12-hour time format, like 7:00 PM "misspelled"

[AZM]

I was seeing a “spelling” error on “7:00” PM. The spelling error involved the digits only.

At first, I saw nothing of setting a preferred time format, but in Options > Language Settings > Languages, just above “Writer,” I saw “date acceptance patterns.”

This probably follows PHP, so I looked up the way to display time and date using PHP. (PHP is a server-side scripting language for building websites.) I solved my issue by inserting a 12-hour time format in addition to the existing date formatting.

Now, how do I make these changes PERMANENT, so when I open the Office up, it doesn’t revert? Pull up my default template, make the changes to time and date as above, along with any font changes, then save the template? That will be my next step.

EDIT: I saved my template, made it be the default; but I still lost my date-and-time formatting.
What in heaven’s name must I do to retain that information from one session to the next?

I did retain my template’s font choices, but that isn’t how to retain time settings. My “7:00” still comes up “misspelled.”
Thank you.

EDIT #2: Using Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon with LibreOffice Version: 6.4.7.2

EDIT #3: Now, this is downright ridiculous: I closed my empty page in Writer, and am looking at the gallery of documents I have recently used. There is the big menu on the left, where I can create any LibreOffice document. Above that, my Tools menu.

Open the Tools, then Options, then Language Settings, which is where I was at last time, so Languages page is open. Edit the time format in, apply, OK.

Close Options and re-open Options:
My time settings are gone. Again, how to save them PERMANENTLY!?

[EarnestAl]

@AZM

“7:00” PM

Do you mean it is misspelled as 07:00 PM? Or as 19:00? The 07:00 implies it is 7 AM but the PM says it is the evening. You need to format it as H:MM AM/PM. You can save your field in a template but it won’t change the default format if you add the time using Insert > Field > Time. If you press Ctrl+F2, the Fields dialogue will open, under the Document tab at the bottom of the left pane click on Time and in the right-hand pane select Additional formats where you can change the format for that instance of the field.

There was a previous question, How do I change the default date/time format?, about changing the default but apparently it is hard coded. There is a link on that page, to a related question for a macro on changing date format to another language.

[AZM]

Thank you, EarnestAl,

My intent is to use “7:00 PM,” but there is a red wavy line under the figures: 7:00. I fixed the issue by using PHP abbreviations “g:i A” added to the date acceptance line, but that only lasted until I closed the document. Letter g is hour with no leading zeros, i is for double- digit minutes and uppercase A is for uppercase AM/PM. Lowercase a is for lowercase am/pm. Reference: PHP DateTime::format

Here is how I resolved the issue:
I started writing times and adding them to the dictionary. Decided instead to open Options and add times to the standard dictionary, instead. After 50 entries for the hour, quarter-hour, half-hour, three-quarter-hour, plus 11:59 and 12:01, the spell checker ignores time entries or takes more time than I gave it on the short test that I ran.

It’s a klutz workaround, but if it works, I’m satisfied. Thank you for your kind response!

The spell checker ignores any time, whether it’s in the dictionary or not, in my short test.

[EarnestAl]

Now that you have described the problem properly, the solution is easy. I had assumed you wanted the Time field to be formatted differently. What I don’t understand is how the setting was turned on when the default is for it to be off, I’m guessing a chair to keyboard interface error.
Click Tools > Options > Language settings > Writing Aids in the dialogue that opens, under Options uncheck Check words with numbers. Cheers, Al

[AZM]

EarnestAl,
OK, I’ve found a c/k error, and unchecked “Check words with numbers.” I never check that because I deal with amateur radio callsigns: “W7XYZ” for instance. Maybe I checked that because I will have r5hymes over t6ime, top row of letters getting numerals inserted.

That was turned on, spell-check as I write was turned off. I reversed those settings and emptied the standard dictionary of all my time entries. Then I typed into my document, that the meeting is at 7:00. NO issue!

Thanks everyone. I will mark a solution!

[Villeroy]

Your time value is text, possibly due to ignored import options. Red wiggly underlining comes from spell checking.
You have to check “detect special numbers“ when importing csv

[AZM]

My computer came to me brand-new, with Linux Mint 20 installed, and with it, LibreOffice. I recently upgraded to LM 20.2, and with it comes an upgraded LO. I suppose I could uninstall LibreOffice and purge its tracks from my computer, and re-install. I have never dealt with csv files on this installation.

I appreciate your input, Villeroy, for it got me to thinking along this line. I have always used H:MM(:SS) AM/PM or am/pm, or 24-hour time (0300 UTC). I have never been challenged by a spell checker on time figures.

The more I think on it, the more I might just do a wipe and reinstall.

[EarnestAl]

If you have an unresolvable problem with configuration the issue lies in user profile which can be reset to factory settings but it is advisable to back up first so you can restore templates autocorrect lists, etc.
Uninstalling and re-installing does not help; wiping every trace might work but it is easier to just reset profile.
Resetting your profile or wiping and installing anew, just to change a single Options setting would be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Cheers, Al

[Lupp]

The question is tagged Writer and shouldn’t be related to import tools/options.
In Writer only TextField objects of specific types and TextTable cells (a mess) accept NumberFormat settings. For TextField there isn’t an import tool, of course, and importing (from csv-type files e.g.) and making a number-formatted table of the contents is unreasonably complicated and error prone. (We may see this as an advantage discouraging users from relying on TextTables if they want to work with numeric values.)
The mentioned option to set a list of Date acceptance patterns doesnt’ apply to Writer at all - except you include instances of one (ore few?) FormControl type(s).
On the other hand spell checking might better be switched off anyway, and applying it to “words with numbers” is a bad joke, imo. If it marks something “doubtable” (red waves) on the other hand, that doesn’t afflict the print.
Much ado about nothing? Preformatted text
(This comment doesn’t apply to the answer by @EarnestAl, of course.)

[Villeroy]

Please upload a document which demonstrates the issue, so others can see what is happening. Reinstall will not change anything at all.

[Villeroy]

Sorry, I did not see the tiny “writer” flag. I assumed Calc.