Microsoft KB Archive/83069

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{| The information in this article applies to:
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 * Microsoft Word for Windows versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c
 * Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.0 and 3.1

SUMMARY
This article describes the steps for creating a custom dictionary (called a supplemental dictionary in version 1.x) file in Microsoft Word for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION
Custom dictionaries are used when you choose the Spelling command. If a word is found in the custom dictionary, Word considers it to be spelled correctly. Custom dictionaries are useful for groups of specialized words such as acronyms, abbreviations, and names of clients and business associates. You can create custom dictionary files in Word for Windows by using one of the following methods:

 Add a custom dictionary by choosing Options from the Tools menu, selecting the Spelling category, and choosing the Add button. Type a name for the custom dictionary, then choose the OK button. When you run the Spelling command, you can add words to your custom dictionary. Note: This method is fully documented in the manual. -or- You can create a text file in Word for Windows that contains the custom dictionary entries. This method is listed below.

To create a custom dictionary in Word version 2.0 for Windows, use the following steps:
 * 1) In a new Word for Windows document, type the words that you want to include in your custom dictionary. Press ENTER after typing each word so that there is only one word in each paragraph.
 * 2) Verify that your entries are spelled correctly.
 * 3) From the Tools menu, choose Sorting, select the Ascending and Alphanumeric options, and choose the OK button. Note: This step is optional because Word for Windows sorts the custom dictionary the first time a word is added to it when using the spelling checker.
 * 4) From the File menu, choose Save As, and select the Text Only (*.txt) option in the Save File as Type box. In the Directories box, select the Word for Windows program directory.
 * 5) Type a filename with the extension &quot;.DIC&quot; (without the quotation marks), and choose the OK button.
 * 6) From the Tools menu, choose Options, and select the Spelling category. The name of your custom dictionary should display in the Custom Dictionaries list if it was saved in the Word for Windows program directory (for example, C:\WINWORD). If your custom dictionary name is not displayed in the custom dictionary list, choose the Add button, and type the full path and custom dictionary filename (for example, C:\MYDIR\MYCUSTOM.DIC) in the Add Dictionary dialog box.
 * 7) Select your custom dictionary.
 * 8) Choose the OK button.

To create a custom dictionary in Word version 1.x for Windows, use the following steps:   In a new Word for Windows document, type the words that you want to include in your custom dictionary. Press ENTER after typing each word so that there is only one word in each paragraph. Note: In Word version 1.x for Windows, capitalized words must be listed first in the custom dictionary file. (Capitalized words not placed at the beginning of the custom dictionary are not recognized when you run the spelling checker.) If you add an initial-capped word to a custom dictionary when using the spelling checker, the capitalized letter is converted to lowercase. If you add a word with more than one capital letter, the capitalization is retained. This means that the spelling checker does not catch future occurrences of incorrectly initial-capped words. You can manually add the capitalized word to the custom dictionary file. Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.1a for Windows. This problem was corrected in Word versions 2.0 and 2.0a for Windows.  Make sure the entries are spelled correctly. From the File menu, choose Save As, and choose the Options button. In the File format box, select Text Only. In the Directories box, select the Word for Windows program directory. Type a file name with the extension &quot;.DIC&quot; (without the quotation marks), and choose the OK button. From the Utilities menu, choose Spelling, and choose the Options button.</li> In the Supplemental box, select your supplemental dictionary, or type the full path and filename for your dictionary (for example, C:\MYDIRECT\MYDICTN.DIC).</li> Choose the OK button.</li></ol>

Reference(s): &quot;Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide,&quot; version 2.0, pages 281-283

&quot;Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference,&quot; version 1.x, pages 331-334
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Last reviewed: July 30, 1997

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