When Opening a Saved Calc File, Highlighted Cell Lacks Focus

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#1

I am currently using LibreOffice (LO) 26.2 (X86_64) on Linux Mint (LM) Cinnamon 22.3. I have had the problem mentioned below for quite a while, when LO was 25.8 (if not earlier) and Linux Mint was 22.2 (if not earlier). I have explored this forum and other resources, but have yet to find a solution.

Please note: this issue distinguishes cell Highlight and Focus in Calc. A Highlighted cell doesn’t necessarily have Focus.

When I open a saved .ods file (this doesn’t happen with new files), I am unable to type data in the highlighted cell (the number/alphabet characters I type don’t show in the highlighted cell — happens 90% of the time). The solution that works consistently is pressing the Tab key or one of the Arrow keys to give that cell focus (direction of the Arrow key is immaterial).

Process: upon opening a saved .ods file, I first try and type data in the highlighted cell. When this fails, I press the Tab key. Pressing the Tab key or the Arrow key the first time doesn’t move the highlight to an adjacent cell, it simply gives the highlighted cell “focus,” allowing me to type data in that particular cell. The lack of focus is not apparent when the file is opened; neither is the establishment of focus (by pressing the Tab key) apparent. In other words, there is no visible hint of either presence or absence of focus, other than the cell will or will not “accept” the data I type. I have explored using F2 and other keys (Shift, Alt, Ctrl, etc.) alone and in various combinations — none of them work. The Tab and Arrow keys work consistently to bring focus to highlighted cells lacking focus.

I have worked with LM forum to see if this is an LM issue; after extensive discussions, it does not appear to be an LM issue.

I am looking for a workable solution in which I don’t have to use the TAb/Arrow key to give focus to the highlighted cell. All help will be greatly appreciated!

#3

I don’t think I ever saw a highlighted cell in the active sheet of a just opened LibO spreadsheet file (.ods of .fods), but in every case exactly one cell showed the focus frame, but no highlighting as selected. Input went to the focus cell.

=== === ===

Do you get the issue also in safe mode or with a virgin profile?
Can you upload a small Calc file showing the issue for you?

= = =
BTW: "26.2. is VERY fresh (2026-03-06 today)
. I wouldn’t use it “in production”.

1 Like
#4

Lupp, thank you for your response. Before you review the attached file, I have a few things to share:

  • I posted the attached file on 2 forums and all the people, on both forums, who opened the file were able to enter data — without a problem. Translation: the cell that was highlighted when they opened the file had the focus also. This suggests the problem is mine, as opposed to a general problem.

  • Interestingly, I am afflicted approximately 90% of the time — which means 10% of the time, LO “behaves.” What drives that “behavior?” Yes, I understand there is no emotion involved — I am just making light of an annoying situation. Needless to say, there is a technical “glitch” — in my particular case.

  • I have tried both safe mode and a virgin profile — with the same annoying results.

  • Agreed: LO 26.2 is very “fresh;” however, I have been affected by this problem since at least LO 25.8 — if not earlier.

  • This problem began when LM sent multiple updates together — one of which was Wayland. I installed all the updates and Wayland immediately became my prime suspect. By the time I finished my research (which took quite a while), and figured out that very likely one of the other updates accompanying Wayland was the problem — not Wayland, all my Timeshift records from that time were overwritten by newer Timeshifts (I save a week’s worth of Timeshifts).

Attached is one of my “problem” spreadsheets. I made a copy of my “original” spreadsheet, removed personal data, and entered artificial data: everything else remains the same. I have lessened the number of columns and deleted other sheets, but formatting remains the same.

When I try and open the attached spreadsheet, cell A19 is highlighted; sometimes I am able to enter data (date or any other type of data) as soon as I open the spreadsheet, but many times I am unable to enter data until after I press the Tab key or one of the arrow keys. Please note: pressing the Tab key or one of the arrow keys once doesn’t move the highlight from one cell to another - it just gives the highlighted cell focus — allowing me to enter data. If the spreadsheet opens with cell A19 having focus, you many choose to close the spreadsheet and wait a while. Please keep in mind when you open the spreadsheet, the highlighted cell will be the one that was highlighted when/if you saved the spreadsheet. If you don’t save the spreadsheet, cell A19 will continue to be the highlighted cell.

If, after more than a dozen attempts with significant intervals in between opening the spreadsheet, cell A19 has focus each time (you are able to enter data without pressing the Tab key or one of the arrow keys), then the spreadsheet is behaving “normal” for you; if not, join the club!

Disclaimer: to the best of my knowledge, the attached .ods file is safe to open and use. Please use caution: open at your own risk.

Example of No Focus.ods (31.2 KB)

#5

For mer -as expected- no cell was highlighted, but cell Example.A19 had the focus (showed the frame) and accepted input.
This was the same under the Calc versions of

  • AOO 4.1.7 Portable
  • LibO 7.5.4.2 Portable
  • LibO 25.8.4.2 installed the usual way and tried with 2 different profiles.
    The OS was Win 10 in all the cases.

I have not yet a version of the 26.2 series on my computer.

You surely know where your user profile is stored. You may temporarily rename it to user.bak(e.g.) and try what you get with your example files if your LibO is started again and creates a “clean” profile automatically.

After the experiments delete the new profile and rename the backup to user again.

No clue so far.

#6

Lupp, thank you for looking into this case.

I should have explained/clarified what I meant by “highlighted.” My definition of “highlighted” is what you referred to as “showed the frame.” I should have thought through my definition. :slightly_frowning_face: When I open my files, there is a cell that has a frame; however, most of the time, I am unable to type data in that framed cell — because it doesn’t have focus. It is only after I press Tab or one of the Arrow keys, I am able to enter data in the framed cell — because the Tab/Arrow key gives focus to the framed cell. Pressing Tab or one of the Arrow keys once doesn’t move the frame to an adjacent cell; however, pressing Tab or one of the Arrow keys more than once will move the frame to an adjacent cell — beginning with pressing the Tab/Arrow key the second time.

I did change my original user profile to .bak and forced LO to create a new user profile: that didn’t change this problem (or anything else that I could see).

I have done several things to address this issue e.g. live USB, run several terminal commands — including those related to Java, hand shake, reinstalling LO, and many others. I also checked to make sure my sheets are not protected. None of these actions convinced LO to behave! I don’t remember, and therefore have not, listed all the actions I have taken.

Interestingly, this (or a very similar bug) had been reported. The bug refers to both Calc and Writer. I have issues with Writer also; however, because I rarely use Writer, it is not of major concern — to me.

Not being a programmer, I cannot help but wait for the LO team to address the bug — reported ~3 years ago. In the interim, I am [very] tempted to reinstall LM on my dual OS desktop; however, the fear of messing up — even with fairly clear guidelines, is preventing me — which maybe/is a good thing. This doesn’t mean I am giving up: it just means I have exhausted essentially all the avenues I know and now have to find and learn other avenues or pin my hopes on the LO team.

A lesson in patience…

#7

This appears to be a cross post from this topic on the OpenOffice forum where there has been some discussion.

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