I have been using Linux for a couple of years now. Mainly Linux Mint and Ubuntu. I have also used bodhi and currently have Crunchbang which I like very much. I have a question about Libre office writer....

I really like how when you right click on an icon and then right click again, another menu opens... this menu contains the buttons of the different functions... and when you click on one it adds it to the toolbar. I like that.

I don't like the spell check. The spell check sucks.

I also don't like the Format Paintbrush. It is in no way as easy to use as word.

But I am getting used to using Libreoffice writer and am sure that there are some functions that I don't know about that will make it a better user experience.

The spell check and format paintbrush would be a great place to start. (Any advice on how to make them better would be great).

Does anyone have any cool things to tell me about this software to make it a better experience?

Thanks

It is very difficult to satisfy your request since you give no information regarding the nature of your discontent. Saying something "sucks" is hardly conducive to eliciting useful feedback. I also have no idea how "word" (Microsoft?) works never having used it. Do you think you might be able to explain what exactly you don't like about the spell checker and the Paintbrush?
jdk

Sorry about that.

My issue with the spell check is that it doesn't recognise that a word is spelt wrong. I can write hjkhdjgkf, do the spell check and it will say the spell check is complete without recognising a mistake.

I'm no expert and may be using it wrong.

In Microsoft Word if you highlight a piece of text and click on the format paintbrush, it will capture the format of the text and the cursor will turn into a paintbrush icon. If you then highlight a different piece of text with this paintbrush icon the format will change to the one that was originally highlighted.

In Libreoffice doing the same actions doesn't seem to work.

Again maybe I'm using it wrong. My original question was, (and after reading it can see how I could have written it better).

Am I using them wrong? Or do they simply not work?

Let's start with spell check:
1. Have you set the language for the document you're editing? You'll see the language indicated in the middle of the bar on the bottom of the Libreoffice window.
2. Have you installed the dictionary/dictionaries for the languages you intend to use?
jdk

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For spell-checking you need three things:
1. the spell-checker (!) Make sure you have hunspell installed
2. the dictionary for your language. The repository will list it as a hunspell or myspell dictionary: both are the same.
3. your word-processor correctly setup. Click on Tools-Options-Language settings and make sure you have the correct document language selected and the right settings in the Writing aids section.

In OpenOffice (and I presume LibreOffice will be the same), I highlight a word, click on the paintbrush icon at the top, and the cursor turns into a little bucket. If I double click, the bucket persists untill I press Esc, so I can alter multiple passages. To see an brief explanation of what's altered and when, click on Help and find Format Paintbrush in the index.

1 members found this post helpful.

Awesome thanks.

I was confused as when I went into Tools-Options-Language settings hunspell was checked but when I did the spell check the text language was left blank and nothing happened. I couldn't change it.

It wasn't until I went into my Synaptic package manager and installed another hunspell and tried the spell check again that the text language was there. In my case English (New Zealand).

Also silly impatient me, I was using the format paintbrush wrong.

I am impatient but I also find my move to Linux rewarding. An example with Crunchbang is that newly installed programs don't automatically go into a menu. You have to put them there through the Openbox GUI Menu Editor and I found it rewarding working it out.

I apologize for the silly questions after working 50 hours plus a week I just want things to work when the kids need them and I'm busy relaxing with a beer : )

Thanks again