Add languages/dictionaries to FrameMaker 2019

[maryhs]

1. Can I change the language for a specific document without editing all paragraph tags? 

2. Where do I get new dictionaries not needed at time of software install? 

Background - I am in the US and have begun working on documents for other markets. I want to be able to use English(UK) and French(Canadian).  Because the documents all use the same corporate template (which I do not control), I am hoping to avoid having to edit the paragraph definitions. 

Thanks for any suggestions!
MaryHS

[FrameMaker-dk]

Changing the language settings in the entire template, does not have to be a big issue. When you use the Global update options, you can change the entire template in two clicks.

[maryhs]

Can you point me toward the instructions?  I must not be using the right search term because I'm not finding it in FM's online help or this forum. I presume it's somehow related to changing the language used for every paragraph whether or not there's a style applied to that tag?  

I'm being very cautious here because some of the people who worked on these documents in the past were inconsistent in their use of styles. Global changes have given me some truly odd results in the past. 

I'm also not finding where/how to add the option for a new dictionary. 

[FrameMaker-dk · Accepted solution]

For your first question:

1. Set your cursor in a bit of paragraph text
2. Open Paragraph Designer (CTRL M)
3. Go to the "Fonts" tab
4. Go to the settings icon in the Paragraph Designer. It's the small starshaped icon in the bottom left corner.
5. Click "Set Window to As Is". Now all properties in the "Fonts" tab will change to blank
6. Click the "Language" button in the "Fonts" tab and select your new language. Don't click "Apply". Merely select a new language
7. Go back to "Settings" and click "Global Update Options"
8. Now you may click "Update all Paragraphs and Catalogs Entries"
9. This will change the dictionary/language property only, in all your paragraph and character tags.
10. I hope this was what you meant with your question 🙂

Regarding your second question. FrameMaker comes with an amazing bunch of dictionaries, but I do not know where to get extras, besides those already there. But English UK and French Canadian ARE there.

/bjørn

[maryhs]

Many thanks -- I was able to do that, and yes the dictionaries were there. 

One final followup -- is there a way to copy just that change across chapters instead of a full template?  The manuals I am updating have an unpleasant number of overrides from my predecessors.  For this manual I repeated the global language change for each chapter. I can do that again because it's effective if a bit repetitive -- but I'm always open for a more efficient method. 

[hadih26673991]

What you explained works well for fm file format. How do you deal with the language setup in the xml format? I use DITA and my context is stored in xml files. I have set the corresponding language tag in the files such as xml:lang="de" for German. But this is totally ignored by FrameMaker as the language always goes back to English and if I follow your steps, FM temporarily changes the language to what I set but next time I open the file it goes back to English. Totally annoying!