Weird word count bug in TextMaker 2024

[Jack-O]

I may have found a strange bug or quirk in the registered version of TextMaker 2024. I'm writing flash fiction with a strict 100 word count and noticed that TextMaker's count didn't align with any other program or word count website. So, I hunted it down, line by line, until I found the problem.

BUG: TextMaker is counting punctuation as additional words!

Open a new TextMaker 2024 document and type:

One two three four five (six).

Note: Make sure to include the ending period.

Now, notice in the statusbar word count, it says 7 words

Next, erase the brackets around "(assorted)"

One two three four five six.

Now it should say 6 words.

Even stranger, if you keep the brackets and erase the end period, it also says six words.

One two three four five (six)

So it looks like the bug involves both brackets and a period making one word count as multiple words.

Would someone please confirm if this happens on their end, or if this behavior is intentional?

[SuperTech]

Thank you for reporting this issue. I am able to reproduce it and have forwarded the details further.

[Jack-O]

It looks like the problem persists as of late January '26.

"One two three four (five)" counts as five words, but if you add a period at the end, it counts as six.

I've also noticed that TextMaker counts contractions as multiple words, for example "don't" counts as 2 words.

This makes meeting word counts especially dangerous for writers, and makes it a necessity to copy my text into other programs just to make sure I have an accurate word count.

[Woody44]

Thank you for tracking this down. It happens that I recently entered a writing context, too, and I found that the word count reported in TextMaker didn't match up with the word count reported by the web site the contest uses as its official word count judge. Now I know why.

SoftMaker, please fix this ASAP. If possible, please fix it for 2021, also. I know people with SoftMaker Office 2021 who haven't upgraded.

[Woody44]

Even more peculiar, regarding contractions:

Both "can't" and "don't" count as two words.

one two three can't five six.

and

one two three don't five six.

report as seven words.

But while "don't" is a contraction for two words, "can't" is a contraction of one word: "cannot." If I change "can't" to "cannot" in the sample sentence, TextMaker then correctly reports six words -- even though "cannot" is longer than "can't."

[SuperTech]

I am unable to reproduce this issue with can't and don't as the word count is correctly 6 for both the given sentences. Please check the attached screenshots for your reference.

[Jack-O]

Here's "don't" counting as 2 words, "One two three four (five)." (please note the period at the end) counting as six words, and my version number of TextMaker (Professional 2024 (rev S1230.1206) 64bit).

I'm using the latest Windows version of TextMaker Professional if that helps track it down.

Edit: And like Woody44, when I open a new document and type "one to three don't five six" it counts as 7 words.

[Jack-O]

I think I may have tracked down the contraction problem!

See attached photos. Same sentence, written twice with a different word count. But note the apostrophe. One is "smart" or curly, and the other plain.

TextMaker correctly counts words with "plain" apostrophes, but incorrectly counts words with smart quotation marks.

Please note that this only explains the contraction issue. The initial bug is still active.

Code: Select all

One two three four (five).

...has no apostrophe, but still counts as 6 words when you add the period at the end. So there must be two separate word count issues when dealing with punctuation.

[SuperTech]

TextMaker correctly counts words with "plain" apostrophes, but incorrectly counts words with smart quotation marks.

Yes, I am able to reproduce this and have forwarded the details further.

[Jack-O]

Excellent!

Were you able to reproduce the parentheses-period problem on your end? Where

Code: Select all

(One).

Counts as 2 words?

(See attached screenshot).

[SuperTech]

Thank you for reporting this issue. I am able to reproduce it and have forwarded the details further.

Yes, and I have already forwarded that before.