Dictionary button not working, sometimes grayed out

Janet, the writer's geek · External Since: Aug 04, 2006 Posts: 4

Hi,

I can add the "Dictionary" button (it's under Tools) to a toolbar, but
clicking it does nothing. Some of the time it is greyed out. I've tried
this on three machines, with and without text selected. I'm running
Word 2002, and have checked it on machines with and without Service
Pack 1.

Is anyone else able to make this button work?

THANKS!

-- Janet

Janet, the writer's geek · External Since: Aug 04, 2006 Posts: 4

(For the record, all my custom dictionaries are set to "All
Languages.")

Janet, the writer's geek wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I can add the "Dictionary" button (it's under Tools) to a toolbar, but
> clicking it does nothing. Some of the time it is greyed out. I've tried
> this on three machines, with and without text selected. I'm running
> Word 2002, and have checked it on machines with and without Service
> Pack 1.
>
> Is anyone else able to make this button work?
>
> THANKS!
>
> -- Janet

Cindy M -WordMVP- · External Since: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 1830

Hi Janet,,

> I can add the "Dictionary" button (it's under Tools) to a toolbar, but
> clicking it does nothing. Some of the time it is greyed out. I've tried
> this on three machines, with and without text selected. I'm running
> Word 2002, and have checked it on machines with and without Service
> Pack 1.
>
> Is anyone else able to make this button work?
>
What do you expect the button to do?

And could you please be much more specific about where you found it?
"Tools" is a rather large area to cover...

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail Smile

Janet, the writer's geek · External Since: Aug 04, 2006 Posts: 4

When customizing the toolbar, I find the Dictionary command 7th on the
list in the Tools category, near the end of the spelling and grammar
section. The description says it "Activates, creates, edits, adds, or
removes custom dictionaries that Word uses to correct spelling." I'm
assuming that this button is a short cut to opening the Custom
Dictionaries dialogue box, which can also be opened by clicking "Custom
Dictionaries" on the Spelling & Grammar options dialogue box (Tools |
Options | Spelling & Grammar tab).

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer!

-- Janet

Cindy M -WordMVP- wrote:
> Hi Janet,,
>
> > I can add the "Dictionary" button (it's under Tools) to a toolbar, but
> > clicking it does nothing. Some of the time it is greyed out. I've tried
> > this on three machines, with and without text selected. I'm running
> > Word 2002, and have checked it on machines with and without Service
> > Pack 1.
> >
> > Is anyone else able to make this button work?
> >
> What do you expect the button to do?
>
> And could you please be much more specific about where you found it?
> "Tools" is a rather large area to cover...
>
> Cindy Meister
> INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
> http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
> http://www.word.mvps.org
>
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
> reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail Smile

Janet, the writer's geek · External Since: Aug 04, 2006 Posts: 4

Thanks! That's what I was afraid of. Is anyone else willing to see if
they can make it work, especially in a more recent version of Word?

-- Janet

Cindy M. wrote:
> Hi Janet,,
>
> > When customizing the toolbar, I find the Dictionary command 7th on the
> > list in the Tools category, near the end of the spelling and grammar
> > section. The description says it "Activates, creates, edits, adds, or
> > removes custom dictionaries that Word uses to correct spelling." I'm
> > assuming that this button is a short cut to opening the Custom
> > Dictionaries dialogue box, which can also be opened by clicking "Custom
> > Dictionaries" on the Spelling & Grammar options dialogue box (Tools |
> > Options | Spelling & Grammar tab).
> >
> Here, in Word 2003 it's always grayed out. Looking in the Macro dialog
> box, a the list of "Word commands" it says "Translates selected word". My
> best guess would be that it's something old that's been disconnected (and
> falsely labelled) or something that never got connected.
>
> FWIW, I've never been able to find a good way to open the Dictionaries
> dialog box directly. Best I've ever been able to do was use Send Keys to
> get there, with varying results.
>
> Cindy Meister
> INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
> http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
> http://www.word.mvps.org
>
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
> reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail Smile

Cindy M. · External Since: Aug 07, 2006 Posts: 1467

Hi Janet,,

> When customizing the toolbar, I find the Dictionary command 7th on the
> list in the Tools category, near the end of the spelling and grammar
> section. The description says it "Activates, creates, edits, adds, or
> removes custom dictionaries that Word uses to correct spelling." I'm
> assuming that this button is a short cut to opening the Custom
> Dictionaries dialogue box, which can also be opened by clicking "Custom
> Dictionaries" on the Spelling & Grammar options dialogue box (Tools |
> Options | Spelling & Grammar tab).
>
Here, in Word 2003 it's always grayed out. Looking in the Macro dialog
box, a the list of "Word commands" it says "Translates selected word". My
best guess would be that it's something old that's been disconnected (and
falsely labelled) or something that never got connected.

FWIW, I've never been able to find a good way to open the Dictionaries
dialog box directly. Best I've ever been able to do was use Send Keys to
get there, with varying results.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail Smile

tonyblu · Joined: Jul 31, 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Lagos

Get to:
Tools/Options/Spelling & Grammar/Custom Dictionaries...

Select your Custom.dic, then click Modify.
If you cant modify ur Custom.dic than means it has been corrupted.

Enable view Protected operating system files (remember to disable this when you are through)

Folder options/View/
radio button: Show hidden files and folders.
uncheck: Hide protected operating system files.

Locate and open the Custom.dic file.
The Full path shuld look like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof

On opening and scrolling through my Custom.dic file (in a notepad), I noticed that some sections were corrupted, viz:
"INDX( Ä4s , ( 8 è Ç1 Æ1 ....................."

I simply deleted the corrupted sections, and saved the Custom.dic file.

This solved my problem.

The Add to Dictionary was restored.

NB:
If you hav multiple Custom.dic files, and any of them is corrupted, and you have them checked alongside the default in "Tools/Options/Spelling & Grammar/Custom Dictionaries...", the same problem will persist.
It might be good if you can correct all the corrupted *.dic files, or uncheck or even Remove any *.dic file that still corrupted.

Cheers.
Tony.
http://tonyblu5.blogspot.com
http://job4vacancy.tk
http://job4vacancy.wordpress.com