WD2000: New Custom Dictionary (Custom.dic) Is Not Created in Tools File Location (212220)

SYMPTOMS

When Word automatically creates the custom dictionary file (Custom.dic), the file is not created in the location specified by the Tools option on the File Locations tab (click Options on the Tools menu).

NOTE: The path specified by the Tools option on the File Locations tab is an alternative location for proofing tools in Microsoft Word. By using the procedure listed in the "Workaround" section of this article, you allow all of the Microsoft Office applications to use the Custom.dic file from the Tools file location.

For additional information about where settings in Microsoft Word are stored, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212242 WD2000: Where Settings Are Stored in the Registry

By default, Word creates the Custom.dic file in the shared proofing tools folder, usually in one of the following default locations, (depending on your operating system version):

Microsoft Windows 2000:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\Custom.dic

-or-

Microsoft Windows NT:

C:\WINNT\Profiles\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\Custom.dic

-or-

Microsoft Windows 98 or Windows 95:

C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\Custom.dic

-or-

C:\Windows\Profiles\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\Custom.dic

WORKAROUND

To allow Microsoft Word (and the other Microsoft Office applications) to use the Custom.dic file in the folder specified by the Tools path, follow these steps:

On the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the File Locations tab, and under File types, note the location of Tools. To see the complete path, click Tools (under File types), and then click Modify. Click Cancel to close the Modify Location dialog box.
Click Close to close the Options dialog box.
Do one of the following:
- If the custom dictionary file (Custom.dic) already exists, quit Word and proceed to step 5.
  
  -or-
- If the custom dictionary file (Custom.dic) does not exist, allow Word to create it in the default folder location. To do this, check the spelling of a Word document (on the Tools menu, click Spelling and Grammar). When Word shows the following message
  There is no custom dictionary C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\custom.dic.
  Do you want to create it now?
  click Yes to allow Word to create the Custom.dic file. Then quit Word and proceed to step 5.
Using Windows Explorer, move the Custom.dic file to the folder location specified in step 2. For example, move the Custom.dic file from the following folder location
C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof\
to this folder location:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\
Start Microsoft Word.
On the Tools menu, click Options.
On the Spelling & Grammar tab, click Dictionaries.
In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, if an entry for Custom.dic exists, select it, click Remove, and then click Add.
In the Add Custom Dictionary dialog box, change the Look in box to the path specified in step 2. Select the Custom.dic file, and then click OK.
Click OK to close the Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
Click Close to close the Options dialog box.

Microsoft Word and the other Microsoft Office applications are now configured to use the Custom.dic file in the location specified by the Tools option on the File Locations tab in Word.