Nexus 10, Spell Checker not functioning from new

[cliff.28]

I have recently purchased a Nexus 10 and it has auto upgraded to Kit Kat Android.
From new, the spell checker has not functioned. There is a blue tick in the appropriate checkbox, Language & input> Spell checker. Keyboard default is English UK Google keyboard
I see what to try on Google website troubleshooter ( clear data, cache ) for a Playstore app , but have not tried this as it may do damage to an inbuilt program. Would need instruction to locate the exact place to start the procedure if this is to be done. As I see it, there isn't a point where I can instruct Spell Checker to a Force Stop and then go on to the clearing of cache and data. I see a forum tip which is to 'root device'. On finding out what this means, it is rather drastic and is likely to invalidate the warranty. I do not have enough computer skill to recover if the root action causes other problems. If no one has a suggestion as to how to solve the problem reasonably simply, then it looks as the device will have to be returned to the supplier.

 

[codesplice]

Hi cliff.28, and welcome to Android Forums

If you go into the Settings for the Google Keyboard and scroll down to the Text Correction section, what option do you have selected for Auto-correction? (Off, Modest, Aggressive, Very aggressive)

 

[cliff.28]

Hello codesplice,
Thanks for the prompt response.

Text correction>auto correction is Modest. This is how it was from new.
Show correction suggestions is Always Show and this is happening.
Block offensive words and Personalised suggestions are both blue ticked, also from new.
If I spell sugar using segure , then there is no red underlining that I understand is supposed to happen and a drop down of alternatives is not offered if the word is tapped. Segure is not auto corrected. Auto correction offers Segure as best choice , also Secure and Seques.
If I enter altternative, then this gets auto corrected to alternative,
It would seem that auto correction is working to a reasonable extent, but not the spell checker.

 

[codesplice]

Sounds like I have the keyboard set up just the same on my Nexus 4, and it actually sounds like things are working as it should.

Typed "segure":

Spacebar automatically accepts "Secure":

Backspace to revert the substitution, and "segure" gets a red underline:

Tap the underlined word to get a list of suggestions:

For what it's worth, Microsoft Word isn't able to correct segure=>sugar either:

 

[cliff.28]

Hi codesplice,
Thanks for your efforts in the visual display. My word choice was a poor example- - hoping to do a better job below. I have done exactly as illustrated and there was a drop down at the end that I had never seen before, all worked perfectly- - but unfortunately have to accept that some words will get corrected automatically in addition to making personal selection. I don't happen to like the ghostly automatic replacement of words, I prefer notification and then my own choice if I get things wrong.
I am using an Easy Steps book by Nick Vandome which covers to Jelly Bean and is illustrated using Nexus.
He states that if the Spell checker is enabled, then any misspelled words appear underlined in red. Tap on the word to view suggested alternatives. His phrase is 'Once upon a tyme ' and he shows that the alternatives in a drop down box are ' type, game take, them, fame'.
I am now presuming that you can have either Spell checker or Auto-correction functioning , not both at the same time. Possibly Auto-correction takes priority to function if both are enabled. Further presume that Auto-correction was off in the above example.
I have entered the phrase ' Once uupon a tyme iin sburbia' in a Quickoffice document with Auto-correction now changed from Modest to Off and still with the same blue tick to enable Spell checker . There is no underlining and the phrase remains unchanged. As expected, the line of three suggested words by the Auto-correction device is missing. There is a drop down menu in Quickoffice where I chose to 'enable Spell check ' . Misspelled words did get underlined in red but tapping on a word did not produce alternatives.
I am aiming to get just Spell checker working alone; is this possible?; any more ideas to achieve this?

 

[codesplice]

Hi cliff.28,

I think I'm starting to understand what's going on. I set my phone up the same way you described (autocorrect turned off, spell check enabled), and typed your test sentence into the Tapatalk app:

As I expected, the misspelled words go the red-underline treatment.

I then tried again in Quickoffice, as you did:

No underlines - but why not? It turns out that the spell check option under the Language and Input Settings only applies to applications that use the built-in Android text entry field. See how Tapatalk's text entry is a single line followed by the "send" icon that is used elsewhere in the OS? That's because it's a native entry field.

Quickoffice (and many other text editors and word processors) use their own special entry fields. This allows you greater control over spacing, indentation, fonts, symbols, etc, but the price is that you're cut off from the OS-level spell checker. Such apps would have to implement their own - and fortunately, Quickoffice does:

Once you Enable Spell Check inside the Quickoffice application you should start to see the behavior you seek.

Hope this helps!

 

[cliff.28]

Hi codesplice,
Thanks for sticking with this.
I am at last getting results due to all your very detailed input. In Quickoffice and with Auto-correct still off in keyboard settings, I see a line of three spelling suggestions and there is no auto correction of the misspelled words. It seems that the default for spell check in Quickoffice is off as I have to enable it every time I activate the program (I prefer on by default). For some strange reason, I am now getting the red underlining, at last now with the suggestions- - - just as wanted. With this sorted, it is on to gmail accessed from Firefox.
Composing a mail, there is a line of three spelling suggestions and pleasingly auto- correct does not function. I can go to the bottom right hand corner and activate Spell checking, get the yellow highlighting and tap for choices. I do not see a way of activating spell checking by default from the outset to check as I type, but I can live with this.
I am very grateful to you for all the assistance to come to a successful conclusion.

 

[codesplice]

I'm glad to be able to help out

Out of curiosity, is there a reason that you're using Firefox to access your Gmail instead of the native Gmail app? The app seems to use the native Android input method, so the system-wide spellcheck setting applies. :thumbup: