Installing additional dictionaries - why so complicated?

HCL Domino Domino Forum
1

Am I the only one thinking providing users with additional dictionaries in Notes 8.5.2 / 8.5.1 is a pain?

I have an installation across several countries all using English Notes clients, but each country wants their own language and a few others available for spell check. I am currently looking into this.

In the old days, I would just paste dictionary files into each client as part of the automated installation, and all languages would be available for all users. How hard does it have to be, to just make an install option “Install additional dictionaries” for the client? Or simply always include all dictionaries in the installation. It does not take up much extra space - especially considering the allready large Notes client installation.

Maybe it’s just me…

2

Subject: Create an updatesite with the XTAF dictionaries and push it using Widget catalog to the users.

3

Subject: Clients should do nothing

HiThanks for your replies. I am aware of the IBM solution of update sites, and have seen different technotes on the issue.

My point is: users should do nothing! Except choose the language they want for spell check - and dynamically be able to change language. Anything you want users to do, will go wrong in some percentage of the cases, and users will call helpdesk.

I just want the dictionary in any european language to be available to any installed client. And I wish it would be a default for Notes clients - not something Administrators have to struggle with.

4

Subject: IBM developpers have twisted minds

Why do they have to do something as simple as adding a dictionary so complicated ? Just copying a file to a dictionaries folder is too easy ?

5

Subject: This is just crazy

I just found this post…

I’m installing a secondary dictionary for a user on 8.5.3 standard client. Maybe it’s just me or I’m not understanding something, but the steps to achieve this seem totally insane.

6

Subject: SPELL_FORCE_LEGACY=1

Per a PMR I had opened with IBM over the whole dictionary fiasco, they suggested I use the old style dictionaries.

SPELL_FORCE_LEGACY=1

Every thing should work as easily/well as it did before.

7

Subject: Thanks Mark

I did as you suggested, way, way simpler. Thanks again.

8

Subject: I agree !

9

Subject: How do you?

I can’t find a way of installing dictionaries on 8.5.1!

I add the .dic to the data folder and it appears in the preferences list, but if I try and spell-check that new language doesn’t appear on the list - I have to set it as the default first.

Is there a way of installing dictionaries now so people can use them on the fly?

10

Subject: Some information on Dictionaries

Since 8.5.1+ there are several problems when rolling out Lotus Notes with extra dictionaries.

There are 2 completly different ways. Choose one of them and be very careful.

SPELL_PREFERENCES=4 is to keep on the fly dictionary changes.

You will be in trouble if you don’t understand all this correctly.

Here is some information. Do either of these two:

  1. Use legacy format

  • SPELL_FORCE_LEGACY=1 in notes.ini

  • Put *.dic in data directory

— this is the easy way

  1. Use New format

It is a real pain to add dictionaries to the installation package. There is also a known bug that gives me headaches:

Customizing Lotus Notes multi-user install kit for correct XTAF dictionary installation

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21440976

  • I have tried this but I get an error when doing what is said in the TECHNOTE. The installation breaks with an error message.

Basic idea is this. Download XTAF dictionaries. Put the ONE (yes just one) in a folder. Rename to updateSite.zip (from earlier name updateSite_sv.zip).

From a folder where addToKit.exe, unzip.exe and zip.exe is located. Run this command:

set dic=y:\Dictionaries

set kit-sv=y:\LN852Modified

unzip.exe -o %dic%\updateSite.zip install.xml -d %dic%\deploy

addtoKit.exe -d %dic% %kit-sv%

I found more information about this in this german page:

http://www.mmi-consult.de/FAQ/dx/zusätzliche-wörterbücher-für-den-lotus-notes-standard-client-installieren.htm

I hope this information helped.