image47

LibreOffice 6.3 Help

Creating a Custom Slide Show

You can create custom slide shows to meet the needs of your audience using slides within the current presentation.

To create a custom slide show:

Choose Slide Show - Custom Slide Shows .

Click New and enter a name for your slide show in the Name box.

Under Existing Slides , select the slides you want to add to your slide show, and click the >> button. Hold down Shift to select a range of slides, or Ctrl to select multiple slides.

You can change the order of the slides in your custom slide show, by dragging and dropping the slides under Selected Slides .

To start a custom slide show:

Choose Slide Show - Custom Slide Show .

Select the show you want to start from the list.

Click Start .

If you want the selected custom slide show to start when you click the Slide Show icon on the Presentation toolbar, or when you press F5, select Use Custom Slide Show .

Options for Running a Slide Show

To always start a slide show from the current slide:.

Choose LibreOffice - Preferences Tools - Options - LibreOffice Impress - General .

In the Start presentation area, select the Always with current page check box.

Do not select this option if you want to run a custom slide show.

To hide a slide:

To hide the current slide, click the Hide Slide action button.

To hide several slides, choose View - Slide Sorter , and then select the slide(s) that you want to hide.

Choose Slide Show - Show/Hide Slide .

The slide is not removed from your document.

To show a hidden slide:

Choose View - Slide Sorter , and then select the hidden slide(s) that you want to show.

Related Topics

Rehearse Timings of Slide Changes

Showing a Slide Show

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How to create a powerpoint in LibreOffice Impress (Step-by-Step)

Are you struggling to create professional presentations using LibreOffice Impress? Don't worry; you're not alone. Many people find it challenging to leverage the full potential of this powerful open-source office suite. In this article, we address this issue and provide a comprehensive guide on how to use LibreOffice Impress to create stunning PowerPoint presentations. Let's unlock the true potential of LibreOffice together!

Part 1. What is the LibreOffice Impress?

LibreOffice Impress is a powerful and feature-rich presentation software included in the LibreOffice office suite. It allows users to create captivating slideshows, presentations, and multimedia content with ease. As an open-source application, it provides a cost-effective and versatile alternative to proprietary presentation software.

Advantages:

Free and Open Source : Cost-effective alternative to proprietary software.

Cross-Platform Compatibility : Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint : Seamlessly collaborates with MS Office users.

Regular Updates : Active open-source community ensures ongoing improvements.

Disadvantages:

Interface Learning Curve : Slight learning curve for new users.

Advanced Features : May lack some advanced capabilities of premium software.

How to download LibreOffice Impress

Step 1 Navigate to the LibreOffice download page and select an operating system.

Step 2 : The download will begin on its own. Wait for the download to finish.

Step 3 Upon completion of the download, locate the downloaded installation file on your computer.

Double-click the installation file to launch it.

Step 4 To install LibreOffice Impress on your machine, follow the on-screen instructions.

Computer System Requirements:

The system requirements for LibreOffice Impress may vary depending on the operating system, but here are the general minimum requirements:

Operating System : Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.12 or later, or a compatible Linux distribution.

CPU : 1 GHz processor or faster.

RAM : 1 GB RAM or higher (recommended for better performance).

Storage : Approximately 2.5 GB of free disk space for installation.

Graphics : 1024x768 resolution with at least 256 colors.

Part 2. How to Create a Powerpoint in LibreOffice

Creating a PowerPoint presentation in LibreOffice Impress is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to craft engaging slides:

Step 1. Open LibreOffice Impress: Launch the application to begin creating your presentation.

Step 2. Choose a Template: Select a pre-designed template or start with a blank slide.

Step 3. Customize Your Slides: Use the toolbar options to modify fonts, colors, add text, images, multimedia, and other elements to your slides.

Step 4. Save Your Presentation:

Go to File > Save As. When you're satisfied with your work, save it in your preferred file format, such as .odp or .ppt, for easy sharing and future editing.

Part 3: Free Alternative to LibreOffice Impress - WPS Office

WPS Office is a modernized and powerful suite of office tools, offering a free and versatile solution for users. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, WPS Office presents a compelling alternative to proprietary office software.

While LibreOffice boasts a traditional interface, WPS Office stands out with a modern and polished look featuring sleek icons and smooth animations. WPS Office takes user-friendliness to the next level with its customizable options, facilitating easy navigation and quick access to essential features. On the other hand, while LibreOffice offers similar functionalities and high customizability, it might be a bit overwhelming for newcomers

How to Create a Powerpoint in WPS Presentation.

To create a PowerPoint presentation in WPS, follow these steps:

Step 1. Launch WPS Presentation: Open the WPS Office application and select "WPS Presentation" to start creating your presentation.

Step 2. Choose a Template: Browse through the available templates or begin with a blank slide to design your presentation from scratch.

Step 3. Customize Your Slides: Utilize WPS Presentation's wide range of editing tools to modify fonts, colors, insert multimedia, and craft engaging slides that suit your message.

Step 4. Save Your Presentation: Once you've perfected your presentation, save it in the desired file format for easy sharing and future edits. Go to Menu > Save As

How do I Add Images and Multimedia to My Presentation in LibreOffice Impress?

To add images and multimedia to your LibreOffice Impress presentation, open the application, click "Insert" > "Image" to add images, customize their appearance, and then click "Insert" > "Audio or Video" to add multimedia files. Adjust settings as needed, arrange and animate objects if desired, and finally, save your presentation. These steps will help you create an engaging and visually appealing presentation using LibreOffice Impress.

Is LibreOffice better than Microsoft Office?

The comparison between LibreOffice and Microsoft Office depends on individual needs and preferences. LibreOffice is free and open-source, providing a customizable and feature-rich office suite suitable for users seeking a free solution. On the other hand, Microsoft Office offers comprehensive features, better compatibility in professional environments, and dedicated customer support, making it a preferred choice for businesses and users who require seamless collaboration and advanced functionality.

The decision boils down to personal preferences, budget considerations, and specific usage requirements, with LibreOffice being an excellent alternative for those seeking a cost-effective and versatile option, while Microsoft Office suits those who prioritize industry-standard compatibility and robust support.

