Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

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Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby hopeso » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:34 pm

How do I install spell dictionary? In Appleworks I try and use the spell check and it comes up, "spell (or main) dictionary" is not installed. I can't seem to find "spell (or main) dictionary" anywhere.
I’ve opened AppleWorks word processing document , to Edit -> Writing Tools -> Select Dictionaries…, click on the Main Dictionary, click Choose. Check spelling out with a AW file--spell didn’t work.
In Appleworks Essentials/Dictionary I do not have English-Spelling.
I reinstalled the software from 10.4 discs. Didn't change anything.
I have 10.4.11 and Appleworks 6--I do not have a separate Appleworks disc.--only the 2 discs I got with OS 10.4.
I do have a dictionary in my dock, which I can use to verify the meaning of a word. But the only way I can spell check now is to copy AW doc. to mail and do a spell check there. Awkward.

When I go on the HD to open Dictionaries, there is a Main Dictionary. When I select choose screen nothing shows and if I hit on AW appl. I get, "AW6 appl. cannot open this item because it is not supported on this architecture."
What does that mean?
hopeso
 
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Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Barry » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:21 am

hopeso wrote:How do I install spell dictionary? In Appleworks I try and use the spell check and it comes up, "spell (or main) dictionary" is not installed. I can't seem to find "spell (or main) dictionary" anywhere.
I’ve opened AppleWorks word processing document , to Edit -> Writing Tools -> Select Dictionaries…, click on the Main Dictionary, click Choose. Check spelling out with a AW file--spell didn’t work.


Your steps are fine as far as they go, but at that point you haven't yet chosen a dictionary. Before you click Choose, check the small window below the list of dictionary types labeled "Currently Selected Dictionary". If the window is empty, or says 'none selected' (or similar), click Choose.

Choose will open a dialogue window, and should show a list of the dictionaries in your AppleWorks Essentials > Dictionaries folder. Most items in the list will be greyed; only "main" dictionaries will be in black type. Click on the one you want to use as your main spelling dictionary, then click Select.

Read below before proceeding.

In Appleworks Essentials/Dictionary I do not have English-Spelling.
I reinstalled the software from 10.4 discs. Didn't change anything.
I have 10.4.11 and Appleworks 6--I do not have a separate Appleworks disc.--only the 2 discs I got with OS 10.4.


When you 'reinstalled the software,' did you make the specific choice to reinstall AppleWorks, and chose which language version to install? If your disks are similar to the one that came with my iBook G4, AppleWorks is not installed by default, but requires you to choose which of the 15 language versions to install.

In the list of bundled software on your disk(s), you'll find a folder named "AppleWorks Languages." Inside that folder you'll find the 15 versions of the application package listed, with an empty checkbox beside each.

Suggestion: Before doing the reinstall, drag the whole AppleWorks 6 folder (and its contents) to the Desktop. After confirming a successful reinstall, trash the old folder.

I do have a dictionary in my dock, which I can use to verify the meaning of a word. But the only way I can spell check now is to copy AW doc. to mail and do a spell check there. Awkward.


The dictionary in your Dock is not an AppleWorks dictionary. Nor, I suspect, is the file named "Main Dictionary" (unless you created a User Dictionary and named it "Main Dictionary").

Viewed in a Finder window set to Icon View, the icon of an AppleWorks dictionary is a cube with the the AppleWorks icon on one face and a red label with an A and a Z on a second face.

When I go on the HD to open Dictionaries, there is a Main Dictionary. When I select choose screen nothing shows and if I hit on AW appl. I get, "AW6 appl. cannot open this item because it is not supported on this architecture."
What does that mean?


I have no idea what you mean by "When I select choose screen nothing shows and if I hit on AW appl..."

The "not supported by this architecture" message is most often seen when the user tries to launch a Mac OS 9 or earlier application on a machine that does not support OS 9, or does not have OS 9 installed. I'm not sure if that applies in your case.

Regards,
Barry
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Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby hopeso » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:59 pm

Hi Barry.
Thanks for your info--it worked!
Makes my life a lot easier.
I really appreciate your time and effort. And sharing your know-how.
Now I can finish my Pulitzer Prize play, knowing the spell checker is on the job. (I find a sense of humor a necessity every day.)
Thanks again.
David
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Finding main directory

Postby hopeso » Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:27 pm

Frustrated! Main dictionary is lost again. Did the suggestions below (especially from Barry) and they worked 3 months ago. Now, gone. Successfully, reinstalled English spelling from disc, but still no main dictionary found. Go to Appleworks essentials, nothing under dictionaries. Is there some other word processing software (that is not prone to attract viruses) besides Appleworks? I get a lot of grief from AW--default fonts changing, open items not full screen unless I drag the corner, and spelling check, etc.
hopeso
 
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Location: Florida

Re: Finding main directory

Postby Barry » Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:49 pm

hopeso wrote:Frustrated! Main dictionary is lost again. Did the suggestions below (especially from Barry) and they worked 3 months ago. Now, gone. Successfully, reinstalled English spelling from disc, but still no main dictionary found. Go to Appleworks essentials, nothing under dictionaries. Is there some other word processing software (that is not prone to attract viruses) besides Appleworks? I get a lot of grief from AW--default fonts changing, open items not full screen unless I drag the corner, and spelling check, etc.


