Practical 3 – Word Processing
In this practical you should learn the basics of the OpenOffice Writer word-processor – typing and
correcting mistakes, saving and opening documents, highlighting, copying and moving text. If you are a
knowledgeable student, please help the others, especially those who registered late and therefore missed
the previous practicals. In this practical you should also learn further features that are available in word
processing packages and mail merging
1. Creating a document.
1.1 Applications / Office / OpenOffice Writer.
1.2 This gives you a blank document. Type several lines of text – keep it fairly simple.
1.3 Investigate how to use the arrow, backspace and delete keys to correct mistakes anywhere in
your document. Use Help if necessary.
2. Saving the document
2.1 Minimize Writer and create the folder PRAC3 in your HOME directory (See Practical 2).
2.2 Go back to OpenOffice Writer and click on File→Save As.
2.3 Click on
2.4 Double click on the Home directory → then the PRAC3 folder that you created in 2.1
1
2.5 Type Practice1 in the “Name” Box and tick the box for “Automatic file name extension”.
2.6 Click on Save.
It is very important when saving a document for the first time that you specify the correct folder that you
want the document to be saved in, then the document name and its extension. You can either type the
extension in the name box, or choose Automatic file name extension.
Note: A filename should not contain spaces or dots. The file extension for OpenOffice Writer documents
is .odt
Once you have used Save As with a particular document and then you wish to save further corrections,
you may use Save instead of Save As – either from the File menu or the icon
on the tool bar.
3. Retrieving a document
3.1 Click on File→Exit Writer.
3.2 Click on Applications→Office→OpenOffice Writer to invoke the application, OpenOffice
Writer, again.
3.3 Click on File→Open.
3.4 Select the Home Directory in the left pane followed by the PRAC3 folder in the right pane.
3.5 Double Click on the file Practice1.odt.
The file that you had previously saved should now open.
4. Printing a document
Please note that these Labs are not setup for printing.
4.1 Click on File→Print.
4.2 Check that the various options are correct such as number of copies and print range.
4.3 Click Cancel to close the print window – it is at this point that you would click OK to print a
document.
2
5. Highlighting text
When you want to format, copy, move etc text in a word processor document you must first
highlight (or select) the text. This can be done by holding down the mouse button as you move the
pointer over the text. Practice this. To undo highlighting you need to click anywhere in the document.
You can also highlight a word by double-clicking on the word. Investigate using Help if necessary
how to highlight a line, paragraph and the entire document.
6. Changing the appearance of your document
The Formatting bar can be used to do basic formatting. For more formatting options, you can explore
the Format menu.
size
In your document experiment with fonts,
, bold, underline etc. – include an example of each
in your document. Note how these features can be used to emphasize headings and highlight
important points but note that these features should not be overused.
Experiment with left, right and full justification of your document, using these
.
7. Copying and Moving Text
7.1 In your document select/highlight some text that you wish to copy.
7.2 Click on Copy from Edit menu.
7.3 Move the cursor to a new location.
7.4 Click on Paste from Edit menu.
Repeat the above 4 steps but use Cut instead of Copy. Make sure you understand the difference
between Cut and Copy.
8. Finding Text
8.1 Click at the beginning of the document – this is because the Find command only looks forward
from the current cursor position. So you must click where you want to begin searching.
8.2 Click on Edit→Find & Replace...
8.3. We wish to find all occurrences of the word bold in the document so type “bold” in the Search
for box.
8.4. Click on Find. The first occurrence of the word will be highlighted. If you click on Find again,
the next occurrence of find will be highlighted. Continue in this way until you have reached the
end of the document and there are no more matches.
3
8.5. Click No on the dialog that asks if you want to start searching from the beginning of the
document.
8.6. Close the Find & Replace dialog box.
8.7. Click anywhere in the document to unselect text.
9. Replacing Text
9.1 This time we wish to find all occurrences of the word “is” and replace it with the word “are”.
Click at beginning of document.
9.2 Go to Find & Replace again (see 8.2).
9.3 In the Search for box type “is” (without quotes). Then type “are” in the Replace with box.
9.4 Tick the box that says Whole words only.
9.5 Click on Find (if a match is found the word is highlighted) and then click on Replace (is changes
to are).
9.6 The cursor jumps to the next occurrence of is. Continue clicking Replace until you have replaced
all occurrences of the word is.
Make sure you understand when you might use Replace and when to use Find.
10. Invoking the Ruler
10.1 Click View→Ruler (if there is a tick next to it, then the ruler is already activated).
10.2 Note the left and right markers.
10.3 Move the left markers to the right and type in some text.
10.4 Move them back to their original position.
10.5 What effect does this have on your text?
These markers could be used to create hanging indents.
11. Closing the document
11.1 To close the document, click on the bottom “x” on the top right hand corner of the document.
11.2 To close the entire program, click on the above “x” on the top right hand corner of the screen.
4