Does LibreOffice Impress Support Exporting Presentations as vVdeo Files?

As of the latest versions, LibreOffice Impress does not have a built-in feature to directly export presentations as video files. However, you can use screen recording software to capture your presentation in action.

Can I Collaborate with Others in real-time While Creating a Presentation in LibreOffice Impress?

While real-time collaboration is not built-in, you can use a plugin called "Collabora Office" to enable real-time collaboration in LibreOffice Impress.

In summary, this comprehensive guide has equipped you with the knowledge and skills to create compelling presentations using LibreOffice Impress. Additionally, we introduced you to the free and powerful alternative, WPS Office. Whether you're a student, professional, or casual user, these tools will help you deliver engaging presentations that leave a lasting impact. 

  • 1. The Best Online Resume for Modeling to Impress Clients and Pass the Interview (With a Writing Guide)
  • 2. Comprehensive Review about LibreOffice Impress
  • 3. How to Create and Use Drop-Down List in LibreOffice Calc Step-By-Step Guide
  • 4. OpenOffice Impress Review: Features, Pros, and Alternatives
  • 5. NeoOffice Impress Review – Features, Download, and Alternative
  • 6. LibreOffice vs Microsoft Office: Is LibreOffice Equivalent to Microsoft Office?

libreoffice how to start presentation

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Chapter 1   Introducing LibreOffice

This document is Copyright © 2017 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors are listed below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General Public License ( http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html ), version 3 or later, or the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), version 4.0 or later.

All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors

Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to the Documentation Team’s mailing list: [email protected]

Note: Everything you send to a mailing list, including your email address and any other personal information that is written in the message, is publicly archived and cannot be deleted.

Acknowledgments

This chapter is adapted and updated from previous editions of this chapter. The contributors to those editions are:

Publication date and software version

Published 15 February 2017. Based on LibreOffice 5.2.

Note for Mac users

Some keystrokes and menu items are different on a Mac from those used in Windows and Linux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this chapter. For a more detailed list, see the application Help.

What is LibreOffice?

LibreOffice is a freely available, fully-featured office productivity suite. Its native file format is Open Document Format (ODF), an open standard format that is being adopted by governments worldwide as a required file format for publishing and accepting documents. LibreOffice can also open and save documents in many other formats, including those used by several versions of Microsoft Office.

LibreOffice includes the following components.

Writer (word processor)

Writer is a feature-rich tool for creating letters, books, reports, newsletters, brochures, and other documents. You can insert graphics and objects from other components into Writer documents. Writer can export files to HTML, XHTML, XML, Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), and several versions of Microsoft Word files. It also connects to your email client.

Calc (spreadsheet)

Calc has all of the advanced analysis, charting, and decision making features expected from a high-end spreadsheet. It includes over 300 functions for financial, statistical, and mathematical operations, among others. The Scenario Manager provides “what if” analysis. Calc generates 2D and 3D charts, which can be integrated into other LibreOffice documents. You can also open and work with Microsoft Excel workbooks and save them in Excel format. Calc can also export spreadsheets in several formats, including for example Comma Separated Value (CSV), Adobe PDF and HTML formats.

Impress (presentations)

Impress provides all the common multimedia presentation tools, such as special effects, animation, and drawing tools. It is integrated with the advanced graphics capabilities of LibreOffice Draw and Math components. Slideshows can be further enhanced using Fontwork special effects text, as well as sound and video clips. Impress is compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint file format and can also save your work in numerous graphics formats, including Macromedia Flash (SWF).

Draw (vector graphics)

Draw is a vector drawing tool that can produce everything from simple diagrams or flowcharts to 3D artwork. Its Smart Connectors feature allows you to define your own connection points. You can use Draw to create drawings for use in any of the LibreOffice components, and you can create your own clip art and then add it to the Gallery. Draw can import graphics from many common formats and save them in over 20 formats, including PNG, HTML, PDF, and Flash.

Base (database)

Base provides tools for day-to-day database work within a simple interface. It can create and edit forms, reports, queries, tables, views, and relations, so that managing a relational database is much the same as in other popular database applications. Base provides many new features, such as the ability to analyze and edit relationships from a diagram view. Base incorporates two relational database engines, HSQLDB and PostgreSQL. It can also use dBASE, Microsoft Access, MySQL, or Oracle, or any ODBC compliant or JDBC compliant database. Base also provides support for a subset of ANSI-92 SQL.

Math (formula editor)

Math is the LibreOffice formula or equation editor. You can use it to create complex equations that include symbols or characters not available in standard font sets. While it is most commonly used to create formulas in other documents, such as Writer and Impress files, Math can also work as a standalone tool. You can save formulas in the standard Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) format for inclusion in web pages and other documents not created by LibreOffice.

Advantages of LibreOffice

Here are some of the advantages of LibreOffice over other office suites:

• No licensing fees . LibreOffice is free for anyone to use and distribute at no cost. Many features that are available as extra cost add-ins in other office suites (like PDF export) are free with LibreOffice. There are no hidden charges now or in the future. 

• Open source. You can distribute, copy, and modify the software as much as you wish, in accordance with the LibreOffice Open Source licenses. 

• Cross-platform. LibreOffice runs on several hardware architectures and under multiple operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. 

• Extensive language support . The LibreOffice user interface, including spelling, hyphenation, and thesaurus dictionaries, is available in over 100 languages and dialects. LibreOffice also provides support for both Complex Text Layout (CTL) and Right to Left (RTL) layout languages (such as Urdu, Hebrew, and Arabic). 

• Consistent user interface. All the components have a similar “look and feel,” making them easy to use and master. 

• Integration. The components of LibreOffice are well integrated with one another. 

– All the components share a common spelling checker and other tools, which are used consistently across the suite. For example, the drawing tools available in Writer are also found in Calc, with similar but enhanced versions in Impress and Draw. 

– You do not need to know which application was used to create a particular file. For example, you can open a Draw file from Writer. 

• Granularity. Usually, if you change an option, it affects all components. However, LibreOffice options can be set at a component level or even at document level. 

• File compatibility. In addition to its native OpenDocument formats, LibreOffice includes support for opening and saving files in many common formats including Microsoft Office, HTML, XML, WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3, and PDF. 

