Word resets my Language and Spelling preferences all the time!

[Tony]

These issues arise only using Word files created on Word for Windows XP
on a PC computer. No problem when I create a document in my Mac. Here
are the issues:

Word from Office 2004 v11.3.5 on Mac OS X 10.4.9 forgets my selection
of language in "Tools/Language", even if I select such language and
click the "Default" button.

If I select the full ".doc" document (Command A), the language
previously set as default in "Tools/Language" goes away, no language is
selected and "Do not check spelling and grammar" shows selected with a
dash (-). If I reset it to the language that I want and uncheck the "Do
not check spelling and grammar", close such window and open again
immediately, my selections have gone!

If instead of selecting the full text, I just place the "I" beam
somewhere in the text, and go to "Tools/Language", my selections are
kept.

If I type or paste new text (even as unformatted text), it is all set
automatically to other language than the one that I want.

I have copy and pasted all except the last carriage return to a new
document to no avail.

In short, I want to set all document to check spelling and using a
single language. I do not want Word to change my parameters without
asking!

Thanks.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hi Tony,

These issues arise only using Word files created on Word for Windows
XP on a PC computer. No problem when I create a document in my Mac.
Here are the issues:

Word from Office 2004 v11.3.5 on Mac OS X 10.4.9 forgets my selection
of language in "Tools/Language", even if I select such language and
click the "Default" button.

Clicking the Default button only changes the setting for new documents,
nothing else.

Key point to understand: Language is a text formatting setting, not a
document setting. You must have the text selected before trying to apply
a Language setting.

If I select the full ".doc" document (Command A), the language
previously set as default in "Tools/Language" goes away, no language
is selected and "Do not check spelling and grammar" shows selected
with a dash (-).

When something is selected with a dash, that means part of the text has
that setting, part doesn't. No language is selected because there are
multiple languages in use in the document (same principle as the dash).
WinWord has automatic language detection, and it may be causing this.

If I reset it to the language that I want and uncheck the "Do not
check spelling and grammar", close such window and open again
immediately, my selections have gone!

That's odd. You should have just applied the same settings to all the
text, and it should take. What if you unselect then reselect all?

If instead of selecting the full text, I just place the "I" beam
somewhere in the text, and go to "Tools/Language", my selections are kept.

If I type or paste new text (even as unformatted text), it is all set
automatically to other language than the one that I want.

Also odd. Even when you type or paste AFTER doing the Select All, set to
a language? Can you double-check that?

I have copy and pasted all except the last carriage return to a new
document to no avail.

Try the roundtrip thru HTML method of uncorrupting a document.
Instructions here:
http://word.mvps.org/Mac/DocumentCorruption.html

In short, I want to set all document to check spelling and using a
single language.

Like said, it's a text setting, not a document setting--and text carries
the formatting with it, so--you can't have that without making it
happen. Paste Unformatted should work, once you've made sure the doc has
your settings.

I do not want Word to change my parameters without asking!

I don't think it is. Sounds like it is failing to accept some of your
changes, which is a problem, but otherwise it is using the parameters
that come with the document, as it should.

Daiya

 

[Tony]

Daiya,

Thanks. Yet, I meant the issue arises also when selecting all text (as
I always do when changing language for a full document). Selecting all
text, changing language, closing the language selection window and
immediately opening it back, does not keep or maintain my selection.
Every single time.

That is the weird thing. No problem with Word documents created on my
Mac, but problems with Word files received from PC-Windows users.

In fact, if I type or paste something in the document previously set
for a single language, such new typing or pasted text (even pasted as
unformatted text) shows with a different language.

How to avoid that? How to avoid the dash showing? I want all document
set for spell checking and all document set for a single language. As
said, I can set it, but then it does not take effect at all!

Any idea? Thanks.


--------------------

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Did you test to see whether the round-trip thru HTML to uncorrupt the
document made a difference?

Is this all WinWord documents, or just from 1 or 2 people (perhaps in
the same office)? Many people exchange docs for editing all the time and
this reports a new problem. Might these documents be protected or anything?

Can you de-spam-proof my email and send me one of these documents, if it
is not too private?

I've been sent some WinWord docs I can try to test this on....

Daiya

PS. You did see my entire post, right--about 7-9 lines interspersed with
yours?

 

[Tony]

Daiya,

Thanks. Please, see my answers below.

Did you test to see whether the round-trip thru HTML to uncorrupt the
document made a difference?

