Created attachment 144184 [details] Database file for reproduction _Description_ If I have an object (e.g. an image or section) and to the left or right of this a database field, and I have the "Hide paragraphs of database fields (e.g., mail merge) with an empty value" option selected, if the database field is empty then in some circumstances (see step 9 below) the object will also be hidden. Although users may want to hide text in the same paragraph as the database field, they may not consider images to be part of the paragraph and always want them to appear. _Steps to Reproduce_ Make sure you have Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Compatibility > "Hide paragraphs of database fields (e.g., mail merge) with an empty value" option ticked. 1. Create a new Writer document 2. Insert (at the top) an image (alignment and size do not seem to matter) 3. Click inside the document to unfocus the image, the cursor should appear to the left, right or below the image 4. Insert > Field > More Fields... 5. Click the tab "Database" and under Type select "Mail merge fields" 6. Next to "Add database file" click "Browse..." and select the attached database file 7. From the Database selection select mailing_list_minimal > Sheet1 > First Name 8. Click Insert and Close 9. Insert a newline after the database field you have just added by pressing Enter (this is necessary for reproduction) 10. Click View > Toolbars > Mail Merge and in the new toolbar click "Edit Individual Documents" _Actual Results_ The second document in the individual mail merge documents is blank, with no image. _Expected Results_ For the second document to look like the first (except no name appears). The image should show. Reproducible: Always User Profile Reset: Yes _Additional Info_ Reproducible on: Version: 6.1.0.2 Build ID: b3972dcf1284967612d5ee04fea9d15bcf0cc106 CPU threads: 2; OS: Linux 3.16; UI render: default; VCL: gtk2; Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); Calc: group threaded And: Version: 6.2.0.0.alpha0+ Build ID: 032c3f0d8403c6c7cdc60564641687bfb56cf9b3 CPU threads: 2; OS: Linux 3.16; UI render: default; VCL: gtk2; TinderBox: Linux-rpm_deb-x86_64@70-TDF, Branch:master, Time: 2018-08-14_22:24:06 Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); Calc: threaded My system is Debian 8.11.
Yes, this is as designed. The setting tells to hide the paragraph if the field is empty; so it does just that. If something else is in the paragraph that should prevent paragraph from hiding, then the setting is simply set incorrectly - the visibility of paragraphs should be controlled manually using fields. Trying to outsmart users will result in reverse problems, when users would complain that images stay when they should not.