Can't set language default

[ErikJan]

Every time I create a new document, the proofing language is set to English. I want to change that to Dutch. So I go to "Review / Language / Set Proofing Language". In the dialog I select Dutch and I click "Set as Default". I then confirm the prompt.
I even check the modification date of Normal.dotm here: %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\ and indeed, the date is changed.

Still, next time I create a new document the proofing language is English again. Every time.

Using the latest MS365 on Win11. What am I missing here?

[HansV]

I can confirm this behavior.
I also tried to set Dutch as preferred proofing language in Microsoft Office Tools > Office Language Preferences. That didn't work either.

I'd report it from within Word: File > Feedback > Send a Frown.

[Charles Kenyon]

What is the language in Windows?
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mso ... 535d3ec15b
That language setting will over-ride the setting in Word. See the linked article for more. The first point made in that article is to try to have the operating system language be the same language you want for your default proofing language in Word.

[HansV]

Hi Charles, thanks. But the Office Language Tools suggest that it should be possible to set the preferred proofing language to a different one than the Windows default language. Apparently that is misleading. Or a bug...

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Hans,
It is apparently a long-standing bug.
I know that it has been this way for at least five years and likely as long as Word has been around. Stefan Blom would know more.

[ErikJan]

In Options I see two section: on the top the display language: English is perfect here.
Below that - I believe - is a section for proofing.
Some questions:

• * What would happen / change if I'd make Dutch preferred?
  * What is "English (Nederlands)"?

Note that "Nederlands" means "Dutch", so it says "English (Dutch)" really, which doesn't seem to make any sense to me. Could/should I remove that?

2024-01-10 20_39_28-Outlook Options.png

[HansV]

1) If I select Dutch (Netherlands) and click Set as Preferred, NOTHING happens, as I hinted at in my first reply.
2) I have English (Netherlands) as preferred language. It's just English, not Dutch.

[snb]

What if you try:

Code: Select all

Languages(1043).SpellingDictionaryType = 0

[HansV]

That doesn't have any discernible effect.

[snb]

This appears to be functioning:

Code: Select all

    ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate.LanguageID = wdDutch
    ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate.NoProofing = False
    Application.CheckLanguage = True

It will only take into effect in a new document.

Alternatively written

Code: Select all

Sub Macro7()
    NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043
    NormalTemplate.NoProofing = False
End Sub

[ErikJan]

OK. First of all, let me try to understand the stuff 'behind the screens' (let me know please where I'm wrong).

When I select: "Use as Default", the setting is saved in the "Normal.dotm" file in the Templates folder. Anytime I start a new document, that template is loaded.
When I change the language, I see that a new Normal.dotm is saved. When I double-click that file (to make SURE, this is the template used), I STILL get the English proofing language. There's two possibilities: (1) the change is not saved in the Normal.Dotm file or (2) the saved setting is overruled after loading.
Indeed, putting code like the example above in the Normal.dotm would make sure that the template WOULD set the right language even if option (1) above wouldn't work.
So I entered this code and saved it on Normal.dotm

Code: Select all

Sub AutoOpen()
    With ActiveDocument
     .LanguageID = wdDutch
     .NoProofing = False
    End With
    Application.CheckLanguage = True
End Sub

I stopped Word and restarted it (weirdly enough MS came with a prompt where I have to re-active MSO365, but maybe that was a coincidence somehow). After the new document showed, the language was STILL English. That makes me think #2 is happening...

[HansV]

That is in line with what Charles Kenyon wrote.

[snb]

1. I open a new document
see the left picture
2. I run the macro

Code: Select all

     NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043

3. I close the document
4. I Open a new document
see the right picture
NB. I work in Office Professional Pro 2010.

[ErikJan]

Thanks. Setting the default proofing language always worked for me as well. Regretfully in later Office versions it stopped working like this I understood... That's the reason for this whole thread

[ErikJan]

I wonder by the way if the fact that in emails the subject line is always proofed with the Windows language, no matter what I set as language in my emails, is related to this.

And yes, I can confirm that also in Outlook we I get the same behavior as reported for Word above), even if I save the changes, neither Normal.dotm or NormalEmail.dotm seem to get updated (which is strange I think)

[Charles Kenyon]

@snb

To be clear, the steps are:

• Start Word

• Run the macro with "NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043" in it in that document.

• Close the document but do not close Word.

• Create a new blank document.

• The language ID is now 1043 in the new document.

If you then close Word, saving changes to the Normal template, and restart it, the language in the new document will be English-US because that is the Windows language?

Or, are you saying that the setting sticks, in Word 2010?

btw, the numbered list icon in the editor is creating bullets instead.

[kdock]

btw, the numbered list icon in the editor is creating bullets instead.

This isn't happening for me. I have version 2312 of Msft 365.
Kim

[snb]

@char

Every time I close Word and reopen it the changed proofing language is active.
Ergo: normal.dot has been stored with the changed proofing language.
In this case Word behaves as expected.

In your case I'd use in the normal.dot template:

Code: Select all

Private Sub Document_Open()
    ThisDocument.LanguageID = 1033
End Sub

[ErikJan]

This is still happening to me... Very frustrating.
I think I recall it did always work before (read: in older Office/Word versions), but certainly in MS365 it still doesn't.
And I just entered another request to MS to fix this bug

[Charles Kenyon]

Haven't reviewed entire thread again, but...
The language setting in the Operating system will override Word settings.
The keyboard settings can also do this.
Here is my article:https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mso ... 9788821357