Description:
As we know, text processing relies on styles. But many users do not use them and are manually formatting text. This might seem easier but in the end makes lots of more work as soon as anyone would like to change anything in text document. Changing manually is against using styles mindset that is basis of text processing and will cause a lot of unnecessary work, that requires a lot of time.

Would propose to change shortcut keys by default to apply appropriate style instead of manual formatting. E.g. all text manual formatting choices found, that exist in Writer and are found at menu Format->Text, would propose to replace with appropriate character style. If appropriate style is missing, then I would propose to create it and then apply appropriate shortcut key by default.

I would propose to change all places manual->character style, where such manual text formatting is possible: toolbar, menu (Format->Text), under right-click menu, etc.

This applies to all other style types as well, not only character styles. Whenever there are shortcut keys to used for manual formatting, these places I would propose to replace with applying appropriate style. Whenever appropriate style does not exist, would propose to create it and then apply appropriate shortcut key if exist. If there is no shortcut key, this is yet a thing, that should be considered, whether to apply a shortcut key by default or not. 

Whenever text processing in general has well know and widely spread shortcut keys, these should be used also in Writer and in all other LibreOffice programs, not only Writer as styles are used also in other LibreOffice programs.

Also this change should be announced to all users both in release article and also in Writer itself - help, tooltip, description - whenever possible. Encourage users to use styles instead of manual formatting, that will waste time.

When to change also toolbar buttons behaviour, turning off e.g. bold - it should then turn off character syle for marked text and not manually format marked text anymore. Same applies to all other toolbar buttons. Then it works same way as current manual formatting. Same applies to menu choices, etc places as well, where currently manual formatting is possible.

Possibly people won't even notice difference but anyway it is worth of acknowledging users about use of style, that makes text processing more reasonable while reducing manual work via using styles. Instead of changing manually all places in text, there should be reminded user to change appropriate style and all places in text will change automatically according appropriate style change.

Would propose also configurable option, e.g. under:
Tools->Settings->LibreOffice Writer->Formatting aids
[x] Character styles instead of manual formatting

This checkmark I would propose to turn on by default. Then it is always possible to turn off if anyone would still prefer manual formatting regardless it promises unnecessary huge work and waste of time. There could be also a small reminder, while turning off, that by turning this feature off will cause a lot of manual work, that requires a lot of time as then you should manually change all places, where manual formatting is applies instead of just changing appropriate style and all places where used style is present, will changed automatically at once. Hopefully people will value time and will use more styles - especially when to encourage users to do so.

E.g.:
CTRL+B to apply Strong Emphasis character style
CTRL+I to apply Emphasis character style
CTRL+U to apply newly created character style, e.g. Underline Emphasis
CTRL+. to remove character style

Rest of shortcut keys for current manual formatting should be yet considered, what shortcut key to apply. Whenever already are shortcut keys available for manual formatting - these should be replaced with applying appropriate style. Then whenever users are familiar with these shortcut keys, appropriate style will be applied and users can continue of using already known shortcut keys.
But whenever there are not yet shortcut key applied, it should be carefully considered, which one to apply to make working more smoothly and logical.

Create a new style Underline and apply shortcut key CTRL+U to it.

Steps to Reproduce:
1.insert text
2.apply formatting
3.formatting applied

Actual Results:
Currently manual formatting is applied.

Expected Results:
Appropriate style is applied instead of manual formatting.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
I also noticed, that when I switched LibreOffice language from my native one to English, my custom character style was gone. When switched back my native language, still my created charactersstyle was missing.

Also current issue is, that own created styles are stored in particular file and not globally in Writer. So I have to recreate own styles in every new document, which is very annoying. Would propose to allow choose, where newly created style is stored - default I would propose in Writer generally and not in file. Then these own created styles can be used also in other documents.

This choice, where to store own created style should be in two places: when creating new style and when editing already created style. As saving new style only in document will cause a lot of unnecessary work, would propose to save new style into program by default and not to particular file. But as this could be a radio button, that can be changed easily whenever needed.

Same applies to all LibreOffice programs, not only Writer.