# Dictionary Changes not saving **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [June 6, 2021, 4:21am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499 "2021-06-06T04:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![les61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@les61](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/les61)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 4:21am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/1 "2021-06-06T04:21:23Z")
GrampsAIO64-5.1.3-2, Windows 10 When I add a word to the dictionary it seems to work fine until I close down and restart the program. Has anyone else had this issue and if so how do I fix it? Many thanks Les ---
**Author:** ![daleathan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/daleathan/32/1701_2.png) [@daleathan](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/daleathan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 7:38am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/2 "2021-06-06T07:38:08Z")
What Language are you using in please? Have a read of - [0011988: [GrampsAIO] dictionary not keeping words](https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=11988) ---
**Author:** ![prculley](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/prculley/32/41_2.png) [@prculley](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/prculley)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/3 "2021-06-06T14:24:36Z")
This bug has been around for quite a while. I tried a couple of times to see if I could figure out where the problems are, but was not successful. However, it appears that the problem must have been somewhere in the libraries that Gramps uses, and that sometime in the last few years it has been corrected. When I tested with the ‘new\_libs’ version of Gramps that I developed a while ago, the spell check seemed to work correctly, remembering multiple words between sessions. Yet another reason to make another effort to get up to date libraries working in some future version of Gramps AIO. Note: the reason we don’t use them now is that they have some problems of their own, and I judged the issues bad/annoying enough to stay on the older versions for the time being. I will probably try again when releasing Gramps 5.2.x if and when… ---
**Author:** ![les61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@les61](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/les61)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/4 "2021-06-06T22:44:02Z")
English language. Les ---
**Author:** ![les61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@les61](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/les61)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/5 "2021-06-07T00:05:25Z")
I have found a sort of work around. Copied the en\_GB.dic file from C:\Program Files\GrampsAIO64-5.1.3\share\enchant\myspell and placed in Documents directory (although you could put it just about anywhere) (also suggest keeping a backup in another safe place just in case). Edit the copy in Documents and add the words you want in the dictionary. I added 2 words that I use on a regular basis. Save the file. Copy the file from Documents to C:\Program Files\GrampsAIO64-5.1.3\share\enchant\myspell and override the original file. Restart GRAMPS. It works for me and I may keep the file in Documents open and just add new words as they come up and copy at the end of day. Certainly usefully for Surnames and town names, etc. ---
**Author:** ![daleathan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/daleathan/32/1701_2.png) [@daleathan](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/daleathan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/6 "2021-06-07T00:12:20Z")
> [@les61](#): > > English language. Which English language? In the Gramps Help \> About dialogue you should be able to see a line that shows “LANG: en\_XX.UTF-8” what is yours? ---
**Author:** ![StoltHD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@StoltHD](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/StoltHD)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/7 "2021-06-07T00:25:48Z")
(post deleted by author) ---
**Author:** ![daleathan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/daleathan/32/1701_2.png) [@daleathan](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/daleathan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/8 "2021-06-07T00:58:19Z")
> [@StoltHD](#): > > If you do, could you please also update the mongodb drivers/libraries and add it to the AIO package, please. I highly doubt that will happen as mentioned in the feature request this is a “Wontfix” the work around on Windows is to use : MSYS2! - [0010491: [Gramps AIO & MacOS installers] Add prerequistes MongoDB [Wontfix][Windows use : MSYS2/ MacOS use: MacPorts]](https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=10491) - [Gramps for Windows with MSYS2](https://www.gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_for_Windows_with_MSYS2) ---
**Author:** ![les61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@les61](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/les61)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 1:27am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/9 "2021-06-07T01:27:48Z")
LANG: en\_GB.UTF-8 OS: Windows ---
**Author:** ![lordemannd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/lordemannd/32/583_2.png) [@lordemannd](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/lordemannd)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/10 "2021-06-07T03:10:02Z")
The work around suggested above will have to be redone each time you reinstall Gramps. A more permanent work around is to add you word to the enchant personal word list file. (this is actually what Gramps is having trouble doing programmatically) detailed steps: 1 - examine the Gramps Help → About display to get the LANG: value (example: LANG: **en\_US**.UTF-8) 2 - navigate to "C:\Users\YOUR-USER-NAME\AppData\Local\enchant 3 - use Notepad to create/edit a file “ **en\_US.dic** ” as a simple text file 4 - add your words 1 per line. 5 - save the file 6 - restart Gramps The files in this directory should be preserved during a Gramps install and will be shared by all Gramps instances run for this user. ---
**Author:** ![StoltHD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@StoltHD](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/StoltHD)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:16am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/11 "2021-06-07T03:16:36Z")
(post deleted by author) ---
**Author:** ![StoltHD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@StoltHD](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/StoltHD)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/12 "2021-06-07T03:27:21Z")
(post deleted by author) ---
**Author:** ![les61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@les61](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/les61)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/13 "2021-06-07T04:00:06Z")
lordemannd, Thanks. With my solution you would just need to copy the file from Documents to the Program File directory, but having said that you solution is a much better option and also when I tested it I found that you do not need to restart Gramps, so you can have the file open and update and save and it will become “live”. The only requirement is to close the current window ie the Note and reopen. Interestingly I already had a file in the location you said and it had 1 word (one of my ancestor’s name) so not sure how. The original “Date created” in the properties was about the date I originally installed the software. Thanks again ---
**Author:** ![lordemannd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/lordemannd/32/583_2.png) [@lordemannd](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/lordemannd)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 4:06am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/15 "2021-06-07T04:06:42Z")
> [@les61](#): > > Interestingly I already had a file in the location yes, the library bug causes Gramps to fail after creating the file and adding the 1st word. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/16 "2021-06-17T13:03:13Z")
> [@lordemannd](#): > > yes, the library bug causes Gramps to fail after creating the file and adding the 1st word. If we’re talking Windows, that sounds like a Permissions problem. You might be allowed to create a file a file in an application subfolder, but you wouldn’t be allowed to modify it. (Unless you’re running Gramps as an Admin.) Is there a way the Enchant path can be expanded (perhaps with the [broker](https://pyenchant.github.io/pyenchant/api/enchant.html) feature) to include a location in the User Directory… where Gramps would be permitted to make unlimited changes? As a couple asides… 1. are the Dictionary and Affix files standard files downloaded from some service? Only about 16 (out of 43) languages have these files in the GrampsPortable install. So I’d like to find dictionary & affix files for the rest of the languages. 2. if these are generated specifically for Gramps, it seems odd that ‘Gramps’ is not a word included in our dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/17 "2021-06-17T14:48:22Z")
> [@emyoulation](#): > > If we’re talking Windows, that sounds like a Permissions problem. You might be allowed to create a file a file in an application subfolder, but you wouldn’t be allowed to modify it. On Windows, the user’s enchant dictionaries are stored at: `C:\Users\<~username>\AppData\local\enchant`. Note: The `AppData` folder is hidden by default within Windows. No permission’s needed. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/18 "2021-06-17T15:02:55Z")
Ahhh. No wonder I wasn’t finding them outside the Applications folders. I only searched around the Gramps User Directory. Thx ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/1X/2ac1e712b7adf612e31ca08a55419f4cf37c0158.png) [@system](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 3:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/dictionary-changes-not-saving/1499/19 "2021-07-17T15:03:53Z")
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