• No vendor lock-in. LibreOffice uses OpenDocument, an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file format developed as an industry standard by OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards). These files can easily be unzipped and read by any text editor, and their framework is open and published. 

• You have a voice. Enhancements, software fixes, and release dates are community-driven. You can join the community and affect the course of the product you use. 

You can read more about LibreOffice and The Document Foundation on their websites at http://www.libreoffice.org/ and http://www.documentfoundation.org/ .

Minimum requirements

LibreOffice 5.2 requires one of the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2012, or Windows 10.  

• GNU/Linux Kernel version 2.6.18, glibc2 v2.5 or higher, and gtk v2.10.4 or higher 

• Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) or higher 

Administrator rights are needed for the installation process.

Some LibreOffice features (wizards and the HSQLDB database engine) require that the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on your computer. Although LibreOffice will work without Java support, some features will not be available.

For a more detailed listing of requirements, see the LibreOffice website, http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/system-requirements/ .

How to get the software

Versions of LibreOffice for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X can be downloaded free from http://www.libreoffice.org/download . You can also download the software by using a Peer-to-Peer client, such as BitTorrent, at the same address.

Linux users will also find LibreOffice included in many of the latest Linux distributions; Ubuntu is just one example.

Mac OS X users can also get two versions of LibreOffice from the App Store: LibreOffice Vanilla (free) and LibreOffice-from-Collabora (an enterprise-ready version; small fee).

How to install the software

Information on installing and setting up LibreOffice on the various supported operating systems is given here: http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/install-howto/ .

Extensions and add-ons

Extensions and add-ons are available to enhance LibreOffice. Several extensions are installed with the program and you can get others from the official extensions repository, http://extensions.libreoffice.org/ . See Chapter 14, Customizing LibreOffice for more information on installing extensions and add-ons.

Starting LibreOffice

In general, you start LibreOffice the same way you start any other program on your computer.

On computers with Windows or Linux operating systems, a menu entry for LibreOffice and each LibreOffice component appears in the system menu of your computer. On computers operating Mac OS X, only a menu entry for LibreOffice is added to the Applications menu.

Clicking on the LibreOffice menu entry, desktop icon, or tile opens the LibreOffice Start Center (Figure 1 ) from where you can select the individual components of LibreOffice. You can also select to open an existing file or use a template.

Opening an existing document before starting LibreOffice

You can start LibreOffice by double-clicking the filename of an ODF document on the desktop, or in a file manager such as Windows Explorer or the Mac’s Finder. The appropriate component of LibreOffice will start and the document will be loaded.

You can also open files stored in remote servers running Content Management Interoperability Services (CMIS). CMIS, like OpenDocument Format, is an OASIS standard. When using CMIS servers, the service will ask you for the necessary credentials for file access.

Figure 1: LibreOffice Start Center

If you do not have Microsoft Office installed on your computer, or if Microsoft Office is installed but you have associated Microsoft Office file types with LibreOffice, then when you double-click on the following files, they open in LibreOffice:

• A Word file (*.doc or *.docx) opens in Writer. 

• An Excel file (*.xls or *.xlsx) opens in Calc. 

• A PowerPoint file (*.ppt or *.pptx) opens in Impress. 

If you did not associate the file types and Microsoft Office is installed on your computer, then when you double-click on a Microsoft Office file, it opens using the appropriate Microsoft Office component.

For more information on opening files, see “ Opening existing documents ” on page 16 .

Quickstarter

When LibreOffice is installed on computers running Windows or Linux, a Quickstarter feature may also be installed. When Quickstarter is activated, the necessary library files are loaded when the computer system is started, resulting in a shorter startup time for LibreOffice components.

Computers with a Mac operating system do not have a Quickstarter.

Activating Quickstarter

On computers operating a Linux or Windows operating system, the default installation of LibreOffice does not set the Quickstarter to load automatically. To activate it:

1)   Open LibreOffice. 

2)   Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar and select Load LibreOffice during system start-up (if using Windows) or select Enable systray Quickstarter (if using Linux). 

3)   Close and restart LibreOffice to have Quickstarter appear. 

Using Quickstarter on Windows or Linux

To start a LibreOffice component directly by using Quickstarter:

1)   Right-click the Quickstarter icon in the system tray to open a pop-up menu (Figure 2 ). 

2)   Select the LibreOffice component you want to open to create a new document, or select From Template to open the Template Manager, or select Open Document to open an existing document. 

Figure 2: Quickstarter menu in Windows

Disabling Quickstarter

To temporarily close Quickstarter on a computer using a Windows operating system, right-click on the Quickstarter icon in the system tray and select Exit Quickstarter in the pop-up menu. However, when the computer is restarted, Quickstarter will be loaded again.

To prevent the Quickstarter from loading during system startup, do one of the following:

• Right-click on the Quickstarter icon and deselect Load LibreOffice during system start-up on the pop-up menu (on Windows) or select Disable systray Quickstarter (on Linux). 

• Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar and deselect Load LibreOffice during system start-up (on Windows) or deselect Enable systray Quickstarter on Linux. 

Reactivating Quickstarter

If Quickstarter has been disabled, you can reactivate it by using the instructions given in “ Activating Quickstarter ” above.

Parts of the main window

The main window is similar for each component of LibreOffice, although some details vary. See the relevant chapters in this guide about Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress for descriptions of those details.

Common features include the Menu bar, standard toolbar, and formatting toolbar at the top of the window and the status bar at the bottom.

The Menu bar is located across the top of the LibreOffice window, just below the title bar. When you select one of the menus listed below, a sub-menu drops down to show commands.

• File – contains commands that apply to the entire document such as Open, Save, and Export as PDF. 

• Edit – contains commands for editing the document such as Undo, Find & Replace, Cut, Copy, and Paste. 

• View – contains commands for controlling the display of the document such as Zoom and Web Layout. 

• Insert – contains commands for inserting elements into your document such as Header, Footer, and Image. 

• Format – contains commands for formatting the layout of your document. 

• Styles – contains commands for quickly applying common styles; for editing, loading, and creating new styles; and for accessing the Styles and Formatting section of the Sidebar. 

