OpenOffice and StarWriter
OpenOffice is an office software package. It is used to create documents, perform calculations, make charts, and prepare presentations. It is open-source software and can be used free of charge.It works on Windows, Linux, and other supported operating systems.OpenOffice is available for Linux. It can be installed on Linux to perform office-related tasks. It allows users to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Its open-source nature makes it suitable for the open-source Linux environment.
- OpenOffice developed from a
software package called StarOffice.
- StarOffice was developed by Sun
Microsystems.
- In 2000, Sun Microsystems made
its source code open-source.
- In 2002, the first official
version of OpenOffice.org was released.
- In 2011, the OpenOffice.org project was transferred to the Apache Software Foundation.
Main Software Applications of OpenOffice
|
Software |
Use |
|
Writer |
To create
letters, applications, and documents |
|
Calc |
To perform
calculations and create spreadsheets and charts |
|
Impress |
To create
slide presentations |
|
Draw |
To create
drawings and diagrams |
|
Base |
To create
and manage databases |
|
Math |
To write
mathematical formulas |
Word Processing
Word
processing is the process of creating, editing, formatting, and printing text
documents using a computer.
Examples:
Letters, applications, reports, and question papers.
StarWriter
StarWriter
was the old word-processing software of StarOffice. Its modern equivalent in
OpenOffice is Writer. It is used to create and edit text documents.
Main Features of Word Processing
- Typing and editing text.
- Cutting, copying, and pasting
text.
- Changing font, font size, and
font colour.
- Making text bold, italic, and
underlined.
- Changing page size and margins.
- Inserting tables and pictures.
- Checking spelling.
- Saving and printing documents.
Starting StarWriter / Writer
- Open the Applications menu.
- Select the Office or related
software category.
- Click OpenOffice Writer.
Main Elements of the Writer Window
- Title Bar: Displays the
document name.
- Menu Bar: Contains menus such
as File, Edit, View, and Insert.
- Toolbar: Contains buttons for
common tasks.
- Ruler: Helps set margins and
indents.
- Document Area: The area where
text is typed.
- Status Bar: Displays page
numbers and other information.
- Scroll Bar: Helps move up and
down through the document.
Working in Writer
Writer is used to type text, edit content, format documents, insert pictures, save files, and print documents.
Creating and Saving a New Document
- Select File → New → Text
Document.
- Type the required text.
- Click File → Save.
- Choose the file name and
location.
- Click Save.
Shortcuts:
New Document — Ctrl + N, Save — Ctrl + S
Opening an Existing Document
- Click File → Open.
- Select the document location.
- Choose the file.
- Click Open.
Shortcut: Ctrl + O
Formatting a Document
Formatting
means changing the appearance of text and pages in a document.
Main
formatting tasks:
- Changing font and font size.
- Applying Bold, Italic, and
Underline.
- Changing text colour.
- Aligning text Left, Centre,
Right, or Justified.
- Setting line spacing and
paragraph spacing.
- Changing page size and margins.
14. Changing the Background of a Document
- Open the Format menu.
- Select Page Style or the
relevant page settings option.
- Go to the Background option.
- Select an available colour or
other option.
- Apply the changes.
Note: The
option names may differ according to the Writer version.
Finding and Replacing Words
The Find
command is used to search for a word, while Replace is used to change it to
another word.
Steps:
- Open Edit → Find or Find and
Replace.
- Type the word to search for in
the Find box.
- Type the new word in the
Replace box.
- Click Replace or Replace All.
Shortcuts: Ctrl + F — Find a word; Ctrl + H — Find and
Replace.
Printing a Document
- Click File → Print.
- Select the printer.
- Set the pages and number of
copies.
- Click Print.
Shortcut: Ctrl + P
OpenOffice Calc
Spreadsheet
A
spreadsheet is software that organizes data into rows and columns. It is used
for calculations, data analysis, and creating charts.
Examples:
Students' marks, fee records, and monthly budgets.
Calc
Starting StarCalc / Calc
- Open the Applications menu.
- Select the Office category.
- Click OpenOffice Calc.
Main Elements of the Calc Window
- Title Bar: Displays the file
name.
- Menu Bar: Provides different
commands.
- Toolbar: Contains buttons for
common tasks.
