Cannot assign hotkey to 'Character Highlighting Color(CharBackColor)' Command

johndoe987 · February 4, 2025, 10:16am

Hi, I’m using 24.8.4.2 version of LibreOffice in Windows 10.

Goal:
I want to assign custom hotkey to Character Highlighting Color function, as I background mark the text often.

Problem:
When I assign a hotkey on Tools\Customize…\Keyboard, even though the command is shown as having the hotkey I assigned, it does not register.

I have assigned separate hotkeys that weren’t previously designated to other functions to both “.uno:CharBackColor” command and “.uno:BackColor” command. Writer does not register respective hotkeys I assigned.

I have experimented if this custom hotkey menu as a whole is malfunctioning; it is not. I have assigned other function(Strikethrough) to both the one that is assigned on CharBackColor and a separate one. It works without any issues.

Thank you for your time reading this post and I appreciate any input.

ajlittoz · February 4, 2025, 12:36pm

I experimented by assigning a key combination to Character Highlighting Color (strangely enough there are two such commands in Tools>Customize and they both behave the same). When I press the shortcut, I see the icon in the toolbar toggling, meaning the key combination is recognised by Writer, but there is no highlighting.

Could it be that the command only toggles state but lacks colour information to request highlighting?

However, as a strong styling advocate and contemptor of direct formatting, I think you should rather define adequate character styles for your markup. Associate the character styles to key shortcuts. I checked that highlighted character styles work as expected.

johndoe987 · February 4, 2025, 1:57pm

First of all, Thank you for taking your time to experiment if the issue I’m having is not local to me, but also replicated on your work environment as well.

Upon my closer inspection, it seems you’re right that the keys do register in Writer, because I noticed the selected section ‘blink’, if you know what I mean.

Even more so, (despite my lack of technical knowledge) your assumption that the command lacks the color info sound plausible as well, as the command hotkey cannot toggle ON, but it works just fine when toggling OFF(undoing the highlighting).

Unfortunately, it seems the problem is not local to me and hence not solvable to me. However, reading your last paragraph I’ve decided to accept the healthier editing habit of refraining from direct formatting.

I have assigned the hotkey of my liking to a character style I newly created, which I’ll frequent. In short, the bug unfortunately persists, but I have found a way around it, thanks to you.

LeroyG · February 4, 2025, 2:48pm