Can't set language default

[HansV]

Thanks, Charles.

[ErikJan]

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

All fine but no matter what I do in Word, every time I start it up, the language is US English (matching that of my OS).
Most of the time nowadays, I'm writing Word documents in Dutch so I want that by default.
It's beyond me why I can save the Dutch proofing setting in my Normal template only to find out that it's STILL completely ignored.

Even worse and almost more weird is that in (Outlook) emails, even if I set the language in the email body to Dutch manually, still the text in the email subject is considered US English (and there's no way to ever change that).

I do understand we can all write all sorts of VBA code that fixes hidden locations where proofing language changes (as we might copy that in somehow). But that's beyond the point where it went wrong in the first place, right?

Sorry, I appreciate the help and I know that none of us can fix or even begin to understand why Microsoft created something as illogical as this. Just had to vent a bit... apologies (hope Microsoft reads this!)

[HansV]

It's very unlikely that Microsoft will read this.
You can use Help > Feedback to let Microsoft know you're displeased.

[Charles Kenyon]

Here is how to get feedback to Microsoft.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mso ... fb7fec96ba

Potential workaround:
The adoption of the operating system language in new blank documents has been known to me for at least five years and probably has been around as long as Word but not reported widely.

Try creating a template with a Plain Text Content Control set to be deleted when edited and then format the document in Dutch.You may need to run one of the macros in my article to set the styles in the document to Dutch as well.

If you want, you can add a macro with a keyboard shortcut or QAT icon in your Normal template or a global template to create a new document based on the template. It is even possible to have it be the default new document when you start Word. Here are links to a couple of Add-Ins that show how to do this.
https://addbalance.com/word/download.ht ... ewDocument
https://addbalance.com/word/download.ht ... headAddIns

Should all this be necessary? Certainly not but I doubt this will change soon.

[ErikJan]

It's very unlikely that Microsoft will read this.
You can use Help > Feedback to let Microsoft know you're displeased.

I know... did that twice already. Doesn't help (of course)

[ErikJan]

Thanks Charles. I looked at your links and read some of the documentation. Still hesitant as there's more going on than I'd like.
Maybe I should indeed 'give in' (as you suggest) and revert to VBA code that automatically run's after I create a new blank document based on my saved Normal.dotx. All that code should do is change the proofing language (once) in that new document (but a nice addition could be a button in the ribbon that would change the proofing in an existing document -everywhere-).
If I'd do it like this, all other functionality remains unchanged and if I'd e.g. change margins and store them in my Normal.dotx, that would work as it is supposed to work. It also keeps things 'clear' as I continue to use Normal.dotx.
Does that make sense? I'm guessing such a VBA routine could be simple (I can dive in myself but I'm waiting for maybe someone who can direct me to existing code)

[Charles Kenyon]

It is Normal.dotm. (This is important!)

Yes, this is extremely frustrating.
I assume that you cannot set your Windows language to Dutch, or at least that doing so would be more inconvenient than this problem.

I am pretty sure the process with the template that is using a Content Control and has the language in the document and the styles set for Dutch would work and be relatively painless. Unfortunately, your Normal.dotm should not have any text in it. Once you have anything typed into the Content Control you can exit it with the tab key and the Content Control container will disappear, leaving you the text.

[ErikJan]

Normal.dotm - yes, of course. Sorry, you're right.

No, I'm (very) Dutch but I hate forced translations of originally English language terms in computer OS and Programs. So that's all English.
Writing documents however for personal purposes is obviously in Dutch (although I worked for an American company for 34+ years and there everything was (US) English)

I apologize but I don't understand your last paragraph. Can't I have VBA code somewhere that triggers when I create a new document (like auto-open in Excel a bit) and that simply sets the document language to Dutch?

[jolas]

There maybe something in here if not mentioned above may provide an answer.

[snb]

Did you try ?

In Thisdocument in the normal.dotm:

Code: Select all

Private Sub Document_New()
    NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043
End Sub

[ErikJan]

There maybe something in here if not mentioned above may provide an answer.

That requires me to change the OS input language and I don't want that. My OS is (US) English and that's how I like it. All I need is that Word (and PowerPoint and Outlook) display in US English but use another proofing language

[ErikJan]

Did you try ?

In Thisdocument in the normal.dotm:

Code: Select all

Private Sub Document_New()
    NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043
End Sub

Did that... does not work. No errors but language is not changed

[ErikJan]

What is weird however is that I next added an MSGBOX line (so I could check if the code is fired).
If I open WORD, a blank document shows but there's no message (so the code does not run)
If I select "New document" there is a message, so the code runs. The language is still US English however...

[snb]

then try in normal.dotm

Code: Select all

Private Sub Document_Open()
    NormalTemplate.LanguageID = 1043
End Sub

[ErikJan]

I left both in the code and added an MSGBOX in the new suggestion as well.
Start WORD (with new document): nothing (meaning: neither of the two is executed)
New Document manually: only the first ("New") code fires

[jolas]

DutchProffing.jpg

[snb]

Alternative:
Use:

Code: Select all

Sub M_snb()
   NormalTemplate.OpenAsDocument
End Sub

Change the review proofing languagesetting to Dutch, set as default.
Save the normaltemplate and close.

[ErikJan]

DutchProffing.jpg

Jolas, thanks for the suggestion. I know how to set it, the problem is that I want it to start up in Dutch (my OS is US English). Somehow MS has make that impossible (in MS365)

[ErikJan]

Alternative:
Use:

Code: Select all

Sub M_snb()
   NormalTemplate.OpenAsDocument
End Sub

Change the review proofing languagesetting to Dutch, set as default.
Save the normaltemplate and close.

Thanks, but what do I do with the code? Where do I insert that and how do I run that?

[snb]

create a new document.
Insert this code in the macromodule of 'ThisDocument'
Run the code (F5)
Now the normaltemplate is available as a document.
Make the proofing changes.
Close the normaltemplate and save its alterations.
You can check whether it has taken into effect by closing word, reopening it again and checking the proofing language.