Microsoft KB Archive/88095

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Other Applications Can't Access Words in Custom Dictionary

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Q88095

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, version 2.0

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SUMMARY
When you run the spelling checker in version 2.0 of Microsoft Word for Windows and you add words to the custom dictionary (CUSTOM.DIC), the spelling checker in other Microsoft applications may not recognize these words. This problem occurs because Word for Windows uses a different sorting order to sort the words in the custom dictionary than other Microsoft applications. As a result, other Microsoft applications are not able to find these words in the shared CUSTOM.DIC file.

Other Microsoft applications that share the CUSTOM.DIC file include: Microsoft Excel for Windows, Microsoft Publisher for Windows, and Microsoft Works for Windows.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word for Windows version 2.0. This problem was corrected in Word for Windows version 2.0a.

MORE INFORMATION
The spelling checker in version 2.0 of Word for Windows sorts words starting with numbers followed by words in normal alphabetical order (without regard to capitalization). The other Microsoft applications that share CUSTOM.DIC sort words using the following, slightly modified version of alphabetical order (based on the ASCII character set):


 * Numbers
 * Capital letters
 * Lowercase letters

When Word for Windows uses or creates CUSTOM.DIC, it resorts the words in the file. As a result, the spelling engine of the other Microsoft applications can no longer recognize the order, which causes previously entered words to be flagged as misspelled.

The shared custom dictionary file, used by several Microsoft Windows-based applications, is stored by default in the following subdirectory:

"C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF" Note: If you move your shared CUSTOM.DIC file to another location, you need to change the appropriate .INI settings for each application that accesses this custom dictionary file. In Word for Windows, this setting is located in the MS Proofing Tools section of the Windows WIN.INI file.

WORKAROUND
Use the following procedure to repair a CUSTOM.DIC file created in version 2.0 of Word for Windows:

Open CUSTOM.DIC in Word for Windows. Choose the OK button when prompted to convert the file from Text Only.

Delete any words in capital letters from the file and retype them using one of the following methods:


 * Next time you use the spelling checker in one of the Microsoft applications that accesses CUSTOM.DIC, choose the Add button when the capitalized word is flagged. The spelling checker adds the word to CUSTOM.DIC in the correct order.
 * After you complete step 3 below, type the words into CUSTOM.DIC. Add the words, in alphabetical order, after the numbered items and before the lowercase items. For example, add &quot;Apple,&quot; &quot;Orange,&quot; and &quot;Raspberry&quot; to the following locations in CUSTOM.DIC:

From the Tools menu, choose Sorting. Select the Ascending Sorting Order option and choose the OK button.

From the File menu, choose Close. Choose the Yes button when prompted to save changes to the file.

The custom dictionary is now in a format that can be used by other Microsoft applications.

If the spelling checker in another Microsoft application fails to recognize words you added to CUSTOM.DIC from the version 2.0 Word for Windows spelling checker, you should obtain version 2.0a of Word for Windows.

To obtain pre-sales information about new or updated Microsoft products, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World Wide Offices Web site at:

"http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm"