Bug 34142

Summary: Calc language identification should be similar to Writer's
Product: LibreOffice Reporter: Christophe Strobbe <c_strobbe-fdo>
Component: SpreadsheetAssignee: Not Assigned <libreoffice-bugs>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: enhancement    
Priority: medium CC: c_strobbe-fdo, ssanders
Version: 3.5.0 Beta2   
Hardware: All   
OS: All   
Whiteboard:
i915 platform: i915 features:

Description Christophe Strobbe 2011-02-10 09:07:21 UTC
In LibO Writer, the user can set the language for the whole document, for a
paragraph (the current paragraph) or just a selection through the menus Tools >
Language > For Selection / For Paragraph / For all Text.
In Calc, there is no similar menu item. Apparently, language needs to be set
by setting the default language in Tools > Options > Language Settings >
Language, i.e. you set the language for your next spreadsheet. There are two
problems with this:
* the language is not visible in the status bar (unlike Writer)
* there is no mechanism to identify the language of content in languages other
than the default language (for example, in a spreadsheet with vocabulary or localisation strings where each column is in another language).
Setting the correct language for a spreadsheet and for any content in other
languages is essential for accessibility, especially for persons who rely on
text-to-speech and/or Braille (not just blind people; dyslexics also use
text-to-speech).
It would be great if this could be added to Calc.
Comment 1 ljelly 2011-06-01 03:57:09 UTC
I think this is an excellent suggestion that should be flagged to the Document Foundation for Developers to fix. 
As language support is vitally important for students that learn languages and are able to create spreadsheet tables in different languages to understand the spelling of new words.
Comment 2 Don't use this account, use tml@iki.fi 2011-06-01 05:36:35 UTC
Are you serious? "highest" importance?
Comment 3 ljelly 2011-06-02 00:45:31 UTC
I have flagged it as highest importance because I think it is just a little feature which TDF, can change in Calc, so that people learning or who have learn't languages can make effective use of other language dictionaries in the various programs of that LibreOffice has to offer when working with different languages in Calc Impress not just writer. I'm sure there is a fix that is as easy as 123. If it is already implemented in Writer I'm sure it can be developed in Calc.

The most difficult problem is finding a protocol that allows the use of switching between all of those languages without implementing more languages for the other programs. Making the one language system useable in all of the programs. So that it saves space for LibreOffice. 

(In reply to comment #2)
> Are you serious? "highest" importance?
Comment 4 Don't use this account, use tml@iki.fi 2011-06-02 01:06:20 UTC
It isn't the TDF which is doing any coding. Code contributors might be, or not, members of the TDF. Sure, the TDF can try to influence the companies and individuals that do the actual coding what new features to implement.

> I'm sure there is a fix that is as easy as 123.

Why don't you submit a patch then?
Comment 5 ljelly 2011-06-03 21:52:58 UTC
(In reply to comment #4)
> It isn't the TDF which is doing any coding. Code contributors might be, or not,
> members of the TDF. Sure, the TDF can try to influence the companies and
> individuals that do the actual coding what new features to implement.
> 
> > I'm sure there is a fix that is as easy as 123.
> 
> Why don't you submit a patch then?

I am not experienced in coding, but I do know that there are some very important features that should be fixed in LibreOffice, and I think this is one of them.
As it is remarkable how you cannot switch languages immediately in other applications in LibreOffice like you can in Writer.
I think that problem needs to be addressed importantly.
Comment 6 Rainer Bielefeld Retired 2011-06-10 02:57:13 UTC
RC2 is bit by bit identical with release version, so separate items in the version picker are useless. Changes have been discussed with Michael Meeks.
Comment 7 ljelly 2011-07-15 23:04:18 UTC
(In reply to comment #6)
> RC2 is bit by bit identical with release version, so separate items in the
> version picker are useless. Changes have been discussed with Michael Meeks.

