Custom list of languages (for document, selection, paragraph)

[cipricus]

I want to switch quickly between languages for spelling corrector as I use documents in multiple languages. When I already have a such document, with different paragraphs already set for a specific language, all the languages involved appear in the list of options for selecting the corrector language. But if this setting is not yet done for the different paragraphs, the list usually contains only the default language.

Sometimes the program is trying to guess the language but fails (shows Portuguese instead of French for example).

I know how to select a certain language if it is not listed in the menu or the taskbar list by selecting ‘More’ and going to a window titled ‘Character’ where languages can be also set:

but I find that very complicated for every selection.

Is it possible to always have three or four selected languages in the menu list that opens when clicking the language taskbar (or when right-clicking an underlined word) - first image above?

[petermau]

Yes, can be a little confusing, French and English alone gives quite a choice. I need to switch between English, American, French, Swiss French, Swiss German, Italian +.

What I do is to set a paragraph style to each language choice. By choosing the style, spelling automatically changes to the selected language. You can choose styles with F11 > Styles and Formatting Sidebar > Paragraph > All Styles > right click on the base style > New Style > Organiser > name (say Default-French) > Font> Choose Language. At the end choose Custom Styles.

Then only the paragraph styles in the chosen languages are shown. Sounds slightly complicated at first, but styles really are a labour saving function once one gets used to them.

Updated 6 March

To quickly change from to a new style I prefer two choices. 1) When you define a style you can select on the organiser tab the next style to be chosen. So for the paragraph when you select NEW LINE the document will switch to next paragraph. So if a French paragraph is usually to be followed by a German say, a new line will switch you to German. This assumes you will be typing a new line between these “paragraphs”. The styles actually in use will be highlighted in the Sidebar.

2. Making certain the STYLES and FORMATTING sidebar is shown (F11 to switch it on and off) and you have selected PARAGRAPH STYLES and CUSTOM STYLES. This will show your short list of styles you have actually created, say Spanish, German, Italian, French, English. Then double click on a style will change the style to that selected. Remember, that as a paragraph you can select Language, Font Style, Colour and Size etc. So double click is the magic spell.

Hope that gives a little more food for thought.Peter

[cipricus]

Does that mean that switching between styles is easier than between languages? In what way? Let’s say I have created 4 separate styles: in what sense switching between those is easier to do than switching between languages?

[petermau]

Good question! I prefer this approach because each paragraph has a language and any other characteristics linked to this text. So that if I change any text the correct language dictionary is automatically chosen. Also, if I need to have font changes linked to a language, say italic for French quotes this is again automatically chosen. This saves me a great deal of effort. LibO 5.1 has added a style menu option to highlight the importance of this function.

[cipricus]

could you add more details on how to quickly switch styles?

[cipricus]

I followed your procedure and I find it useful, but custom styles are not saved between documents unless document is saved as template and that template is set as default

[cipricus]

How can I save my styles' modifications for eternity in LibreOffice?

[cipricus]

I have added images and a solution for saving styles in my answer because I cannot due to low ‘karma’ edit yours. Feel free to add those images and the rest to your answer if you want.

[cipricus]

also: adding a template with the a style for each desired language will display all those languages in the menu list for languages

[cipricus]

So, I will present below a summing-up and update to the other answer that can be used as a solution but that I cannot for the moment edit due to low karma:

Set a paragraph style to each language choice and save them in a template. By choosing the style, spelling automatically changes to the selected language. You can choose styles with F11

Select custom styles at the bottom drop-down menu. Normally that is empty if this is a new document.

Right click in that window and select ‘New’.

Set font and language and other options, especially the name of the style, then click Apply.

Use F11 to see styles and double click one of them to select the one you want.

But there is a problem: styles are saved for each document, opening a new document you will not see any styles under Custom styles when pressing F11.

The solution to this is:

In the document where you have created all your styles delete all text and go to ‘File - Templates - Save as template’.

Then, make that template default for all new documents:

File/Templates/Organize (may appear as File/Templates/Manage) then click on the template and set as Default Template

Now in a new document all your styles will be available under Custom styles when you press F11.

Old documents have their own template and are not affected by this change. To get a new template in an older document:

Press F11, then select a drop-down menu with the option ‘Load styles’,

then select your template that was saved before. In this way the styles in that template will be added to the ones already present, if any. To keep a certain list of styles (a template) for that document, save the document after any template changes.

All languages added as styles in a template will appear in the language selection menu in the documents that use that template. For the styles above: