search functionality for special characters is too bad

[sid]

Regarding search functionality from insert special characters>more characters. Searching by using the names of characters often gives no result. There seem to be no pattern, just keep trying by changing the font and it will give results randomly sometimes.

Chances of getting results increases, I feel from my experience but not sure, if before writing the name of character the default font is toggled to any other.

My few observations below [for a fresh doc everytime, my default is noto sans but it should occur with others too just try a few combinations randomly for search terms ‘check’ or ‘ballot x’ or any, also try by toggling font prior to writing the search term]:

1. search ‘check’ with Noto sans as default [no result] > change noto sans to opensymbol [no result] > select opensymbol again [success]

2. change default noto sans to opensymbol first > search ‘check’ [success] > change opensymbol to Padauk [success] > change Padauk to opensymbol again [no result] > select opensymbol again [success]

3. change default noto sans to Padauk first > search ‘check’ [no result] > change Padauk to opensymbol [no result] > change to Padauk again [success]

Version: 7.0.0.3
Build ID: 8061b3e9204bef6b321a21033174034a5e2ea88e
CPU threads: 4; OS: Linux 5.4; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-IN (en_IN); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

[ajlittoz]

That’s why I prefer to search for characters outside Writer. My desktop is KDE Plasma. It comes with the KCharSelect utility where looking for a partial name like CHECK will hit independent of the font. But you get also “false positives” because the search key is also looked up in the comments of every character. E.g. CHE will also hit on LEFT-POINTING DOUBLE ANGLE QUOTATION MARK (not containing CHE because word “chevons” is present in the comment).

Personally, I prefer this rather than missing one.

[sid]

reported at fdo#136230