Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 121865
Auto-correct, auto-numbering, auto-anything is annoying (very)
Last modified: 2014-03-05 19:27:42 UTC
I love OOo Writer, mostly. BUT, auto-correct and auto-numbering is driving me, and apparently, many other users, nuts. You can read the user forums to view all the comments for the past few years on this subject. It seems that most, if not all, auto features are ON by default. WHY????? I have tried all the auto-turn-offs I can find and can usually get most of the very annoying autos to go away and let me work. However, auto-numbering will not go away in the latest version, A00341m1 (build 9593) Rev 1372282. I am not the only one to complain about this specific problem. One other person here on Bugzilla has asked for a single toolbar button that will turn off ALL auto-whatevers, and let us do our work in peace. Sometimes, having an auto feature is nice, but not really necessary (for me). Users could turn on what they want and with the BIG RED TURN OFF AUTO button, just have a nicely behaved word processor that leaves them alone when no autos are needed. I know that such a big change as this will require a change in OOo basic design philosophy. But, I am sure you all are up to the challenge! Thank you for considering my, and many other's, simple request. We really do not want to go back to M$ Office. :) --CL
What do you mean in "auto-numbering"?
*** Issue 121866 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 121867 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 121868 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Created attachment 81631 [details] Follow up test document using Open Office
I tried to replicate this feature regarding auto-numbering/everything in Open Office Writer. The original bug writer refers to version A00341ml/build 9593 but doesn't indicate what operating system he/she used. For purposes of my replication I am using an HP EliteBook 8460p which is running Windows7 and I used Open Office version 3.3. My first impression on reading this bug was, 'Yes! I understand how an automatic setting can be very annoying, especially if you are going back and forth between a conventional paragraph structure and say an outline or bullets.' To replicate I used the above mentioned computer, operating system and software version and did the following. 1. I opened OOo Writer 3.3 2. A default blank word document automatically appeared 3. I began typing a several sentences then I hit my enter key and started numbering. 4. I used a 1. (1 with a period and 2 spaces after) then typed my sentence. 5. I hit my enter key and typed another sentence Observation - Automatic numbering came on and a drop down tool bar also appeared specific to 'Numbering and Bullets'. 6. I hit my enter key again. With the cursor on the same line I chose the turn off/on auto numbering icon on the Numbering and Bullet drop down tool bar. Observation - The automatic numbering tool bar disappeared as did the number on the line my cursor was on. My margin returned to normal - as it was before the numbering. I also completed the same steps using an HP compaq tower PC running a Windows XP operating system and OOo Writer 3.3. Following the exact same steps as above I received the same results. The automatic numbering came on via a drop down tool bar and the automatic numbering worked as expected (ie - kept my numbering correct, 1, 2, 3 etc. after I chose the enter key each time). I searched using the tools option and even customize to try to turn the auto number/bullet off. You can for one line using the drop down tool bar that appears and the 'insert unnumbered entry' icon. But I could find no way to stop it always once you start numbering in the appropriate format (i.e. - 1. and a space or 2 spaces). I thought of several follow up tests to complete to see when and how the automatic numbering/bullet system works. Here are some that I tried, see the attachment for specific details. Throughout these tests I used my HP EliteBook 8460p laptop running Windows7 and OOo version 3.3. Here is a list of the tests that I ran: - Numbering/Capital A using 1 space after the period. - Numbering/Capital A using no space after the period. - Numbering/Capital A using no period and 2 spaces. - Numbering/Capital A using no period and 1 space. - Numbering/Capital A using no period and no space. Observations - It matters if there is a period and spacing. Example - when I used a number without a decimal point and 2 spaces the automatic bullet/numbering did not come on. An interesting finding is when I used the period but no spaces - when I hit the enter key for the 2nd line, I got the same number (1) AND a Roman numeral II! Open Office does not automatically 'bullet' letters. I tried upper and lower case letters. I thought this was very interesting. I then tried using characters such as ampersand, percentage and the asterisk. I used periods and spaces as I did above and I again found something interesting. The percentage and ampersand do not activate the automatic bulleting/numbering, however, when I used the asterisk the automatic bulleting/numbering did activate! However, Open Office 3.3 changed the asterisk to a dot or single bullet point. Is this a bug that OOo changed my chosen icon? I also tried a table and numbering within the table. OOo does not number automatically within a table. I then completed a compared to MS Office 2010. Using my HP laptop EliteBook 8460p and running Windows7 and MS Office 2010 I completed the same tests, in the same order, here are my results. MS Word 2010 has no automatic numbering/bullet system. Instead you type what you want then highlight your section that you want numbered or in bullet point format and choose that icon on the toolbar. MS Word 2010 then takes that highlighted section and bullet points it or numbers it to your specification. The problem is that usually the rest of your margins in your entire paper are now off. MS Word 2010 does not automatically bullet/number within a table. Based on my findings either the original bug is fixed or this is a feature of the software. Overall I can see how the automatic bullet/numbering could be an annoyance, however, personally I like it. I like how it works and I feel it works better than MS Word 2010. Please see the attached files of follow up tests and results.
