Using Excel Dictionary Files with Word for Windows

• Microsoft Word for Windows versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, and 2.0b
• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0 and 3.1

SUMMARY

To save disk space, you can have Microsoft Word version 2.0 for Windows use the Microsoft Excel version 4.0 for Windows dictionary files.

Word 2.0 includes the following dictionary files:

   SP_AM.LEX
   SPELL.DLL

   MSSP_AM.LEX
   MSSPELL.DLL

The .DLL file included with Word provides added functionality, such as exclusion dictionaries, as well as reduced dictionary size and search speed. The advantage of using the Microsoft Excel dictionary with Word is that you can save disk space. If you use the Microsoft Excel dictionary, the SP_AM.LEX and SPELL.DLL files can be deleted from your hard disk.

Note: If Word is using the MSSPELL.DLL file (a shared spelling file used by other Windows-based applications) using the WordBasic command ToolsGetSpelling may cause an unrecoverable application error (UAE), a general protection (GP) fault, or may hang the system. If you need to use this command, make sure that Word is using its own spelling files (SPELL.DLL and SP_AM.LEX), which are located in the Word program directory (usually C:\WINWORD). To find out which spelling files Word is using, look at the [Microsoft Word 2.0] section of the WIN.INI file. The Spelling setting will resemble the following if Word is using its own spelling files:

   "Spelling 1033,0 = c:\winword\spell.dll, c:\winword\sp_am.lex".

MORE INFORMATION

Configuring Word to Use the Microsoft Excel Dictionary Files

The Word Setup program places the SPELL.DLL and SP_AM.LEX files in the Word program directory and adds a Spelling setting to the WIN.INI file to direct Word to the location of these files. To direct Word to the Microsoft Excel dictionary files, do the following:

1. From the Tools menu, choose Options, and select the WIN.INI category.

2. In the Application box, select Microsoft Word 2.0, then select the Spelling option. Change the paths for the .DLL and .LEX files in the Setting box. The Microsoft Excel spelling files (MSSPELL.DLL and MSSP_AM.LEX) are located in the WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF directory. The path information for the .DLL and .LEX files should resemble the following:

   C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF\MSSPELL.DLL,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF\MSSP_AM.LEX

3. Choose the Set button to record your change to the WIN.INI file.

4. Choose the Close button.

Sharing Custom Dictionaries

Regardless of whether you use both .DLL files or choose to share the Microsoft Excel dictionary files, you can share custom dictionaries if you are using Word 2.0a. Word 2.0 does not sort the items in custom dictionaries the same way as do other Windows-based applications (such as Microsoft Excel and Publisher). To share custom dictionary files, you must use Word 2.0a.

In Microsoft Excel, the custom dictionaries appear in the Add Words To box in the Spelling dialog box. Microsoft Excel stores all the custom dictionary files it uses in the MSAPPS\PROOF directory. To share custom dictionary files, copy your Word custom dictionary files to the MSAPPS\PROOF directory.

To change the path information for the Word 2.0a custom dictionary files:

1. From the Tools menu, choose Options, and select the WIN.INI category.

2. In the Applications box, select MS Proofing Tools.

3. Select the line in the Startup Options box that begins with the words "Custom Dict 1=." The path and filename of the user dictionary display in the Setting box.

4. Type the new path information for the custom dictionary file (that is, C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF\CUSTOM.DIC).

5. Choose the Set button to record the change to the WIN.INI file.

6. Choose the Close button.