[Solved] Change default US Letter to A4 in Openoffice.org

Message

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:44 pm

Hello Gentoousers

Some time ago I changed to Openoffice.org 64 bit and I really like it. But even the bin-version wanted to print all in US Letter form. I live in Europe so need A4.
Any way how can I change it one and forever?
(up to now I need to change it in Openoffice printersettings every time I print)

Thanks for any help!

wynn · Post by **wynn** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:54 pm

Running oopadmin2 will allow you to change the printer properties which (as you already know) include "Paper Size".

To change the default paper size, select Format -> Styles and Formatting. In the popup, select "Page Styles" and right click on "Default" and select "Modify". You can then set the default paper size.

The paper size may be set from the printer setting.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:04 pm

I know there was once a printer config menu, but it isn't there anymore. The oopadmin2 isnt there too (openoffice.org 2.0.4) All other apps, like kde are using A4 per default...

wynn · Post by **wynn** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:21 pm

Vrenn wrote:I know there was once a printer config menu, but it isn't there anymore. The oopadmin2 isnt there too (openoffice.org 2.0.4) All other apps, like kde are using A4 per default...

The other apps probably get it from the locale.

I'm surprised that you haven't got oopadmin2

Code: Select all

* app-office/openoffice-bin
     Available versions:  2.0.3 2.0.4
     Installed:           2.0.4
$ equery files app-office/openoffice-bin|grep admin
/usr/bin/oopadmin2
/usr/lib/openoffice/program/spadmin
/usr/lib/openoffice/program/spadmin.bin
/usr/lib/openoffice/share/xdg/openoffice.org-2.0-printeradmin.desktop
/usr/share/applications/openoffice.org-2.0-printeradmin.desktop
/usr/share/pixmaps/ooo-printeradmin2.png
$ ls -l /usr/bin/oopadmin2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 39 Oct 14 13:51 /usr/bin/oopadmin2 -> /usr/lib/openoffice/program/spadmin.bin*

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 9:48 am

Im currently working with my Laptop (openoffice-bin 32bit) and oopadmin2 is there (in path)
On my amd64 where I have the problem oopadmin2 isn't there. I suggest because I compiled it with kde integration and so it just dropped it and uses KDE.
Besides this all KDE apps use A4...

On my Laptop I was able to change it thanks (bin version, toll is there), but on my PC (compiled, no tool) without the printertool

Now there is ony one left, change the config file directly, ill have to search it...

wynn · Post by **wynn** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:25 am

Vrenn wrote:Now there is ony one left, change the config file directly, ill have to search it...

If you change the printer page size in CUPS, OpenOffice should take note.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:39 pm

Another good Idea:
the Cups-options gives me following

Code: Select all

root@VrennsPalace stephan2 # cat /etc/cups/lpoptions
Default Brother_Hausdrucker PageSize=A4

I'll look at my PC when I'm home but all other apps use A4 exept Openoffice so Ill have to concentrate on this configs.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 8:40 pm

On my PC (openoffice 2.0.4 compiled 64bit) the printeradmin is somewhere else:

Code: Select all

VrennsCastle ~ $ equery files app-office/openoffice|grep admin
/usr/lib64/openoffice/program/spadmin
/usr/lib64/openoffice/program/spadmin.bin
/usr/lib64/openoffice/share/xdg/printeradmin.desktop
VrennsCastle ~ $ /usr/lib64/openoffice/program/spadmin.bin

The problem is: i can set the US Letter format to A4 as often I like, it is always US I start again

rainer · Post by **rainer** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 4:22 am

Workaround:

Create a new template (that may be blank) with A4 as the paper size of choice, and start any new document based on that template.
Although not a real solution it works easier than always setting the paper size individually.

Gruss,
Rainer

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:00 am

Good idea. But the papersize of the documents (writer, Calc, Impress) is A4 per default (sinze installation). The problem is that the printer is set to and wants US Letter (just in Openoffice). Can I save the printer setting in a document template?

rainer · Post by **rainer** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:17 am

Unfortunately, I'm not in front of the box where I have been using that solution (and will have no chance for the next few days) but I seem to remember that I had the same problem as you have (not being able to set the paper sizde to A4) and that the template solution worked for me.
Sorry to say but at this point, I only can say "try..."!
Rgds, Rainer

