Bug 162385 - Unable to insert a comment
Summary: Unable to insert a comment
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
24.2.5.2 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Windows (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-08-07 13:30 UTC by Dave
Modified: 2024-08-08 11:39 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


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Description Dave 2024-08-07 13:30:02 UTC
I upgraded from 7.6.7.2 to 24.2.5 and the first thing I needed to do was to insert a comment for a cell in a spreadsheet. I clicked Insert Comment and it displayed the yellow comment box but I was unable to enter any text into the box. As soon as I clicked within the box, it disappeared! I've reverted to 7.6.7.2 as this feature is critical for me.
Comment 1 Rafael Lima 2024-08-07 14:47:22 UTC
All is fine for me in

Version: 24.2.4.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 420(Build:2)
CPU threads: 16; OS: Linux 6.8; UI render: default; VCL: kf5 (cairo+xcb)
Locale: pt-BR (pt_BR.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Ubuntu package version: 4:24.2.4-0ubuntu0.24.04.2
Calc: threaded

Have you tried enabling View - Comments ?
Comment 2 Dave 2024-08-07 15:29:29 UTC
I reinstalled 24.2.5.2 and enabled View > Comments as advised. I can view and edit Comments but I'm still unable to create new Comments. Reverting to previous version again, I'm afraid. Windows 11 23H2, by the way - all updates applied.
Comment 3 ady 2024-08-07 17:13:41 UTC
(In reply to Dave from comment #0)

> I clicked Insert Comment and
> it displayed the yellow comment box but I was unable to enter any text into

The following action is the problem:

> As soon as I clicked within the box, it disappeared!

Instead, just start typing. IOW:

Focus on the cell where you want to insert a Comment; open its context menu; select the "Insert Comment" menu entry > start typing (do not click in the Comment box before typing, just start typing.


I am closing this ticket as NAB. If you find that in prior versions the procedure was different, please reopen it and add relevant details.
Comment 4 Dave 2024-08-07 19:15:57 UTC
yes, I already tried just typing without clicking in the box. There's no cursor. Nothing appears in the comment box.
Comment 5 Rafael Lima 2024-08-07 19:56:27 UTC
(In reply to Dave from comment #4)
> yes, I already tried just typing without clicking in the box. There's no
> cursor. Nothing appears in the comment box.

Have you tried double-clicking the box?
Comment 6 Dave 2024-08-07 20:13:37 UTC
Yes. The comment box disappears with the first click, sadly.
Comment 7 ady 2024-08-07 20:23:32 UTC
(In reply to Dave from comment #6)
> Yes. The comment box disappears with the first click, sadly.

That part I can reproduce, but I can successfully insert a new comment and write within the comment box by just writing directly, without the additional click.


Please go to LO > menu Help > About. There is an icon to copy the info to the clipboard. Paste the info in your next comment.


FTR, no repro in:


Version: 24.8.1.0.0+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 4923f62519876512020ec94ba47b86441af88e63
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (10.0 build 19045); UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-US (es_AR); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

Version: 24.2.4.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 51a6219feb6075d9a4c46691dcfe0cd9c4fff3c2
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19045; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-US (es_AR); UI: en-US
Calc: CL threaded

Version: 7.6.6.3 (x86) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: d97b2716a9a4a2ce1391dee1765565ea469b0ae7
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19045; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-US (es_AR); UI: en-US
Calc: CL threaded
Comment 8 Dave 2024-08-07 22:21:25 UTC
Okay this is weird.

I reinstalled 24.2.5.2 and got a cursor when I inserted a comment so I could type some text into it. This is the first time I've been able to do this.

I then switched from the admin user to a standard user, tried the same thing and no cursor. I just get a floating mouse cursor and typing does nothing. Clicking the box makes it vanish.

Version: 24.2.5.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: bffef4ea93e59bebbeaf7f431bb02b1a39ee8a59
CPU threads: 12; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 22631; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-GB (en_GB); UI: en-GB
Calc: CL threaded

Going to bed now (UK time).
Comment 9 QA Administrators 2024-08-08 03:16:05 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 10 ady 2024-08-08 05:43:33 UTC
(In reply to Dave from comment #8)
> I then switched from the admin user to a standard user, tried the same thing
> and no cursor. I just get a floating mouse cursor and typing does nothing.

Investigating _that_ might be worth.

Have you installed LO as a standard user, or as administrator?

FWIW, I always install LO as normal user, and allow additional permissions when the installer asks.

As a side-note test, instead of using the physical keyboard, you might want to test with the Windows' virtual keyboard (osk.exe), which should be running before starting Calc and the test. Do you see the blinking cursor inside the comment box in that case?


> Clicking the box makes it vanish.

That action is not really an issue, as it is expected.

The only question is what exactly is triggering the broken connection between typing-in and the comment box receiving the input.

According to your description, the comment box does not seem to have the focus; so the question is what has grabbed the focus and why.

Please close all your open documents, start LO (as standard user) > menu Help > Restart in Safe mode > continue in safe mode; then test creating the comment box and typing-in. Please report the result in your next comment.
Comment 11 Dave 2024-08-08 11:39:39 UTC
I started LO in Safe Mode as requested. Created a new spreadsheet and typed some dummy data into cells. Right clicked and Insert Comment. Cursor appeared in the comment box and I could type data.

So I then tried the same thing in non-safe mode and everything worked fine again. So I'd better close this bug report and wonder if it was all a dream! I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it so I have no explanation for why it's now working.

Thank you everyone. If and when it happens again I'll try to figure out the circumstances.