Changing the default word processor in Xubuntu 12.10

Writer is the word-processing application in the LibreOffice productivity suite. AbiWord is the default word processor in Xubuntu 12.10. This document explains how to set LibreOffice Writer as the default word processor on your Xubuntu PC. You need to install LibreOffice, and then uninstall AbiWord.

Installing LibreOffice

To install LibreOffice on your Xubuntu PC, do the following:

1 - Click Applications Menu (white mouse, upper left), and then click Ubuntu Software Center to open it.

2 - Type libreoffice into the search field to display icons for all available LibreOffice items, including its entire office-productivity suite.

3 - Select the LibreOffice (productivity suite) icon, and then click Install.

4 - Type your password, click Authenticate and then wait for the installation to finish.

5 - Close the Ubuntu Software Center window.

Note: For more information, see:

* - Installing LibreOffice on Xubuntu

* - Disabling word-processor automatic corrections

Uninstalling AbiWord

Normally, as shown in Figure 1, you can set Writer as default by right-clicking any odt (open document text) file, clicking Properties and then selecting LibreOffice Writer in the Open With field. However, this is not currently working in Xubuntu 12.10; you cannot directly reset any application as default. Therefore, to set LibreOffice Writer as your default word processor, you need to uninstall AbiWord.

Figure 1 - Currently, directly setting the default does not work.

Note: After you uninstall Abiword, you can use LibreOffice Writer to edit any document you have created through Abiword.

To uninstall AbiWord, do the following:

1 - Click Applications Menu (white mouse), and then click Ubuntu Software Center to open it.

2 - Type abiword into the search field to display the AbiWord icon as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Removing (uninstalling) AbiWord.

3 - Select AbiWord, click Remove, and then click Remove All.

4 - Type your password, click Authenticate and then wait for the removal to finish.

5 - Close the Ubuntu Software Center window.

Removing Netflix Desktop from Xubuntu 12.10

Due to recent updates to Xubuntu 12.10, the Netflix Desktop application might no longer work on your Xubuntu 12.10 PC. If so, you might wish to uninstall Netflix Desktop completely because its old files might interfere with a possible future version. This document explains how to install Synaptic Package Manager, and then use it to uninstall Netflix Desktop completely.

Installing Synaptic Package Manager
In my experience, for uninstalling software, the Synaptic Package Manager works better than the Ubuntu Software Center. To install Synaptic on Xubuntu 12.10, do the following:

1 - Click Applications Manager (white mouse, upper left), and then click Ubuntu Software Center to open its window.
2 - Type synaptic in the search field.
3 - Select Synaptic Package Manager, click Install and then type your password.
4 - Click Authenticate, and then wait for the installation to complete.
5 - Close the Ubunutu Software Center.

Uninstalling Netflix Desktop
To uninstall Netflix Desktop completely, do the following:

1 - As shown in Figure 1, click Applications Manager (white mouse), select System and then click Synaptic Package Manager to open it.

Figure 1 - Opening Synaptic Package Manager.

2 - As shown in Figure 2, type netflix into the Quick-filter field.

Figure 2 - Preparing to remove Netflix Desktop packages.

3 - Right-click netflix-desktop, and then click Mark for Complete Removal.
4 - Right-click wine-compholio, and then click Mark for Complete Removal.
5 - Click Apply, wait for the Change-applied window and then click Close.
6 - Close the Synaptic Package Manager window, and then reboot your Xubuntu 12.10 PC.

Viewing Help in Xubuntu 12.10

Light but powerful, Xubuntu 12.10 is a community-developed, Ubuntu-based distribution of the Linux operating system. Before you can view Xubuntu offline Help, you might need to set it up. This document explains how to set up Xubuntu Help according to your preferred web browser, such as Chromium or Firefox.

Note: This document specifically applies to Xubuntu 12.10, and generally to other Xubuntu releases.

Choosing Chromium for viewing Help
To set up Xubuntu so that you can view its offline Help through Chromium, do the following:

1 - Open Chromium, set it as your default browser and then close it.
2 - Click Applications Menu (white mouse at upper left) to display its menu.
3 - Click Help to display the Choose Preferred Application window as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - Selecting Debian Sensible Browser

4 - Select Debian Sensible Browser and then Click OK to display the Xubuntu Welcome window for the first time through Chromium. Note: Selecting the Debian Sensible Browser indirectly enables viewing Xubuntu offline Help through Chromium. Selecting Chromium directly does not enable it.

5 - Reboot your Xubuntu PC, Click Applications Menu (white mouse), and then click Help to redisplay the Xubuntu Welcome window as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Welcome window in Xubuntu Help

6 - Click don't ask again to close the default-browser notice. Note: Do not set Chromium as your default browser.
7 - Close the Xubuntu Welcome window, and then continue according to the Viewing Help section below.