- Formula Bar: Displays the
contents or formula of a cell.
- Name Box: Displays the address
of the active cell.
- Rows: Horizontal lines of
cells.
- Columns: Vertical lines of
cells.
- Cell: The intersection of a row
and a column.
- Sheet Tabs: Help select
different sheets.
- Status Bar: Displays the sheet
status and other information.
Difference Between Workbook and Worksheet
|
Workbook |
Worksheet |
|
It is the
complete spreadsheet file. |
It is a
single sheet inside a workbook. |
|
It can
contain multiple worksheets. |
It
contains rows and columns. |
|
Example: Marks.ods |
Example:
Sheet1, Sheet2 |
Working in Calc
Calc is used
to enter data, edit cells, apply formulas, create tables, organize data, and
prepare charts.
Creating a New File
- Select File → New →
Spreadsheet.
- Enter the required data into
cells.
- Apply formulas or formatting as
needed.
Shortcut: Ctrl + N
Saving a File
- Click File → Save.
- Enter the file name.
- Select the location.
- Click Save.
The standard
file extension of Calc is .ods.
Shortcut: Ctrl + S
Editing an Existing File
- Select File → Open.
- Open the file.
- Select the cell you want to
change.
- Enter new data or edit the
existing data.
- Press Ctrl + S to save the changes.
Performing Calculations Using Formulas
In Calc, a
formula always begins with the = sign.
Examples:
|
Operation |
Formula |
|
Addition |
=A1+B1 |
|
Subtraction |
=A1-B1 |
|
Multiplication |
=A1*B1 |
|
Division |
=A1/B1 |
|
Sum |
=SUM(A1:A5) |
|
Average |
=AVERAGE(A1:A5) |
Example: If
cell A1 contains 10 and cell B1 contains 20, the result of =A1+B1 will be 30.
Creating a Chart
A chart
displays data in a graphical form.
Steps to
create a chart:
- Enter the data in a table.
- Select the data.
- Click Insert → Chart.
- Select the chart type.
- Set the title and other
options.
- Click Finish.
13. Main Types of Charts
1. Column
Chart
It compares
data using vertical columns.
2. Line
Chart
It shows
changes in data over time.
3. Pie Chart
It shows the
proportion of different parts of a whole.
4. Bar Chart
It compares
data using horizontal bars.
5. Area
Chart
It shows
changes in data by filling the area below a line.
6. XY
Scatter Chart
It shows the
relationship between two numerical values.
OpenOffice Impress
What is Presentation Software?
Presentation
software is used to present information in the form of slides. Text, pictures,
charts, audio, video, and animations can be added to slides.
Examples:
School projects, classroom teaching, and presentations on different topics.
Introduction to StarImpress
Main Elements of the Impress Window
- Title Bar: Displays the
presentation name.
- Menu Bar: Provides different
commands.
- Toolbar: Contains buttons for
common tasks.
- Slides Pane: Displays small
previews of all slides.
- Workspace: The area used to edit
the current slide.
- Task Pane: Provides layouts and
other slide options.
- Status Bar: Displays slide
status and other information.
Main Elements of the StarOffice / Impress Window
The main
elements of the Impress window are the Title Bar, Menu Bar, Toolbar, Slides
Pane, Workspace, Task Pane, and Status Bar.
Creating a New Presentation File
- Select File → New →
Presentation.
- Choose a layout or template
from the available options.
- Type the title and text on the
slide.
- Add pictures and other content
as required.
Shortcut: Ctrl + N
Opening an Existing Presentation File
- Click File → Open.
- Select the presentation file.
- Click Open.
- Make the required changes.
Shortcut: Ctrl + O
Saving a Presentation
- Click File → Save.
- Enter the file name.
- Select the location.
- Click Save.
The standard
file extension of Impress is .odp.
Shortcut: Ctrl + S
Creating a Presentation
- Open a new presentation.
- Write the topic title on the
first slide.
- Add new slides.
- Write the main points on each
slide.
- Add pictures, tables, and
charts as required.
- Choose a slide layout and
design.
- Apply transitions and
animations if needed.
- Save the presentation.
- Run the Slide Show to display
the presentation.
Common
shortcut to start the slide show: F5