Created attachment 81632 [details] MS Word 2010 test Attachment of MS Word 2010 test of bug.
Created attachment 81741 [details] Replicated auto-numbering/bulleting in OOo Writer I am running Windows 7 on an ASUS U56E Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2450M CPU @ 2.50GHZ (4 CPUS) on OOo version 3.4.1 I was able to replicate the bug and have attached a file, showing my auto-numbering/bullets using the editor. In order to test this: 1. Open Writer 2. Begin numbering and/or bulleting lists. 3. You will notice the auto-options enabling. 4. In order to change these, you must highlight all the text and right-click, bringing up an option box, with different tabs for different styling options. 5. If you check defaults, the defaults are for auto-numbering and indentations. One issue I noticed, is that the auto-lettering actually is broken. I was able to put: A. Sentence one B. Sentence two C. Sentence three CI. Sentence 4 <--- As you can see it auto-lettered; however not in sequence [as should be D.] D. Sentence five [forced D.] DI. Sentence 6 <--- Another auto-letter indent. Also pushed first D to indentation. (Also in attachment) Which shows that the auto-lettering starts after C. and then indents to CI., which is not the desired progression. So I do deem that this could be an issue, which should be looked into considering that Microsoft Word will give you an option before any auto numbering/bulleting [Tested in Microsoft Word 2007]
Created attachment 81742 [details] Non-replication in Microsoft Word 2007 I want to also note, that I do not believe this is a defect, rather a feature which should be enhanced to adhere to similar products. This functionality could be very bothersome, especially in long research papers which may have lots of statistics or bulleting/numbering which could add significant amounts of time, if auto-formatted without the user's intent.
No info from author.
How exactly has this been resolved irreproducible, when I clearly stated I was able to reproduce it in Writer? I do not believe this status is correct and I feel instead there should be a change of importance if it is not deemed an important enhancement and then change the status to reproduced enhancement. Also, to mark this irreproducible, with a comparable product which allows a pop-up to enable/disable auto-numbering, seems counter productive to the process of creating the best product you can provide.
In attachment 81741 [details], when the cursor is in "A. Sentence one" or "B. Sentence two", the Numbering icon is off meaning Writer does not recognize these entries as numbered entries. Please note Apache OpenOffice is not a MS Office clone. Not any behavior witnessed in Word is to be mimiced by Writer.
I am aware they are not clones. My purpose is to try and identify any bugs or enhancements for Writer which may significantly increase user's usability, convenience, or satisfaction with the product. if you were to argue that this enhancement is not necessary, I would understand that as a plausible argument against this; however, to point out they are not the same product, questioning my ignorance is disappointing. I assume your disposition stems from not recognizing the original purpose for this report, which was to identify an inconvenient feature of Writer which may benefit from having an option for auto-numbering/bulleting, which I only tried to point out is an option in a "comparable" product.
Your comment 8, which is a personal interpretation of the original description by CL may have been misunderstood by me. Let's see what others think.
*** Issue 93117 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***