That does not fix it.

Is this all WinWord documents, or just from 1 or 2 people (perhaps in
the same office)? Many people exchange docs for editing all the time
and this reports a new problem. Might these documents be protected or
anything?

Not protected or similar. The file was created by person on Word for
Windows XP and sent to me.

Can you de-spam-proof my email and send me one of these documents, if
it is not too private?

Done. I have trimmed the document to contain no text at all, but
showing the bug. Amazingly, if I delete a single carriage regurn on it,
the bug goes away. Note that this was a long document originally.

I've been sent some WinWord docs I can try to test this on....

Daiya

PS. You did see my entire post, right--about 7-9 lines interspersed with yours?

Yes. Thanks.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Done. I have trimmed the document to contain no text at all, but
showing the bug. Amazingly, if I delete a single carriage regurn on
it, the bug goes away. Note that this was a long document originally.

Ah....can you say more about that? If you delete any carriage return?
The last one? What do you mean?

If you can do something like that and it makes the bug go away, it
suggests the problem may be in the documents created by your colleague,
and in such a case I wouldn't have a clue where to start. It sounds like
all the problem documents are coming from the same person, is that right?

Daiya

 

[Tony]

Daiya,

As previously said, not the last carriage return. That trick does not fix it.

The documents are from different persons.

As indicated in my previous message, I have sent you a sample document
for testing.

Weird, weird, weird...

Thanks for your support.

---

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hi Tony,

Okay, so what did you mean when you said deleting a carriage return
fixed it? I don't understand. Give more detail about what you did and
the result.

I got your attachment--

If I Select All, set it to English and to check spelling and grammar,
then close the dialog:
1) with nothing selected, just cursor in doc, the Tools | Language
settings comes up right
2) with Select All, Tools | Language comes up wrong
Same as you, there.

However, when I paste in Unformatted Text, it does acquire the correct
settings--I think that is really the problem, no? The other seems
workaroundable. So, how exactly are you pasting Unformatted Text? (I was
using the long way--Edit | Paste Special)

I checked some documents that I know I got from WinWord users (probably
Word 2003), and they are not showing this misbehavior.

I'm at a bit of a loss here. I did sort out there there are various
paragraph marks tagged as Spanish, but I'm not sure what that means. Is
that the way it is supposed to be--what language should these docs be using?

Daiya

 

[Tony]

Daiya,

If I delete one of the carriage returns of the supplied document
(except the last one), the issue is fixed. This is how to check the
issue (as sent by e-mail):

1. Open the document with Word 2004 v.11.3.5 for Mac on Mac OS X 10.4.9.

2. Select all (Command A)

3. Select "Tools/Language", select English (US) and uncheck completely
"Do not uncheck spelling or grammar". Click OK. Close the Language
window.

4. Open again the Language window. Oops! all settings have gone!!!

Now, if you make the previous selections and type or paste anything in
the text (even as unformatted text as "Edit/Paste Special" although I
use just paste as "Command C" because I use a Macro-script previously
posted in this newsgroup when I requested for it), it is considered a
language different than English US.

Amazingly, as said, if you delete any carriage return (or so), the bug
goes away. But take into account that this was a long document
originally. I have trimmed the document to contain no text at all, but
showing the bug for your easier testing.

The original document was created on Word for Windows XP on a PC
machine as Spanish. It was then sent to me for translation into
English. There the issues arose. That is why you may see some "Spanish"
tags in the file. But what I want is to set it all as English (US) to
check spelling. Yet, that is not possible due to the reported bug.

Thanks for your kind support!


---

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Sorry! I had a superbusy yesterday--

Daiya,

If I delete one of the carriage returns of the supplied document
(except the last one), the issue is fixed. This is how to check the
issue (as sent by e-mail):

1. Open the document with Word 2004 v.11.3.5 for Mac on Mac OS X 10.4.9.
2. Select all (Command A)
3. Select "Tools/Language", select English (US) and uncheck completely
"Do not uncheck spelling or grammar". Click OK. Close the Language
window.
4. Open again the Language window. Oops! all settings have gone!!!

Yep, that's exactly what I did and found.

Now, if you make the previous selections and type or paste anything in
the text (even as unformatted text as "Edit/Paste Special" although I
use just paste as "Command C" because I use a Macro-script previously
posted in this newsgroup when I requested for it), it is considered a
language different than English US.

However, I got different results there. I tried this a few different
ways, and every time I used Edit | Paste Special into the text, it
picked up the Language setting I had applied to the text, whether that
was French, Spanish, or English.

Have you tried using both the macro and Edit | Paste Special, and do you
get the same results either way?

Amazingly, as said, if you delete any carriage return (or so), the bug
goes away.

I am seeing that also.

I really don't know.

Daiya

 

[Tony]

Daiya,

Thanks. I get the same results any way that I paste. But in any case,
what I am looking for is a way to "cure" the file not to misbehave with
the languages and spelling.

---

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Daiya,

Thanks. I get the same results any way that I paste. But in any
case, what I am looking for is a way to "cure" the file not to
misbehave with
the languages and spelling.

Could you try one thing?

The default language for new files is set in the template you use to
create them.When you just create a new file, Word uses the Normal
template.
Find the Normal.dot file (by default, it's probably in
/Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Templates) and open it in Word.
Select all and set the language to whatever you want to use as your
default language. Now you can duplicate this file and rename it (eg;
Normal - French), open it in Word, select all and change the language
to the corresponding langiage, save, etc.
You'll the be able to use the different templates to automatically
create documents with the corresponding base-language.

Now back to the problem itself. It's really weird that the language
wouldn't "stick". I'm starting to suspect that something is
corrupted.At this point you might want to consider a rescue attempt:
- make the invisible marks visible to be able to visualize the
paragraph marks.- select all EXCEPT the last paragraph mark
- copy
- paste in anew document
- select all
- apply the language setting of your choice.

Copying everything except the last paragraph mark should loose the
style information. If this is what's corrupted, you could manage to
rescue it through this method.
I was also wondering.... are you sure it's not a Style issue?? A style
set to apply a specific language that would get re-applied to the
paragraphs you are working with??
Corentin

 

[Tony]

Corentin,

Thanks. Copying all except the last carriage return does not fix it, as
previously indicated.

On the other hand, how to know if it is a "style issue" as you say?

-------------

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Corentin,

Thanks. Copying all except the last carriage return does not fix it, as
previously indicated.

Sorry, I had missed that :-\
You *could* use copy and Paste Special as unformatted text in a new
document to see if the problem goes away, but very obviously you'd
loose all formatting then.

On the other hand, how to know if it is a "style issue" as you say?

Well check what style is used for the paragraph you're having problems
with (you can check on the Formatting palette) and try to modify the
style. On the Style pane for this style there is a pull-down menu on
the bottom left and you can set what language to use by default for
this style there.

Corenti

 

[Tony]

Thanks. I tried both tricks, but did not work. Even when I copy and
paste as unformatted text. Or when I change the language via the Style
pane. Weird.

Style Normal + Justified. Font Times New Roman 12.

---------

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

NoSpamUser Agent:Unison/1.7.9Hide quoteThanks. I tried both tricks,

but did not work. Even when I copy and

paste as unformatted text. Or when I change the language via the Style
pane. Weird.

Style Normal + Justified. Font Times New Roman 12.

and what does Language say for this style in the Style setup pane??

Corentin

 

[Tony]

It says:

English (US)
Not checkecked the "Do not check spelling or grammar"

So, normal there, but buggy as explained before.

I have sent you an example file (the one previously sent to Daiya) as
explained in this thread.

Thanks.

----------

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I have sent you an example file (the one previously sent to Daiya)
as explained in this thread.

I haven't received it yet... I hope you have removed the NoSpam from
my address......
Corentin

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Thanks, Corentin--I am totally out of ideas on this one, except to try
all 4 of the uncorrupting procedures here:
http://word.mvps.org/Mac/DocumentCorruption.html

Daiya

 

[Tony]

Thanks. I understand that you got the example file that I sent to you
e-mail account. I have tried all four methods to no avail:

Procedure #1: Save As Web Page - DOES NOT FIX IT (explained before).


Procedure #2: Copy All But Last Paragraph Mark - DOES NOT FIX IT
(explained before).

Procedure #3: Open in Another Text Editor - DOES NOT FIX IT (I have
tried with AppleWorks 6.2.9).

Procedure #4: Binary Search - NOT APPLICABLE (explained before:
deleting any carriage return, except the last one, fixes the issue, but
that is only possible on the example file with one page and a bit more
without text, just containing carriage returns, but it is not possible
on the original file with more pages and text.

Weird, weird, weird...

----------------