• Table – contains commands to insert and edit a table in a text document. 

• Tools – contains functions such as Spelling and Grammar, AutoCorrect, Customize, and Options. 

• Window – contains commands for the display window. 

• Help – contains links to the LibreOffice Help file, What’s This?, and information about the program. 

LibreOffice has two types of toolbars: docked (fixed in place) and floating. Docked toolbars can be moved to different locations or made to float, and floating toolbars can be docked.

In a default LibreOffice installation, the top docked toolbar, just under the Menu bar, is called the Standard toolbar. It is consistent across the LibreOffice applications.

The second toolbar at the top, in a default LibreOffice installation, is the Formatting bar. It is context-sensitive; that is, it shows the tools relevant to the current position of the cursor or the object selected. For example, when the cursor is on a graphic, the Formatting bar provides tools for formatting graphics; when the cursor is in text, the tools are for formatting text.

In some cases it is convenient to reduce the number of toolbars displayed and get more space for the document. LibreOffice provides a single-toolbar alternative to the default double-toolbar setup. It contains the most-used commands. To activate it, enable View > Toolbars > Standard (Single Mode) and disable View > Toolbars > Standard and View > Toolbars > Formatting .

Displaying or hiding toolbars

To display or hide toolbars, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar, then click on the name of a toolbar from the drop-down list. An active toolbar shows a check-mark beside its name. Toolbars created from tool palettes are not listed in the View menu.

To close a toolbar go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and deselect the toolbar, or right-click in an empty space between the icons on a toolbar and select Close toolbar from the context menu.

Sub-menus and tool palettes

Toolbar icons with a small triangle to the right will display sub-menus , tool palettes , and alternative methods of selecting items, depending on the icon.

Tool palettes can be made into a floating toolbar. Figure 3 shows an example of a tool palette from the Drawing toolbar made into a floating toolbar. See “ Moving toolbars ” and “ Floating toolbars ” below for more information on moving and floating these toolbars created from tool palettes.

Figure 3: Example of tearing off a tool palette

Moving toolbars

Docked toolbars can be undocked and moved to a new docked position or left as a floating toolbar.

1)   Move the mouse cursor over the toolbar handle, which is the small vertical bar to the left of a docked toolbar and highlighted in Figure 4 . 

2)   Hold down the left mouse button and drag the toolbar to the new location. The toolbar can be docked in a new position at the top, sides or bottom of the main window, or left as a floating toolbar. 

3)   Release the mouse button. 

To move a floating toolbar, click on its title bar and drag it to a new floating location or dock the toolbar at the top or bottom of the main window.

Figure 4: Toolbar handles

You can also dock a floating toolbar by holding down the Ctrl key and double-clicking in the title bar of the toolbar.

Floating toolbars

LibreOffice includes several additional toolbars, whose default setting appear as floating toolbars in response to the current position of the cursor or selection. You can dock these toolbars to the top or bottom of the main window, or reposition them on your computer display (see “ Moving toolbars ” above).

Some of these additional toolbars are context sensitive and will automatically appear depending on the position of the cursor. For example, when the cursor is in a table, a Table toolbar appears, and when the cursor is in a numbered or bullet list, the Bullets and Numbering toolbar appears.

Customizing toolbars

You can customize toolbars in several ways, including choosing which icons are visible and locking the position of a docked toolbar. You can also add icons and create new toolbars, as described in Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice . To access the customization options for a toolbar, right-click in an empty space between the icons on a toolbar to open a context menu as follows:

• To show or hide icons defined for the selected toolbar, click Visible Buttons . Visible icons on a toolbar are indicated by an outline around the icon ( Figure 5 ) or by a check mark beside the icon, depending on your operating system. Select or deselect icons to hide or show them on the toolbar. 

Figure 5: Selection of visible toolbar icons

• Click Customize Toolbar to open the Customize dialog; See Chapter 14 Customizing LibreOffice for more information. 

• Click Dock Toolbar to dock the selected floating toolbar. By default, a toolbar will dock at the top of the workspace. You can reposition the toolbar to a different docked position. See “ Moving toolbars ” on page 11 . 

• Click Dock All Toolbars to dock all floating toolbars. By default, toolbars will dock at the top of the workspace. You can reposition the toolbars to different docked positions. See “ Moving toolbars ” on page 11 . 

• Click Lock Toolbar Position to lock a docked toolbar into its docked position. 

• Click Close Toolbar to close the selected toolbar. 

Context menus

Context menus provide quick access to many menu functions. They are opened by right-clicking on a paragraph, graphic, or other object. When a context menu opens, the functions or options available will depend on the object that has been selected. A context menu can be the easiest way to reach a function, especially if you are not sure where the function is located in the menus or toolbars.

The status bar is located at the bottom of the workspace. It provides information about the document and convenient ways to change some features quickly. It is similar in Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw, but each LibreOffice component includes some component-specific items. An example of the Writer status bar is shown in Figure 6 .

Figure 6: Example status bar from Writer

Page, sheet, or slide number and page count

Shows the current page, sheet, or slide number and the total number of pages, sheets, or slides in the document. Double-click on this field to open the Navigator. Other uses of this field depend on the LibreOffice component.

Words and characters

Shows the total number of words and characters in the document or in the selection.

Page style or slide design

Shows the current page style or slide design. To edit the current page style or slide design, double-click on this field. To choose a different page style or slide design, right-click on this field and select from the list that pops up.

Shows the current language of the text at the current cursor position.

Insert mode

Shows the type of insert mode the program is in. This field is blank if the program is in Insert mode. Each time the Ins key is pressed, or this field is clicked, the mode toggles between Insert and Overwrite.

Selection mode

Click to choose different selection modes. The icon does not change, but when you hover the mouse pointer over this field, a tooltip indicates which mode is active.

Unsaved changes

The icon shown here is different when changes to the document have not been saved.

Digital signature

If the document has been digitally signed, an icon shows here. You can click the icon to sign the document, or to view the existing certificate.

Object information

Displays information relevant to the position of the cursor or the selected element of the document.

View layout

Select between Single-page view, Multiple-page view, and Book view to change how your document is displayed.

