Bug 38891 - Ctrl+Alt+? shortcuts don't work on some keyboard layouts
Summary: Ctrl+Alt+? shortcuts don't work on some keyboard layouts
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: UI (show other bugs)
Version: 3.4.1 release
Hardware: All Windows (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
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Reported: 2011-07-01 08:43 UTC by khagaroth
Modified: 2014-06-23 09:05 UTC (History)
7 users (show)

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Description khagaroth 2011-07-01 08:43:42 UTC
Default use of Ctrl+Alt+? shortcuts (where ? is any key) breaks keyboard input in some locales. This combination is used to input characters, that are not directly accessible from the keyboard (\|[]{}<>#&$@).

On Czech keyboard, for example, the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+F (Find and replace introduced in 3.4) is used to enter '[', Ctrl+Alt+C is '&' and so on. The same very likely applies to other keyboard layouts.
Comment 1 Rainer Bielefeld Retired 2011-07-01 11:07:37 UTC
That means:
 Expected (general Czech use): Ctrl+Alt+F types "["
 Actual LibO 3.4.1 CZ:  Ctrl+Alt+F brings up 'Search and Replace' dialog

@khagaroth@gmail.com:
Your WIN version? WIN Localization?, LibO UI localization?
Comment 2 khagaroth 2011-07-01 12:01:11 UTC
Looks like I messed up, as I didn't notice that my keyboard layout switched to EN-US, that's why I couldn't input any of those extra characters.

So the real bug is actually the opposite of previously reported, as after switching to Czech layout (double checked this time), I can input the special characters, but I can't open the 'Search and replace' dialog (changed the summary accordingly). 

The conclusion is still the same, Ctrl+Alt+? shortcuts shouldn't be used, as they are not guaranteed to work on all keyboard layouts.

(Czech Windows 7, Czech LibO localization, but the behavior depends on the keyboard layout, not on the software localization)
Comment 3 Jeff 2011-08-09 06:13:36 UTC
Hello,

Reproduce on FrenchUI, with a keyboard's driver for specials characters.

With this special keyboard's driver, AltGr+F give "

With 3.4.2, Ctrl+Alt+F give " too.

No problem wiht default keyboard's driver.

It's possible to differentiate AltGr and Ctrl+Alt ?
Comment 4 Olivier R. 2011-08-11 00:37:07 UTC
I confirm the bug.

Ctrl+Alt is the equivalent of AltGr which modifies often the behavior of keyboard layouts.

The shortcut Ctrl+Alt+F should be replaced by Ctrl+H, which opens the "search and replace" dialog box on many applications, like:
- Microsoft Office
- Notepad++
- PsPad
Comment 5 khagaroth 2011-11-20 02:02:52 UTC
Posting just to get this CCd to kendy as he was the one working on the Findbar.
Comment 6 GerardF 2011-11-20 13:46:58 UTC
Find & Replace is now opened with Ctrl+H in Master.

I don't know if other Ctrl+Alt+Key need to be changed.
If not, this issue can be closed.
Comment 7 khagaroth 2011-11-21 01:39:27 UTC
Only other Ctrl+Alt shortcut that I know of is Ctrl+Alt+C. That should be replaced too and if there are any other then they should be replaced as well. Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key, there basically isn't any safe Ctrl+Alt shortcut on Windows, where Ctrl+Alt == AltGr.
Comment 8 Andras Timar 2011-11-21 06:07:52 UTC
(In reply to comment #7)
> Only other Ctrl+Alt shortcut that I know of is Ctrl+Alt+C. That should be
> replaced too and if there are any other then they should be replaced as well.
> Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key, there basically isn't any safe
> Ctrl+Alt shortcut on Windows, where Ctrl+Alt == AltGr.

Ctrl+Alt+C is for Insert Comment, a rarely used function. The problem is that there are more functions than good shortcuts. Also, I saw many Ctrl+Alt+Shift+? in officecfg/registry/data/org/openoffice/Office/Accelerators.xcu. In theory we should change those, too.
Comment 9 Björn Michaelsen 2011-12-23 12:25:21 UTC
[This is an automated message.]
This bug was filed before the changes to Bugzilla on 2011-10-16. Thus it
started right out as NEW without ever being explicitly confirmed. The bug is
changed to state NEEDINFO for this reason. To move this bug from NEEDINFO back
to NEW please check if the bug still persists with the 3.5.0 beta1 or beta2 prereleases.
Details on how to test the 3.5.0 beta1 can be found at:
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/QA/BugHunting_Session_3.5.0.-1

more detail on this bulk operation: http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/RFC-Operation-Spamzilla-tp3607474p3607474.html
Comment 10 khagaroth 2011-12-23 13:01:37 UTC
Three posts back someone fixed the shortcut for Find and replace (changed it to Ctrl+H), so thats now fixed in 3.5.
But this bug still applies for any current or future introduced Ctrl+Alt+? shortcut. Any such key combination is simply unusable on many keyboard layouts in Windows.
This bug could be possibly closed, because the original reason for this report was fixed, but someone should decide what to do with this limitation, there is no workaround and if LO starts using these shortcuts, half of them (and on some keyboards even more) won't work.


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