If we select multiple textboxes in Draw, their context (right-click) menu lets us "Consolidate text" - making them into a single larger textbox. Unfortunately, we don't have this functionality available in Writer. It should be made available, on the context menu for multiple text boxes.
+1, it would be helpful to be able to also consolidate the draw Shape textboxes on the Writer canvas as done for the Draw canvas. @Justin?
In sd "Consolidate Text" is provided by the .uno:TextCombine control. But attempting to customize and add the control to the Impress context menus or to a toolbar don't expose a functional widget. Seems like it could.
From the consistency POV it makes sense. But OTOH I see no use case for Writer to merge content in text boxes (in contrast to sd/ with freely distributed content). Low importance, at least.
After reading bug 32249 and the commit message for https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/75043 the use case is clearly to make it easier to combine text from PDF import. And since Writer has no such feature the use case does not exists. => WF
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #4) > PDF import. And since Writer has no such feature > the use case does not exists. => WF 1. But Writer has PDF import, so the use case does exist. And the PDF import in Writer uses lots of textboxes, so the use case is actually quite common. 2. The motivating use case does not have to be only use case.
IMHO this would be a useful tool for folks with workflows directly filter importing PDF to Write document canvas. Ability to consolidate the draw shape textboxes there is a valid requirement, facilitating eventual implementation of bug 32249 At present, workflows to consolidate text extracted from PDF require taking the PDF through import to Draw canvas. Merge it there, and then copy the result for paste to Writer document. If the draw shape textbox objects can be manipulated in the Writer context then providing the feature there is reasonable.
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #6) > IMHO this would be a useful tool... Status to NEW then. My WF stands, it's a Draw feature.
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #7) > Status to NEW then. My WF stands, it's a Draw feature. When you have a bunch of drawing objects in Writer, you need some "Draw features"...