** Description changed: (CONCERNS: LibreOffice version: 3.4.4; OOO340m1 (Build:402), complete install from the Ubuntu repo, fully up to date.) - - The "Compare Document" functionality of LibreOffice Writer is deeply flawed and woefully inadequate. For example, type (without quotes): + For example, type (without quotes): "LibreOffice Writer. Compare Document." - Save as version1.odt. Then just add one space at the start and add one + Save as version1.odt. Then just add one space at the start and add one paragraph marker after the first period (.), as follows (again without the quotes): " LibreOffice Writer. - Compare Document." + Compare Document." Save as version2.odt. Now use "Compare Document" to identify the changes in version2.odt relative to version1.odt: As the result we are simply presented with the full text of version1.odt - mixed into that of version2.odt. So we have THE WHOLE TEXT TWICE. - Worse, EVERYTHING is MARKED AS CHANGED, either as inserted or as - deleted. THIS IS PLAINLY WRONG. But, on the other hand, the TRUE CHANGES - are NOT UNIQUELY IDENTIFIED. - - Now think of editing and then comparing not a single page with just 4 - words, but a 40-page report or a 400-page book: The result is simply a - catastrophe with entire multi-coloured swathes of repeated identical or - near-identical text, but all identified and marked by LibreOffice Writer - as completely different. - - Moreover, all text in footnotes, endnotes, fields, headers, footers, - frames, etc, and all non-text objects are currently still completely - ignored by design in LibreOffice Writer "Document Compare". - - CONCLUSION: "Compare Document" in LibreOffice Writer at the moment is - defective, completely clueless and completely useless. - - However, in the real-world of professional document production and - editing, especially in collaborative contexts, precise, complete and - fine-grained change identification, revision management and version - control is absolutely essential. - - The unambiguous identification of THE DIFFERENCES, ALL DIFFERENCES and - NOTHING BUT THE DIFFERENCES, and presented with the greatest clarity, - are pivotal here. - - Sadly, at present, Microsoft Office Word still remains the only real - choice for competent change tracking between versions of a document. - - Prior to LibreOffice, this issue has already dogged OpenOffice all its - life. A detailed current overview of relevant unresolved bugs and issues - is available at http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Track_changes . - - Can the resolution of this issue please be made an urgent priority in - Ubuntu's LibreOffice. - - - (Acknowledgement: Elements of this submission were inspired by Gretha on Launchpad.) + mixed into that of version2.odt.
** Tags removed: compare document libreoffice writer -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to the bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/915059 Title: Compare Document Functionality in LibreOffice Writer To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libreoffice/+bug/915059/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs