[Solved] Unwanted red underlining

[Gracie]

My issue is the same...UNWANTED UNDERLINING. The suggested fixes don't work (copy/paste into new document & Control M).

Two days ago when I opened a saved Writer document to continue editing, all text, each individual word in the document, was (and remains) underlined as though each word is misspelled. It's not like a Format Underline. The underlining is red and wavy.

First thing I checked was that the Language was still set in English. It was. Not only is it annoying, but I cannot tell if I've misspelled a word. I attached a document with a copy/paste paragraph from my original document? (It was still underlined when I saved it, closed it, and re-opened it before attaching here.)

Will appreciate your help. Thanks.

[RoryOF]

I have split this topic from the thread in which you posted it, and added explanatory word to Subject. What you are seeing are red wiggly lines, the sign of a possible spelling error, not the unwanted black line separating paragraphs, so your post is not appropriate in the thread in which you posted it.

The language is set to English (USA); the specific type of English requires the dictionary for that style to be installed. Look at /Tools/ Options /OpenOffice /Language Settings :Languages and check that English(USA) is elected under default languages for documents: Western.

[Gracie]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes to Western English(USA).

[Bill]

The red wavy underlining means that the word is not in the default dictionary or a user defined dictionary. It's up to the user to correct the spelling if its not correct or add the word to a user dictionary if it's correctly spelled. AOO can't do that for the user. Personally, I had to Google the underlined word to find out if it was really a word. I added the word to the standard.dic and the underlining disappeared.

[RoryOF]

I didn't worry about the one word; when I opened the document, all words (as reported) were not red underlined.

In /Tools/ Options /OpenOffice /Language Settings :Languages; if English(USA) is elected under default languages for documents: Western, does it have a blue "abc" flag in front to it? If not, you will need to download and install the English dictionaries from
https://extensions.openoffice.org/en/pr ... openoffice

[Gracie]

Just so you know, this happens automatically to NEW documents also...documents that are blank and in which I begin to type fresh copy...each word gets red wavy underlined. So it's not just copy/pasted text that was previously red underlined.

[Gracie]

does it have a blue "abc" flag in front to it?

Mine has a blue check mark with "abc" over top of it. Does that fit the definition?

[Gracie]

One more characteristic...it is only after a word is typed and the space bar is clicked that the word becomes underlined...not while the word is being constructed...as though it were misspelled.

[Bill]

Sorry, I missed that all words were being underlined. That's different from the original problem where only a few words were underlined. When all words are underlined and the document language setting is correct, the problem is usually caused by a corrupt user profile which can be fixed by resetting the user profile.

[John_Ha]

See the first thread at the very top of the Writer forum. It explains how to fix the problem.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

[Gracie]

Bill, I don't understand the directions in Writer guide about resetting user profile. Sorry. But I see there's a release 4.1.6 (which I've not downloaded yet). Might that help? I'll check back tomorrow to see your response. Thanks for the responses today.

[robleyd]

No, upgrading won't fix the problem; only resetting the profile will fix it. In addition to the link Resetting the user profile there is a post with pictures which may help you.

[RoryOF]

This is as simple as I can make the instructions. If you can't follow them, seek local informed advice - often a friendly teenager will be able to follow these steps.

As you are using Windows close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter.

If in doubt about this, start TaskManager - (ctrl shift Esc) and kill all "soffice" procsses shown on TMN's tabs (Note the initial "s" in "soffice")

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.

[Gracie]

Rory, I needed no young whippersnapper "friendly teenager" to solve this problem. Your well-presented, simple to follow instructions did the trick. Easy Peasy! And I thank you very much!!!! All the red wavies are GONE!

[RoryOF]

Rory, I needed no young whippersnapper "friendly teenager" to solve this problem. Your well-presented, simple to follow instructions did the trick. Easy Peasy! And I thank you very much!!!! All the red wavies are GONE!

We do not know the level of computer skills Users presenting on the forum have; when a User says

I don't understand the directions in Writer guide about resetting user profile.

it can be simplest to suggest local informed help, which will often be a teenage son/daughter either of their own or of a neighbour.


Note that the red wavy problem can present itself again if you are over-hasty in powering off the computer. Go through the formal "computer shutdown" procedure, then wait a few (10-20) seconds for the hard drives to flush and spin down before powering off the computer or closing a laptop lid.