Spell checker "breaks" in Windows XP LO 3.5.2

cbkschroeder · April 18, 2012, 12:38pm

Hi,

The spell checker in LibreOffice 3.5.2 seems to spontaneously break. This
happened to me on previous versions, too. I have spent too much time going
through various channels to try to solve the problem; lots of workarounds --
installing other dictionaries, for example -- can be found. These
workarounds don't, of course, solve the problem. I'm using US English, and
I'm in Canada. Before I waste somebody's time by submitting a bug report, I
thought I'd try here for input.

It seems that one day I will happily be using writer with the spell check
running 100%. Then, next day, the spell checker doesn't seem to work
anymore. Poof. I've got XP SP3. It seems as though the English dictionary
extension somehow breaks despite my doing nothing in regard to configuring
the software beyond default. I had entertained that running OS updates might
be breaking the software, so I tried the following, though I couldn't
replicate the issue. I know, this may seem like a lot to post for a negative
result, but I feel it might be useful to know what DOESN'T seem to cause the
problem.

- Reverted to 120401 OS backup image made via True Image; LibreOffice 3.5.1
was installed; spell check didn't work. Most recent round of XP updates had
not been applied.
- Uninstalled Libreoffice 3.5.1
- Deleted LibreOffice folder in Program Files
- Deleted LibreOffice folder in C:\Documents and
Settings\Administrator\Application Data
- Deleted LibreOffice shortcuts in Start menu
- Ran CCleaner
- Rebooted
- Installed LibreOffice 3.5.2 and helppack.
- Rebooted.
- Ran LibreOffice Writer. Touched nothing, just started typing gobbledegook.
US English spell check was active and lots of little red squiggly error
underlines indicated the spell check was working.
- Went to tools, options, language settings, languages, and under "Default
Languages for Documents" there was a nice fat check mark with "ABC" written
over top of it beside the "Default - English (USA)" setting. Several other
languages present here also had that thick check mark.
- User interface setting was "Default - English (USA)", Locale setting was
"Default - English (USA)". I took a snapshot of the window:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3919812/picture_00.png

- When I went to the extension manager, scrolled down to English Spelling
Dictionaries and left-clicked to highlight it, I saw that an "Options"
button appeared:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3919812/picture_01.png

Clicking it opened yet another window which said English Sentence Checking:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3919812/picture_02.png

- Ran CCleaner 3.17.1689, ran the cleaner function, ran the registry "Scan
for Issues" function, fixed all issues, and rebooted.
- Started writer again, discovered the state of the program was unchanged
from the above description. Everything worked fine. The last CCleaner
execution clearly did not adversely effect LO.
- Proceeded to run the windows updates one by one.
        - Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP
(KB2675157). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran CCleaner. Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Security Update for Windows XP (KB2653956). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran
CCleaner. Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - April 2012 (KB890830).
Rebooted. LO OK. Ran CCleaner. Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 on XP, Server 2003, Vista,
Windows 7, Server 2008 x86 (KB2656368). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran CCleaner.
Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2 on Windows Server
2003 and Windows XP x86 (KB2656369). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran CCleaner.
Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 on Windows XP,
Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 x86 (KB2656370). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran
CCleaner. Rebooted. LO OK.
  - Definition Update for Microsoft Security Essentials - KB2310138
(Definition 1.123.1780.0). Rebooted. LO OK. Ran CCleaner. Rebooted. LO OK.

So clearly LO is not broken by any of these. So what breaks the spell
checker? When broken, things look like:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3919812/picture_03.png

and

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3919812/picture_04.png

Note the absence of the big fat check mark with "ABC" on it...

I wish dearly that this problem would be solved as I do so love LO, but this
is driving me crazy. Any help to try to sleuth the problem out would be
deeply appreciated. Let me know what I can do.

Thanks for your time,

Christian

Manfred_J_Krause · April 18, 2012, 1:50pm

Hi Christian,

Some ideas ...

(1)
Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages

Modify the settings as follows, press 'OK', and restart LibreOffice.

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3920026/language_ui.png

(2)
Tools > Options > Language Settings > Writing Aids > Available language
modules

- Verify the checkmarks.

(3)
- Press 'Edit...'
- Select 'Language > English (USA)'
- Verify the checkmarks.

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3920026/edit_modules.png

(4) Observe the displayed language in the status bar.

(5) Don't change the OS input language [systray] via 'Alt+Shift'.

mjk

cbkschroeder · April 18, 2012, 2:24pm

Hi Manfred,

Thanks a lot for your quick response!!

So I've tried as best as I can to replicate what you've suggested.
Unfortunately, I can't seem to make the fat check mark appear anywhere.

