Bug 156276 - Inserting spaces
Summary: Inserting spaces
Status: RESOLVED NOTABUG
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.5.4.2 release
Hardware: Other macOS (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2023-07-13 17:04 UTC by seinfeld@jsli.org
Modified: 2023-07-14 21:35 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Inserts unwanted spaces inserted at mouseclick point. (75.12 KB, image/jpeg)
2023-07-13 17:04 UTC, seinfeld@jsli.org
Details
Tools menu => does not contain "Options" as Stéphane suggested (97.23 KB, image/jpeg)
2023-07-13 22:06 UTC, seinfeld@jsli.org
Details

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Description seinfeld@jsli.org 2023-07-13 17:04:25 UTC
Created attachment 188353 [details]
Inserts unwanted spaces inserted at mouseclick point.

When using the MOUSE to select the insertion point anywhere in the doc, it's adding these extra spaces before the inserted text. When using ARROWS to navigate to insertion point, the bug does not occur.

I made a screen shot in case that helps.

Note - I tested this with "show formatting" turned on - it turns out that the spaces are being inserted immediately upon mouse-click, not when pasting.
Comment 1 LeroyG 2023-07-13 20:18:44 UTC
It's not a bug.
You must disable Direct Cursor (menu Tools - Options - LibreOffice Writer - Formatting Aids).
Thanks for sharing the screenshot.
Comment 2 seinfeld@jsli.org 2023-07-13 20:36:51 UTC
Thanks for your reply but there is no such item in Tools menu. There is Autocorrect Options but nothing else like you say. And why would anyone want 25 spaces inserted automatically wherever they click the mouse? That's bizarre and buggy, even if you call it a feature. Certainly not something that should be default. 

I found Direct Cursor Mode under the Edit Menu and unchecked it.

However, on your help page: https://help.libreoffice.org/latest/en-US/text/swriter/02/18130000.html - there is nothing about it adding 25 blank spaces, it's supposed to add whatever text I've copied, nothing more. How is this not a bug?
Comment 3 seinfeld@jsli.org 2023-07-13 20:38:44 UTC
Moreover, the Help page states, "The AutoCorrect tool automatically removes empty paragraphs, tabs, and spaces that are inserted by the direct cursor. If you want to use the direct cursor, then disable the AutoCorrect tool."

This is doing the opposite of that.
Comment 4 Stéphane Guillou (stragu) 2023-07-13 21:48:49 UTC
I agree with Leroy, the direct cursor mode seems to behave as expected.

In Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Formatting Aids > Direct cursor, you should be able to see and choose the mode for it (i.e. what kind of spacing it will create).
If you don't see that, can you please share a screenshot of the dialog?

The part about AutoCorrect: there might be issues with the options "Delete spaces and tabs at end and start of line/paragraph", but note that for them to work you need to also have the option "apply styles" on.

https://help.libreoffice.org/7.5/en-US/text/shared/01/06040100.html

Before reporting an issue about these AutoCorrect options, please check if it is not already covered by bug 139963 and bug 139986.

Thank you!
Comment 5 seinfeld@jsli.org 2023-07-13 22:06:56 UTC
Created attachment 188361 [details]
Tools menu => does not contain "Options" as Stéphane suggested

I'm lost.

1. No such menu item under tools. See screenshot.

2. You state that Direct Cursor is behaving as expected; however Help page states that direct cursor should automatically paste the copied text; how do you explain that it is pasting 25 spaces, then 34, then 43, etc.? How is that "behaving as expected"?
Comment 6 Stéphane Guillou (stragu) 2023-07-14 00:30:04 UTC
1. Ah, apologies: on macOS, you have to go to LibreOffice > Preferences.

2. Maybe the help page's wording could do with some improvements, but the Direct Cursor's role is to place the cursor at any spot on the page with a click, not to paste with a click. There is no mention of "paste" in that help page.
Comment 7 seinfeld@jsli.org 2023-07-14 15:05:41 UTC
Sorry, I was misunderstanding the phrase, "to place text, images etc." I thought that meant paste.

Now that I understand the feature, my only complaint is that it was apparently turned on by default because I certainly never selected that mode, which is counter-intuitive to someone who spent 35 years using Microsoft Word before switching to Libre Writer!
Comment 8 Stéphane Guillou (stragu) 2023-07-14 21:35:54 UTC
Having that setting turned on by default is certainly unexpected, and if you can find a way to reproduce it consistently (e.g. uninstalling, removing your user profile, then reinstalling and running a specific version), then please open a new bug about that with the steps to reproduce.
Thank you!