[Solved] New AOO install, 4.1.15, spell check not working

[bugjah]

Hello all

I just went doiwn a pretty deep rabbit hole reading various "spell check not working" posts here, and nothing helped me (resetting user profile, running a python script I found about red squiggly line issues, checking the preferences to make sure spell check is enabled, etc).

So, finally, I wnet nuclear: I uninstalled Openffice, and deleted the OpenOffice directory in Library/Application Support/

And then donwloaded a fresh copy and reinstalled

And spellcheck is still not working !?!

(finds no mis-spelled words, and I know there are mis-spelled words in my test document)

Can someone possibly help, or point me to a relevant forum I have missed?

Thanks!

[floris v]

You tell in very general terms what you have done so far. You need to be explicit, so that we can see what's wrong.
For the spell checker to work, you need to:
1. have a working dictionary for the language that you use. You should normally select that language for the Default paragraph style when you write in one language. In the list of languages in the Default paragraph style dialog box, your language should have a green checkmark to the left of the language name.
2. set that language for the text that you type. You can do that in the Default paragraph style, or another one if you switch between languages a lot. It's not a good idea to set the language by direct formatting - it's inefficient (because you will have to apply it again and again as you enter text), it will increase the file size, and it's just not good style, pun intended.
3. have a properly working user profile.

On a side note, it's probably time to move on to LibreOffice.

[robleyd]

In addition, if you haven't already, you may wish to look at [Troubleshooting] Spell check in OpenOffice

My first thought was a mismatch of document language and dictionary language.

[RoryOF]

On your failing document, what language is shown just beyond the middle of the Status Bar (bottom bar of OpenOffice window)? If you do not see that Status Bar, turn on /View /Status bar.

[bugjah]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Second, my apologies for being a newb at OO in addition to on this forum. In the future I will provide more specific info at the outset.

But this is now SOLVED!

All three of you basically hit on the same solution:

1) I had a dictionary installed, in English as default, and spell checking enabled (including checking spelling as you type)
BUT
2) My document had no language selected!!

Once I selected the document language as English, the spell checking worked!

I have no idea how that happened (defaulting to no language in that document) but now I know what to do.

And thank you I will look into LibreOffice

best
J