Creating and Inserting AutoText

If there's a set of boilerplate text you use frequently that you don't want to retype every time you use it, such as an email signature, trademarked term , or company letterhead heading, create an AutoText entry for it in Writer. This is also used when you create business cards from the program's templates or use other business correspondence templates. When you do this, you can insert it quicklyeither with a keyboard shortcut or by selecting it from a list of AutoText items.

AutoText entries can be formatted and can include graphics, tables, and fields.

Creating AutoText Entries

1. In a Writer document, create the text you want to turn into AutoText. Apply formatting and include graphics if desired.

2. Select the text and elements you want to include.

3. Click the AutoText tool in the main toolbar to display the AutoText window.

   

4. Type a Name and Shortcut for the new AutoText.

5. Select the category (below the Name field) in which you want to store the new AutoText (see Figure 6-9).

   Figure 6-9. The AutoText window

   

   Categories are simply containers for organizing AutoText items. If you want to create your own categories for storing AutoText items, see Adding New AutoText Categories on page 183.

   

6. Click and hold down the AutoText button, and select New, as shown at right.

7. The new AutoText name is displayed in its category. Click the + symbol to the left of the category you added it to, to see the name.

8. Click Close, or click Insert if you want to add it to your document. This is a good idea, just to test the AutoText. Also click on the AutoText icon in the main toolbar and see that the new item shows up, in the category you added it to.

The Path button

If you want to use other paths than the default AutoText path, you must add the new paths either by clicking the Path button in the AutoText dialog or by modifying the AutoText option by choosing Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Paths. See Adding New Locations to Store AutoText on page 182.

The entries AutoCorrect, AutoText, Basic, Templates and Gallery in that Paths window may indicate more than one path. In a network environment, for example, the {netinstall} directory contains several files. They are accessible to all users, but cannot normally be changed, since users have read-only access. For that reason, AutoText modules defined by the users themselves are automatically placed in the directory below {userinstall}, to which he also has write-access.

Editing Existing AutoText Items

1. With Writer active, click the AutoText tool in the toolbar.

2. Select the name of the AutoText you want to edit.

3. Click the AutoText button and select Edit. The AutoText window closes and the AutoText opens in a new Writer document.

4. Make edits to the AutoText in Writer.

5. Select the edited AutoText.

6. Click the AutoText tool in the toolbar.

7. In the AutoText window, select the name of the AutoText you edited.

8. Click the AutoText button and select Replace.

9. Click Close.

Adding New Locations to Store AutoText

If you want to store AutoText in a location other than the default locations, you need to explicitly add it using this procedure.

1. With Writer active, click the AutoText tool in the toolbar.

2. In the AutoText window (see Figure 6-9), click the Path button.

3. The Select Paths window will appear (see Figure 6-10). Enter the new location and click OK.

   Figure 6-10. Adding a new AutoText location

   

Adding New AutoText Categories

The AutoText categories are simply storage containers for organizing AutoText. Writer comes with predefined categories. You can add your own categories for storing AutoText you create.

You might want to add a new location for the AutoText category before you begin; you can't add it on the fly. If you do, see Adding New Locations to Store AutoText on page 182.

1. With Writer active, click the AutoText tool in the toolbar.

2. In the AutoText window (see Figure 6-11), click the Categories button.

   Figure 6-11. Adding a category

   

3. In the Categories window, type the name of the category you want to add.

4. Click New.

5. Click OK.

Moving AutoText to Different Categories

To move AutoText items from one category to another, drag the AutoText item you want to move into the new category, as shown in Figure 6-12.

Figure 6-12. Dragging AutoText into another category

Inserting AutoText Entries in Your Document

See the previous procedures for information on creating, editing, and organizing AutoText.

1. In your open document, click where you want to insert the AutoText.

2. Click and hold the AutoText tool in the toolbar, choose the category of the AutoText, and select the AutoText name, as shown in Figure 6-13.

   Figure 6-13. AutoText inserted from the toolbar

   

If you know the shortcut for the AutoText you want to insert, you can also type it (for example, "SL") and press the F3 key.

Note

To use and edit the information in the Fields window, see Creating and Inserting Predefined Information Using Fields on page 284.