Managing the Gallery

Getting Started with OpenOffice.org 3

Chapter 11. Graphics, the Gallery, and Fontwork

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• Adding images to a document
• Inserting images from the clipboard or a scanner
• Using the OpenOffice.org Gallery
• Managing the Gallery
• Creating an image map
• Using OOo’s drawing tools
• Using Fontwork
• Editing a Fontwork object

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The default themes are locked; no items can be added or deleted from these themes. The locked themes are easily recognizable by right-clicking on them; the only available option in the pop-up menu is Properties.

In a default installation, only the My themes theme is customizable, although new themes can be added as explained in Adding a new theme to the Gallery.

Adding objects to the Gallery

You may wish to add to the Gallery any images that you use frequently, for example, a company logo. You can then very easily insert these graphics into a document later. You can add images only to “My Theme” or to any other theme that you have created; these are indicated by a green icon in the list of themes. You cannot add images to the built-in themes, indicated by an icon of another color.

Method 1 (selecting a file):

1. In the theme’s Properties, on the Files page, click the Find Files button. The Select path dialog opens.
2. You can enter the path for the file’s directory in the Path text box, or you can navigate to locate the file’s directory. Use the File type drop-down list to help limit the search.
3. Click the Select button to start the search.
4. A list of graphic files is then displayed in the window. You can use the File type filter again to further limit the search.
5. Select the files to add. To select more than one file, hold the Control key down while you click on each file.
6. Finally, click Add.

Method 2 (drag and drop):

1. Open the document containing an image you want to add to the Gallery, and display the Gallery theme to which you want to add it.
2. Position the mouse pointer above the image, without clicking.
3. If the mouse pointer changes to a hand symbol, the image refers to a hyperlink. In this case, press the Alt key while you click the image, to select it without activating the link. If the mouse pointer does not change to a hand symbol, you can simply click the image to select it.
4. Once the image is selected, evident from the green selection handles around it, release the mouse button. Click again on the image, keeping the mouse button pressed for more than two seconds. Without releasing the mouse button, drag the image into the Gallery.
5. Release the mouse button.

Deleting images from the Gallery

To delete an image from a theme:

1. Right-click on the name of the image file or its thumbnail in the Gallery.
2. Click Delete on the pop-up menu. A message appears, asking if you want to delete this object. Click Yes.

Deleting the name of a file from the list in the Gallery does not delete the file from the hard disk or other location.

Adding a new theme to the Gallery

To add a new theme to the Gallery:

1. Click the New Theme button above the list of themes.
2. In the Properties of New Theme dialog, click the General tab and type a name for the new theme.
3. Click the Files tab and add images to the theme, as described earlier.

Deleting a theme from the Gallery

You can delete only theme that you have added to the Gallery; you cannot delete any of the inbuilt themes. To delete a theme from the Gallery:

1. Go to Tools > Gallery.
2. In the left part of the Gallery, select in the list the theme you wish to delete.
3. Right-click on the theme, then click Delete on the pop-up menu.

Location of the Gallery and the objects in it

Graphics and other objects shown in the Gallery can be located anywhere on your computer’s hard disk, on a network drive, or on a CD-ROM. Listings in the Gallery refer to the location of each object. When you add graphics to the Gallery, the files are not moved or copied; only the location of each new object is added as a reference.

In a workgroup situation, you may have access to a shared Gallery (where you cannot change the contents unless authorized to do so) and a user Gallery, where you can add, change, or delete objects.

The location of the user Gallery is specified in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Paths. You can change this location, and you can copy your gallery files (*.sdv) to other computers.

Gallery contents provided with OOo are stored in a location like openoffice\share\gallery. You cannot change this location.