How To Prevent Blue Squiggly Marks Below Every Dash In LibreOffice Writer? (will Not Be Converting To En Dash Or Em Dash)

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How to Prevent Blue Squiggly Marks Below Every Dash in LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice Writer is a powerful and feature-rich word processing software that offers a wide range of tools and features to help users create professional-looking documents. However, one of the features that can be frustrating for users is the blue squiggly mark that appears below every dash in the document. This mark is intended to indicate to the user that the dash should be converted to an en dash or em dash, but for users who do not want to make this conversion, it can be annoying. In this article, we will explore how to prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below every dash in LibreOffice Writer.

Understanding the Blue Squiggly Mark

The blue squiggly mark that appears below every dash in LibreOffice Writer is a feature called "Grammar Check" or "Spell Check" that is designed to help users identify and correct grammatical errors in their documents. When the user types a dash (-) in the document, the software checks the context in which the dash is used and suggests that it should be converted to an en dash (–) or em dash (—). However, for users who do not want to make this conversion, the blue squiggly mark can be distracting and annoying.

Why Does LibreOffice Writer Want to Convert Dashes to En Dashes or Em Dashes?

LibreOffice Writer wants to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes because it is following a set of rules that are designed to help users create professional-looking documents. In many cases, an en dash or em dash is the correct punctuation mark to use in a sentence, and the software is trying to help the user to use the correct punctuation. However, for users who have a specific reason for using a dash instead of an en dash or em dash, the software's suggestion can be annoying.

How to Prevent the Blue Squiggly Mark from Appearing Below Every Dash

Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below every dash in LibreOffice Writer. Here are a few methods that you can try:

Method 1: Disable Grammar Check

One way to prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below every dash is to disable the Grammar Check feature in LibreOffice Writer. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and uncheck the box next to "Grammar Check".
  5. Click "OK" to save the changes.

By disabling the Grammar Check feature, you will no longer see the blue squiggly mark below every dash in your document.

Method 2: Use a Dash Instead of an En Dash or Em Dash

Another way to prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below every dash is to use a dash instead of an en dash or em dash. To do this, simply type a dash (-) instead of an en dash (–) or em dash (—). This will prevent the software from suggesting that you should convert the dash to an en dash or em dash.

Method 3: Use a Non-Breaking Dash

A non-breaking dash is a type of dash that is designed to prevent the software from breaking the dash at the end of a line. To insert a non-breaking dash in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Type a dash (-) in the document.
  2. Select the dash and go to the "Insert" menu.
  3. Select "Special Character" from the drop-down menu.
  4. In the "Special Character" dialog box, select the "Non-Breaking Dash" option.
  5. Click "OK" to insert the non-breaking dash.

By using a non-breaking dash, you will prevent the software from breaking the dash at the end of a line and also prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below the dash.

Method 4: Use a Custom Dictionary

A custom dictionary is a dictionary that you can create to store words and phrases that you want to exclude from the Grammar Check feature. To create a custom dictionary in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and click on the "Custom Dictionary" button.
  5. In the "Custom Dictionary" dialog box, click on the "New" button to create a new dictionary.
  6. In the "New Dictionary" dialog box, enter a name for the dictionary and click "OK".
  7. In the "Custom Dictionary" dialog box, click on the "Add" button to add words and phrases to the dictionary.
  8. Click "OK" to save the changes.

By creating a custom dictionary, you can exclude words and phrases that you want to exclude from the Grammar Check feature, including dashes.

In conclusion, the blue squiggly mark that appears below every dash in LibreOffice Writer can be annoying for users who do not want to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes. However, there are several ways to prevent this mark from appearing, including disabling the Grammar Check feature, using a dash instead of an en dash or em dash, using a non-breaking dash, and creating a custom dictionary. By following these methods, you can prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing below every dash in your document and create professional-looking documents with ease.

Q: Why does LibreOffice Writer want to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes? A: LibreOffice Writer wants to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes because it is following a set of rules that are designed to help users create professional-looking documents.

Q: How do I disable the Grammar Check feature in LibreOffice Writer? A: To disable the Grammar Check feature in LibreOffice Writer, go to the "Tools" menu, select "Options", and uncheck the box next to "Grammar Check".

Q: How do I insert a non-breaking dash in LibreOffice Writer? A: To insert a non-breaking dash in LibreOffice Writer, type a dash (-) in the document, select the dash, and go to the "Insert" menu, select "Special Character", and select the "Non-Breaking Dash" option.

Q: Why does LibreOffice Writer want to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes?

A: LibreOffice Writer wants to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes because it is following a set of rules that are designed to help users create professional-looking documents. In many cases, an en dash or em dash is the correct punctuation mark to use in a sentence, and the software is trying to help the user to use the correct punctuation.

Q: How do I disable the Grammar Check feature in LibreOffice Writer?

A: To disable the Grammar Check feature in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and uncheck the box next to "Grammar Check".
  5. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: How do I insert a non-breaking dash in LibreOffice Writer?

A: To insert a non-breaking dash in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Type a dash (-) in the document.
  2. Select the dash and go to the "Insert" menu.
  3. Select "Special Character" from the drop-down menu.
  4. In the "Special Character" dialog box, select the "Non-Breaking Dash" option.
  5. Click "OK" to insert the non-breaking dash.

Q: How do I create a custom dictionary in LibreOffice Writer?

A: To create a custom dictionary in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and click on the "Custom Dictionary" button.
  5. In the "Custom Dictionary" dialog box, click on the "New" button to create a new dictionary.
  6. In the "New Dictionary" dialog box, enter a name for the dictionary and click "OK".
  7. In the "Custom Dictionary" dialog box, click on the "Add" button to add words and phrases to the dictionary.
  8. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: Why is the blue squiggly mark still appearing below my dashes?

A: There are several reasons why the blue squiggly mark may still be appearing below your dashes, even after you have tried the methods above. Some possible reasons include:

  • You may have a custom dictionary that is overriding the default settings.
  • You may have a specific setting in the "Options" dialog box that is causing the blue squiggly mark to appear.
  • You may be using a specific font or font style that is causing the blue squiggly mark to appear.

Q: How do I troubleshoot the blue squiggly mark issue?

A: To troubleshoot the blue squiggly mark issue, follow these steps:

  1. Check your custom dictionary to see if it is overriding the default settings.
  2. Check the "Options" dialog box to see if there are any specific settings that are causing the blue squiggly mark to appear.
  3. Try using a different font or font style to see if the blue squiggly mark still appears.
  4. Try disabling the Grammar Check feature to see if the blue squiggly mark still appears.

Q: Can I customize the blue squiggly mark settings in LibreOffice Writer?

A: Yes, you can customize the blue squiggly mark settings in LibreOffice Writer. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and click on the "Settings" button.
  5. In the "Grammar Check Settings" dialog box, you can customize the settings for the blue squiggly mark.

Q: How do I reset the blue squiggly mark settings in LibreOffice Writer?

A: To reset the blue squiggly mark settings in LibreOffice Writer, follow these steps:

  1. Open LibreOffice Writer and go to the "Tools" menu.
  2. Select "Options" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Options" dialog box, select the "LibreOffice Writer" tab.
  4. Scroll down to the "Grammar Check" section and click on the "Reset" button.
  5. Click "OK" to save the changes.

In conclusion, the blue squiggly mark that appears below every dash in LibreOffice Writer can be annoying for users who do not want to convert dashes to en dashes or em dashes. However, by following the methods and troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you can prevent the blue squiggly mark from appearing and create professional-looking documents with ease.