After 20 years of development, real for people, small and large companies that require a stable office automation and administrative tool. The actual idea is be competitors of and achieves it with each update.
It started as a single application, but its creator, Apachehe realized that they needed to be a set of tools and not just one.
In this article you will know how to use each of these tools, what they work for and we will guide you in your first steps to become an expert in this developmentwhich has the same characteristics as other office proposals.
What is Apache OpenOffice and what is this office automation tool for?
Following the launch and popularity of linux, many people wanted a tool like Office that complied with the same philosophy of offering programs to write documents, make tables with formulas and create graphic presentations. OpenOffice was shown to be an ideal alternative and has been ever since, only has had some improvements along the way that have caught millions of people around the worldalthough it still has a smaller market share than proprietary options.
It has a Apache license 2.0means that users can download the tool, use it however they want, make copies for other people (not marketed)and they are free to view its source code and make changes as required without permission from the developer.
It can be installed on Linux, but also on its Windows, MacOS and Sun Solaris peers., a lesser known operating system in the world, but with a large community of office users. Like Office, has a similar interface in all tools and to avoid going extinct, it opens and processes documents from other similar packages, including those from Microsoft, so there’s no reason not to try these programs.
What are the OpenOffice open source office suite programs and tools?
As we told you, the idea of the creators is to have a package with tools similar to proprietary programs, that this time they were free and .
These are the programs that make up the OpenOffice suite.
- writer: is the word processor, very similar to , With this tool you can redact, format, share your documents online with other people and generate various files as a result of your work, such as Writer templates, HTML templates and .
- calculation: As you can imagine, the equivalent of Excel, its task is to allow you to create tables with alphanumeric contents through mathematical formulas that allow you to develop useful administrative documents for people and companies. With it you export the content with the extension “.ods” and you also create calculation templates with the extension “.ots”.
- Print: graphic slideshows are his forte, he has the same , so you won’t feel limited to let your imagination run wild and make documents with a visual impact. It has preset effects and transitions that make your work easier.
- Draw: you can use it as an add-on to Impress or as a tool to make better designs than you could with the old tool. It has brush options, multiple selections, preset color palettes, and templates that you can turn to when you need a last-minute montage. Even if it’s not Illustrator, it bails you out with respectable results.
- Math: This is a novel bet, since it is an ally of people who study or work with numbers. When this option appeared, there was no equivalent in Microsoft, so OpenOffice was one step ahead to support companies in their administrative processes quickly and easily. It allows you to create your own mathematical formulas without any difficulty.
- Base: is like him , which is responsible for creating databases for more advanced users at home and businesses. These databases are combined with Calc, just as Access does with Excel. This tool is also known as Database, so don’t discount manuals about the program that have this name.
Learn step by step how to take your first steps in OpenOffice to create documents like a professional
As this package is designed for both home users and large businesses, the first details and steps you should know are quite simple.
Then, you can increase the complexity of the precise measurements that require more professional results:
Create text document with Writer
Starting to work with this word processor is easy, we will tell you what to do once you have turned on the computer and have the time available to learn.
Let’s go with the main functions:
Start Writer
- go to menu of your environment desk.
- Find the folder “Office”there will be all the OpenOffice programs.
- Choose “Open Office Writer”.
- Wait for it to open the program correctly.
text format
- when you have written some paragraphyou can highlight with bold with the button “B”at the top of the interface.
- You can too assign italics with the button “YO”.
- You may make an underline with the button “OR”.
- Just like in Word, If you want to justify or align the texts, you must shade the words you want to adjust and press the corresponding buttons “Left”, “Right”, “Justified” Y “Centered”.
Font type and size
- By default, the style in writer it is “Predetermined”but you can adjust it in the Font tab that you can easily find in the interface, at the top.
- You just have to change the “Font” and the “Size” of the texts to customize the style.
- in the tab “Insert”you get the charms to add sound, still images and video.
save document
- Once you finish the text, you must select the tab “File, Archive”.
