Windows Mail - Need to Edit Entry in User Dictionary

S

SpringWaterGuy

I accidently "added" an incorrectly spelled word to (what I presume to be)
the user dictionary in Windows Mail. How do I edit or delete that word.

I am using Microsoft Windows Mail version 6.0.6000.16386. It came installed
with Vista on my new computer.
 
E

Earle Horton

SpringWaterGuy said:
I accidently "added" an incorrectly spelled word to (what I presume to be)
the user dictionary in Windows Mail. How do I edit or delete that word.

I am using Microsoft Windows Mail version 6.0.6000.16386. It came
installed
with Vista on my new computer.
Click to expand...

In Windows Live Mail, which is different but hopefully similar, there is a
button to "Add or remove words from the custom dictionary" in Tools,
Options, Spelling.

Hope this is relevant.

Earle
 
S

SpringWaterGuy

Thanks Earle, but there is no such button in Windows Mail (Tools > Options >
Spelling).
 
M

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Try posting this in an Outlook Express/Windows Mail news group - this is not
one of them.
Outlook is a part of Microsoft Office and is what this group supports.
Outlook Express is a part of Internet Explorer and has its own news groups.

You can also find some good Outlook Express information here:

http://www.insideoe.com/

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.

After furious head scratching, SpringWaterGuy asked:

| Thanks Earle, but there is no such button in Windows Mail (Tools >
| Options > Spelling).
|
| "Earle Horton" wrote:
|
|| message ||| I accidently "added" an incorrectly spelled word to (what I presume
||| to be) the user dictionary in Windows Mail. How do I edit or delete
||| that word.
|||
||| I am using Microsoft Windows Mail version 6.0.6000.16386. It came
||| installed
||| with Vista on my new computer.
||
|| In Windows Live Mail, which is different but hopefully similar,
|| there is a button to "Add or remove words from the custom
|| dictionary" in Tools, Options, Spelling.
||
|| Hope this is relevant.
||
|| Earle
 
S

SpringWaterGuy

Thanks Milly, I had typed "Windows Mail" in the search box, and thought that
it had taken me to the right place. I'm not entirely sure how to post all
replies since I'm way new at message threads, but I'll try to muddle through
it. Thanks again.
 
D

David Webb

I found this solution via a Google search:

"Try (user)/appdata/microsoft/windows mail/userdictionary.lex and use notepad to
edit the file. You may have to enable "show hidden files" to find it. (I saw
this on the Windows Mail help forum at MS so I can't take credit for it.) Hope
it works."
 
S

SpringWaterGuy

_Mr David Webb: That was exactly the right answer!!!! Thank you so very much.
I did have to "show hidden files and folders" in order to see the "appdata"
folder, and there was one more folder between that and the "Microsoft"
folder, and that was the "Local" folder. For future reference for anyone
having this same issue, the path might also be:
User>Appdata>Local>Microsoft>Windows Mail>Userdictionary_lex - which by the
way changed names after being edited in Notepad to
Userdictionary_changesession. I tried using the incorrect spelling of the
word in an email, and it found a spelling error with no suggestions, then
typed the corrected word in the email and a dialog said it was spelled
correctly. Seems to work. Again, David, thank you.
 
D

David Webb

You're welcome....and thanks for the feedback!

I'm a little confused about the name change in the file. AFAIK, the file name
should have remained the same, e.g., userdictionary.lex not
Userdictionary_changesession or even Userdictionary_lex.

Be sure that you have your folder options set to show file extensions.

I'm using WinXP Pro at present but I'll be able to verify this change in a Vista
system tomorrow. I'll post back with my findings.
 
D

David Webb

I verified your findings today. The correct path is:
{user}/Appdata/Local/Microsoft/Windows Mail

There appears to be 3 files with a LEX extension. I can only assume that all are
related to the spell check function.
The LEX files are:
UserDictionary_ChangeSession.lex
UserDictionary_IgnoreSession.lex
UserDictionary.lex

If your spell check feature is functioning correctly, you must have modified the
correct file.

You may want to revisit the folder to see if all 3 LEX files are present.
 
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