In order to reproduce the bug: [1] Create new text document. [2] In the status bar select “Extending selection”. [3] Insert a short paragraph with some words. Then ‘Enter’. [4] Try to select a word with a double-click. It does not work. Expected: Selection possible. [5] Try to select parts of the text with mouse or keyboard. It also does not work. Expected: Selection possible. [6] In the status bar select “Standard selection”. Selection is now possible. [7] In the status bar select “Extending selection” again. [8] Try to select part of the text. Extended selection is now possible. Bug also exists in Version 4.4.0.2.
https://help.libreoffice.org/Common/Selection_Mode Extending selection (F8) Clicking in the text extends or crops the current selection. I reproduce what you said, but it doesn't sound like your expected result should work according to the documentation. Waiting for comment from someone with more knowledge.
I agree with Beluga. My understanding is that "Extending Selection" only works if you currently have text selected (generally from using the "Standard Selection"). The "Extending Selection" only "extends or crops the existing selection" as stated in the link Beluga provided. This functionality is different than in Microsoft Word's "Extend Selection Mode" (https://www.infopackets.com/news/1548/extend-selection-mode-ms-word). This may be why this looks like a bug. I don't believe it is a bug, just differently designed functionality.
(In reply to John from comment #2) > > My understanding is that "Extending Selection" only works if you currently > have text selected (generally from using the "Standard Selection"). The > "Extending Selection" only "extends or crops the existing selection" as > stated in the link Beluga provided. John, your comment induced me to analyse the function of the "Extended Selection" a bit more: [A] Mouse operation: Firstly: I was not able to crop an existing selection with the mouse. Only an extension seemed to be possible. An extension can only be performed once(!) after you explicily chose the 'Extended Selection' independently which selection mode has been valid before. Then the selection works as follows: [1] No text selected, cursor somewhere in the text: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Click somewhere into the text. The text between the cursor and the click position is selected. The mode is still 'Extended Selection'. (c) Click somewhere else into the text outside the current selection. The selection is deleted and not extended(!). But: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Click somewhere into the text. The text between the cursor and the click position is selected. The mode is still 'Extended Selection'. (c) Select "Extending Selection"(!). (d) Click somewhere else into the text outside the current selection. The selection now is extended. [2] A part of the text is selected. (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Click somewhere into the text outside the selection. The selection is extended. The mode is still 'Extended Selection'. (c) Click somewhere else into the text outside the current selection. The selection is deleted and not extended(!). In all cases described above a click into a selection has no effect. I would expect a cropping. [B] Keyboard operation: Also here an extension can only be performed once(!) after you explicily chose the 'Extended Selection' independently which selection mode has been valid before. Then the selection works as follows: [1] No text selected, cursor somewhere in the text: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Type right or left arrow key several times quite fast. Do not use the repeat function of the key! The selection starts at the cursor and is extended according the typing. (c) Suppose you have selected one character too much. Go back with the opposite arrow key. The selection is completely deleted. Hence a correction of the selection is not possible. But: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Type arrow key permanently in order to use the repeat function of the key. At the beginning one character is selected, then the selection is deleted and only the cursor is moved. The key repeat function can't be used together with the 'Extending selection'. And another but: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Type arrow key several times quite fast. Stop the selection a bit (one second is enough). Go on with the selection in order to extend the selection a bit more. The selection is not extended but deleted. [2] One word selected with double-click in mode 'Standard Selection'. (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Type right arrow key several times quite fast. The selection is extended to the right. But: (a) Select "Extending Selection". (b) Type left arrow key several times quite fast. The selection is first cropped beginning from the right side of the word. When the cursor reaches the beginning of the word, the text left to the primarilly selected word is selected. An extension of the primarilly selected word to the right is not possible. ---- Conclusion: After all the testing, this function is rather odd for me. It can't be used intuitively, it is not clear how it shall work and it is not documented. To my opinion this function is either a candidate to be removed from LibreOffice or it should be completely redefined in consideration of relevant use cases.
I ask the UX-team to take a look at this one. is it "a bug or a feature" ?
Just adding the ux mailinglist to CC.
My test scenario is a couple of lines with just numbers; I select 1..5 (shift+cursor right), press shift+F8 and cursor down, select 6..9 (shift+cursor right) etc. This ' works also with mouse selection and when the mode is switched per context menu at the status bar. However, the mode reverts to default for the mouse interaction after a short period of inactivity. Meaning you have to quickly select the parts - or use the keyboard. Of course it works also in combination with ctrl. Adding selections works also in combination with the block mode, by the way. It's possible to select a cross-like form on your document with one (big) column and some rows of text. The block mode is also enabled per alt, similarly to MS Word which has OTOH not the ability to "cross-select", i.e. multiple and block mode together. Back to the first character, select a few numbers, press F8 and cursor down. That extends the selection reliably. It works also as expected with the mouse extending the selection either at the beginning when I click somewhere before the selected part or to the end in case of click somewhere down. The extension mode is the same as pressing shift (compared to ctrl). I agree with Harald that F8 with the modifiers is not intuitive. And in particular the dropdown menu at the toolbar is inefficient as it either has selection issues or has no good feedback for the current state. But in the end I also agree with Buovjaga and John about the WFM. There is no obvious problem with the selection mode.
I checked the Extended Selection again with version 5.3.0. I think with this version the function works as expected. All the odd functions of comment 3 don't exist any longer. May be there has been a problem with a former version. But at least the description of the Extended Selection could be improved. Current help text: "Clicking in the text extends or crops the current selection." Better would be: "By using the arrow keys or the keys Home and End you can extend or crop the current selection. Clicking into the text selects the text between the current cursor position and the click position."
(In reply to Harald Koester from comment #7) > But at least the description of the Extended Selection could be improved. > Current help text: "Clicking in the text extends or crops the current > selection." Better would be: "By using the arrow keys or the keys Home and > End you can extend or crop the current selection. Clicking into the text > selects the text between the current cursor position and the click position." Could you copy and paste your suggestion to a new report, so it's more clear? Or join the docs team :) http://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/join-community/ I will close as WFM.
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #8) > Could you copy and paste your suggestion to a new report, so it's more > clear? Or join the docs team :) > http://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/join-community/ Done: Bug 106535.