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  1. Moodle
  2. MDL-44349

count_words() returns an inaccurate word count

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    Details

    • Type: Bug
    • Status: Closed
    • Priority: Minor
    • Resolution: Fixed
    • Affects Version/s: 2.5.4, 2.6.1
    • Fix Version/s: 2.7
    • Component/s: Assignment
    • Labels:
    • Affected Branches:
      MOODLE_25_STABLE, MOODLE_26_STABLE
    • Fixed Branches:
      MOODLE_27_STABLE
    • Pull from Repository:
    • Pull Master Branch:
      MDL-44349-master
    • Pull Master Diff URL:
    • Testing Instructions:
      Hide
      • Create an assignment activity with online text submission enabled.
      • Edit your submission and paste in some text (at least 25 words required for word count to be reported).
      • Save your submission and check the reported word count in the submission status table.
      • Edit your submission again and insert apostrophes into a few words.
      • Save and check the reported word count again. It should not have changed.
      Show
      Create an assignment activity with online text submission enabled. Edit your submission and paste in some text (at least 25 words required for word count to be reported). Save your submission and check the reported word count in the submission status table. Edit your submission again and insert apostrophes into a few words. Save and check the reported word count again. It should not have changed.

      Description

      The count_words() function in lib/moodlelib.php counts the number of word boundaries following a word character. Since punctuation characters are classed as word boundaries, the reported word count for long strings can be fairly inaccurate (e.g. "can't" is counted as two words).

        Attachments

          Issue Links

          has been marked as being related by

          Improvement - An enhancement to an existing Moodle feature. MDL-44375 TinyMCE wordcount plugin should give results consistent with Moodle's own word counting function

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed
          Testing discovered

          New Feature - A new Moodle feature which has yet to be developed. MDL-35373 Word limit feature for online text submission

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed
          will be (partly) resolved by

          Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents Moodle from functioning correctly. MDL-45361 2-byte characters not included in word counts

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed

            Activity

              People

              Assignee:
              tonybutler Tony Butler
              Reporter:
              tonybutler Tony Butler
              Peer reviewer:
              Damyon Wiese Damyon Wiese
              Integrator:
              Dan Poltawski Dan Poltawski
              Tester:
              Frédéric Massart Frédéric Massart
              Participants:
              Component watchers:
              Adrian Greeve, Jake Dallimore, Mathew May, Mihail Geshoski, Peter Dias, Sujith Haridasan
              Votes:
              0 Vote for this issue
              Watchers:
              6 Start watching this issue

                Dates

                Created:
                Updated:
                Resolved:
                Fix Release Date:
                12/May/14