How to turn off Pages predictive text

Question

Level 1

107 points

How to turn off Pages predictive text

I am using OS 10.8.5, Pages '09 version 4.3. In Pages preferences, the only thing selected for "Auto-Correction" is "Use Smart Quotes". In System Preferences > Language & Text > Text, "Correct spelling automatically" is not selected.

When I begin typing anything in a Pages table cell that starts with the same letter or numeral as in another cell of the same column, it automatically presents choices before I type that match text in other cells above. This does not happen with a table in TextEdit (rich text), so it seems to be related only to Pages. I do not need this "feature", so I want it off. How can I turn it off?

Please do not answer with such as "You can't turn it off". Even if I must use Terminal, I want it off, so I only want a solution.

Pages '09-OTHER

Posted on Jan 23, 2016 2:53 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Moof666 Author

Level 1

107 points

Jan 23, 2016 1:43 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Are you able to read what I typed to start my question: """Please do not answer with such as "You can't turn it off".""""

I'm not looking for your reasoning for why it is not annoying to you. I'm only asking how to eliminate it, AND THERE IS A WAY. It may come from some Terminal command, but there is a way. It's just that you do not know what it is.

I do not want it to follow what I type, even if it did, and IT DOES NOT follow. It guesses, and it does not guess what I want. When I stop typing, there is a bunch of guess added, and the only reasonable way to get rid of it is to ALWAYS PRESS DELETE FOR WHAT IS HIGHLIGHTED AS ADD-ON. IT IS AN ISSUE for me. Just because you like this annoying feature doesn't mean everyone likes it.

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 23, 2016 5:59 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Tom

I don't think that is "Autocorrection".

It is the spreadsheet anticipating possible previous content, much like you get when you drag down the pattern dot, so it is not turn-off able.

But frankly if you just keep typing it follows what you type, hardly an issue.

Peter

Reply

Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,386 points

Jan 23, 2016 7:31 AM in response to Moof666

Historically, and presently, spreadsheet applications (e.g. Numbers '09, Numbers 3.6.1, LibreOffice Calc, and Excel) will remember the prior column cell content by default, and if your descendant cell entry matches the first few characters of the prior cell, the text will be inserted. Pages '09 as a true word processing application, was designed to support pasted content from spreadsheets, and TextEdit, not designed as a true word processor, does not offer comparable spreadsheet table functionality. It uses dumb, faux-tables.

Like it or not, there is no solution within Pages '09, or via the Terminal to disable this column cell memory issue. Press command+A, and delete to remove the auto-inserted cell content.

Reply