Unable to edit custom dictionary within Word 2008

[Fennario]

The first time I tried to edit my custom dictionary (I had
accidentally entered a misspelled word) in Word 2008, the Edit button
was available, but I was unable to click in and actually edit the list
of words that came up. I temporarily gave up and resumed my spellcheck
to finish the document. Then I tried again to edit the custom
dictionary. Now the Edit button is dimmed, and the only way I can edit
the custom dictionary is through the finder (by opening the file in a
text editor).

No matter which document I open or how many times I relaunch Word,
this problem persists.

Any suggestions?

 

[Diane Ross]

The first time I tried to edit my custom dictionary (I had
accidentally entered a misspelled word) in Word 2008, the Edit button
was available, but I was unable to click in and actually edit the list
of words that came up. I temporarily gave up and resumed my spellcheck
to finish the document. Then I tried again to edit the custom
dictionary. Now the Edit button is dimmed, and the only way I can edit
the custom dictionary is through the finder (by opening the file in a
text editor).

No matter which document I open or how many times I relaunch Word,
this problem persists.

Go to your preferences folder in your User's folder. Open the dictionary
file and copy it. Now delete the file and then open Word. It should create a
new empty dictionary. Paste your entries back into the new file.

You might have to quit and restart Word to get this to happen.

Make a backup of your file first just in case....

 

[Fennario]

Thank you for the message, but I had already tried that very thing. Word did not create a new empty dictionary. In fact, without the file in place, it also dimmed the button to "add" a word when doing the Spell Check.

I quit Word, replaced the Custom Dictionary file, and relaunched Word. The "Edit" button is still dimmed. You can see a screen cap of it here:

<http://www.megethos.com/fennario/CustDictEdit.gif>

 

[Diane Ross]

Thank you for the message, but I had already tried that very thing. Word did
not create a new empty dictionary. In fact, without the file in place, it also
dimmed the button to "add" a word when doing the Spell Check.

Drag the file to TextEdit and open it there. Make your changes and save.

John McGhie will come along shortly and will probably have more suggestions.

 

[Fennario]

Yes, I did edit the file in a text editor, as I wrote in my original post. That is of course only a workaround, hence my post.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Diane:

You rotten thing I haven't a clue.

I have sent this one off to Curt Laird, the Microsoft Software Development
Engineer in charge of bug hunting in Word.

I am hoping for an answer in a few hours.

Cheers

Drag the file to TextEdit and open it there. Make your changes and save.

John McGhie will come along shortly and will probably have more suggestions.

--
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Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[John Fud]

Hi... first, congrats on the new look for Mactopia. Very nice.

Second, in Office 2008, I would love to be able to use the 'right click' access to Apple's own Dictionary.app instead of the one provided by Microsoft (no offense). Is there any way to do that?

Best and thanks in advance,

JF

 

[Diane Ross]

Second, in Office 2008, I would love to be able to use the 'right click'
access to Apple's own Dictionary.app instead of the one provided by Microsoft
(no offense). Is there any way to do that?

Not that I am aware of. If you would like to see this option added, the best
way is to send feedback to Microsoft.

When working in Office, you can use the ³Send Feedback² option under the
Help menu in all of the Office applications or visit
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/suggestions.mspx>

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi John -

That you can't do, but this might suffice:

If you haven't already done so, ad Dictionary.app to your Dock,

Select the word in your document & drag it to the Dictionary icon.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac