Cannot Add Accented Words to Custom Dictionary

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of products listed at the beginning of this article, words that use accented letters cannot be added to the custom dictionary. When you try to add these words, you may receive either of the following error messages:

   Microsoft Excel
   ---------------

   Cannot read custom dictionary.

   PowerPoint
   ----------

   Sorry, there is no valid speller. You should run Setup and reinstall.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the stand-alone version of the program is installed on your computer, but Microsoft Word version 7.0 (or Microsoft Office version 7.0) is not.

The stand-alone versions of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint use the Soft-Art spell checker. This spell checker, which uses Mssp32.dll version 1.05, does not support the extended character set that includes accented letters. When Word for Windows 95 is installed, it replaces the Soft-Art speller with the Word Inso speller, which supports extended characters.

NOTE: Office for Windows 95 includes only the Inso speller.

For additional information about the Inso speller, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q134997
   TITLE     : General Proofing Tool Information for Word for Windows 95

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, install Microsoft Word for Windows 95.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with the products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.