Bug 157346 - Print or export to PDF by chapters/sections
Summary: Print or export to PDF by chapters/sections
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.3.6.2 release
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Print-Dialog PDF-Export-Options-Dialog
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Reported: 2023-09-20 11:25 UTC by Joan Josep
Modified: 2024-08-27 13:41 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

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Crash report or crash signature:


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Description Joan Josep 2023-09-20 11:25:30 UTC
Description:
When I open the window for printing or exporting a document, I often need to print a specific chapter or section. Unfortunately, I am not aware that there is an easier solution to this: I have to look up which page does it start and end.

I would like to have another option in that window where I could select which chapters/sections to print, so selecting them automatically sets which pages to print.

Sorry if it is a duplicate. I didn't find it on the bug tracker.

I selected that it affects Writer, but if it is doable, it can be extended to Impress and maybe other components.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Select "Export as PDF..."
2. In the "Interval" for pages to print, write the page numbers.

Actual Results:
I have to look up the pages chapters start and end.

Expected Results:
When printing/exporting, I would like to choose which chapters to print, without looking for page numbers.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
Provide another option in "Interval", so I can choose sections/chapters.
Comment 1 Dieter 2023-10-10 16:13:31 UTC
Not sure, if we should make two different bug reports. Also couldn't find a duplicate.

cc: Design-Team for further input and decision
Comment 2 Heiko Tietze 2023-10-17 13:19:45 UTC
I like the idea. Question is what happens if the chapter starts in the middle of a page. Re-layout making the chapter start at top, ignore content before/after, or just accept additional content.
Comment 3 Joan Josep 2023-10-17 14:08:30 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #2)
> I like the idea. Question is what happens if the chapter starts in the
> middle of a page. Re-layout making the chapter start at top, ignore content
> before/after, or just accept additional content.

I would go for the "print the whole page and don't modify any layout" of the first and last pages of the selection. I guess it will be the easiest solution.
Comment 4 Eyal Rozenberg 2023-10-17 17:11:30 UTC
Well, there is actually no such thing as "chapters" in LibreOffice. There's just misnamed Numbering associated with Heading styles at different levels. See:

* bug 107573
* bug 141452

Be that as it may - we should probably allow printing from a heading, identified by its number and/or a selection widget (a-la the References dialog), up until a heading. LO would need to be smart enough to realize that if the final heading starts a page, the printing should not include that page. Also, we should support indicating from-start until heading and from heading to-end.

Let the bike-shedding regarding the exact UI commence!
Comment 5 Heiko Tietze 2023-10-26 08:22:32 UTC
We discussed the topic in the design meeting.

Although it sounds very convenient to pick a heading and get start/end page automatically, it makes the print dialog more complicated and is quite unusual. Plus, reading first/last page from the document is simple enough. We decided therefore to not support the request.