Zoom slider

Drag the Zoom slider, or click on the + and – signs to change the view magnification of your document.

Zoom percentage

Indicates the magnification level of the document. Right-click on the percentage figure to open a list of magnification values from which to choose. Double-clicking on this percentage figure opens the Zoom & View Layout dialog.

To activate the Sidebar, select View > Sidebar from the Menu bar. The Sidebar (Figure 7 ) is located on the right side of the edit views of Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw. It contains one or more panels, based on the current document context. Panels are organized into decks. A tab bar on the right side of the sidebar allows you to switch between different decks.

Figure 7: Properties panel of Sidebar in Writer

All components contain the Properties, Styles and Formatting, Gallery, and Navigator decks. Some components have additional decks, such as Master Pages, Custom Animation, and Slide Transition for Impress; Manage Changes for Writer; and Functions for Calc.

A panel is like a combination of a toolbar and a dialog. For example, you can freely mix working in the main edit window to enter text and use the Properties panel in the sidebar to change text attributes.

Tool bars and Sidebar panels share many functions. For example, the buttons for making text bold or italic exist in both the Formatting toolbar and the Properties panel.

For more detail, see the Sidebar explanation in the relevant LibreOffice component’s user guide.

To hide the Sidebar, click on the gray Hide button on the left. Click on the same button to show the Sidebar again.

To undock the Sidebar and make it floating, and to dock a floating Sidebar, use the drop-down list at the top of the tab bar (see Figure 8 ). From the same list you can choose which items to include in the Sidebar.

Figure 8: Floating (undocking) or docking the Sidebar

Starting new documents

You can start a new, blank document in LibreOffice in several ways.

When LibreOffice is running but no document is open, the Start Center (Figure 1 on page 8 ) is shown. Click one of the icons to open a new document of that type, or click the Templates icon to start a new document using a template.

You can also start a new document in one of the following ways:

• Use File > New on the Menu bar and select the type of document from the context menu. 

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N to create a new document. The type of document created depends on which LibreOffice component is open and active. For example, if Calc is open and active, a new spreadsheet is created. 

• Use File > Wizards on the Menu bar and select the type of document from the context menu. 

• If a document is already open in LibreOffice, click the New icon on the Standard toolbar and a new document of the same type is created in a new window. For example, if Calc is open and active, a new spreadsheet is created. The New icon changes depending on which component of LibreOffice is open. 

• If a document is already open in LibreOffice, click on the small triangle to the right of the New icon on the Standard toolbar and select the type of document from the context menu that opens. 

• On Windows or Linux, use the Quickstarter feature included with LibreOffice. See “ Quickstarter ” on page 8 for more information. 

If all documents are closed without closing LibreOffice, then the Start Center will be displayed.

Opening existing documents

You can also open an existing document in one of the following ways:

• When no document is open, click Open File or Remote files in the Start Center to reach the Open dialog. 

• Go to File > Open or File > Open Remote File... on the Menu bar the reach the Open dialog. 

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O to reach the Open dialog. 

• If a document is already open, click the Open icon on the Standard toolbar and select from a list of available documents from the Open dialog. 

• Click the small triangle to the right of the Open icon and select from a list of recently opened documents. 

• When no document is open, double-click on a thumbnail of recently opened documents displayed in the Start Center. You can scroll up or down in the Start Center to locate a recently opened document. 

When using the Open dialog, navigate to the folder you want and select the file you want, and then click Open . If a document is already open in LibreOffice, the second document opens in a new window.

In the Open dialog, you can reduce the list of files by selecting the type of file you are looking for. For example, if you choose Text documents as the file type, you will only see documents Writer can open (including .odt , .doc , .txt ); if you choose Spreadsheets , you will see .ods , .xls , and other files that Calc opens.

You can also open an existing document that is in a format that LibreOffice recognizes by double-clicking on the file icon on the desktop or in a file manager such as Windows Explorer. LibreOffice has to be associated with file types that are not ODF files for the appropriate LibreOffice component to open.

Notes 

You can choose whether to use the LibreOffice Open/Save dialogs or the ones provided by your computer’s operating system. See “ Choosing Open and Save As dialogs ” on page 20 for more information. This book uses the LibreOffice dialogs in illustrations.

When opening files stored in a remote server, you may be asked to enter your user name and password to log in the server.

Saving documents

You can save documents as follows:

• Save command – use if you are keeping the document, its current filename and location. 

• Save to Remote Server - use if your document is already stored in a remote server or will be stored in a remote server. 

• Save As – use if you want to create a new document, or change the filename and/or file format, or save the file in a different location on your computer. 

• Save a copy - use if you want to save a copy of your current document and keep it open for more editing. 

• Save All - use to save all the open files open in your current session. 

Save command

To save a document if you are keeping the document’s current filename and location, do one of the following:

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S . 

• Go to File > Save , File > Save to Remote Server , File > Save a Copy , or File > Save All on the Menu bar. 

• Click the Save icon on the Standard toolbar. 

Using the Save command will overwrite the last saved version of the file.

Save As command

Figure 9: Example of LibreOffice Save As dialog

To save a document if you want to create a new document, or change the filename and/or file format, or save the file in a different location on your computer:

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+S . 

• Go to File > Save As on the Menu bar. 

When the Save As dialog (Figure 9 ) or Save dialog opens, enter the file name, change the file type (if applicable), navigate to a new location (if applicable), and click Save .

The dialog that opens when using the Save As command depends on the options that have been set in LibreOffice. See “ Choosing Open and Save As dialogs ” on page 20 for more information.

Password protection

To restrict who can open and read a document, or open and edit the document, use password protection.

1)   Using the Save As command above, select the Save with password option in the Save As dialog or Save dialog. 

2)   Click Save and the Set Password dialog opens (Figure 10 ). 

3)   In File Encryption Password , enter a password to open the document and then enter the same password as confirmation. 

4)   To restrict who can edit the document, click Options . 

5)   In File Sharing Password , select Open file read-only , enter a password to allow editing, and then enter the same password as confirmation. 

6)   Click OK and the dialog closes. If the passwords match, the document is saved password-protected. If the passwords do not match, you receive an error message. 

