[Question] How to setup a custom dictionary?

[lonix1]

I'm a little confused by the various config options, and I've read through this.

I want to store my custom words in a text file at /.vscode/dictionary.txt.

So I added this to my workspace settings (/.vscode/settings.json), but it doesn't work:

"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  { "name": "custom", "path": ".vscode/dictionary.txt" },
],
"cSpell.dictionaries": [ "custom" ],

What am I doing wrong?

[Jason3S]

The spell checker cannot find the dictionary because it does not know what the file is relative to.

Please try changing the path to:

"path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt"

The docs need to be updated to make this clearer, but here is the blurb from the changelog:

${workspaceFolder} substitution in paths and globs

Relative paths were difficult to get working when specified in VS Code settings. It wasn't clear what they should be relative to. Relative paths to a cspell.json files are clear.

It is now possible to have the following setting in VS Code preferences.

"cSpell.import": [
  "${workspaceFolder}/node_modules/company_standards/cspell.json"
]

for a multiroot with folders client, server, common, it is possible to specify the name of the folder:

"ignorePaths": [
  "${workspaceFolder:client}/**/*.json"
],
"cSpell.import": [
  "${workspaceFolder:server}/node_modules/company_standards/cspell.json"
],
"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  {
    "name": "Company Terms",
    "path": "${workspaceFolder:common}/dictionaries/terms.txt"
  }
],
"cSpell.dictionaries": ["Company Terms"]

[lonix1]

Thanks the extension now loads words from that txt file.

But when a word is not recognized and I choose Add: "foo" to workspace dictionary, it is added to .vscode/settings.json instead of .vscode/dictionary.txt

[Jason3S]

It is not very well documented, but it is possible:

"cSpell.customFolderDictionaries": ["custom"]

Will tell the extension to add files to the custom dictionary.

See Release Notes v1.9.0-alpha.0 and #61 (comment)

[lonix1]

Unfortunately that didn't work for me.

From my .vscode/settings.json:

"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt" },
],
"cSpell.dictionaries": [ "custom" ],
"cSpell.customFolderDictionaries": ["custom"],

But still when I use ctrl . over a misspelled word and choose "Add: "foo" to workspace dictionary", it gets added to .vscode/settings.json rather than .vscode/dictionary.txt.

Any ideas? 🤔

---

If I have a .vscode/cspell.json file then the word is added there, as expected

I'm using the latest versions of vscode and the extension

[Jason3S]

I'm guessing you have just a single folder in your workspace.

Please try:

"cSpell.customWorkspaceDictionaries": [ "custom" ]

[Jason3S]

VS Code is a bit confusing on how it deals we workspaces and folders.

If you have a single folder open, that folder is considered the "workspace". If you have multiple folders open, then there is a .code-workspace file that defines the workspaces.

VS Code Merges the settings in the following order: user, workspace, folder.

If the folder has a setting of the same name, it overrides the settings from user and workspace.

To be able to write words to different dictionaries, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between the three different configurations. To accomplish this, three different settings are used:

• customUserDictionaries
• customWorkspaceDictionaries
• customFolderDictionaries

[lonix1]

"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt" },
],
"cSpell.customWorkspaceDictionaries": [ "custom" ]

That works! Thank you!

I assume you're talking about those "multi root" workspaces? Yeah I'm just using one root / workspace.

The docs could benefit from my above use case... the customWorkspaceDictionaries setting is the magic sauce to make it work.

This is an excellent extension, thanks for making and maintaining it!

[lonix1]

BTW the docs mention this twice, but the addWords setting doesn't exist:

// If addWords is true words will be added to this dictionary.

[lonix1]

Hey @Jason3S I've been using your above recommendation for most of this year:

"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt" },
],
"cSpell.customWorkspaceDictionaries": [ "custom" ]

But now customWorkspaceDictionaries gives a deprecation notice Use customDictionaries instead..

I can't find any docs to explain how to move from the old to new config. Any pointers?

[Jason3S]

@lonix1,

Some docs and an example are here:
Configuration Settings - Spell Checker

Both of the following will work:

"cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions": [
  { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt" },
],
"cSpell.customDictionaries": { "custom": true }

"cSpell.customDictionaries": {
  "custom": { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/dictionary.txt", "addWords": true }
},

The change was made to support how VS Code merges User / Workspace / Folder / Language settings.

If you define "cSpell.dictionaryDefinitions" at the Workspace and Folder level, due to the way VS Code merges the settings, the Folder will not have access to the Workspace dictionaries.

By using an Object instead of an Array, VS Code will merge the settings:

Workspace

"cSpell.customDictionaries": {
  "custom": { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder:Root}/.vscode/dictionary.txt", "addWords": true },
  "internal": { "path": "${workspaceFolder:Root}/internal-terms.txt" }
},

Folder

"cSpell.customDictionaries": {
  "web-terms": { "path": "${workspaceFolder:Web}/terms.txt", "addWords": true },
  "internal": false
},

Result

"cSpell.customDictionaries": {
  "custom": { "name": "custom", "path": "${workspaceFolder:Root}/.vscode/dictionary.txt", "addWords": true },
  "web-terms": { "path": "${workspaceFolder:Web}/terms.txt", "addWords": true }
},

[lonix1]

That works, thanks!

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