OpenOffice.org Toolbars

OpenOffice.org Toolbars

OpenOffice.org contains several toolbars, many of which are similar across all the OpenOffice.org programs. Some toolbars change depending on the program you're using at the time, and some toolbars are exclusive to a particular program. The Presentation toolbar, for example, appears only in Impress, whereas the Standard toolbar appears in all programs.

TIP

Select from the View, Toolbars menu option to display and hide specific toolbars.

You can position toolbars wherever you like. You can dock a toolbarthat is, position it along an edge of the document windowor lock it so that it cannot be moved (by selecting Lock Toolbar Position from the toolbar menu), or let it float . To move a toolbar, drag the handle located at the left end of the toolbar.

KEY TERM

Dock To align a toolbar along the top or side of the document window, drag its handle to the desired location or double-click its title bar.

In addition to opening toolbars using the View, Toolbars menu option, you can also display certain toolbars by long-clicking or clicking a button arrow. Long-clicking is available for some selections and allows you to open a palette and then drag it into the document window as a floating toolbar .

KEY TERMS

Long-click Click and hold the left mouse button, without dragging the mouse, until a toolbar or option appears. The left click takes about a half second to trigger its option.

Floating toolbar To make a toolbar into a floating toolbar, drag its handle into the document window, or hold the Ctrl key and double-click any blank spot within the toolbar. To return the floating toolbar back to its fixed position, drag it by its handle or hold Ctrl and double-click any blank spot within the toolbar once again.

The following figure shows examples of both locked and floating toolbars, as well as a palette. The Standard toolbar and the Presentation toolbar are docked along the top of the document window. The Gluepoints toolbar floats in the document window. Last but not least, the Connector palette is open. You can drag the handle at the top of the palette into the document window if you want the palette to become a floating toolbar.

Toolbars in OpenOffice.org change depending on the program you're using.