[Solved] Spell Checker

[PerryB]

I've used OpenOffice for many years. I never had problems with the spell checker until now. I have the latest OO update, using Windows 10 in the Chrome browser. Here's just a few problems I'm having. I have checked the option to check spelling as I type, but its not working. For example, I wanted to type "political", but forgot the "c". The spellchecker did not alert me that the spelling was wrong as I typed. And when I highlighted the wrongly spelled word and then hit both ABC buttons, the spelling and grammar button and the auto spell check button, neither of them returned the correct spelling. Also, when I tried to run a spell check from the beginning of the document, the spellcheck is set to the English US default. When I change that to the English UK version it will identify and change the first mistake using the UK version, but then immediately revert back to the US default for the next mistake. This is extremely frustrating since the spell checker has now become useless to me. Any suggestions how to fix this?

[RoryOF]

The usual starting point for spellcheck problems is to rename your OpenOffice user profile.

As you are using Windows close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter. Open File
Explorer. Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer (sometimes called Windows Explorer)
Address Bar and press Enter. Rename the "user" folder - "user.old" is a
good choice. Start OpenOffice.

This cures most spellcheck problems.

[PerryB]

Okay, I did that. But now I have a different, worse problem. After I made the change you recommended and opened Writer again, there was an update extension message. That was for an updated speller with US UK Canadian and South African English. I downloaded that new extension, but am having trouble installing it. OO Extension Manager opens with those languages listed, but no further instructions other than "disable" and "remove". The only button that makes sense is "Add". When I click on that a small window opens. It has the OO logo beside the title "Add Extension(s)". There is a field at the bottom of that window that says File name: with a space to put a name. But there is no instruction on what name to put. So now, when I open a previous Writer document or a new one, spell checker does not work at all. No matter what ABC or spellchecker option I click on the result is a message that spell check is complete without actually doing any spell checking. What a nightmare, and huge waste of my time.

[Hagar Delest]

In the extension manager, you need to click the Add button and then select the extension downloaded. It should be a .oxt file. Your web browser may have changed it to .zip. In this case, rename it to .oxt.
When installing the extension, it will replace the former one.

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.

[Branko R Babic]

This is complete confusion. Why has Open Office not simplified this process.
For 99% of PC users thas is too complicated and spoils the experience of using your software. Alol these programme changes ought to be simple. People want to use software not become computer experts.
Can you sort this out as my Spell check is not working either!
BRBabic

[RoryOF]

The sorting out is up to you, following these instructions on _YOUR_ computer.

Please do this:
As you are using Windows close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter. Open File
Explorer. Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer (sometimes called Windows Explorer)
Address Bar and press Enter. Rename the "user" folder - "user.old" is a
good choice. Start OpenOffice.

This cures most spellcheck problems.

[Hagar Delest]

The sorting out is up to you, following these instructions on _YOUR_ computer.

Well, I've to admit that the spell check problem is really something frustrating and I can't see why this is still a problem.
There was a bug report that has been closed fixed IIRC but we still see this problem too frequently.

[Branko R Babic]

Hagar very kindly specified a procedure that work very effectively and MY problem is solved but there are many more people who are struggling and that should not be happening with your software.

Can't locate (Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer) this file on my computer RoryOF.

The best thing for us users of your software would be to have a problem fix itself with a download or even replacing the existing download Open Office which does not contain the problem. People want to use the software not become computer experts.

BRB

[RoryOF]

Can't locate (Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer) this file on my computer RoryOF.

The instruction is to Copy and Paste the following string "%appdata%\OpenOffice\4 " (no quotes) into the File Explorer.

If you are using OpenOffice 3, replace the "4" on the string by "3".

Note that this is not "our software"; we are merely volunteers offering our services on a "pro bono" basis. If you think this service could be improved, volunteers are always welcome.

If the fix from Hagar was the renaming of a .zip file to an .oxt file, the silent renaming of a file in download is a problem caused by bad behaviour on the part of Internet Explorer, which is Microsoft proprietary software; you should complain to them.