Figure 10: Set Password dialog

Caution 

LibreOffice uses a very strong encryption mechanism that makes it almost impossible to recover the contents of a document if you lose or forget the password.

Changing the password

When a document is password-protected, you can change the password while the document is open. Go to File > Properties > General on the Menu bar and click the Change Password button. This opens the Set Password dialog where you can enter a new password.

Saving documents automatically

LibreOffice can save files automatically as part of the AutoRecovery feature. Automatic saving, like manual saving, overwrites the last saved state of the file.

To set up automatic file saving:

1)   Go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General on the Menu bar. 

2)   Select Save AutoRecovery information every and set the time interval. 

3)   Click OK . 

Opening and saving files on remote servers

LibreOffice 5.2 can open and save files stored on remote servers. Keeping files on remote servers allows you to work with the documents using different computers. For example, you can work on a document in the office during the day and edit it at home for last-minute changes. Storing files on a remote server also backs up documents from computer loss or hard disk failure. Some servers are also able to check-in and check-out files, thus controlling their usage and access.

LibreOffice 5.2 supports many document servers that use well known network protocols such as FTP, WebDav, Windows share, and SSH. It also supports popular services like Google Drive and Microsoft OneNote, as well as commercial and open source servers that implement the OASIS CMIS standard.

To access remote servers, you must use LibreOffice Open and Save dialogs. If you use your operating system dialogs for saving and opening files, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > General and check the option Use LibreOffice dialogs .

To enable a remote server connection, use one of these methods:

• Click on the Remote Files button in the Start Center  

• Select File > Open Remote Files...  

• Select File > Save to Remote Server...  

Then click on the Add Service button (Figure 12 ) in the dialog to open the File Service dialog.

Depending on the type of file service you choose in the Type listbox, different parameters are necessary to fully qualify the connection to the remote server (Figure 11 ).

Figure 11: Remote server configuration

Once the connection is defined, click OK to connect. The dialog will dim until the connection is established with the server. A dialog asking for the user name and the password may pop up to let you log in the server. Proceed entering your credentials.

The Remote Files dialog (Figure 12 ) which then appears has many parts. The upper list box contains the list of remote servers you have previously defined. The line below the list box shows the path to access the folder. On the left is the folder structure of the user space in the server. The main pane displays the files in the remote folder. Click the Open or Save button to proceed.

Figure 12: Remote Files dialog when connected to a server

Renaming and deleting files

You can rename or delete files within the LibreOffice dialogs, just as you can in a file manager. Select a file and then right click to open a context menu. Select either Delete or Rename , as appropriate. However, you cannot copy or paste files within the dialogs.

Choosing Open and Save As dialogs

You can choose whether to use the LibreOffice Open and Save As dialogs or the ones provided by your operating system. This book uses the LibreOffice dialogs in illustrations.

If you use your computer system’s dialogs, you can move files only to and from mounted file systems on the local computer. To provide additional opportunities such as working with cloud or remote servers, and searching by versions, switch to using LibreOffice dialogs. Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > General and select or deselect the option Use LibreOffice dialogs .

An example of a LibreOffice dialog is shown in Figure 9 on page 17 . The three icons in the top right of these dialogs are as follows:

• Server – the File Services dialog opens, where you can connect to a network server if the file you want is not located on your computer. 

• Up One Level – moves up one folder in the folder hierarchy. Click and hold the mouse button on this icon to display a drop down a list of higher level folders. Move the cursor over a higher level folder and release the mouse button to navigate to that folder 

• Create New Folder – creates a new sub-folder in the folder that is displayed in the dialog. 

Use the File type field to specify the type of file to be opened or the format of the file to be saved.

The Read-only option on the Open dialog opens the file for reading and printing only. Most of the icons and most menu options are disabled on the toolbars. The Edit File icon becomes active on the Standard toolbar. Click on this icon to open the file for editing.

The Places pane in the dialog displays the shortcuts to folders and file services you bookmarked. This lets you quickly navigate to the target folder or remote server. To add a place, navigate to the folder where your document is located and click the + button. The name of the folder will show in the Places pane. To remove a folder from the Places pane, click its name and then click the - button.

Using the Navigator

The LibreOffice Navigator lists objects contained within a document, collected into categories. For example, in Writer it shows Headings, Tables, Text frames, Comments, Graphics, Bookmarks, and other items, as shown in Figure  13 . In Calc it shows Sheets, Range Names, Database Ranges, Graphics, Drawing Objects, and other items. In Impress and Draw it shows Slides, Pictures, and other items.

To open the Navigator, click the Navigator icon on the Standard toolbar, or press the F5 key, or go to View > Navigator on the Menu bar, or click the Navigator icon in the Sidebar.

In a default installation of LibreOffice, the Navigator is part of the Sidebar.

Click the marker (+ or triangle) by any of the categories to display the list of objects in that category.

The Navigator provides several convenient ways to move around a document and find items in it:

• When a category is showing the list of objects in it, double-click on an object to jump directly to that object’s location in the document. 

• Objects are much easier to find if you have given them recognizable names when creating them, instead of keeping the default names such as Sheet1, Table1, or Table2. The default names may not correspond to the actual position of the object in the document. 

• Each Navigator in the individual LibreOffice components has a different range of functions. These functions are further explained in the user guide for each LibreOffice component. 

Figure 13: Navigator in Writer

Undoing and redoing changes

To undo the most recent change in a document, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Z, or click the Undo icon on the Standard toolbar, or go to Edit > Undo on the Menu bar. Click the small triangle to the right of the Undo icon to get a list of all the changes that can be undone. You can select multiple changes and undo them at the same time.

After changes have been undone, you can redo changes. To redo a change use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Y , or click the Redo icon, or go to Edit > Redo on the Menu bar. As with Undo, click on the triangle to the right of the arrow to get a list of the changes that can be reapplied.

To repeat the last command applied to your document, use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Y . This can save several repetitive menu navigation clicks or keyboard shortcuts, especially when the command is taken from a secondary menu.

To modify the number of changes LibreOffice remembers, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar. In the Undo section increase or decrease the Number of steps . Be aware that asking LibreOffice to remember more changes consumes more computer memory.