Choosing Firefox for viewing Help
To set up Xubuntu so that you can view its offline Help through Firefox, do the following:

1 - Click Applications Menu (white mouse at upper left) to display its menu. 
2 - Click Settings Manager to display the Settings window.
3 - Click Preferred Applications to open its window, click Internet and then select Mozilla Firefox. 
4 - Close the Preferred Applications window, and then continue according to the Viewing Help section below.

Viewing Help
After setting up Xubuntu for viewing its help through Chromium or Firefox according to either section above, you can view Xubuntu offline Help through the browser you have chosen. To view Xubuntu offline Help, do the following:

1 - Click Applications Menu (white mouse), and then click Help to display the Xubuntu Welcome window.
2 - In the Get Help and Support Section,  click Xubuntu Offline Documentation to display its window.
3 - A shown in Figure 3, scroll to the Table of Contents, and then select any Help item you need.

Figure 3 - Table of Contents in Xubuntu Help

Creating a simple flowchart in Microsoft Word

Flowcharts can help you communicate technical information more clearly through your MS Word documents. How you create a flowchart varies according to its complexity. For example:

• If you wish to create a detailed, complex flowchart, you can use a separate graphics tool, such as  Visio or Dia, to create a flowchart and then import it into your MS word document.
• If you wish to create a simple flowchart, you can use the Shapes menu, as explained below, to create your flowchart within MS Word.

This document explains how to create a simple flowchart by displaying the Shapes menu, adding flowchart shapes, adding Lines to interconnect the shapes and then adding flowchart labels.

Note: This document applies to creating simple flowcharts specifically in MS Word 2007, and generally in newer versions of MS Word.

Displaying the Shapes menu
To display the Shapes menu in an MS Word document do the following:

1. Open a new or existing MS Word document.
2. As shown in Figure 1 below, add several blank paragraphs where you wish to create a flowchart.
3. Place the text-insertion point (blinking cursor) at any blank paragraph and then click Insert to display its ribbon as shown in Figure 2 below.
4. Click Shapes to display its menu as shown Figure 3 below.

Figure 1 - Making space for your flowchart.

Figure 2 - The Insert ribbon includes a Shapes icon.

Figure 3 - The Shapes menu includes a Flowchart section and a LInes section.

Adding flowchart shapes
To add flowchart shapes to your MS word flowchart, do the following:

1. Display the Shapes menu according the procedure above.
2. Under Flowchart, select a shape, such as Process, to change your mouse pointer to cross-hairs.
3. Click and hold the left mouse key, drag the cross-hairs to create and size the shape, and then release the key to place the shape on the page as shown in Figure 4 below.
4. Move and resize the shape as necessary. Note: Selecting a shape causes Word to display its Drawing Tools - Format ribbon.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each shape you wish to add to your flowchart. For example, you might add a Decision shape and two Terminator shapes as shown in Figure 5 below. Note: If you need to duplicate a shape, you can copy and paste it.

Figure 4 - Adding a Process shape.

Figure 5 - Adding a Decision shape and two Terminator shapes.

Adding Lines to interconnect shapes

To add interconnecting lines among the shapes in your MS word flowchart, do the following:

1. Add two or more flowchart shapes according to the procedure above.
2. Click Insert, and then click Shapes to display its menu.
3. Under Lines, select a line, such as Elbow Arrow Connector, to change your mouse pointer to cross-hairs.
4. Click and hold the left mouse key, drag the cross-hairs to create and size the line, and then release the key to place the line on the page as shown in Figure 6 below. Note: You can drag the yellow diamond to reshape the line.
5. Drag the green end points of the line so that its arrow interconnects the Process and Decision shapes as shown in Figure 7 below. Note: The line is straight if you place its green end points at the same level.
6. Copy and paste the line, and then use the new line to interconnect the top of the Decision shape with the top Terminator shape.
7. Repeat step 6 to interconnect the bottom of the Decision shape with the bottom Terminator shape as shown in Figure 8 below.

Figure 6 - Adding a new Elbow Arrow Connector line. 

Figure 7 - Connecting the Process shape to the Decision shape.

Figure 8 - Connection the Decision shape to the Terminator shapes.

Adding labels to your flowchart
You can add text labels to your flowchart shapes. To add text to a shape, right-click the shape and then select Add Text. For more information, please see: Add text to drawings in Microsoft Office Word 2007.

Note: You can also add shapes, such as small Process shapes, for use only as labels into which you add text. For example, you might wish to place labels near certain lines.