Make it easier for your readers to check items in a list by inserting check boxes in your OpenOffice documents. Check boxes created by a form control are clickable, and you can even select their default state: checked or unchecked. If you don't need the check box to be clickable, you can use an image instead of a form control. The Web is full of check box images, so you have a broad set of choices. You can also insert a check box by using a special character.
Create a Check Box Using Form Controls
Step
Launch OpenOffice Writer and open an existing document or create a new one. Click "View," select "Toolbars" and click the "Form Controls" option to display the Form Controls toolbox.
Step
Click the "Design Mode On/Off" button in the Form Controls toolbox to unlock the controls and then click the "Check Box" button.
Step
Click and drag with your mouse to create a check box. Resize it using the resize handles and reposition it by clicking on its center and dragging it on the page.
Step
Double-click the inside of the control to display its Properties window. You can change the name of the control in the Name field. To disable the control, select "No" from the "Enabled" drop-down box; the control is not clickable when it is disabled. To set the default value of the check box, select "Selected" or "Not Selected" from the "Default status" drop-down box. You can manually input the width and height of the control into the Height and Width fields. Change the font of the control from the "Font" drop-down box and its style -- Flat or 3D -- from the "Style" drop-down box. Click the "X" icon to close the Properties window.
Step
Click the "Design Mode On/Off" button in the Form Controls toolbox to finish editing the control. The control becomes clickable. Save the document by pressing "Ctrl-S."
Insert a Check Box Graphic
Step
Download a check box image from the Web. If you search "check box" on Google, you have the option to view only images by clicking the "Images" link. To save an image, right-click it and choose "Save Image As" from the context menu.
Step
Launch OpenOffice, open the document you want to edit, click "Insert," select "Picture" and click "From File." Select the image you downloaded from the Web and click "Open" to insert it into your document. The image will probably be too large, so you'll need to resize it.
Step
Use the resize handles in the corners of the image to resize the picture. Hold "Shift" while resizing to constrain the proportions of the image and avoid distorting it. Click inside the image and move it around the page to reposition it.
