Comments about the spell check troubleshooting thread

[Hagar Delest]

I've noticed that many users don't really read the [Tutorial] Spell check and Language configuration. Therefore, I've made a [Troubleshooting] Spell check in OOo 3.x version based on screenshots and step by step process.

Do you think it's a way to continue (for other topics)? Any comments with the content? I've tried to keep it: on a single page, simple and visual.

[acknak]

Yes! That looks great!

Just a couple of nits:
s/troubleshouting/troubleshooting/

I think the example for part #5 (http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=16512#p76376) may be confusing. You use a custom style and the style name, English, is shown in the style box in the formatting toolbar. This may suggest that the style box is showing the paragraph language setting rather than the style name. I think the language is always shown in the status bar, as you point out in the following section, so that's where I would focus in the tutorial.

It may not be necessary to have a section dealing with the language setting in a custom style: if you explain how to debug the built-in styles, I think most people who use custom styles will be able to transfer the concepts on their own.

I would put the title and yes/no question at the top of each section, and make the post title the same as the large title. The large bold text and the red/blue colors draw your eye to that first anyway, then it's a little confusing/distracting to read upwards to see the explanatory text.

I wonder if it might be helpful to attach a sample document at the top that people could test their installation with. If that does not work, then their install is broken. If that works and their document does not, then there's something wrong with their document. The sample could include passages in each of the standard languages, just for completeness.

Here's one (sorry, even Google's French and Spanish is far better than mine):

[Hagar Delest]

Thanks for the feedback!

I've implemented all your remarks. In the test file, I've added a sentence that should defeat the 3 spell checkers. If there is no wavy lines, it means that the related dic is not installed. I've kept it at the end, can be moved to top if needed.

[floris v]

Well done!

[TheGurkha]

Awesome job.

[floris v]

I suggest that we let this sink in for a bit; if the number of questions about the spelling problems goes down a lot, you (or somebody else) could spend time on similar topics for other problems, but if it's ignored a lot, it's not worth the trouble.

[magedogtag]

I had a problem with multiple language formats on a resume template that i downloaded. as it turned out, all the troubleshooting information was unnecessary except the box at the bottom which showed what language a specific word area was formatted to. to set the whole document right, after doing an entire "clear formatting" which did not work, i simply highlighted the whole document, right clicked on the language box at the bottom which said "multiple languages", clicked the "set language for paragraph", clicked English (usa) and it worked completely. the spell checker no longer switched from English to Spanish in those areas that were formerly formatted in Spanish.

[lgusaas]

It looks good except in #2 which lists "Tools>Options>Languages Settings>Languages".
On Macs it is "OpenOffice.org>preferences>Languages Settings>Languages". That is the only Mac specific difference that I noticed.

[Hagar Delest]

to set the whole document right, after doing an entire "clear formatting" which did not work, i simply highlighted the whole document, right clicked on the language box at the bottom which said "multiple languages", clicked the "set language for paragraph", clicked English (usa) and it worked completely.

Simple indeed but not robust.

all the troubleshooting information was unnecessary except the box at the bottom

Hopefully, other users might need the rest of the topic.

On Macs it is "OpenOffice.org>preferences>Languages Settings>Languages".

Fixed, thanks.

[generousgem]

I am so glad I finally found this forum! Many kudos on this 'fix' also as I thought I was going to have to uninstall & re-install
I had been bragging about OO.o to several people I know and one in particular who is a beginning author and has asked me to transcribe his manuscripts. When I initially spoke with him about it, I had mentioned the auto spell-check: imagine my when I could not demonstrate that to him in person ... lol At least now I can continue typing in the manuscript (and much faster because I will not have to go back & forth between the document & dictionary.com to check on spelling ... lol) and hopefully get it finished by the weekend
Thank you so much for your hard work but do you have any idea if this is going to be the protocol with future updates also? I mean most people presume the option is there automatically seeing as this is a word processing program ...
Anyway - kudos & keep up the awesome work!
gem

[Hagar Delest]

do you have any idea if this is going to be the protocol with future updates also? I mean most people presume the option is there automatically seeing as this is a word processing program ...

What do you mean exactly? the spell check is automatically activated by default.

[Bieffe]

I want to Use UK English in all my text docs.

Followed spell check guide to end, and all was correct. Spell check worked fine, also exited OO, and quickstarter, but settings are "forgotten" when next opening new text document.

Font language is back to NONE, and Tools, options, language settings, default language is back to German, althought User, Local, and currency are set to UK.

Any further suggestions?

[Robert Tucker]

I want to Use UK English in all my text docs...Font language is back to NONE, and Tools, options, language settings, default language is back to German, althought User, Local, and currency are set to UK.

Any further suggestions?

Set a blank UK English document as your default template.

[Hagar Delest]

Do you create the new documents from right click in the Explorer? If so, see the first link, and then the end of the first post.

[blackburn_place]

OMG....

"Finally"

Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks.

My ol lady is a bludgeon'r about spelling like so many others who seem to be stuck on perfection.

Thanks again... for what ever the difference it makes to me

But this Info was on point!

[magedogtag]

Hagar, i agree with you that the rest of the troubleshooting stuff hopefully would help other people. I was simply stating, though not worded well enough to make it clear apparently, that it was one box that fixed my problem. and you did mention that it is not robust, which i agree. until i saved it correctly (and i'm not sure what i mean about that since i can't remember exactly what was going on at the time) but i haven't had a problem since. agian, that may be just me, but it might work for someone else so i thought i'd put the idea out there.

thanks for the replies and all my best to you and yours.


Matt

[jecjackal]

I followed this guide and it worked but for only one document. I am creating documents through the windows explorer context menu. Is there any way to make the language preferences stick for all new documents.

Thanks,

Jec

[Hagar Delest]

I am creating documents through the windows explorer context menu. Is there any way to make the language preferences stick for all new documents.

Then see the corner case #2 in the 2nd post of the main tutorial.

[Smokr]

Wow, thanks! Spent an entire day mucking about before giving up and doing a Google for "open office spell check not working" then finding this thread.
Mucho thankos!

[jrg1980]

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

That took care of the problems!!


JRG

[G.J.A]

Took me a long time but finally due to your guidance I made it
Tried many different things,maybe I was doing something wrong..Anyway,this one worked!
Thank you very much!

[AlaricWood]

Sounds fine but on OOo 3.2.1. on Debian Squeeze clicking on extension manager takes me to a LibreOffice web page which says the page doesn't exist. The less I see of LibreOfice the better I will be pleased.

Alaric Wood

[Hagar Delest]

Then check the http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/dictionaries page given in the tutorial here.
Ubuntu has switched to LibO. If you want to keep OOo, see [Ubuntu] Installing OOo on Debian and Co.

[jasfeeney]

Thanks for help , all ok
James

[jmrathbun]

I found that the spell check settings work fine as long as I use soffice.exe to start a new document. If I simply right-click : New : OpenDocument Text on my desktop, the new document reverts to German language with no spell checking. I can fix that individual document's properties in half-a-minute, but each new instance is the same. Any way to fix this bug?

[robleyd]

You have already started a topic about this issue in this post

Please don't ask the same question in several places. I believe your question is actually related to the way opening a new document by right click is handled - someone with more knowledge will hopefully answerhas already answered in your other topic.

[faustjonson2]

I use Open Office for spell check and it works just fine. Although, I would really appreciate some additional functions that would allow a writer see not only grammar mistakes but some of the verbal ones as well. For example, showing a word that might not be appropriate in the context would be great. I use other editors to do that and it is not that convenient.