Microsoft KB Archive/813996

= You receive an error message when you add a word to the custom dictionary in Word 2003 =

PSS ID Number: 813996

Article Last Modified on 12/6/2004

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Office Word 2003

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SYMPTOMS
When you click Add to Dictionary in the Spelling and Grammar dialog box to add a word to the custom dictionary in Microsoft Office Word 2003, you may receive the following error message:

The custom dictionary is full. The word was not added.



CAUSE
This issue may occur if any of the following conditions are true:
 * The custom dictionary is damaged.
 * The spelling checker files are damaged.



Custom Dictionary Is Damaged
To rename the damaged custom dictionary, and then create a new custom dictionary, follow these steps:  Locate the custom dictionary on your hard disk. To do this, follow these steps:  Start Word. On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Spelling & Grammar tab, click Custom Dictionaries. In the Dictionary list dialog box, click your custom dictionary.

Note The path to your custom dictionary appears under the Dictionary list that is designated by the text in the Full path. Make a note of the location of the custom dictionary. Click Cancel, and then click Close. Quit Word.</li></ol> </li> Rename the damaged custom dictionary. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> In Windows Explorer, locate the damaged custom dictionary.</li> Right-click the custom dictionary, and then click Rename.</li> Rename the custom dictionary file by using the .old extension.

For example, to rename Custom.dic, type custom.old, and then press ENTER.</li></ol> </li> Create a new custom dictionary. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> Start Word.</li> On the Tools menu, click Options.</li> On the Spelling & Grammar tab, click Custom Dictionaries.</li> Click New to create a new custom dictionary.</li> Type a name for the new custom dictionary in the File name box, and then click Save.

The custom dictionary is added to the Dictionary list box.</li> Click OK in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, and then click OK in the Options dialog box.</li></ol> </li> Add words to the new dictionary file. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> Start Windows Explorer, and then locate the damaged custom dictionary.</li> Right-click the custom dictionary, and then click Rename.</li> Rename the custom dictionary file by using the .txt extension.

For example, to rename Custom.old, type custom.txt, and then press ENTER.</li> <li>Start Word, and then open the old dictionary file that you just renamed.</li> <li>To run the spelling checker tool, press F7.</li> <li>To add the words that you want from the old custom dictionary to your new custom dictionary, click Add to Dictionary.</li></ol> </li></ol>

Spelling Checker Files Are Damaged
If the steps in the &quot;Custom Dictionary Is Damaged&quot; section of this article do not resolve the issue, the files that are used to check spelling are damaged. To resolve this issue, rename the Msspell3.dll and Mssp3en.lex files by using the .old extension, and then reinstall the spelling checker files. To do this, follow these steps:

Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps. <ol> <li>Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.</li> <li>In the Search for file or folders named box, type msspell3.dll .</li> <li>In the Look In box, click the drive on which Microsoft Windows is installed (typically drive C), and then click Search Now.</li> <li>In the Search Results window, right-click the file, and then click Rename.</li> <li>Type msspell3.old .</li> <li>Repeat steps 1 through 5 to rename the Mssp3en.lex file to Mssp3en.old.</li> <li>Insert your Word 2003 CD or Microsoft Office 11 CD into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive. Press and hold down the SHIFT key as you insert the CD to prevent the program from starting automatically.</li> <li>Start Word, and then open a blank document.</li> <li>Type some text, and then press F7 to check spelling the document.</li> <li>Click Yes when you receive the following error message:

Microsoft Word can't check the spelling or grammar in this document. This feature is not currently installed. Would you like to install it now?

</li></ol>

Additional query words: OFF11 OfficeErrorMessages 10050 wd2003

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB813996

Technology: kbWord2003 kbWord2003Search kbWordSearch

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