Knowledge Base

XCLN: Set Exchange to Use Alternate Spelling Checker

Article ID: 154139

Article Last Modified on 10/28/2006

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q154139

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Exchange Windows 95 client does not include a spelling checker. However, Microsoft Exchange can use any 32-bit spelling checker that is correctly registered (such as the one from Office 7.0).

By default, Microsoft Exchange uses a language setting of 1033, which is a dictionary of US spelling. You can change the registry so that Microsoft Exchange uses an alternate dictionary file (if available).

This is useful when you use a type of English other than American English. This article uses the example of Australian English. Words such as "colour" and "organise" will show up as incorrect. However, these spellings are correct in Australia, for example, and so the spelling checker is inaccurate for Australian spelling.

MORE INFORMATION

When you use the spelling checker in the Microsoft Exchange mail client, it searches for the following entry in the registry: 
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing
   Tools\Spelling\1033\Normal

The Microsoft Exchange Windows 95 client has no spelling checker. To check spelling in Microsoft Exchange, you must have a 32-bit spelling checker installed. When you install Office 95, Word 7.0, or Microsoft Excel 7.0, a 32-bit spelling checker is installed by default.

For information about how to edit the registry, see the "Changing Keys And Values" online Help topic in Registry Editor(Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To change the entry so that the spelling checker uses an alternate dictionary file:
  1. Check the following entry in the registry: 
          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing
      Tools\Spelling\1033\Normal
  2. Verify that the key contains the following two values: 
          Dictionary C:\Program Files\Common Files\Proof\Mssp2_en.lex
      Engine C:\Program Files\Common Files\Proof\Mssp232.dll

    NOTE: The paths may differ depending on where you installed the files.

    Although Microsoft Exchange looks in this key, it does not check against language type, and so the path can be modified to point to an alternative, compatible dictionary file. The dictionary file that can apply Australian spelling is Mssp2_ea.lex (usually installed with the localized versions of Microsoft Word 7.0 or Microsoft Office 7.0).
  3. Assuming you have a localized version of Microsoft Word 7.0 or Office 7.0, modify the path as follows: 
          Dictionary C:\Program Files\Common Files\Proof\mssp2_ea.lex
  4. Click Save and quit Registry Editor.
When Microsoft Exchange is restarted, the spelling checker will accept "colour" and "organise," but there are no other indications that the Australian dictionary is being used.

WARNING: Any other applications that also use this common registry key for US spelling will be forced to use this alternate dictionary file.

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

140618 OFF7: Spell Check Is Unavailable in Microsoft Exchange


Additional query words: AUS 3081 lex spell checker

Keywords: kbhowto kbusage KB154139


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