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Question

Space bar remains inoperative in LibreOffice!

Jan 22, 2015 3:03PM PST

I cannot fathom any reason why the space bar has started remaining inoperative in LibreOffice. The cursor just does not move when the space bar is pressed (even repeatedly). The space bar works fine in both Thunderbird email compositions, and Firefox such as while I am typing this post.

Any suggestions to make the space bar operative in LibreOffice?

Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did you try turning off auto correct?
Jan 23, 2015 1:29AM PST
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Answer
Addendum: A little more information
Jan 22, 2015 3:57PM PST

A minor correction in my previous post, and also some additional information:

When, in Libreoffice, the space bar is pressed, the cursor moves one space but not any more if the space bar is kept pressed. Pressing the left or right arrow keys does move the cursor.

I have not changed, at least knowingly, any settings in LibreOffice for some months. Still the above problem has most mysteriously popped up a couple of days ago.

The spacer bar moves the cursor fine in Word.

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Still more information
Jan 22, 2015 10:13PM PST

Though I was practically 100% sure that the keyboard is perfectly OK and not the source of the problem, I replaced it with another working keyboard which I have to see if the problem goes away. The problem persisted. So I believe that I must have accidentally changed some setting, which I cannot at all think of, in LibreOoffice which is creating the stated problem and completely preventing me from using Libreoffice.

I very much want to continue to use for word processing LibreOffice; I have used it exclusively for many years.

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check Auto Correct settings under Format
Jan 23, 2015 3:49AM PST

Things like making 2 dashes become one I see there, so probably similar for periods. Turn it off for a while, try it that way.

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PS
Jan 23, 2015 3:51AM PST

in the Auto Correct, on Options tab, there's a "delete spaces and tabs at start and end of lines".

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Yours and Bob's suggested simple solution worked!
Jan 23, 2015 5:00AM PST

Until a couple of days ago, I did not ever have the stated space bar problem, whatever my auto correct settings might have been all along. I certainly had not knowingly changed them in any way, before the problem appeared a couple of days ago.

So while the mystery to me remains as to how the problem appeared, I am just delighted that yours and Bob's suggested simple solution worked, and pulled me out of the black hole!

Thank you so very much, James and Bob.