Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 93571
DTP features missing in Draw
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:43:01 UTC
Apart from the still unsolved and essential CMYK color management issue (#3210) there are more important DTP features which are absolutely necessary in order to use Draw as a DTP software: 1. Cropping of images. 2. Add/edit wrapping of paragraph text to/of any objects. I do not mean the insufficient functionality of wrapping text within drawing objects (solution of issue #22325). But a similar text flow functionality like in the Writer component. 3. Linking of paragraph text frames in order to direct the text flow from one text frame to another if the text exceeds the size of one (the first) text frame. 4. Multi-column text frames.
Why do you want to use Draw for that purpose and not Writer? Besides CMYK color management, which is missing generally, you have all what you want in Writer.
Because Writer as a word processor is principally incapable. For instance, Writer does not support multi-column text frames but only multi-column pages. And it does not support linking of text frames, quite the contrary it automatically deletes empty text frames (absolutely necessary for linking text frames is the capability of creating a new empty text frame). And last but not least text wrapping in the Writer works only with usual continuous text but not with text in text frames.
I guess you use the Icon T and get a drawinng object, instead of using Insert > Frame to get a Writer frame. Writer frames can have columns, they can be linked and allow the same styling features as a normal text. There are only some restrictions concerning footnotes.
That's right, I've used the T tool. The frames you've mentioned at least can be linked. But contained text is still not floating around other objects (e.g. images with enabled wrapping). And those frames are available in Writer only, but not in Draw. Why? In DTP (meaning publishing of posters, brochures, leaflets and so on) there is absolute no need for continuous text "in the background" - on the contrary it is distracting. Making those frames and image cropping available in Draw would be one important step. Then text wrapping would be the last feature missing.
Image cropping is available, also in an enhanced version now in OOo 3.0 beta. Please have a look. Reassigned.
Yes, it is. Even in Draw. Thank's for your hint.