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Office

It is of Jehovah’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

Lamentations 3:22 (ASV)
Atril document viewer


Atril document viewer is mainly used as PDF (Portable Document Format) file reader. But, it can also view DJVU, DVI, PostScript (PS), Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and XPS files as well as comic book formats; cb7, cbr, cbt and cbz. When supported by the document, Atril can perform text searches, hypertext navigation, and copying to the clipboard. Atril also has nice print support, editable toolbars and keyboard shortcuts.

Atril searching carefully through The Pilgrim's Progress.pdf

Atril is the official Document Viewer of the MATE Desktop Environment. Atril is free and open source software licensed under the GPL 2.0

Create PDF Files from Most any Application go to File > Print or [Ctrl]+[P] and choose Print to File (PDF is the default file format). And several apps allow you to either Print to PDF, Save to PDF or Export to PDF.

Install a PDF virtual printer and choose it to print to in order to create a PDF
Open a Terminal [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[T] and type:
sudo apt install printer-driver-cups-pdf

PDF virtual printer

The first time you “print” to the PDF virtual printer, a PDF folder will automatically be created in Home and that first PDF file you created with it will be inside.

PDF folder

Edit a PDF File with LibreOffice see How to Edit and Save a PDF in LibreOffice and OpenOffice on TechNorms and How to Edit PDF Files in Linux in the Easiest Way Possible on It’s FOSS. Also see 5 Ways to Edit PDF FIles in Ubuntu on Vitux. Other apps with PDF editing include LaTeX, Inkscape, PDF Chain, PDFtk (command-line), PDF Escape (online), PDF-Shuffler and Xournal. Pay applications promise to edit PDFs better; Master PDF Editor ($69.95) and PDF Studio Standard ($99) and Pro ($139).


GnuCash

GnuCash is financial software featuring double-entry accounting, checkbook styled register, scheduled transactions, reports, graphs and more. Easily import data from on-line bank statements and other software packages using HBCI, OFX and QIF files. GnuCash uses the double entry accounting system; you will always keep at least two accounts balanced. Transfers of money between accounts debit one and credit the other.

GnuCash divides financial data into files, accounts (checking, savings, credit cards, mortgage, loans…), and transactions (buying something, paying a bill, transferring money, depositing a check, withdrawing money…) stored as either a single XML file or SQL database (using SQLite3, MySQL or PostgreSQL) in five categories; assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses. And GnuCash makes all this easy to set up and keep track of. You’ll always have a good understanding of where you are financially.

The GnuCash.org website features an Online Help Manual and a Tutorial and Concepts Guide. You may also be interested in this Church Accounting Using GnuCash Series on Finance and Accounting for Churches Blog.

Create Accounts in GnuCash

GnuCash is free and open source software licensed under the GPL.


LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a full-featured office suite of applications for text (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), presentations (Impress), diagrams (Draw), and databases (Base). LibreOffice uses the ISO/IEC standard OpenDocument Format (ODF) and also features compatibility with many other office suites (including Microsoft Office) and stand-alone applications. You can open, work with, save as, import and export to and from LaTex, HTML, StarOffice, PDF, WordPerfect, RTF, Google Docs, Xoho, WebDAV and much more.

LibreOffice Base

Base is a powerful database application. Single users have access to the HSQL relational database engine with data stored in the BASE file. Wizards help in the creation of tables, queries, forms and reports. Power users can connect to almost any database with native support drivers for MySQL, Adabas D, JDBC, ODBC, MS Access and PostgreSQL.

See the Base Homepage, Create a Database from BusinessProgrammer.com on YouTube, Getting Started with Nerd on the Street on YouTube, Tutorials from TechRepublic and video tutorials from TheFrugalComputerGuy.

LibreOffice Calc

Calc is the spreadsheet application for LibreOffice and offers flexible cell formatting options, multiple user support, security for files, over one million rows of data (if you need that many in one spreadsheet), plenty of mathematical functions and easy formula creation. Cross-tabulate, summarize, and convert raw data from other sources. Use templates (even those designed for other spreadsheet applications), wizards and more. There is even an Intelligent Sum button that inserts a sum function or subtotal, depending on the context.

