Created attachment 199836 [details] Screenshot of Page Margins/Boundaries in LibreOffice Writer LibreOffice Draw needs the ability show Page Margins (boundaries). In Writer, I can select: View / Boundaries (see screenshot). Please add the ability to LibreOffice Draw to show Page Margins (boundaries).
I can confirm that there is no way to make margins visible. Witn me: Version: 25.2.1.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community Build ID: d3abf4aee5fd705e4a92bba33a32f40bc4e56f49 CPU threads: 8; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (10.0 build 19045); UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win Locale: de-DE (de_DE); UI: de-DE Calc: CL threaded
Sorry, but there is no explanation *why* does Draw need that. The fact that this is not possible is not a reason to confirm: there should be some scenario that makes it wanted, and that can't use e.g. guidelines already present in the application. Draw is not Writer (in which margins limit the main text flow), and in Draw, the usefulness of the requested feature is not clear.
But you can show them already, from the 'Page Properties...' dialog. And from the 'Background' tab temporarily assign a background color. But be sure on the Page tab that the 'Background covers margins' is in its unchecked by-default state. Remove the background area fill if undesired prior to publishing. sd draw Object alignment (Left, Center, Right, Top, Middle, Bottom) of *individually* selected sd draw objects are positioned to those margins. While as reasonable *multi-selection* of draw objects align to extents of the selection. And must then be grouped to be aligned by margin.
(In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #2) > Sorry, but there is no explanation *why* does Draw need that. Because I want to make sure I am placing my objects within the visual boundaries that I have defined. Clean layout relative to the page. I also often use the page margins to approximate the printing margins. I want to see that my objects are within the printable space.
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #3) > But you can show them already, from the 'Page Properties...' dialog. And > from the 'Background' tab temporarily assign a background color. That is a poor workaround. Also, see comment#4 for why seeing the margins can be useful and is needed. > But be sure on the Page tab that the 'Background covers margins' is in its > unchecked by-default state. OT: Interestingly, if you check the "Background covers margins", there is a white border that shows the margins.
(In reply to Peter Lairo from comment #4) > Because I want to make sure I am placing my objects within the visual > boundaries that I have defined. Clean layout relative to the page. > > I also often use the page margins to approximate the printing margins. I > want to see that my objects are within the printable space. Both don't require visible margins at all; creating a visible but non-printable layer, and placing arbitrary guidelines there, is the proper way in Draw to do these and other things. The alignment and coordinate reasons are the only important things here.
There are some pro and contra margins arguments in the following Ask LibreOffice question that might provide some insight without cluttering this bug: Title: How to show Page Margins in LibreOffice Draw? https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/how-to-show-page-margins-in-libreoffice-draw/119579 The PRO margins/show margins reasons are more compelling. They don't require redefining “Position” of objects (F4), "Align Objects", etc. (all are relative to the margins). Visible Margins also don't require regular users to use advanced (positioning Guidelines) and unintuitive workarounds (unwanted background colors or using rectangles) for something many find useful. If you don't like subtly visible indicators for the margins, just leave it at the default: not visible.
(In reply to Peter Lairo from comment #7) > There are some pro and contra margins arguments in the following Ask > LibreOffice question that might provide some insight without cluttering this > bug: > > Title: How to show Page Margins in LibreOffice Draw? > Already linked above from the URL field. As to margins being visible or not. In practice, when using Draw for layout and design work, while setting a canvas size I normally will set the Margin to 'None' or 0.0, from Sidebar properties deck or the Page Properties... dialog. Placement and alignment is then to canvas edge without regard to final published or printed size. I find that most useful with graphics/images that are going to OLE or inserted into another ODF document. The margin serves little purpose other than alignment, and can be visualized as noted with use of a background area fill. None the less, the ability to include the display of margins *as outline* on sd Draw canvas by toggle of a View -> Borders button widget similar to Writer lend consistency to UI. Not clear it would be needed for sd Impress where the slides by default receive a margin of 0.00.
I would like to suggest that this is not an enhancement. It is the repair of what is a catastrophic bug for some of us. Not everyone uses Draw in the same way. I have produced 7 children's books using Draw, and the visibility of the margin is critically important. There are 8 more books in preparation. Margin visibility has always been there, and now it has been removed. Removing features that people use is not good practice, despite it being common practice lately. I have changed it to Major because it is a functioning feature that is widely used that has stopped working. For people who need it, this bug is catastrophic, work-arounds not withstanding Of course, I can move to another software, but those 7 books have to go to different printers and they have different rules about margin and bleed. The loss of this feature is a disaster in my use case. Even if it is an edge case, surely LO has lots of edge cases that are worth keeping on LO. Sorry for the rant. But this is important to me, and others it seems.
Meanwhile, they've been restored to Draw module for the 25.8 release. https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/179995 Please check a nightly build. https://dev-builds.libreoffice.org/daily/master/ @Heiko, Ilmari - should we show a margin visibility toggle in the UI for Draw on main 'View' menu? Similar to workup for Writer's View -> Boundaries, with Tools -> Options -> Writer -> Formatting Aids to set 'Crop marks' or 'Border Outline' for text? Or just leave it with the Expert Config stanza: 'ShowBoundary' As a toggle in UI (View menu or customize a keyboard shortcut) allows user flexibility to show and hide margins during a drawing session. The expert config alone requires a close and relaunch.
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #10) > @Heiko, Ilmari - should we show a margin visibility toggle in the UI for > Draw on main 'View' menu? The boundaries are on by default. Adding the option means to support many users who get distracted by it - and I doubt this is the fact. I would wait for an explicit request.
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #10) > Meanwhile, they've been restored to Draw module for the 25.8 release. > > https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/179995 > > Please check a nightly build. > https://dev-builds.libreoffice.org/daily/master/ > > @Heiko, Ilmari - should we show a margin visibility toggle in the UI for > Draw on main 'View' menu? Similar to workup for Writer's View -> > Boundaries, with Tools -> Options -> Writer -> Formatting Aids to set 'Crop > marks' or 'Border Outline' for text? > > Or just leave it with the Expert Config stanza: 'ShowBoundary' > > As a toggle in UI (View menu or customize a keyboard shortcut) allows user > flexibility to show and hide margins during a drawing session. The expert > config alone requires a close and relaunch. Crop marks would be such an awesome addition to Draw. Wow, I would kiss the feed of the person adding that feature! Thanks
(In reply to Derek Keats from comment #12) > I would kiss the feed of the person adding that feature! Going to revert the patch... :-) Glad to make you happy. And thanks for your enhancement request.
(In reply to Derek Keats from comment #12) > > Crop marks would be such an awesome addition to Draw. > Wow, I would kiss the feed of the person adding that feature! > Thanks Sure, match the Writer toggle from full margin border to less distracting corner marks at margins. Needs a new BZ enhancement request. While an enhancement to support crop-marks/bleed needed for DTP, i.e. beyond page edge, remains open as bug 93166