Bug 170373 - Line spacing inconsistency in Writer
Summary: Line spacing inconsistency in Writer
Status: RESOLVED NOTABUG
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.4.2.3 release
Hardware: All All
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2026-01-17 19:11 UTC by kuramotoheadey@gmail.com
Modified: 2026-01-19 22:29 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
One page of a song lyric (25.38 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text)
2026-01-17 19:12 UTC, kuramotoheadey@gmail.com
Details
conversion using the Asian Phonetic Guide and "Rubies" char for cords (258.36 KB, image/png)
2026-01-17 23:30 UTC, V Stuart Foote
Details

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Description kuramotoheadey@gmail.com 2026-01-17 19:11:59 UTC
Description:
I have used Writer many times to create words and chords for the guitar.  The aim has always been to place the chord names directly above the lyric, but then have a half-line space below the lyric.  I have added the chord names above the lyric then, with the cursor somewhere in the lyric line, selected 'Line Spacing' > 1.5 and got an extra half-line BELOW the lyric but NOT above.  This has been a little tedious, as the format painter is not always reliable, but I can generally do it.

UNTIL TODAY!

When I tried selecting the 1.5 line spacing, it would sometimes add a half-line space BOTH below AND above the line.  I'm pretty sure it has never done this before, as I've lots of examples where it has worked.  In the document I'm currently editing, I DO have a couple of lines where this has worked correctly, but many more lines where is hasn't

Actual Results:
        G                      G/F#                   G/F                  Em

And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day-song

Am                       C                    G

Evening calls the lamplighter to come

Expected Results:
        G                      G/F#                   G/F                  Em
And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day-song

Am                       C                    G
Evening calls the lamplighter to come


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
I will attach my current troublesome document.The underlined line is currently demonstrating the problem: ie if I select a line spacing of 1.5 I get extra spacing both above and below the line in question.
Comment 1 kuramotoheadey@gmail.com 2026-01-17 19:12:50 UTC
Created attachment 205072 [details]
One page of a song lyric
Comment 2 m_a_riosv 2026-01-17 21:33:26 UTC
Please, do your question in ask.libreoffice.org, there are acknowledged people to help with that.

The file has only default style and direct format, I think a proper use of styles should solve your issues.
Comment 3 V Stuart Foote 2026-01-17 22:04:57 UTC
The 7.4 build of LibreOffice went End of Life in June of 2023, current release is 25.8, with the 26.2 release pending. For starters please update your install.

Then, the direct formatting you've been applying to your cord marks and lyrics would be better served with a mix of paragraph styles tailored to the layouts/alignments you need.

Alternative might be to use Ruby "phonetic markers" for the cord annotation, check out the 'Asian Phonetic Guide' utility. Under the Format menu, but first will need to enable the CJK handling from the Tools -> Options -> Languages and Locales -> General tab, and placing a checkmark next to the 'Asian' languages--specific language does not matter, it just activates the 'Asian Phonetic Guide' utility.

The Rubi annotation would be your cords, and you can adjust the font/pt size by adjusting the 'Rubies' character style.

Maybe update and give that a go...
Comment 4 kuramotoheadey@gmail.com 2026-01-17 23:16:14 UTC
I will try the latest version of Writer.  Thanks for that update.

I DID eventually manage to get it to do what I wanted.  I'd copied & pasted the lyrics from a web site I'd not used before, so it is possible that there were hidden formatting codes I was unaware of.  A friend suggested pasting them into a pure text editor first, to strip out any hidden codes.

When I turned on the formatting marks, I did notice soft returns and 'new paragraph' markers.  When I turned all into new paragraph markers, the line spacing options did behave themselves as I expected.

I therefore conclude that it might just be a 'feature' of Writer to apply the line spacing between paragraph markers and not just to the line as it appears on the screen.  So, any soft returns would then carry the line spacing on to the next line.
Comment 5 V Stuart Foote 2026-01-17 23:30:36 UTC
Created attachment 205076 [details]
conversion using the Asian Phonetic Guide and "Rubies" char for cords
Comment 6 LeroyG 2026-01-19 22:29:30 UTC
(In reply to kuramotoheadey@gmail.com from comment #4)
I'd copied & pasted the lyrics from a web site [...].  A friend suggested pasting
> them into a pure text editor first, to strip out any hidden codes.
You can paste as unformatted text (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+V, or menu Edit - Paste Special).