How can I double space a document in LibreOffice?

4

A text file of a few pages and several paragraphs was read into LibreOffice Writer and needs to be double spaced throughout the document. The sequence:

Format -> paragraph -> Indents & Spacing -> Line spacing -> Double

affects only the paragraph where the cursor is positioned. Searching the web and help has not turned up a way to double space the document. (Although I'm certain I've done it before. Alas, I've got CRS (Can't Remember Stuff) syndrome.)

GreenMatt

Posted 2016-07-05T16:41:35.123

Reputation: 835

Select all the paragraphs first. Then right click > format paragraph ... – DavidPostill – 2016-07-05T16:49:02.260

Answers

3

Two options...

  1. Brute force... Edit -> Select All, or Ctrl+a, then change the paragraph settings (as you've indicated) to make everything double spaced.

  2. Change the style... Format -> Styles and Formatting (v5.0.x) or View -> Styles and Formatting (v5.1.x), then right-click on the style you use, which applies to the paragraphs (normally Text Body), and change the Indents & Spacing.

jehad

Posted 2016-07-05T16:41:35.123

Reputation: 1 376

When I tried method 2, I needed to select all beforehand, or it only worked on one paragraph. – GreenMatt – 2016-07-05T17:17:43.570

In LibreOffice 5.x, it's Menu View -> Styles and Formatting (or use F11 to bring up the Styles and Formatting box). – tohuwawohu – 2016-07-05T17:22:30.420

1@GreenMatt, you shouldn't need to select all, if you're changing styles. Try changing the "Default Style". I do this a lot, where I have paragraphs separated by headings, tables, and other content, and I can change just the paragraph formatting by changing the style. @tohuwawohu, that's strange, I have a different menu layout, and I'm using LibreOffice 5.0.3.2 (on ubuntu/mint). – jehad – 2016-07-05T17:27:38.160

In fact, that's strange. I'm using 5.1.x on Ubuntu. – tohuwawohu – 2016-07-05T17:31:37.567

Maybe it's because you've moved up to the 16.x ubuntu (I'm still on a 14.04 base). I've just upgraded manually to LibreOffice 5.1.x and I can confirm they have changed the menus. In 5.1.x, Styles are indeed under View. – jehad – 2016-07-05T17:36:51.110

3

How can I double space a document in LibreOffice?

  1. Select all the paragraphs (ctrl+a)

  2. Right click and select "Paragraph"

  3. Select "Indents & Spacing"

  4. Set "Line Spacing" to "Double" and click "OK"

  5. Change "Below paragraph" as well if you want extra spacing between paragraphs.

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Before:

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After:

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DavidPostill

Posted 2016-07-05T16:41:35.123

Reputation: 118 938

1Changing the (default) style is IMHO the better option - otherwise, after inserting a new heading and a new text paragraph afterwards, the text paragraph will have normal spacing (i assume). – tohuwawohu – 2016-07-05T17:18:06.887

1<shrug>. OP didn't say he was going to add more text to the document. – DavidPostill – 2016-07-05T17:21:58.657

OK - no objections :-) – tohuwawohu – 2016-07-05T17:24:05.737