For example, post-restart, I see under Tools > Options > Language Settings >
Languages:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3920136/picture_00.png

Under Tools > Options > Language Settings > Writing Aids I see:

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3920136/picture_01.png

and

http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/file/n3920136/picture_02.png

In no case can I make this fat check mark appear. Again, it's as though the
extension is "broken".

If you have the time to forward some more ideas, I would be grateful!!

Thanks,

Christian

Manfred_J_Krause · April 18, 2012, 3:36pm

Hi Christian,

Hi Manfred,

Thanks a lot for your quick response!!

So I've tried as best as I can to replicate what you've suggested.
Unfortunately, I can't seem to make the fat check mark appear anywhere.

For example, post-restart, I see under Tools > Options > Language Settings
> Languages:

[image: picture 00]

Under Tools > Options > Language Settings > Writing Aids I see:

[image: picture 01]

and

[image: picture 02]

In no case can I make this fat check mark appear. Again, it's as though
the extension is "broken".

If you have the time to forward some more ideas, I would be grateful!!

I'm pretty sure that something is broken in your LibreOffice user profile.
[1]

You might try to re-synchronize the 'bundled dictionaries':

- Close LibreOffice (+ Quickstarter, if enabled)
- Go to '...\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application
Data\LibreOffice\3\user\extensions\bundled'
- Rename the folder 'bundled' to (e.g.) 'bundled_old'
- Restart LibO.

A new folder 'bundled' will be created in the user profile.
All bundled dictionaries should be available.

Hope this helps...

Addendum:
(1) Checking the program folder 'extensions'
[Path: ...\Program_Files\LibreOffice 3.5\share\extensions]
- Folder 'dict-en' is available (with the file 'en_US.dic' [among others])?

(2) Your LibreOffice 3.5.2 installation: default or customized installation?

(3) Does the problem occur--right from start--with
- a renamed LibreOffice user profile
- another / a new user (OS level)?

mjk

[1] https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/UserProfile

krackedpress · April 18, 2012, 4:06pm

Do me a favor, try using this Canadian English dictionary. [en-CA]

http://libreoffice-na.us/English-3.4-installs/add-on-dictionaries-large-list/kpp-canadian-english-dictionary-638K-word-list.oxt

See if it over-writes some of the "default" files for you enough for it to work for your needs.

There may be some part of the locked, default, dictionary that is causing you the issues. I wonder if a different English dictionary would solve the problems, since with several dictionaries installed, I see the last one is checked first. That is what happens when I look at the Thesaurus part of the dictionaries. I seen my Thesaurus listing show up before the default installed version's listings. So I hope the the English spelling part will be used first, or over write the previous versions in the file[s] that contain the used dictionary information.

It might help, or it may not. I deal with en-US as my default language. I tend to make sure a US version is installed instead of a generic "all English" version. I think the default one includes many non-North American English localizations, like South African English.

This is the en-US version of the dictionary.
http://libreoffice-na.us/English-3.4-installs/add-on-dictionaries-large-list/kpp-american-english-dictionary-638k-word-list.oxt

Try the dictionary extensions. See if that helps your issue. Also, my versions have more words in its word lists than the default installed one and any other version I can find. 638,000+ words for the largest en-CA version, with 217K words in the smallest en-CA version.

cbkschroeder · April 19, 2012, 5:53pm

Hi Manfred,

Thanks again for your kind help. So, as per your suggestions:

You might try to re-synchronize the 'bundled dictionaries':

- Close LibreOffice (+ Quickstarter, if enabled)
- Go to '...\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application
Data\LibreOffice\3\user\extensions\bundled'
- Rename the folder 'bundled' to (e.g.) 'bundled_old'
- Restart LibO.

A new folder 'bundled' will be created in the user profile.
All bundled dictionaries should be available.

I followed the above and exactly what you expected would happen ended up
happening. Unfortunately, my spell checker remained broken. Still no fat
check mark.

Addendum:
(1) Checking the program folder 'extensions'
[Path: ...\Program_Files\LibreOffice 3.5\share\extensions]
- Folder 'dict-en' is available (with the file 'en_US.dic' [among
others])?

Both the folder and the file are present.

(2) Your LibreOffice 3.5.2 installation: default or customized
installation?

Default.

(3) Does the problem occur--right from start--with
- a renamed LibreOffice user profile

I exited LO, deleted the C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application
Data\LibreOffice folder, and restarted. The folder was re-created, but the
spell checker remained broken.

- another / a new user (OS level)?

I created a new user -- an administrator -- and logged out. I logged in as
the new user and started LO. Spell check was still broken in the same way.

[1] https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/UserProfile

Thanks again for your help. Would you have any other ideas? I'd be
enthusiastic to hear them!

