Bug 120302 - EDITING: Delete/dot key (in numpad) should insert a period, not a comma except in Calc
Summary: EDITING: Delete/dot key (in numpad) should insert a period, not a comma excep...
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL: https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cg...
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2018-10-04 10:40 UTC by Thomas Bertels
Modified: 2018-11-14 17:28 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Decimal separator key setting (78.47 KB, image/png)
2018-10-04 11:05 UTC, Thomas Bertels
Details

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Description Thomas Bertels 2018-10-04 10:40:40 UTC
Description:
With a French or Belgian keyboard, in order to insert a period, the Shift key has to be pressed.
So users can use the numpad delete/dot key instead to easily insert a period.
However, in Writer the numpad delete/dot key is considered a comma use to separate the decimal of a number, as in Calc.
Like Microsoft Word, Writer should insert a period on that key press (no change in Calc), while leaving the option for users to keep the old behavior.
That key inserts a period in every software but in LibreOffice. While this is a good thing in Calc, Writer and others should insert a period.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Press the Delete/dot key (in numpad)

Actual Results:
A comma (,) is inserted.

Expected Results:
A period (.) is inserted.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No



Additional Info:
Comment 1 Thomas Bertels 2018-10-04 11:05:49 UTC
Created attachment 145370 [details]
Decimal separator key setting

There is a setting to change what this key inserts, but it's common to all LibreOffice programs, forcing us to change it when switching between Calc and Writer.
What is needed is an option per program, disabled by default everywhere but in Calc.
Comment 2 Thomas Bertels 2018-10-04 11:12:24 UTC
After testing Microsoft Office, in Excel, the dot/delete numpad key is considered as a comma (,) and in Word it is considered as a period (.).
By the way, this problem seems rather common based on the number of visits of https://ask.libreoffice.org/en/question/2352/how-to-set-decimal-separator/
Comment 3 Buovjaga 2018-10-26 16:53:33 UTC
I think you are missing something. This is dependent on locale. I explain:
I use a Finnish keyboard, where the numpad Del has a comma. In Writer with my Finnish locale, it produces a comma.
Next, I launch from the Linux command line with:

LC_ALL=en_US.UTF8 libreoffice

Suddenly, numpad Del in Writer produces a period!
Comment 4 Thomas Bertels 2018-11-11 09:09:37 UTC
I've already checked that: with the French or Belgian locale, Microsoft Word adds a period but Writer adds a comma.
The French and Belgian keyboards numpad Del have a period.
Comment 5 sophie 2018-11-13 13:30:55 UTC
This has been discussed hundreds of times in the FR lists, please check this thread for example:
http://document-foundation-mail-archive.969070.n3.nabble.com/Le-quot-quot-du-pave-numerique-tt4241636.html
there are multiple other in the archives
in the FAQ
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Faq/Calc/121/fr
What has to be changed is how keyboards are manufactured for French (how could you hit a dot to enter a comma? why should you use a numeric keypad to enter punctuation in a text?). 
There is a script under Linux that let change between the two on demand. So this is not a problem with the software, but with the hardware. 
If you want to discuss further or need help to narrow the settings to fit your needs, please either go on FR Ask or users list.
Closing - Sophie
Comment 6 Thomas Bertels 2018-11-14 08:37:22 UTC
I'm well aware of the workarounds, which all have disadvantages.
I'm not sure you have read or understood the bug description. I'm comparing LibreOffice to Microsoft Word and requesting a similar feature, and you talk about a Linux script.
Granted, this is not a bug, so I'm reopening it as a feature: the ability for the delete/dot key (in numpad) to insert a period (e.g. disregard the locale settings) except in Calc (where the numpad is obviously much more used).
Comment 7 Xavier Van Wijmeersch 2018-11-14 17:05:32 UTC
Uncheck "same as local setting" and you can use period on your numpad with a Belgian keyboard.
And i agree with sophie its working for me

Versie: 6.0.4.2
Build ID: 9b0d9b32d5dcda91d2f1a96dc04c645c450872bf
CPU-threads: 8; Besturingssysteem: Linux 4.19; UI-render: standaard; VCL: kde4; 
Locale: nl-BE (en_US.UTF-8); Calc: group

Version: 6.2.0.0.alpha0+
Build ID: 52cb73911e661fb636085337374e09845f07783b
CPU threads: 8; OS: Linux 4.19; UI render: default; VCL: kde4; 
TinderBox: Linux-rpm_deb-x86_64@70-TDF, Branch:master, Time: 2018-10-02_01:40:08
Locale: nl-BE (en_US.UTF-8); Calc: threaded
Comment 8 Thomas Bertels 2018-11-14 17:18:02 UTC
There are many bugs getting filled everyday so you don't have much time to read them, but did you read my last comment or this comment:

(In reply to Thomas Bertels from comment #1)
> Created attachment 145370 [details]
> Decimal separator key setting
> 
> There is a setting to change what this key inserts, but it's common to all
> LibreOffice programs, forcing us to change it when switching between Calc
> and Writer.
> What is needed is an option per program, disabled by default everywhere but
> in Calc.

The OOo bug is related but isn't about the same thing.
Comment 9 Buovjaga 2018-11-14 17:28:32 UTC
(In reply to Thomas Bertels from comment #8)
> There are many bugs getting filled everyday so you don't have much time to
> read them, but did you read my last comment or this comment:
> 
> (In reply to Thomas Bertels from comment #1)
> > Created attachment 145370 [details]
> > Decimal separator key setting
> > 
> > There is a setting to change what this key inserts, but it's common to all
> > LibreOffice programs, forcing us to change it when switching between Calc
> > and Writer.
> > What is needed is an option per program, disabled by default everywhere but
> > in Calc.

Yes, we read it, but we don't want such an option.