Test Driving Linux

Other Features in Writer

There are hundreds of features in Writer. What I've written so far barely scratches the surface, but it should be enough to get you started. This section describes several other features you might find useful.

Use the Changes Tracking Feature

In business situations you often want to have someone else review one of your documents. For example, perhaps you've written a proposal and want to have a coworker look it over before you submit it to your boss. Wouldn't it be useful to be able to see your coworker's comments and edits in the document? Like MS Word, Writer offers a great tool that allows you to do just that. When you track changes onscreen, each person's edits appear in a different color, which makes it easy to tell who changed what. To turn on Changes Tracking in Writer, select Edit→ Changes and single-click both Record and Show. Now you'll be able to track and see any changes made to the document. Keep in mind that once turned on, these settings "travel" with the document when it is saved, and will stay on until someone unchecks them and saves the document again.

As a writer, I use the Changes Tracking feature all the time when reviewing documents with my editor. If you need to have other people review your documents for any reason, you'll find this feature an invaluable tool.

Save Time with Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be enormously helpful in speeding up your work. I use them all the time—in fact, I couldn't live without them! You'll ...