Latin spellcheck with Word 2007

[Raphaela]

http://www.drouizig.org/col/en/index.html

Is anyone using this thing with Word 2007? I am (on Windows XP, if it makes a difference) and I can't seem to get the Latin language setting to stick during typing; it always reverts back to the language of my default input locale. At this point I'm not even sure whether this is Word playing up or whether the spellchecker wasn't designed to allow for as-you-type checking.

Anyone have any experiences to share?

[Drouizig]

Raphaela,

Alas this is a known issue ... with Word 2007 and Word 2010, if your language selection always reverts to the default language (keyboard layout language), you may want to chose isiXhosa as input language in Word. The spellchecker is also plugged in this entry in order to bypass the problem of Latin not being recognized by Windows (XP, Vista and Windows 7).

Cheers,
Phil

[Raphaela]

@Drouizig: Thank you very much for that! After I'd failed to get your plugin to work back in spring, I eventually switched to OpenOffice Writer for my Latin editing needs. There is at least one Latin spellcheck package available for OO that is fully functional despite the problems of Windows with recognising Latin, so no workarounds are needed there.

That said, I just tried the trick with isiXhosa on my Word2007/WinXP machine and can confirm that it works like a charm. I hope this information will be useful for others who require Latin proofing tools and use a Word platform.

[Drouizig]

Thanks for the confirmation Raphaela :)
We hope Microsoft will add Latin as an input language in the short future (why not with a Windows7 Service Pack), but we can not be sure of it...

[Raphaela]

@Drouizig: I've revisited your site and I see that you also have a version of the spellchecker for OpenOffice. Unfortunately, the path name the page gives in the installation instructions seems to have changed between OO 2 and OO 3 (I have 3.1.1), so I'm rather at a loss for how to install it! The only way I've installed OO 3 addins to date is by using the OO Extension Manager, and I haven't been able to trace where on my hard disk the extensions are placed by this method.

Do you have updated installation instructions anywhere for OO 3?

[Drouizig]

Hi Raphaela,
Basically you only need to download the .zip file. Inside you'll find a dict_la.oxt file.
you have to double click on the dict_la.oxt file and it will install the Latin dictionary automatically.
keep me informed,
Philippe

[Drouizig]

ok you are not downloading the right files...
have a look at the bottom of the page, section "Per OpenOffice.org 3.0"

Per OpenOffice.org 3.0

* Con l’aiuto di Angelo Pagan, è possibile scaricare il dizionario latino dict_lam (o dict_la per utilizzare la convenzione senza distinzione per i/j e due lettere per scrivere œ e æ, come nei testi giudiziari).

Philippe

[Raphaela]

Thanks -- I noticed that just after posting my last (which I then immediately deleted as it had become irrelevant, but evidently I wasn't quick enough!)

Right, having located the correct .zip file, things seem to be working. Just for completeness' sake, though: there was an initial fail when your package was refusing to actually spellcheck; it seems that it's important to disable any previously installed Latin spellcheck package FIRST and only THEN enable the new one, or else it won't do its thing!

Does the OO version of yours also include the options for different accents/macrons etc. that the Windows version has? If so, I've not spotted them yet.

[Drouizig]

No unfortunately the OO.org version does not provide the ability to filter macrons and other accents... only the Word version provides this...
Do you really use them ? (they are mostly used in Latin classes).

[Raphaela]

At the moment I don't use them, though I could conceivably have some use for the ability to filter acute accents.

[Drouizig]

Hi Raphaela,
A little message to let you know that we cut this week-end a new version of COL.
Version 2.6... amongst other little fixes and additions it recognizes the -ve enclytic,
cheers :)
Philippe