Reloading a document

You may want to discard all the changes made in an editing session after the last document save. But undoing each change or remembering where the changes took place can be a difficult task. If you are sure you do not want to keep the changes from the last save operation, you can reload your document. A copy of the document that is currently stored in the file system is loaded. The document returns to the state where it was last saved.

To reload a document, go to File > Reload on the menu bar. A confirmation dialog will warn you that you will discard your last changes. On reloading your document, the File dialog will not open, because the file is already selected.

Closing a document

If only one document is open and you want to close that document, go to File > Close on the Menu bar or click on the X on the right or left end of the Menu bar. On Windows and Linux, the document closes and the LibreOffice Start Center opens. On Mac OS X, the document closes and only the Menu bar remains at the top of the screen.

If more than one document is open and you want to close one of them, go to File > Close on the Menu bar or click on the X on the title bar of that document’s window. The X may be located on either the right or left end of the title bar.

If the document has not been saved since the last change, a message box is displayed. Choose whether to save or discard your changes.

Not saving your document could result in the loss of recently made changes, or worse still, the entire file.

Closing LibreOffice

To close LibreOffice completely, go to File > Exit on the Menu bar in Windows and Linux operating systems. In a Mac operating system, go to LibreOffice > Quit LibreOffice on the Menu bar.

When you close the last document using the X on the title bar of the window, then LibreOffice will close completely. A Mac operating system does not have this function; instead, you need to use to LibreOffice > Quit LibreOffice .

You can also use a keyboard shortcut as follows:

• In Windows and Linux – Ctrl+Q  

• In Mac OS X – Command ⌘+Q  

If any documents have not been saved since the last change, a message box is displayed. Choose whether to save or discard your changes.

Impressum (Legal Info) | Privacy Policy | Statutes (non-binding English translation) - Satzung (binding German version) | Copyright information: Unless otherwise specified, all text and images on this website are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License . This does not include the source code of LibreOffice, which is licensed under the Mozilla Public License v2.0 . “LibreOffice” and “The Document Foundation” are registered trademarks of their corresponding registered owners or are in actual use as trademarks in one or more countries. Their respective logos and icons are also subject to international copyright laws. Use thereof is explained in our trademark policy . LibreOffice was based on OpenOffice.org.

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Power users of presentation applications go beyond the standard-issue text and fancy backgrounds for their slides. Their presentations frequently include sounds, images, and sometimes video. Fortunately, with the open source flagship office suite LibreOffice , embedding videos into a presentation is as simple as adding text to a slide. I’ll demonstrate how simple it is to embed video into a LibreOffice Impress slide. 

A caveat: The only format that is readily supported is the Ogg Vorbis video. Fear not — there are plenty of ways to convert nearly any format into an Ogg Vorbis video. I will first show one method of converting your video, and then we’ll embed that video into a presentation.

Converting your video format

My conversion method of choice is done with the help of OpenShot Video Editor . With this editor, you can import nearly any format and export it to almost any format. Here’s how to get your video into a suitable format for embedding into a presentation:

  • Open OpenShot.
  • Go to File | Import Files and add your file.
  • Go to File | Export Video and in the Export window select All Formats from the Profile drop-down ( Figure A ).
  • Give the file a name.
  • Select the Export To Folder location.
  • Select Ogg (theora/vorbis) from the Target drop-down.
  • Select DV/DVD NTSC from the Video Profile drop-down.
  • Select either Med or High for Quality.
  • Click the Export Video button.

Exporting your video to the Ogg Vorbis format.

Embedding the video into a presentation.

The size of your video will seriously affect the size of your overall presentation; it will also dictate the how much time is required to handle the actual embedding. If the file is large (I’ve embedded files that are larger than 600 MB), Impress might become temporarily unresponsive and look as if it will crash at any moment. Wait for the embedding to complete before force closing the application.

Here’s how to embed your video:

  • Open a presentation.
  • Go to Insert | Movie and Sound.
  • Locate the video to be inserted and click Open.

Once embedded (which may take a while), you can test to make sure the video plays by clicking F5, which will start the slide show ( Figure B ).

libreoffice how to start presentation

The video file embedded into a slide.

To give the video-embedded slide more of a seamless look, you might get rid of any text on the page and change the page background to black. To change the background color and give the video-embedded site a cleaner appearance, follow these steps:

  • Go to Format | Page.
  • Select Color from the Fill drop-down.
  • Select Black.
  • When asked, do this for only this page (not all pages).

The embedding of video into your Impress slide shows is an easy way to dazzle your audience. You could even use this technique to create self-guided presentations, which could be especially useful if you have a paralyzing fear of public speaking.

More about LibreOffice on TechRepublic

  • Fact sheet: LibreOffice 4.1
  • Create a photo slide show presentation in LibreOffice 4.1
  • Help migrate users from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice 4.1
  • Give the new LibreOffice Sidebar a try

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Ask LibreOffice

How to change the template of an Impress presentation?

I’ve got a presentation that was done in Powerpoint using a blank generic template and I’d like to bring it into LibreOffice Impress and do some changes, including changing the template (slide design) to match my other presentations. But everything I’ve tried results in either a blank new document with my preferred template, or the old pptx with the wrong appearance. I may be missing something but would appreciate any suggestions to make this happen, thanks. Bob

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  2. Create Your First Presentation Using LibreOffice Impress

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  3. Libreoffice Impress Lesson 3

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  4. Create Your First Presentation Using LibreOffice Impress

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  5. How To Create Simple LibreOffice Impress Presentation Template

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  6. Tutoriel libreOffice #1 (présentation et installation)

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VIDEO

  1. How to Support LibreOffice with Publishing Projects (Sonia Montegiove)

  2. @##@Presentation in Libreoffice Impress@###@

  3. LibreOffice graphics subsystems

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  6. Presentation of 1&1 Internet Development

COMMENTS

  1. How do you make presentation run automatically? I want it to start

    impress rip April 18, 2019, 12:53am #1 How do you make presentation run automatically? I want it to start running when person clicks. Grantler April 18, 2019, 10:57am #2 You need a link to the program file simpress.exe (Windows). Start it with included switcher -show

  2. Create Your First Presentation Using LibreOffice Impress

    LibreOffice Impress is a free and open-source presentation program for Linux, Windows and Mac. It comes with lots of features and compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint as well. Here is a basic guide for creating a simple presentation using Impress. Table of Contents Create Your First Presentation Present and View Your Impress Presentation Summary

  3. How to automatically start a slideshow

    advance slide > select automatically > adjust time > apply to all slides F5 should now start the auto presentation. Manually adjust times for one slide to vary presentation time for that slide only Running Impress, how do I start a slideshow automatically?