See the Calc Homepage, Array Formulas and Functions Tutorial on YouTube, tutorials from SmartChicago, Spreadsheet Beginners Tutorial from DCP WEB on YouTube and video tutorials from TheFrugalComputerGuy.

LibreOffice Draw

Draw offers import and export support for BMP, GIF, JPEG, PDF, PNG, TIFF, and WMF. It will also save projects as an SWF (Flash) file. Draw offers two and three-dimensional rotation; group, ungroup, regroup (and editing while graphics are still grouped); can use textures, lighting effects and transparency; can change perspectives, be used to make network diagrams and flowcharts; and features page sizes big enough to make posters.

See the Draw Homepage, Draw Basics by libreofficehelp.com, tutorials from LPG Computer Fundamentals and videos from TheFrugalComputerGuy.

LibreOffice Impress

Impress is used to make, import, export and manipulate all sorts of slide presentations. Use the multi-pane view, or separate drawing, handouts, notes, outline and slides view. Use an incredible selection of built-in transitions, 2D and 3D clip art, special effects, animation and more. Wow the church with a presentation you made in an hour. Besides it’s own default file format (an open standard), Impress offers you the option to save as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, a PDF or even a Flash SWF file.

See the Impress Homepage, the Beginner’s Guide from the ThoughtCo., Impress Basics by libreofficehelp.com, video tutorials from TheFrugalComputerGuy. Download pre-made templates from Brainy Betty, Chich-Hao Tsai, ChristianImages.net, ETC Presentation, Guide2Office, Phillip Martin and Presentation Magazine.

LibreOffice Writer

Writer allows you to easily write papers featuring bibliographies, reference tables, and indexes. Writer features auto-correction, auto-completion, formatting, illustration and template use (even templates designed for other applications and office suites) and more. Collaborate with classmates, Bible study partners, or church groups with version tracking and the ability to record changes to a shared document. Password-protect your work, use macros, use Google Docs; export to PDF, HTML, publish to a blog, etc.

See Writer’s Homepage, 10 Essential LibreOffice Writer Tricks from TechRepublic, Writer Basics and Writer Advanced by libreofficehelp.com and tutorials from LPG Computer Fundamentals. And/or see video tutorials; the Beginners Tutorial, the Complete Guide to Images, and video tutorials from TheFrugalComputerGuy.

Learn more at the LibreOffice Home. Check out The Document Foundation’s Getting Started Guide, and Online Documentation. Don’t miss LibreOffice Extensions and Templates and Macro Tutorials from DebugPoint.com and LibreOffice @ pling. Finally, see 7 LibreOffice Tips To Get More Out of It from It’s FOSS.

Read about LibreOffice licenses here.


LibreOffice and Microsoft Office
Microsoft file formats like doc and docx (Word), xls and xlsx (Excel), ppt and pptx (PowerPoint) can be opened, read, changed, and “saved as” in LibreOffice. However, the reverse is not always true. If the LibreOffice user plans to share files with a user of Microsoft Office (or, say print a file from work, turn in a school project electronically, or submit a resume in “Word”); they will probably need to “Save As…” their documents in corresponding Microsoft Office formats.

  • Writer > Word
  • Calc > Excel
  • Impress > PowerPoint
  • Base > Access
  • Draw > Publisher

The “Core” Microsoft Fonts
Special attention should also be paid to the fonts used in LibreOffice documents destined to be opened in Microsoft Office. The “core” Microsoft fonts of Andale Mono, Arial, Arial Black, Comic Sans MS, Georgia, Impact, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Trebuchet, and Verdana are not included. However, these are freely available and easily installed.

Open a Terminal [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[T] and type:
sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer

You will be required to agree to the Microsoft EULA. [Tab] to <OK> then [Enter]. [Left Arrow] to <Yes> then [Enter]