Dreaded underlining from 2012 has returned!

[Lacemaker427]

When my iPad Air was new, it suddenly developed a fault in the Contacts app. That fault cleared up seemingly on its own a few months later without the help of an iOS upgrade. The dreaded fault returned just a few days BEFORE I upgraded to iOS 9.0.2. I had been hopeful that the upgrade would solve the problem. It didn't. The top 3 lines and anything in the Notes section are free from this unwanted underlining, but the rest of the information is all underlined: addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc. There are other places throughout the iPad where underlining has appeared, such as when the SpellChecker pics up an error. It shows the correction as an underlined word, but when it corrects to the email, it is not underlined, fortunately. Weird!

Any ideas?

 

[C DM]

Isn't all of this by design?

 

[Mabus51]

keywords like today or friday will be underlined. It means you can open them in an associated app to create an event. In other words, it's functioning correctly and has been doing so since iOS 7.

 

[Lacemaker0427]

Isn't all of this by design?

Not by my design.

 

[C DM]

Not by my design.

Only Apple's design matters when it comes to all that as that is what applies. And in this case that is the design went with.

 

[Lacemaker0427]

keywords like today or friday will be underlined. It means you can open them in an associated app to create an event. In other words, it's functioning correctly and has been doing so since iOS 7.

No, I'm not talking about the occasional word here or there. Entire addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc are all totally underlined. There have been 2 iOS updates since this issue recurred, but still, it remains. It's a puzzle.

 

[swordfish5736]

No, I'm not talking about the occasional word here or there. Entire addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc are all totally underlined. There have been 2 iOS updates since this issue recurred, but still, it remains. It's a puzzle.

are you referring to things you can select?
like a phone number that you can tap on to call or save to contacts?
an address you can click on to get directions to?
a URL that you could open?

Try a long press on an underlined item the next time you see it. If its a tracking number for something it will give you the choice to track a shipment, if its a day and time it will allow you to create a calendar event.

 

[Lacemaker0427]

Finally, I have found the answer to this weird underlining! Had I known how to add a screenshot to my posts here, I would have shown you, but now, since the problem is consistently reproducible, you can see for yourself. I can now turn the dreaded underlining on and off at will, but it's very unlikely I'll ever turn it on again -- it's just too annoying!
<< Settings > General > Accessibility > Button Shapes -> OFF! >>
I think I'll blame the cat in my lap for turning Button Shapes on, mostly because he's never complained yet about being the scapegoat for every little thing that happens around here.

"Who ate the last 'Ultra-Tart Lemon Bar'?" Answers from everyone at home: "Vapor did it!" My answer, "Then Vapor can make the next batch!"
"Whose job is it to empty the dishwasher today?" Again: "Vapor!" My answer, "Then y'all can have cat food for dinner with Vapor, or you can decide to pitch in and get it done!"
"Who wants to go see a movie tomorrow? -- Nevermind, I'll just go to a drive-in with Daddy and Vapor!" Such is my life. At least I won't have to take anyone to the bathroom at the moist exciting part of the movi. Vapor is 16 years old, and he'll just sleep through the whole thing -- bliss!

Thank you, Swordfish5736, for your interest and willingness to assist me. Have fun trick-or-treating tomorrow! I'll be making trick-or-treat surprise (Beef & Barley) for dinner, and the kids will be so full of their favorite dinner that they won't be able to get sick on candy! If you would like the simple recipes for Ultra-Tart Lemon Bars and Beef & Barley as payment for your willingness to help? Email me via MacRumors and I'll send them off.

 

[C DM]

Finally, I have found the answer to this weird underlining! Had I known how to add a screenshot to my posts here, I would have shown you, but now, since the problem is consistently reproducible, you can see for yourself. I can now turn the dreaded underlining on and off at will, but it's very unlikely I'll ever turn it on again -- it's just too annoying!
<< Settings > General > Accessibility > Button Shapes -> OFF! >>
I think I'll blame the cat in my lap for turning Button Shapes on, mostly because he's never complained yet about being the scapegoat for every little thing that happens around here.

"Who ate the last 'Ultra-Tart Lemon Bar'?" Answers from everyone at home: "Vapor did it!" My answer, "Then Vapor can make the next batch!"
"Whose job is it to empty the dishwasher today?" Again: "Vapor!" My answer, "Then y'all can have cat food for dinner with Vapor, or you can decide to pitch in and get it done!"
"Who wants to go see a movie tomorrow? -- Nevermind, I'll just go to a drive-in with Daddy and Vapor!" Such is my life. At least I won't have to take anyone to the bathroom at the moist exciting part of the movi. Vapor is 16 years old, and he'll just sleep through the whole thing -- bliss!