  4. How to Make a Presentation in LibreOffice

    How to Make a Presentation in LibreOffice Mr Ward 393 subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 605 108K views 7 years ago Lessons Learn design principles that will also work in Office PowerPoint, Google...

  5. Showing a Slide Show

    Running a Slide Show Choose Slide Show - Slide Show to run the show. If you want all shows to start from the current slide instead of the first slide, choose Tools - Options - LibreOffice Impress - General and click Always with current page. Click to advance to the next effect or to the next slide. Press Esc to abort the show before the end.

  6. Showing a Slide Show

    In the Presentation Mode area, choose Loop and repeat after and set the duration of the pause between shows. Running a slide show from a file. You can start LibreOffice from a command prompt, followed by the parameter -show and an Impress filename. For example, to start the file filename.odp from the command prompt, enter the following command:

  7. Slide Show Settings

    Choose Slide Show - Slide Show Settings Range Specifies which slides to include in the slide show. All slides Includes all of the slides in your slide show. From: Enter the number of the start slide. Custom Slide Show Runs a custom slide show in the order that you defined in Slide Show - Custom Slide Show. Presentation Mode

  8. Chapter 1, Introducing Impress

    Click on Impress Presentation to create a new presentation; Click on Open File and navigate to the folder where there is an existing presentation. From the system menu using the standard menu from which most applications are started. Details vary with the operating system.

  9. Chapter 6 Getting Started with Impress

    You can start Impress in several ways, as described in Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice. When you start Impress for the first time, the Presentation Wizard may be shown.

  10. LibreOffice Tutorial (3): How to create basic presentation and make

    LibreOffice Basic Tutorial (part3): Explain how to create a basic presentation with some custom animation also slide transition using LibreOffice Impress.

  11. Using the Presenter Console

    Choose. LibreOffice - Preferences. Tools - Options - LibreOffice Impress - General. Select Enable Presenter Console in the Presentation area. To activate the Presenter Console: Connect an auxiliary display to your computer, Run the slide show. Press F5 or Shift-F5 or choose Slide Show - Start from First Slide or Start from Current Slide.

  12. Learn LibreOffice Now

    Learn LibreOffice Now - Impress presentation and slidesYou will see how to use Impress to create presentations, with text, images, data, diagrams and more. H...

  13. How to Use LibreOffice: A Beginner's Tutorial

    Download Article 1 Download LibreOffice from here and install it. The download might take a while, depending on your Internet connection speed. 2 Open LibreOffice. If the you would like to change the interface language, you can do it using this method. 3 Choose a document type to start out. 4 Start typing!

  14. LibreOffice Impress: Automatically restarting a slideshow

    This video demonstrates how to loop or cause an Impress slideshow to automatically restart after it has ended. This video was shot on a Mac for Mac MondayTo ...

  15. Set so that LibreOffice Impress will go straight into show slide mode

    Sorted by: 3. You can also do this using terminal. Open terminal Ctrl + Alt + T and run following command. libreoffice --show yourfilename.ppt. I wanted to run a presentation looping on a notice board but for some odd reasons, pps files were inserting a pause of 10 seconds between last and first slides even if I set the relevant option to 0 sec ...

  16. Chapter 6, Getting Started with Impress

    Start Impress using any of the methods described in Chapter 1, LibreOffice Basics. The main Impress window opens and, by default, the Select a Template dialog ( Figure 1) is displayed. Templates included with Impress are designed to fit the two standard sizes of presentation slides: 4:3 and 16:9 ratios.

  17. 7 Tips for Making the Most of LibreOffice Impress

    A great way to start your presentation is with a black slide. Draw a box that covers the entire first slide, then just change the area color to black. ... That's it for now. I hope you liked my list of LibreOffice Impress presentation power tips and can put them to good use. Feel free to share your own special slide show tips in the comments ...

  18. Creating a Custom Slide Show

    Click Start. If you want the selected custom slide show to start when you click the Slide Show icon on the Presentation toolbar, or when you press F5, select Use Custom Slide Show. Options for Running a Slide Show To always start a slide show from the current slide: Choose Tools - Options - LibreOffice Impress - General.

  19. How to create a powerpoint in LibreOffice Impress (Step-by-Step)

    Part 1. What is the LibreOffice Impress? Libre Impress LibreOffice Impress is a powerful and feature-rich presentation software included in the LibreOffice office suite. It allows users to create captivating slideshows, presentations, and multimedia content with ease.

  20. Chapter 1 Introducing LibreOffice

    To activate it: 1) Open LibreOffice. 2) Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Memory on the Menu bar and select Load LibreOffice during system start-up (if using Windows) or select Enable systray Quickstarter (if using Linux). 3) Close and restart LibreOffice to have Quickstarter appear.

  21. Embed video into a LibreOffice Impress presentation

    Here's how to embed your video: Open a presentation. Go to Insert | Movie and Sound. Locate the video to be inserted and click Open. Once embedded (which may take a while), you can test to make ...

  22. Start LibreOffice in presentation mode on boot raspberry pi

    But now my issue is, that I cannot get the script to start up on boot. I am running on the latest version of Raspberry Pi OS (Previously known as Raspbian). I did try the init.d, crontab, systemd, .bashrc, as .desktop and rc.local, all of which doesn't really start up the script. I did add chmod +x on the script file, to make it executeable.

  23. How to change the template of an Impress presentation?

    impress. w9ran January 13, 2024, 8:59pm #1. I've got a presentation that was done in Powerpoint using a blank generic template and I'd like to bring it into LibreOffice Impress and do some changes, including changing the template (slide design) to match my other presentations. But everything I've tried results in either a blank new ...