Custom dictionary in Word 2007 -- can't add new words

[Nathan]

I recently migrated to Word 2007. I imported by custom.dic from a previous
version of Word. I find that the "add" button is grayed out when I try to
add new words. If I try to "edit" the file from within Word (Word options |
proofing | custom dictionaries | edit word list) the "add" button is grayed,
and deleting a word results in the warning "Proofing engine could not write
to specified Custom Dictionary" ... my custom dictionary is in the path
C:\Users\Nathan\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof.

Despite this problem, Word does appropriately suggest words from the custom
dictionary. I have tried making the dictionary read only, not read only,
changing the language of the dictionary (from All to US English).

Short of deleting the dictionary, and spell checking all 2454 entries and
adding them to a new dictionary, is there an easier fix? (Obviously, I have
been a word user for many years, and have accumulated my own collection over
many versions of this program.)

 

[Beth Melton]

Did you check the file properties of your UProof folder or other folders in
the path? If one is set to Read Only then that may explain what you are
seeing.

Note you can always create a new custom dictionary, open it (in Word or the
Notepad), and copy/paste entries from your old one if necessary so all is
not lost.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Nathan]

Beth ... thanks for your quick reply. Initially, both the folder and the
file were read only. I've changed the properties on both so that they are no
longer read only. Problem persists.

I am worried that I have some illegal characters in the file, or that it
needs to be imported, rather than copied into the correct location.

 

[Beth Melton]

If you suspect the file then you can create a new custom dictionary and
copy/paste the contents of your old one as I previously described. To do so:

- Click the Office Button
- Click Word Options
- In the Proofing section, click the Custom Dictionaries button
- Click New and create a new custom dictionary
- Accept all changes
- Try adding a word to your newly created dictionary

If the word is successfully added:
- Move your old custom dictionary out of the UProof folder
- Open your old custom dictionary (either in Word or the Notepad), select
the contents and copy it
- Open your new custom dictionary (either in Word or the Notepad) and paste
the copied content.

If you after you copy the entries and encounter the same problem then create
a copy of your old custom dictionary, move (cut instead of copy) the
contents in smaller portions and test results each time. For example start
with the first half and if that works keep adding to it and testing each
time.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Nathan]

.... interesting. I'll post my observations here.

First, I tried creating a new custom dictionary. Got nowhere, as I still
could not add words. Then I tried renaming the two dictionaries, by changing
their extension to *.bad. Fascinatingly, windows refused to allow the
extension change, and instead renamed the dictionaries custom(1).dic and
custom(2).dic.

Finally, I cut the two custom dictionaries out (pasted them on to the desk
top). I then created a new dictionary through Word options | proofing |
custom dictionaries | new.

Then, I could add words into the custom dictionary.

Here is the fascinating part. The first entry in my "empty dictionary"
(when viewing the file with notepad is #LID 1033. That does not appear when
I open the file by using the "edit word list" command.

My research suggests that command designates the file as an English
dictionary.

In any case, problem solved. My advice -- don't try to copy and paste the
custom.dic file from a previous version of word. Or add #LID plus the number
corresponding to the dictionary language to the first line of the file.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Keep in mind that you had changed the dictionary language to English.
Ordinarily the dictionary language would be All Languages, so no language ID
would be present.

Was Word closed when you tried to change the filename? Did you have file
extensions displayed? When you say Windows refused to allow it, do you mean
it advised against it or actually didn't perform the change?

 

[Nathan]

Word was closed when I tried to do the work. However, I realized that
outlook (which shares the dictionary) was open. I had to close and re-open
the program to begin using the dictionary there.

Perhaps if I had started by closing ALL office programs, the task might have
been simpler.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes, I always forget about that because I don't use Outlook. I'm not sure to
what extent the other Office apps share the dictionary. I know they share
the AutoCorrect files.

 

[Beth Melton]

Thanks for the follow-up, Nathan.

The fact that you had Outlook running does make since -- the Office
applications share the same custom dictionary. Sorry about not mentioning
that. Since Outlook no longer uses Word as its email editor I occasionally
forget about other shared features.

Glad to hear you're back up and running!

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/