My dictionary won't learn!

Question

Transferred Appleworks 6.2.9 to new Intel iMac. Now, when using Spell Check, the "Learn" button is dimmed, all previously 'learned' words are gone, and I am unable to save any new words that the dictionary doesn't recognize. Any advice would be appreciated.
Intel iMac   Mac OS X (10.4.5)  

Answer 1

Does it work with
both the main dictionary AND the User one? It appears
you must choose one or the other.
A User Dictionary is the only type of dictionary that you can edit (ie. that can 'learn'). Main (spelling) dictionaries, Hyphenation dictionaries and Thesauri are all Read Only.
Actually, you choose one THEN the other. AppleWorks can have ONE active dictionary of EACH type at any time. For checking spelling, AppleWorks uses the ACTIVE Main Dictionary and the ACTIVE User dictionary.
For automatic hyphenation, AppleWorks uses the ACTIVE Hyphenation dictionary.
To search for synonyms (and for meanings), AppleWorks uses the ACTIVE Thesaurus.
You make a dictionary ACTIVE by SELECTing it. When you go to the SELECT Dictionaries dialogue, AppleWorks asks you, using a set of Radio Buttons, which type of dictionary you want to select.
Click the Main Dictionary button, and AppleWorks shows you, in the small window at the bottom of the dialogue window, which Main Dictionary is currently selected (ie. ACTIVE). If that is the Main Dictionary you want, go on to the next Radio Button. If you want to use a different Main Dictionary, click Choose.
Clicking Choose takes you to the Dictionaries folder (in AppleWorks Essentials), and shows a list of all the dictionaries you have Installed in that folder. If Main Dictionaries was the selected Radio Button when you clicked Choose, Main dictionaries will be shown in black type; other types of dictionaries will be greyed (and can't be selected). Click on the one you want to use, then click Select. You'll be returned to the Select Dictionaries dialogue, and your newly selected Main Dictionary will be shown as the Currently Selected Dictionary.
If you also want to change the selected dictionary of another type, click the Radio Button for that type, and follow the steps above. Changing the User Dictionary does NOT affect the Main Dictionary choice.
My iBook said it had no User Dic. so I selected one
and now Learn (which was greyed out - unlike on the
iMac) is working fine. But that didn't work on my
iMac - (same OS & version of AppleWorks)
Does your iMac tell you that you have a User Dictionary selected?
Have you trashed AppleWorks's preferences (see Peggy's User
tip AppleWorks has stopped working correctly)?
Have you checked permissions on the User Dictionary? If you are the Owner of the file, you should have Read and Write permission. If other users also use AppleWorks on this machine, or if you do through another log in account, then Others should also be able to read & write. To check permissions, find the User Dictionary file in AppleWorks Essentials, click it once, and press command-I to Get Info.
If none of the above appear to be the reason for the problem, I'd suggest Exporting the contents of your User dictionary to a Text file, creating a New User dictionary, ande importing the Text file into the new User dictionary. Then choose this new file as your User dictionary.
If that solves the problem, delete the original User Dictionary file.
Regards,
Barry