US UK language problems yet again

English
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#1

Using Libre Office
Version: 24.2.7.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 420(Build:2)
CPU threads: 4; OS: Linux 6.11; UI render: default; VCL: kf5 (cairo+xcb)
Locale: en-GB (en_GB.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Ubuntu package version: 4:24.2.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.3
Calc: threaded
On Kubuntu 24.04

Using Writer:
Writer set up for UI language as English (US)
Language tools as English (UK).
Start a new document; put in some text
Tools / language / all text doesn’t work (tick the “English (UK)” box, back out, go back in and the box is cleared).
Tools / language / paragraph doesn’t work (tick the “English (UK)” box, back out, go back in and the box is cleared).
Tools / language / selection works in that the setting is persistent; to select “all text”; select a different selection; then
Tools / language / selection maintains a tick in “English (UK)”
BUT
trying to do a spell check returns the “complete” bubble and when I click “ok” I get the spell check window with language set to “none”; the only other alternative is English (US) (ie no sign of “English (UK)”)
I have been reduced to cutting and pasting into a different editor, doing the spell check then pasting back into Writer - this is imply unworkable.

Repeatable with earlier documents created and spell-checked in English (UK)

#2

This menu is not intended to show any check. It is an action menu (“apply this language to everything”, not “show what language is everything”). So no, it’s wrong, that “Tools / language / all text doesn’t work” - it works. Same for Tools / language / paragraph. But the selection is the showing menu - unfortunately, this difference is not obvious … and provokes wrong expectations.

The question is - what is in your Tools → Languages and Locales → Writing Aids. A screenshot would be good as the first step.

#3

In addition: the language for the current selection or cursor is reported in the bottom status bar. If not visible, enable it with View>Status Bar.

#4

Agreed ref misleading not least of which becuase the presence of a tick box showing as “ticked” implying “current status”. Also agreed ref status shown in status bar (that does indeed follow the “instruction” of the Tools / language / for paragraph options. Thank you for clarifying.
However not useful given that when you then go to “spelling” the same spelling window comes up (although the “spell check finished” bubble doesn’t appear) with no content and dictionary options / language options of “none” or “English (US)” (ie nothing to do).
Further it is now not possible to turn off auto spell checking (even though it shows as off) - so typing “teh” automatically changes to “the”… and both Tools / “automatic spell checking” / ^F7 do nothing as far as I can see (and certainly don’t switch off auto spell checking).
An update obviously took place last night (the interface style is now completely different - and the font is nearly too small to read) - which seems to have made things worse !

Language marker in the status bar is “English (UK)”

#5

You seem to put completely different things into one basket - the spell checking has nothing to do with autocorrect.

But somehow, you missed the question about a screenshot of writing aids options… :slight_smile:

1 Like
#6

Try this extension… https://extensions.libreoffice.org/en/extensions/show/english-dictionaries

#7

Snap packaging vs DEB packaging?

I’ve decided that this is an Ubuntu packaging issue.
I have a similar problem with the Ubuntu provided packages, for UK(IE) spellchecking.

I installed Flatpak LO instead, where spellchecking works.

#8

Ok noted… came up as part of the spelling trauma…

#9

Neither.
I don’t have a conclusive answer (as to the thread from problem, via cause, to fix) but:
1 The problem was conclusive and there was no spell checking going on either in English (US) or English (UK).
2. I noticed that I had a faulted extension. This was stubborn at being removed. In the end I tracked down the files (~/.config/libreoffice/4/user/uno_packages/cache/uno_packages) and also the cache (~/.config/libreoffice/4/user/extensions/tmp/…), and deleted them. Stone dead…
3. I found that I had a very old dictionary file installed, that went
4. Downloaded the latest dictionary version and installed it

and it is now working fine.

So nothing to do with ubuntu (greatest respect to [iplaw67])

I have to say that I started on the screen shot cycle but gave up on that once it was operational again.

Finally as to the ropey tick boxes for defining language for given text (paragraph | selection | all text)
the explanation (thanks) of the tick boxes isn’t quite right. Not only are the tick boxes used to set language but the do also display status (not as described by @mikekaganski - greatest respect obvs)

So assume default language is English (UK):

(a) scoot over a paragraph: the indicator text on the status bar at the bottom states “English (UK)”
(b) select a paragraph. Select tools / language; “English (UK)” box is ticked; change to “English (US)”
(c) scoot from above, through this paragraph, and below; observe language indicator switch from “English (UK)” to “English (US)” and back again
(d) go back and select the same paragraph; select tools / language and sure enough the “English (US)” box is ticked.
So in conclusion the tick boxes under tools / language are indeed indicators as well as controls.

All I can conclude is that the faulting extension had also screwed up the proper operation of the tickbox indicators.

Job done

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