Thank you, Swordfish5736, for your interest and willingness to assist me. Have fun trick-or-treating tomorrow! I'll be making trick-or-treat surprise (Beef & Barley) for dinner, and the kids will be so full of their favorite dinner that they won't be able to get sick on candy! If you would like the simple recipes for Ultra-Tart Lemon Bars and Beef & Barley as payment for your willingness to help? Email me via MacRumors and I'll send them off.

That seems to be different from what was described in the OP talking about dates, times, places, and information of that nature being underlined in apps like Notes. That isn't related to button shapes.

 

[GreyOS]

That seems to be different from what was described in the OP talking about dates, times, places, and information of that nature being underlined in apps like Notes. That isn't related to button shapes.

actually button shapes does underline a lot of interactive text elements like the spell checker suggestions OP mentions at end of the post. it also underlines contact information (in the contacts app) as mentioned at the start of thepost.

I also recommend OP turns off button shapes.

 

[electronicsguy]

actually button shapes does underline a lot of interactive text elements like the spell checker suggestions OP mentions at end of the post. it also underlines contact information (in the contacts app) as mentioned at the start of thepost.

I also recommend OP turns off button shapes.

hmm. are you positive about this? What does button shapes have to do with the intelligent context underlining?

 

[C DM]

actually button shapes does underline a lot of interactive text elements like the spell checker suggestions OP mentions at end of the post. it also underlines contact information (in the contacts app) as mentioned at the start of thepost.

I also recommend OP turns off button shapes.

But at the same time that setting is unrelated to the items I mentioned which were mentioned in the OP.

 

[GreyOS]

hmm. are you positive about this?

can't you try it yourself?

yes, I agree not all of OP's post makes sense but there are some key points definitely explained by button shapes being on. here are two pics, one with it off and one with it on.

I just recommend he turn it off which will at least alleviate some of his issues

op still needs to understand certain things are always underlined, yep

 

[C DM]

can't you try it yourself?

yes, I agree not all of OP's post makes sense but there are some key points definitely explained by button shapes being on. here are two pics, one with it off and one with it on.

I just recommend he turn it off which will at least alleviate some of his issues

op still needs to understand certain things are always underlined, yep

Sounds like a number of different things got mixed in together with some of them not described all that well to cause enough confusion making it harder to figure out what exactly was being asked about.

 

[Lacemaker427]

FYI: The only app I referred to in the OP was the Contacts app. The descriptions of the problem were all regarding what happened within that app. If you read the OP again, I think you'll understand what I wrote:

"...fault had developed in the Contacts app...The top 3 lines and anything in the Notes section are free from this unwanted underlining, but the rest of the information is all underlined: addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc."

The important thing to note at the end of all this is that the problem was solved by simply turning off button shapes. If anyone still doesn't believe it, he or she can easily reproduce the malfunction on their own iPad by simply turning on button shapes. Then look at your own Contacts app. I think you'll be intrigued. What button shapes has to do with underlining, I just can't fathom, but that's often the way with computers.

Problem solved. Thank you all for trying to help. I'm just glad that I was able to find the solution before I had to pay someone to look into it for me.

 

[C DM]

FYI: The only app I referred to in the OP was the Contacts app. The descriptions of the problem were all regarding what happened within that app. If you read the OP again, I think you'll understand what I wrote:

"...fault had developed in the Contacts app...The top 3 lines and anything in the Notes section are free from this unwanted underlining, but the rest of the information is all underlined: addresses, phone numbers, URLs, etc."

The important thing to note at the end of all this is that the problem was solved by simply turning off button shapes. If anyone still doesn't believe it, he or she can easily reproduce the malfunction on their own iPad by simply turning on button shapes. Then look at your own Contacts app. I think you'll be intrigued. What button shapes has to do with underlining, I just can't fathom, but that's often the way with computers.

Problem solved. Thank you all for trying to help. I'm just glad that I was able to find the solution before I had to pay someone to look into it for me.

Button shapes is there to provide visual indicators to items that can be tapped on and result in some action. It works on more than just buttons even though the particular naming of that accessibility type of feature refers to buttons.

http://www.imore.com/how-enable-button-shapes-visual-accessibility-iphone-and-ipad