Created attachment 186058 [details] files which demonstrate this bug Note: This is about LibreOffice Community 7.5.2.1 installed via the Ubuntu Lunar x86_64 repository. For some reason 7.5.2.1 isn't a choice in the Version drop-down. This issue may occur in earlier releases but this is the first release in which I've noticed it. Scenario: 1. Create a spreadsheet with three columns with the headers "First", "Last", and "Nick". 2. Put two rows below the header row. Put something in all three fields in one of the two rows, but leave the "Nick" column empty in the other. 3. Save the spreadsheet. 4. Create, register, and save a database connected to this spreadsheet. 5. In Writer, create a labels document with at least two labels on it, with a single label synchronized across the page. 6. In the first label, insert the following: First: <First field from database> Last: <Last field from database> Nick: <Nick field from database><Next record for database sheet> 7. Synchronize that label across the page 8. Print, i.e., do a mail merge, to a file. 9. Open the file and observe that for the row in the spreadsheet where "Nick" is blank, rather than that label saying "Nick:" with nothing after that, that line has been completely removed from the label! Why this matters and is incorrect behavior: If I'm formatting badge inserts and I've carefully designed the layout, then I want that layout to be consistent across all of the badges I print. If there's a field that is expected to be blank, then I want that line to still be in the output, blank, so that everything after that on the insert is lined up the same as everybody else's badges; I don't want it to all move up a row. The only workaround I've been able to find for this issue is to add another column to the spreadsheet called "b", put a pipe character in that column in every row, insert that field into my badge inserts, and make the field white so it's invisible when the inserts are printed. This is gross and shouldn't be necessary. I'm attaching a zip containing files constructed as above which demonstrate this issue. You'll have to register the database before you can reproduce the issue on your end, or you can just build the scenario yourself as described above; it is 100% reproducible, at least for me.
(In reply to Jonathan Kamens from comment #0) > Created attachment 186058 [details] > files which demonstrate this bug > > Note: This is about LibreOffice Community 7.5.2.1 installed via the Ubuntu > Lunar x86_64 repository. For some reason 7.5.2.1 isn't a choice in the > Version drop-down. This issue may occur in earlier releases but this is the > first release in which I've noticed it. 7.5.2.1 was not a release, but the first release candidate, so the repo you are using is apparently for beta testers. I checked this with 6.1 Linux bibisect repository and it is a deliberate change: db04be037b611e296ef9f2542322c52ed82d7a2b tdf#35798: Hide empty Database fields' paragraphs (+ compat option) The compatibility option can be accessed via Tools - Options - LibreOffice - Advanced - Open Expert Configuration (search for EmptyDbFieldHidesPara) However, even when I set both options (_user and _default) to false, the field names stayed hidden. I also tried saving template.odt, but no change. Mike: any tips for the compat option?
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #1) I do not see the problem that you are describing. When I disable the compat option (which is per-document) in this document: Options->Writer->Compatibility->[] Hide paragraphs of database fields (e.g., mail merge) with an empty value I get the document with the expected output: the second label has the two fields with data, and the last field with only the caption "Nick" and a space character; and the rest have only captions for the empty fields. Tested with Version: 7.5.2.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community Build ID: 53bb9681a964705cf672590721dbc85eb4d0c3a2 CPU threads: 12; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19045; UI render: default; VCL: win Locale: ru-RU (ru_RU); UI: en-US Calc: CL threaded
(In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #2) > (In reply to Buovjaga from comment #1) > > I do not see the problem that you are describing. When I disable the compat > option (which is per-document) in this document: > > Options->Writer->Compatibility->[] Hide paragraphs of database fields (e.g., > mail merge) with an empty value > > I get the document with the expected output: the second label has the two > fields with data, and the last field with only the caption "Nick" and a > space character; and the rest have only captions for the empty fields. Thanks, I did not understand where to find it. Now Jonathan will be happy.