- press “Save” either “Save as” if you want to change the extension.
- Remember that to take it to Word you must select “.doc” either “.docx” in the latest versions.
Create spreadsheet with Calc
The advantage of Calc is that its interface is similar to Excelso that there will be no problem mastering this tool if you are already used to working with spreadsheets.
However, we will show you step by step what to do:
Start Calc
- Go to your desktop menu and find the folder “Office”.
- Press the option “Open Office Calc”.
- wait till successfully start the program with its external modules.
Add data to cells
- To add textyou just have to select a cell and start typing.
- If you want to add imageyou must select a cell and go to the tab “Insert”then you press “Image”.
- If you touch the edge of a selected cellyou can drag it to move the data in that cell in any direction.
- You can too duplicate cell content with “Ctrl + C” and you paste that content with “Ctrl + V” in the destination cell, which you must also select.
add formula
- Select the cell wherever you want the formula to be.
- go to upper tabs and choose “Insert”.
- wait till the menu is displayedpress “Object”.
- Then select “Formula”.
- you will see a popup box with all possibilities. Choose “Addition”, for instance.
- You will see that cell has sum formula.
- you just have to select the cells with the values to be added.
- One time choose the cellspress “Enter”.
- Everytime that the values of the selected cells change, the sum is adjusted.
save document
- Go to the tab “File, Archive”.
- Choose “Save” either “Save as” to change the options.
- If you wish share this file with excel, you must press the extensions “.xls” either “.xlsx” in the latest versions.
Create presentation with Impress
The process with print is really very similar to PowerPoint, only some layouts of the options in the interface vary slightly user in OpenOffice.
Let’s see next:
Start Print
- Go to the app list and select the folder “Office”.
- A menu will be displayed in which you will see “OpenOffice Impress”.
- wait till open the app fully.
Choose a preset layout
- Once you are in the interfacelook for the right panel of options and press the second button “Master Pages”.
- you will see a list of predesigned slides.
- Choose the one you like best.
- in the central areal, you will see the different options as you select the design.
- each design it has boxes that you can modify with texts, lists and images.
Drawing tools
- In the part lower, the users get easy drawing options.
- Choose “Box” either “Circle” to make these figures on the canvas.
- In the part higher, you find the color options as lists.
- aside from colorYou see the thickness of the lines and the flashing of the lines.
- To the touch each figureyou can change its location wherever you want.
save document
- Like the other programs, you must select “File, Archive”.
- Now press “Save” Y “Save as” if you want to change the format.
- To achieve compatibility with PowerPoint, select extensions “.ppt” Y “.pptx”.
Draw with Draw
This is a tool to make drawings and great results are achieved when people have good taste and handle tools like professionals.
Although with its few limitations:
start a document
- go to applications menu.
- search and select Folder “Office”.
- Search and press “Open Office Draw”.
- wait till open the app without interruption.
Like professional design programs, Draw has simple options to create impressive drawings as long as you let yourself be carried away by your imagination.
Check out this list of top tools:
- Pencil: With this tool you can make silhouettes with the figures and images that you have embedded in the canvas, it is used to make changes in the background and make high-quality photographic montages. Lines are also made in waveforms, for example, which is not possible in Impress.
- puncture jar: This jar is a color selector and at the same time fills the geometric shapes that you have previously designed with solid colors. Within its configurations, you have the possibility of making gradients with various colors to have incredible effects such as sunrises.
- Line: they allow you to complete flat shapes that you can then adjust with the Pen Tool to vary their shape according to the design you have in mind. You can also adjust the color and thickness when you need it.
- Figures: At the bottom of the interface, you get squares, circles, stars, and speech bubbles so you can add the shapes you want to your design. With additional settings you get shadows, padding, double borders and other settings to make your design stand out.
- Cut: Just like in PowerPoint, with this tool you can eliminate the areas of an image that don’t work for you…
Facebook Comments
Disqus