[Libreoffice-ux-advise] named formatting attributs overwrite automatic formatting attributs (paragraph / character)

[Jean-Francois Nifenecker]

Hi,

Le 29/03/2012 22:09, Rafael Rocha Daud a écrit :
>
> This is intended behaviour. LibreOffice makes an assumption that when
> you apply a style you want the paragraph to look like that, so it
> overrides the direct formatting that had been applied to the whole
> paragraph. The assumption works otherwise when the direct formatting was
> affecting only a portion: you want the paragraph to look like the style,
> but you want that portion to retain it's direct formatting.
>
> Generally, direct formatting overrides styles, but they are not really
> meant to be used in conjunction, but you still can if you want to. The
> best thing to do in your specific case is to change the style itself so
> it applies your bold atribute (or you may create a new style, based on
> that one, to do that). The second best thing is to apply the direct
> formatting after applying the style (but remember you will have to do
> that for each paragraph you want that atribute in, and you will have to
> re-do it if you later change the paragraph style again.
>

To me there are two questions : the one Maxime asked, ie the homogeneity 
between paragraph style and character style use. The second one is 
whether the tool should encourage to a correct use of the tool or not.

Homogeneity

I share Maxime's thoughts and, imo, both style types should apply the 
same, iow, applying a style should replace the underlying formatting 
(direct or style).

Correct use

Styles are the first reason to adopt LibreOffice. This should be highly 
emphasized and promoted. As a trainer, I always bring questions back to 
styles: "3 times upon 2, using a style solves the problem" (yes, 3 times 
upon 2 ;). Hence, direct formatting should be discouraged. Better yet, 
for instance, pressing the "B"old toolbutton should apply the correct 
character style (bold emphasis by default) instead of setting the bold 
property to the underlying characters.

Side note: I feel a very important need for table styles in Writer.

-- 
Jean-Francois Nifenecker, Bordeaux