[535] IDML Import - Setting Spelling Dictionary Language

[nwhit]

This may be something obvious that I'm not seeing, but can we set the default spelling dictionary for the imported document? We produce in both UK and US English, but the IDML imports are sometimes coming in as US instead of UK English. I cannot seem to find a place to set the document's default language within APub the way I can in ID. It's probably an obvious thing but I can't seem to find it.

[nwhit]

In playing with a few multi-page IDML imports, I see that I can go to each page, do a Select All, then in the Character panel I can set it to UK English. A bit tedius but doable. Maybe there is an easier way to set a document's dictionary pref???

[Jon P]

We don't have a spellchecking language preference. Our language preferences are set in the text styles, so your workaround works. You could also ensure the text styles are set to the language you'd prefer.

[nwhit]

Unfortunately, the Select All on the imported IDML doesn't do it. In playing with the new beta (549), I see that a Select All does not allow a change to any Grouped text frames/layers. Thus many of the text blocks remain in the wrong spelling language.

And unfortunately most of the imported IDML documents won't come in with Text Styles from ID since on many, many shorter docs (less than 6-pages), we seldom used styles. Thus it appears that many text blocks are coming in as No Style, where it appears that we can't set a spelling language for No Style based on what I'm seeing (might be overlooking something obvious). 

Just wish there were a way to be able to take an imported document like this, or even a pdf imported/opened (although haven't looked at this issue in a pdf yet), and set the spelling language for everything. Very tedious to have to go to each and every text block/frame to check and change the language. 

[walt.farrell]

Workaround:

1. Define a new Character text style, perhaps called Spelling-UK English. Base it on [No Style]
2. In that character style, set the spelling and hyphenation languages to UK English
3. Set everything else to "No change". (It should be that way already, but check to make sure.)
4. Do a Find/Replace, with the options set to Regular Expression.
   For Find, use .  (That is, a period, to match anything.)
   For Replace, click the cog and then choose Character Style > Spelling-UK English
5. Click Find, then Replace All. All characters in the document will be assigned the character style Spelling-UK English, and nothing else will change.

[nwhit]

Thanks, Walt. A bit complex but it works. Kinda still wish there were a doc pref to set the document spelling language like in ID. Small point, but sure would help with importing older done ID/IDML files. 

As I've said before, when we create our newest docs in APub (which we are now doing, so having a hard time keeping the two workflows/features straight!), we start with defaults already set to the appropriate language, which with a new doc is easy. It's just the importation of docs more than a single page with a bunch of text blocks that are an issue. But at least your workaround makes it possible to fix in short order.

[walt.farrell]

You're welcome.