Christian

cbkschroeder · April 19, 2012, 5:55pm

Hi krakedpress,

Thanks for your input.

I have had success with these dictionaries in the past, but I thought this
time I'd try to figure out why the default dictionaries are breaking as they
are. I'd love to get to the bottom of this as I'm sure I'm not the only user
to whom this is happening.

All the best,

Christian

Tom_Davies · April 20, 2012, 3:42pm

Hi
Renaming the users profile is a good first thing to try if any problems happen in LibreOffice, or OpenOffice, or pretty much and other OpenSource program
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/UserProfile
It sets "everything back to factory defaults" in proprietary software the only equivalent tends to be to reinstall the whole program. Oddly reinstalling an OpenSource program doesn't touch your User Profile so it keeps all your settings and stuff intact.

Since you have already just done this and got nowhere we can only hope that Tim from Kracked Press is able to help, or that someone else has gained something like his skills and knowledge in this area!

Good luck and regards from
Tom

cbkschroeder · April 24, 2012, 3:17pm

Hi Tom,

I'm very thankful that Tim developed the dictionaries that he did. I CAN
install them, and they DO work -- well. Again, though, I can't help but
wonder if someone might not be interested in figuring out why the default
dictionaries break as they do. After floating this topic around here for a
little while, thereby tapping lots of expertise I don't have, I think I am
ready to perhaps submit a bug report.

Thank you for your comments!

Christian

Tom_Davies · April 25, 2012, 3:45pm

Hi
Have you been able to solve this problem yet? Sorry i lost track of where you got to.
Apols and regards from
Tom

cbkschroeder · April 25, 2012, 3:57pm

Hi Tom,

I submitted a bug report.

Cheers,

Christian

cbkschroeder · June 9, 2012, 11:01pm

Hi again,

So it's now version 3.5.4.2 and the problem still exists. As well, I
installed the KPP dictionaries in the extension manager and had spell
checking for a while, and then their installation eventually "broke", too.
Unlike the default English dictionaries, however, I can promptly re-install
the KPP dictionaries and get my spell checker back, for a while anyway.

If someone could look into these magical breaking dictionary extensions,
well, you'd have no idea how grateful I'd be!

Thanks again,

Christian

krackedpress · June 9, 2012, 11:25pm

IT seems that the "breaking dictionary" is mostly a Windows thing, if what I read is correct.

It is to be that my KPP [Kracked Press Productions] dictionaries would work and not "break". As far as I understand, this issue is a somewhat hit or miss for people. You could have one system work fine but a different system, same make/model/OS/etc., will not work properly. Why it happens is the key to figure out a fix for it.

Sometimes I wonder if there is something in the "default" English dictionary is the issue. I took a "non-English" dictionary that was not working for someone and un-archive it and open the parts into a text editor, then re-archive it. Then the person who had the problems with the original one stated it worked fine now. So, there could be something that "creeps into" the file/install somehow, somewhere, that triggers something for only a few users.

I have never heard of the Spell checking "breaking" in the Ubuntu installs, but someone could have had it happen.

I did my best to make sure my KPP dictionaries worked as well as possible. I hope to update them one day. I lost some of my work during one of my sick weeks and a "ooops I deleted the wrong folder" issue. I had my 638,000 spelling word list over 700,000 words. I even had one that was over 1,000,000 words, with most of the new words being not-popular-but-valid-spelling words. I hope to get back to this in the near future. The American English largest list is 638,644 words, and the British list is 638,285 words.

cbkschroeder · June 9, 2012, 11:33pm

Krackedpress,

I would be quite surprised if it was your dictionaries that "broke". I would
agree, this could well be a Windows thing. What makes the problem all the
more frustrating is that sometimes it doesn't appear for quite some time,
and then "poof", there it is. Makes for tough debugging.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Christian

plmvantooren · June 10, 2012, 5:34pm

Dear Christian

That problem is known.
Got to User,<Username>,AppData,Roaming, LibreOffice,3,user.
Rename the folder user to for example user_old.
Than start LibreOffice 3.5.x again from the main screen.
The folder useer will be created.
Then start the Spell option.

Good luck,

Paul van Tooren

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----

cbkschroeder · June 12, 2012, 2:53pm

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your response.

From what I recall in my previous postings and in my previous experience, I

can delete the whole LibreOffice folder in the user data folders and the
problem still persists. It's really antagonizing! Would doing so not be a
far more extreme step that what you've suggested?

I can't test things right now because they currently work; I once again
installed the KPP dictionaries and I expect things will hum along until some
random moment in the future when they will again break!

Cheers and thanks again,

Christian