Lines instead of text in Word Processor header menu

Peter,

First, let us check Language-Support in your PC;
this can be done on this way:
<Application> button..., <System>...,
<Language Support>...
Look whether your preferred language does not have a MINUS; mark it ON and below choose <Apply>
If it was not complete, then the rest will be installed...
If it was complete already, then nothing will happen...
Now choose <OK>.

Secondly, let us RE-Install OpenOffice.Org; this can be done on this way:
<Application> button..., <System>...,
<Synaptic Manager>...
Click in the right side pane, with all program names, begin typing OpenOffic..
On the packages
   OpenOffice.Org,
   OpenOffice-Writer
   and your-langauge-part of OpenOffice.Org
right-click,
and choose: "Complete Re-Installation"
On top click on "Apply Changes"
OpenOffice.Org will be downloaded again
and new installed.

Few questions for you:

? If you start OpenOffice.Org-CALC, can you see anything there ? Is it a OOO-Writer problem only ?

? If you start MousePad, do you have the same problem ?

? Was the problem from the beginning, or did it appear after a while ?

? Start a new document in OOO-Writer, change the FONT to someting else, but familiar (e.g. Courier-10Pitch), change the size to 11 Pts;
start typing, what happens now ?
? Can you PRINT this what you typed; what comes on the paper ?

On you image, i see that even the menues have little dashes...
perhaps your fontsize in OOO is set to VERY SMALL... Try to look at this place (if you can read it...) in OOO, choose Extra, Options, View;
on the right pane you can set several options for displaying things; look what can be set larger or can be set to system-font.

Hopes with your information we can manage to cope this problem.

Many thanks for your very quick response; here are my replies to your questions.
This reply has been composed on another pc.

The path names are slightly different to that which you give, but these are what I followed.

1- Language Support: System > Administration > Language Support > Supported Languages. “English” is the supported language selection [tick]. Default language was “English (United Kingdom)” “Enable support to enter complex characters” was not enabled, so I selected this option, enabled the “Update new information” box and restarted the PC.

No change to Open Office missing text after restart.

2 – I then reinstalled Open Office 2.4. System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager and selected search for Open Office items.

There were 10 items that were enabled, openoffice.org – officebean, - drew, - calc, - impress, - writer, - math, - common, - core, - java-common, and – base-core.
I could not identify a item specifically relating to the english language.

I marked all of the above 10 items for “Reinstallation > Apply changes”. The items were then reloaded. Opening the new installation showed that the fault was still evident.

3. Opening “OpenOffice Calc” – Similarly affected as Writer.

4. Problem started about 2 weeks ago, OK before that.

5. After opening OOWriter I can enter text but cannot change font type, style or size. also cannot close the Writer window until I reboot PC.
All text missing from Formatting and Standard toolbars, icon identification is a blank box when pointer is over item. Also text for File, Edit, View, Format, Table etc missing. It is not possible to do anything in Writer!!

6. I can print the page at 5.

7. Installed Mousepad - it works perfectly.

Regards, Peter

Peter,

i have seen more items in the http://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/openoffice.org/
site regarding the same problem you are having...

They tend to the fact that perhaps this is a BUG in a Ubuntu-update-file...

Please try to find these items in the LaucnhPad-site (you can enter a Search above...); i will search around too.

As soon as i find some solution, i will name it here.

(By the way: is AbiWord a temporary alternative for you ?!?)

Hello Menting,

Thanks again for your very quick response - I have never used Abiword, but after a quick look at the Add Software option, it does look promising,

I will download it tomorrow and come back to you with comments.

regards, Peter

Hello Menting,

Installed Abiword today but the news is not good. (Deleted all of OpenOffice prior to doing that)

Window header text and toolbar icon identity correct when passing pointer over them.
Text type, style and size can be selected ok, but message text in the working part of the document can only be seen when a text key is held down for continuous entry. As soon as the key is released the text disappears and is replaced by a continuous thin line.

Not promising, any other thoughts.

regards, Peter

Peter,

i looked around and saw this BUG in OpenOffice.Org on Ubuntu: http://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/openoffice.org/+bug/317129

Keep searching the LaunchPad-website (answers and bugs) to find a solution; i will keep searching too.
But at this moment i do not have a solution for you yet... I am sorry, but as a normal Xubuntu-user i would like to give you more joy on Ubuntu and OpenOffice.Org.

I just clicked the answer, and then a new idea popped up in my mind:

Set the FONT you are using (system wide) to another (simpler) FONT; does that help ?!?
Perhaps you will have to reboot before you see changes, because X-windows has to be restarted.

Keep searching for an answer...

I believe this is an nvidia driver issue, assuming of course you are using the nvidia binary only driver. In any case there is a known issue that using it will cause this problem.

Hello Menting,
Hello Menting,

Sorry for delay in replying to your latest message – away until today.

I note your suggestion regarding text change but I have a problem – how can I do that if I cannot access font name and size boxes in the toolbar? These items are blank, even if I have the mouse over them.

Secondly, both graphics cards I have tried in the affected pc are Nvidia; I also have another in this pc. The choice was dictated in the past by the availability of drivers when I first started Linux at 6.10. I have continued to use them with 8.10.

I have not tried ATI cards , although I have a spare that I could try if I could access a valid driver but are they now available?, that was a reason I changed to Nvidia.

regards, Peter

Peter,

i would give it a try, the suggestion of Chris to try a ATI-card; if the problem is gone, we know that it is the nvidia-driver, if the problem persist, then is it NOT the nvidia-driver.

Chris,
can you show us where your info is about the nvidia-driver?!?

Hello Menting & Chris

1. I will try the ATI card tomorrow and let you know the results. Card may be too old to have a driver available, but I try to get a result.

2. Chris, please expand on “can you show us where your info is about the nvidia-driver “ - Do you mean this below?

I source the nvidia drivers via “Applications > Add /Remove > All available applications” and let ubuntu search for and install the appropriate driver for the card.

regards, Peter

Hello Menting & Chris,

Some good news! I installed the ATI graphics card and everything is now functioning perfectly. I cycled the pc off/on several times to check repeatability - all ok.

Abiword, OOo Writer and Spreadsheet now fully functioning, the suggestion that it may be a nvidia graphics card software problem was correct.

Many thanks for your help in solving the problem. Does nvidia get a bug report?

Again, thank you very much, Peter

Hello Menting & Chris,

It seems that I should have pressed the confirm button when I entered the above message.

regards. Peter