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:15 pm

Thanks, this works, so Ill have to make a new template for every Document art. But it doesn't solve the problem when I have to print ms.doc files I get per email (there the format is A4 but the printer is again US Letter)
I'll search the master document of Openoffice.org

hilde · Post by **hilde** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:27 pm

Go to Tools - Options -Language settings and change "Locale setting" into your language (in my case this is Dutch - Belgium) and restart Openoffice. This does not affect the language of the user interface. If "Local setting" is set to a European language/country everything is set to A4 by default.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:49 pm

Nice try, but it didn't change if from US Letter to A4

hilde · Post by **hilde** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:43 pm

It should, but I have also experienced problems with it in the past. It might help to put it back to default, restart OpenOffice and try it again. If this doesn't work, I don't think I can help you. Anyway, this is the normal way to change OpenOffice settings to A4. It works on openoffice-bin, although you sometimes have to try it a couple of times before OpenOffice realizes that the paper settings should have changed.
I cannot try out your situation myself now because I don't have OpenOffice 64 bit installed, although I have an amd64. I use openoffice-bin on it because I heard someone say that compiling OpenOffice takes ages. I might try it out after my exams.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:08 pm

Thank you for your help, I'll keep on it. But rm -r .ooo-2.0 should be setting it back to default enough

I experience the same problem on my laptop (2.0.3-bin version old Pentium4).
If you want to try to compile it here is my time (amd64 3500+, 1GB DDR)

Code: Select all

 * app-office/openoffice-2.0.4

        Emerged at: Sam Nov 11 09:01:05 2006
        Build time: 4 hours, 3 minutes, and 55 seconds

But drag & Drop isn't working yet.

hilde · Post by **hilde** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:31 pm

Does .ooo-2.0/user/registry/data/org/openoffice/Setup.xcu contain the right value for "ooSetupSystemLocale"? Mine contains nl-BE. If it would contain en-US, you might try changing it manually.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:42 pm

It does contain the right SystemLocale I used in the Options.

hilde · Post by **hilde** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:15 pm

I tried to simulate your problem on my guest account, in which OpenOffice had never been used.
The first time I tried to put the local settings, I got A4 paper (right-click, page, page tab) but still inches instead of cm. When I deleted .ooo-2.0 and tried it again, I got A4 paper and cm. Printer settings are also set to A4. Note that this is in OpenOffice-2.1.0, but I experienced a similar behaviour in earlier OOo2 versions.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:57 am

Tried that too. The actual page size is not the problem, as it is always A4. The ooo-printersettings are just always switching to US-Letter. I controlled cups, wich gives me no problems using Adobe acroread, kpdf, gimp2, kate, kmail... all print A4, just ooo insists on the US. I also experience the same problem on my 32bit laptop I mentioned before. I installed the Gentoo there from scratch new (gcc 3 to 4-change, not because of OOo) so no user data is there. But the US-Letter

Anyway, thanks for your great help. I'll wait for 2.1.1 until new ideas coming up

hilde · Post by **hilde** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:23 am

You might try uncommenting PPD_PageSize=A4 in /usr/lib/openoffice/share/psprint/psprint.conf. Thisused to set my paper size to A4 (not just the printing) in OpenOffice 1, but did't work for me in OOo2. Since this is about psprint, you might give it a try, but I cannot guarantee anything.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:17 am

No change. I believe OOo in Gentoo is delivered with false templates, since making a new template with A4 printer settings works. But making an own new template for all and everything isn't a clean soulution and doesnt work if you get ms.docs per email

BigBaaadBob · Post by **BigBaaadBob** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:22 pm

Bump. This is still a problem with 2.2.1, except in my case I want letter instead of A4. Cups says letter but OOo insists the printer is configured with a4 paper! This happened with the update to 2.2.1 because everything worked great with letter before. BOO!

Edit: Edited /etc/papersize to say "letter" and all is well. Doh!

Should be marked as solved.

Vrenn · Post by **Vrenn** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:44 pm

Ok, problem seems to be solved by time, although I cannot tell why that happend or doesn't happen anymore.
Look at my situation, in the last two months I had to replace:
my pc (mysterious cpu/motherboard damage)
my printer (old laserprinter-band damaged by time)
my modem (thunderstorm)
my house (nice new one, big with garden...)
and my fathers PC is playing bad things too sinze a long time...

So I can't tell what is changed although I know I have set the /etc/papersize to a4.
I would suggest the old ppd-file, but who knows so I'll change this theat to "solved by mystery"