Word Processing using Foreign Language Keyboards

Macintosh and Windows

Word Processing using Foreign Language Keyboards

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These instructions are general and should work for any language that the operating system provides for. This includes, but is not limited to Russian, Japanese, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, and Korean. They are, however, incomplete.

The information here covers only those questions that we receive most frequently and only those operating systems and word processors available on the computers that IS provides (including those in faculty/staff offices, public labs and classrooms.) It is not meant to be comprehensive.

We are providing word processing information for only OS 10.2 or higher and Windows XP on this page. We have only tested Word X and Word 2004 for Macintosh and Word 2003 for Windows.

If you are using other operating systems or versions of Microsoft Office, or if you have further questions, please post to the Computing Questions conference in FirstClass.

General Instructions

Left to Right Languages (including Russian)
Right-to-left Languages (including Arabic and Hebrew)

Language Specific Instructions

Left to Right Languages (including Russian)

Documents created on Macintosh computers to be read on Macintosh computers:

Documents created in TextEdit can be read in Word X and Word 2004 whether they are saved as Word .doc or .rtf files, however after you open the document in Word X and Word 2004, you will need to select the text and apply an appropriate font for the language.

Documents created in Word X and Word 2004 can be read in TextEdit without needing to choose a font if they are saved as .doc, .rtf or unicode .txt files.

Documents created on Macintosh computers to be read on Windows computers:

Documents created in TextEdit can be read in Word 2003 or Wordpad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as Word .doc files.

Documents created in Word X and Word 2004 can be read in Word 2003 or Wordpad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt file.

Documents created on Windows computers to be read on Macintosh computers:

Documents created in Word 2003 or Wordpad can be read in TextEdit without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt or .rtf file.

Documents created in Word 2003 or Wordpad can sometimes be read in Word X. (See the special notes for right-to-left below.) After opening the document in Word X, you will need to select the text and apply an appropriate font for the language.

Documents created on Windows computers to be read on Windows computers:

Documents created in Word 2003 can be read in Wordpad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt or .rtf file. They can also be read in Notepad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt file.

Documents created in Wordpad can be read in Word 2003 without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt or .rtf file. They can also be read in Notepad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt file.

Documents created in Notepad can be read can be read in Word 2003 or Wordpad without needing to choose a font if they are saved as a unicode .txt file.

 

Right-to-left Languages (including Arabic and Hebrew)

Macintosh:

Word X cannot create or read documents written in right to left languages. If you need to create or open a right-to-left document on a Macintosh, use TextEdit or Word 2004.

Windows:

Word 2003 and Wordpad can create and read documents written in right-to-left languages. When you open an already created file, you may be asked to choose a text direction.

 

Enable Japanese language features using Microsoft Language Register

Microsoft Language Register allows you to switch between English and Japanese editing environments. When you register an Office application for a Japanese editing environment, many advanced features such as Phonetic Guide, Combined Characters, Vertical Text Layout, Japanese line-breaking and charter spacing, and Japanese proofing tools are enabled.


Enable Japanese Language Features

  1. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Microsoft Office 2004 > Additional Tools folder > Microsoft Language Register. If you don't have it installed on your computer, you must first install it using your Microsoft Office 2004 CD.
  2. Drag the application icon for the application that you want to enable Japanese language features for (Word, Excel, or Powerpoint) on top of the Microsoft Language Register utility.
  3. In the Select the language to enable for pop-up menu, click Japanese.

Once you registered an application using Microsoft Language Register, when you open up the application, the default editing environment is Japanese, you'll have to switch the language back to US to type English.

Install the Microsoft Language Register

  1. Insert your Microsoft Office 2004 CD.
  2. On the desktop, double-click the Microsoft Office 2004 icon.
  3. When the setup window appears, double-click the Office Setup Assistant icon.
  4. Follow steps 1 through 4 in the Office Setup Assistant.
  5. When you see the Authenticate window, enter an administrator user name and password.
  6. In step 5 of the Office installation, under Select the type of installation you want, select Custom.
  7. Clear the check boxes for the components that you do not want to install.
  8. In the list of components, expand Office Tools, and then select the Microsoft Language Register check box.
  9. Click Install to complete the installation.
  10. Proceed to enable Japanese Language Features.