From 47d8b2d24aa88439c6971fe19318a3fef0c7d6b7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: DarkSun Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2023 05:03:09 +0800 Subject: [PATCH] =?UTF-8?q?=E9=80=89=E9=A2=98[tech]:=2020231108=20Tracking?= =?UTF-8?q?=20Changes=20and=20Version=20Management=20with=20LibreOffice?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit sources/tech/20231108 Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice.md --- ...and Version Management with LibreOffice.md | 276 ++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 276 insertions(+) create mode 100644 sources/tech/20231108 Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice.md diff --git a/sources/tech/20231108 Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice.md b/sources/tech/20231108 Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..d2a192baa9 --- /dev/null +++ b/sources/tech/20231108 Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice.md @@ -0,0 +1,276 @@ +[#]: subject: "Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice" +[#]: via: "https://itsfoss.com/libreoffice-version-control/" +[#]: author: "Sreenath https://itsfoss.com/author/sreenath/" +[#]: collector: "lujun9972/lctt-scripts-1693450080" +[#]: translator: " " +[#]: reviewer: " " +[#]: publisher: " " +[#]: url: " " + +Tracking Changes and Version Management with LibreOffice +====== + +LibreOffice, the free and open-source office suite comes with a handy collaborative edit feature, which records changes to a document. + +It lets you view the changes, comment on it, approve or reject changes etc. You can find this feature handy if **multiple users (or a workgroup) utilize LibreOffice Writer** or Spreadsheets. + +So, how can you use this feature? What do you have to do to track changes and versions of a document meant for collaboration? + +Considering you already have the [latest LibreOffice installed][1], let me tell you about it here. + +📋 + +For real-time collaboration, you need LibreOffice online (managed or your own hosted solution). We are not discussing that here. + +### Enabling to Record Changes + +By default, the feature is not enabled. So, first, you need to enable it. + +Open LibreOffice and go to **Edit → Track Changes → Record**. + +![Toggle Record feature][2] + +Now, you need to enable the Track changes toolbar, for convenience. For this, go to **View → Toolbars → Track Changes**. + +![Enable Track Changes][3] + +You can see a small toolbar appeared on the bottom. + +![Track Changes Toolbar][4] + +You can use these buttons to manage the changes. Options like accept/reject/ changes, adding comments, and comparing versions can be found here. + +### Add User Data + +Before you start working with recording changes, you must add User Data, to identify changes. Without this, any change made will be marked as something done by “Unknown user”. + +First, go to **Tools → Options**. + +![Click on Options][5] + +Here, inside the “ **User Data** ” section, add your **name** , **address** , **email** etc., if you prefer, but **name is a must**. + +![Enter User Data][6] + +That's it. You are good to go. + +**Suggested Read 📖** + +![][7] + +### Working with Recording Changes + +Now, let us take a look at how all of this works: + +#### Locating Changes + +First, when you add a new word to the document, it appears in a yellow text. + +![Changes are recorded in LibreOffice][8] + +As, you can see from the above screenshot, when a word is removed, it is not deleted from the document. Instead, it is marked with a strikeout annotation. When you add another word in its place, that also appears highlighted and underlined. + +You can notice a small bar on the extreme left of the lines that include some kind of change, **even if it is a small comma addition**. + +#### Knowing about the changes + +Now that you have located the changes appearing to the document, what about the author who made the change? + +LibreOffice also notes the author (user) who has made the change to a particular document. You can get this detail through several places. + +Hover over the marked text, to know about that particular change. It will show the author, changed date and time. + +![Author of Changes][9] + +Or, you can click on the **manage track changes button** on the bottom toolbar, to get an overview of all changes as shown in the screenshot below: + +![Manage Changes window \(Click to enlarge the image\)][10] + +#### Accepting/Rejecting Changes + +To accept or reject a particular change, first, click on that particular change. + +Next, click on the **Accept change button** (with a tick mark) to accept it. Or use the **Reject button** (with a cross mark) to reject the change. + +![Accept and Reject Button \(Click to enlarge the image\)][11] + +If you accept a change, the text will be fixed and will change to black color in case of addition. If you are removing something, the highlighted word will be removed. + +On the other hand, if you reject a change, the addition/deletion will be cancelled. + +Similarly, you can accept/reject all the changes at once, using the **Accept All/ Reject All** buttons. It is placed adjacent to the individual accept and reject buttons on the toolbar. + +![Accept or Reject All Changes][12] + +Another way to accept and reject changes is through the **Manage Changes** dialog box. Click on the Manage Changes button on the bottom toolbar, as described in the previous section. + +Now, you can select a particular change and then use the bottom buttons for Accepting/Rejecting. + +![Manage Changes through Dialog Box][13] + +#### Inserting Comments + +You can either insert a comment at a random position, or add a comment to a particular change. + +To add a comment on a place, click on that particular position (to bring the cursor there). Next, click on the **Add Comment button** on the bottom toolbar. + +![Click on Add Comment Button \(Click to enlarge the image\)][14] + +This will open up a right sidebar while pointing out the place you will be adding the comment. Type the message there as shown below: + +![Enter Comment Text][15] + +You can click on the adjacent rectangle button to get several actions on that comment. Use the top “ **Comment** ” button, to hide/unhide the comments. + +Similarly, you can click on a particular change, and then click on the “ **Insert Track Change Comment** ” button. + +![Track Change Comment \(Click to enlarge the image\)][16] + +It will look a bit different, but serves the same purpose. In the next dialog box, enter the comment. Now, click OK to save the comment. + +![Insert Track Change Comment \(Click to enlarge the image\)][17] + +You have now added a comment to that change. + +So, when you head to the **Manage