Hi David,

I'm not sure what you mean by the statement in italics above. English - Spelling is a "main dictionary."

What is in your AppleWorks Essentials folder?

Have you gone through the Choose dictionaries procedure:

Open an AW word processing document.
Go Edit > Writing Tools > Select dictionaries...
Click Main Dictionary.
Check Currently Selected window below the list.
If empty, or reporting "none selected", click Choose
Click to choose an appropriate dictionary
Click Select

Repeat for other three types of dictionary if necessary.


Regarding other WP applications: There are many, some of which are word processor apps only, others which are integrated applications (like AppleWorks) or application suites (like MS Office).

I've been using Pages, the word processing/page layout application in the iWork 09 suite, for most of my WP and layout needs recently. Pages will open AppleWorks 6 word processing documents, so you should be able to move many of your older docs over.

NeoOffice and OpenOffice.org are both integrated applications, and have the advantage that they may be downloaded, installed and used at no cost (donations are requested). OOo requires Mac OS X v10.5, Neo will run on v10.4. Neo's interface is the more Mac-like of the two, but both offer a steeper learning curve than AppleWorks.

Check at versiontracker.com for other Mac word processing applications.

Regards,
Barry
Click Done.
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Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Sliphorn » Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:52 pm

I have tried the steps described with the following results toward finding a missing dictionary:

AW doc opened>
edit>
writing tools>
select dictionary>
main dictionary>
choose>
empty window under dictionary folder at top

How can I get this dictionary? I could swear it HAD worked on my iMac OS 10.6.4 but now does not. Thanks.
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Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Barry » Mon Nov 08, 2010 7:44 pm

Sliphorn wrote:I have tried the steps described with the following results toward finding a missing dictionary:

AW doc opened>
edit>
writing tools>
select dictionary>
main dictionary>
choose>
empty window under dictionary folder at top

How can I get this dictionary? I could swear it HAD worked on my iMac OS 10.6.4 but now does not. Thanks.


Go to the finder and open this path to check for the presence of the AppleWorks dictionaries:

Applications > AppleWorks 6 > AppleWorks Essentials > Dictionaries.

The AppleWorks main dictionaries for the two English language versions are "English - Spelling" and "UK English - Spelling". At least one of them should be located here.

If not, try a Spotlight search for the first title. If it's found, drag the file (and any other dictionary files there) back home. If it's no found, you'll need to reinstall Appleworks from the original disks, or copy your backup copy of the AppleWorks 6 folder if you've previously made one. See Peggy's notes above regarding reinstalling.

Regards,
Barry
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Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Sliphorn » Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:28 pm

Thanks for the advice but I do not see any notes above in this thread from Peggy or about reinstalling. I am afraid to move until I see the steps. I think that the installation disc I have is a very old one. I would need to know what to do to keep from overwriting the newer version. Thanks.
Sliphorn
 
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Location: Springfield, OH

Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Barry » Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:41 am

Sliphorn wrote:Thanks for the advice but I do not see any notes above in this thread from Peggy or about reinstalling. I am afraid to move until I see the steps. I think that the installation disc I have is a very old one. I would need to know what to do to keep from overwriting the newer version. Thanks.


Mea culpa. I was thinking of my own post in this thread on Mar 27.

Your old installation disk may have an installer which requires Mac OS 9, which you won't be able to run if yours is an intel based machine.

To prevent the installer overwriting the currently installed version, all that's necessary is to move the AppleWorks 6 folder to a different location (such as the Desktop) and , optionally, rename it.

I don't know if updates to the dictionaries were included in any of the AW 6 updates, so you may want to download and run the updater on the new installation in any case. You can find the aw 6.2.9 updater at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ ... ormac.html

Note that there are two English language updaters—the International English version at the top of the main list, and the US English version you go to by clicking one of the Download buttons at the top right. the version you use must match the language version of the AppleWorks you have installed.

Regards,
Barry
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Re: Finding Main Dictionary to Spell check

Postby Sliphorn » Tue Nov 09, 2010 3:30 pm

I tried to use the download but got a message that something would not allow it.

The GOOD news is that I went into the AW folder and found the AW Essentials and inside was a Dictionary folder. I opened it and noticed that all the dictionaries were there. Upon opening an AW doc, I followed the steps to choose the dictionary and they were all there. I chose US English of course and now it works. Go figure.

Thanks for all your help.
Sliphorn
 
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Location: Springfield, OH


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