Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

A few months ago the OpenOffice GB English spelling checker just stopped working. I have since downloaded the latest version of OpenOffice but still no joy. The language section allows me to set GB English as default but with no effect.

I have also tried downloading the GB English dictionary extension separately (there are no extensions shown in the extension manager to "manage") but the process fails and I get an error message as follows:- "...\AppData\Roaming\OpenOffice\4\user\uno_packages\cache\uno_packages\sv3d8toj.tmp_\dict-en-20170701.oxt does not exist."

Any ideas on how I can re-establish a functioning spelling checker, please?

Try Spell checker "red wriggly lines" - beta test fix

If that doesn't work, come back and I''ll give you another way.

Many thanks for the test fix. I had already tried it with the earlier version of Open Office and, unfortunately, it hasn't worked on this version either. The extension manager's list is empty and stubbornly refuses to accept the dictionary (& thesaurus) exist and when I start the add extension process to install the dictionary it is interrupted by the lengthy "file does not exist" error message I quoted above.

How are you installing dict-en.oxt? Is that its name? It can happen (often does) that Internet Explorer silently renames .oxt files to .zip. Look and see if that has happened - you may need to enable viewing of file extensions on your computer. If it has happened, at system level (i.e outside of OpenOffice) rename dict-en.zip back to dict-en.oxt, then double click it and see what happens.

See [Troubleshooting] Spell check in OpenOffice

Thank you for the advice. I actually use Firefox as a browser and I have checked the .oxt file ending is stil .oxt by right clicking on the file and checking "properties".. I do seem to be short of the sub-file (sv3d8toj.tmp_) in which the .oxt file is included when I try the "add extension" process... I've tried pasting it into place but the actual file seems to be missing and it doesn't load the dictionary.

If nothing works, try to reset your OpenOffice user profile.

Please add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the edit button if your issue has been fixed.

amerikernow wrote:Thank you for the advice. I actually use Firefox as a browser and I have checked the .oxt file ending is stil .oxt by right clicking on the file and checking "properties".. I do seem to be short of the sub-file (sv3d8toj.tmp_) in which the .oxt file is included when I try the "add extension" process... I've tried pasting it into place but the actual file seems to be missing and it doesn't load the dictionary.

The sub-file may need a different name on your computer (auto-assigned by the operating system, perhaps) and that file need to be registered to OO (internal OO housekeeping - I don't know how to do it), so simply pasting in an existing file will not do the registration to OO.

I agree with Hagar's suggestion - rename your OO user profile; that solves most spellcheck problems.

Have you tried simply double clicking the .oxt file?

FIXED, FIXED, FIXED... many thanks to you guys..

I tried renaming the user file before without success.. This time it has worked and the dictionary now seems to be functioning properly. I think, perhaps, that I had not actually managed to close the Open Office quick starter properly, even though the symbol disappeared from the task bar. Many thanks again for the time and help you have given me.

The test of a correct deletion or rename of the OO user profile is that, on next start of OO, one is prompted for name and initials.

Many thanks again.