Changes** dialog box, you can see the comment right to the mentioned change. Pretty handy, right? Of course, one of the [best open-source alternatives to Microsoft Office][18]. You should not expect any less 😉 + +![View Track Change Comment][19] + +#### Save a Version + +While there is an auto-save feature to protect your document from a crash, there is no auto-versioning of documents. + +So, once you have made some changes, you can save a version of it. + +Go to **File → Versions**. + +![File → Versions][20] + +Here, you can save the current version of the document. + +![Click on Save New Version][21] + +Insert a version comment to identify it easily, and then click OK. + +![Insert Version Comment][22] + +You can now view multiple versions of the document by navigating to the same menu option. Instead of saving a new version, you can select the existing version and hit " **Open** " to access it. + +**Suggested Read 📖** + +![][7] + +#### Filter Changes + +LibreOffice provides a way to filter the changes based on author, time range, etc. This should help you find certain changes fast when there are lots of it. + +First, hit the **Manage Changes** button to get to the dialog box where you see the changes. Here, go to the **Filters Tab**. + +![Filter based on Author][23] + +Next, you can set the criteria. + +I have set to **view the changes made by the author “It's FOSS”**. So, when we go to the “List” tab, only changes made by author “It's FOSS” will be listed. + +![Changes made by a particular Author][24] + +#### Compare with Original Document + +Once you have completed collaborative editing, you can compare the changed document with the original one. This needs the original one to be saved separately. + +So, click on the **Compare button** on the bottom toolbar. + +![Click on Compare Button][25] + +Now, select the original file from the file chooser. + +![Select the Document to Compare][26] + +This will give you a highlighted document with changes from the original, along with the Manage Changes dialog box. + +![Changes compared][27] + +💡 + +This is useful, when one of the authors has modified a document without recording them. + +#### Merge with Original + +Once you have completed the changes, save the document. + +🚧 + +If you are planning to merge the collaboratively edited document into an original document, you should not accept changes on the editing document. + +Once you have made all the changes, save it, without accepting the changes. + +Now, open the original document in LibreOffice and go to **Edit → Track Changes → Merge Document**. + +![Select Merge Documents option][28] + +From the file chooser, select the edited document, and click Open. + +![Open Edited Document to Merge][29] + +On the next screen, changes to the original document will be listed, along with a “Manage Changes” dialog box. Click on “ **Accept All** ” and the original document will be merged with the changes. + +![Accept All Changes to Merge][30] + +**Suggested Read 📖** + +![][7] + +### Wrapping Up + +LibreOffice is a feature-packed document suite. You can do all sorts of things when compared to the proprietary alternatives. + +You can also explore more [LibreOffice tips][31] to use it more effectively. + +However, many users fail to find/know how to use a certain feature. With this article, I hope, you can now quickly track changes and versions of your document for a good collaborative editing experience. + +_💬 What is your favorite part of the LibreOffice Writer editing experience? Any other feature that you want to highlight? Share all about it in the comments below._ + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +via: https://itsfoss.com/libreoffice-version-control/ + +作者：[Sreenath][a] +选题：[lujun9972][b] +译者：[译者ID](https://github.com/译者ID) +校对：[校对者ID](https://github.com/校对者ID) + +本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出 + +[a]: https://itsfoss.com/author/sreenath/ +[b]: https://github.com/lujun9972 +[1]: https://itsfoss.com/install-libreoffice-ubuntu/ +[2]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/Click-on-record-to-start-recording-changes.png +[3]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/enable-track-changes-toolbar.png +[4]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/track-changes-toolbar.png +[5]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/Click-on-tools-and-then-select-options.png +[6]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/set-user-data.png +[7]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2022/12/android-chrome-192x192.png +[8]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/tracking-changes-in-libreoffice-with-annotated-words.png +[9]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/changes-made-by-who.png +[10]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/manage-changes-1.png +[11]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/accept-and-reject-button.png +[12]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/accept-or-reject-all.png +[13]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/manage-changes-through-dialog-box.png +[14]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/Click-on-add-comment-button.png +[15]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/enter-comment-on-the-appropriate-place.png +[16]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/click-on-add-track-change-comment.png +[17]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/inserting-track-change-comment.png +[18]: https://itsfoss.com/best-free-open-source-alternatives-microsoft-office/ +[19]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/view-track-change-comment.png +[20]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/go-to-file-versions.png +[21]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/click-on-save-new-version-button.png +[22]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/insert-a-version-comment-and-click-OK.png +[23]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/filter-based-on-author.png +[24]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/Changes-made-by-author-itsfoss.png +[25]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/Click-on-compare-button.png +[26]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/select-the-original-document-to-compare.png +[27]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/compared-changes-highlighted.png +[28]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/select-merge-documents-option.png +[29]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/open-edited-document-to-merge.png +[30]: https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/11/accept-all-changes-to-merge-1.png +[31]: https://itsfoss.com/libreoffice-tips/