LibreOffice Calc 3.4.2 RC 1

Ubuntu 11.10 Alpha 2

I am using this machine as a testing environment at the moment. 

But I have managed to use the dictionaries supplied in LibreOffice while using Calc.
To Change the language in a cell or column you can select the cell or the whole column and go to Format Cells and under the heading 'Font' you will be able to change your language for that selection in your spreadsheet, which will have the corresponding dictionaries. I think there needs to be a better implementation of Language Selection in LibreOffice Calc, something that is coherent and similar to the implementation in LibreOffice Writer.
Comment 8 ljelly 2011-07-15 23:06:26 UTC
(In reply to comment #6)
> RC2 is bit by bit identical with release version, so separate items in the
> version picker are useless. Changes have been discussed with Michael Meeks.

LibreOffice Calc 3.4.2 RC 1

Ubuntu 11.10 Alpha 2

I am using this machine as a testing environment at the moment. 

But I have managed to use the dictionaries supplied in LibreOffice while using Calc.
To Change the language in a cell or column you can select the cell or the whole column and go to Format Cells and under the heading 'Font' you will be able to change your language for that selection in your spreadsheet, which will have the corresponding dictionaries. I think there needs to be a better implementation of Language Selection in LibreOffice Calc, something that is coherent and similar to the implementation in LibreOffice Writer.
Comment 9 Björn Michaelsen 2011-12-23 11:42:53 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 Scott M. Sanders 2011-12-30 06:22:49 UTC
It persists in 3.5.0beta2. It is an enhancement request, not a bug.
Comment 11 Joel Madero 2014-07-13 01:33:29 UTC
Please read this message in its entirety before responding.

Your bug was confirmed at least 1 year ago and has not had any activity on it for over a year. Your bug is still set to NEW which means that it is open and confirmed. It would be nice to have the bug confirmed on a newer version than the version reported in the original report to know that the bug is still present -- sometimes a bug is inadvertently fixed over time and just never closed.

If you have time please do the following:
1) Test to see if the bug is still present on a currently supported version of LibreOffice (preferably 4.2 or newer).
2) If it is present please leave a comment telling us what version of LibreOffice and your operating system.
3) If it is NOT present please set the bug to RESOLVED-WORKSFORME and leave a short comment telling us your version and Operating System

Please DO NOT
1) Update the version field
2) Reply via email (please reply directly on the bug tracker)
3) Set the bug to RESOLVED - FIXED (this status has a particular meaning that is not appropriate in this case)

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 
LibreOffice is powered by a team of volunteers, every bug is confirmed (triaged) by human beings who mostly give their time for free. We invite you to join our triaging by checking out this link:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/QA/BugTriage

There are also other ways to get involved including with marketing, UX, documentation, and of course developing -  http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/. 

Lastly, good bug reports help tremendously in making the process go smoother, please always provide reproducible steps (even if it seems easy) and attach any and all relevant material
Comment 12 Christophe Strobbe 2014-07-14 09:56:06 UTC
I reconfirm the bug in LibreOffice Calc 5.2.5.2 on Windows 7 (32 bits). I.e. it is still not possible to set the language of a spreadsheet or individual cells through Tools > Language > ..., and there is still no language identification in the status bar. 

I can think of only one workaround for language identification in cells: 
* Create a new style and give it a name that is based on the language you want to use it for (e.g. lang_es for Spanish cell content);
* In the cell style dialog, go to the Font tab and set the corresponding language;
* Define a formatting (under Font, Font Effects, Background, whatever you prefer) that visually distinguishes the style from styles for other languages.
* After creating the style, you can apply the style to cells to set them to a certain language (e.g. apply the style lang_es to Spanish content, lang_de to German content, etc.). When you are done with the content, you can set the styles to a "normal" formatting (e.g. if Spanish cells had a yellow background, you can set their background to "No Fill" again).

Use of freedesktop.org services, including Bugzilla, is subject to our Code of Conduct. How we collect and use information is described in our Privacy Policy.