INFO: The Microsoft Common Speller API (CSAPI) for Office Spell Checking (262605)

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Common Speller Application Programming Interface (CSAPI) is a standardized set of functions that allows host applications to better communicate with external spell checkers and lexicons (dictionaries). This standardization allows for the development of third-party engines and lexicons that can be sold in the market place as add-ins for Microsoft Office. These add-ins provide Office users with the ability to customize and extend the capabilities of Office spell checking.

To facilitate development of a new engine and lexicon, Microsoft has made the CSAPI specification available. Third parties that are interested in implementing only an add-in lexicon (such as medical, legal, or technical terms) but not an engine only require specific tools to convert their lexicon into the appropriate format and should be aware that this is only supported for English and CSAPI is not required.

Developers who are interested in implementing a CSAPI spell check engine and lexicon, or only an add-in lexicon, can contact Microsoft Developer Support. The following Microsoft Knowledge Base article contains the contact information: NOTE: CSAPI may not be used to call into Microsoft's spell check engine and lexicon. For example, third-party developers who want to incorporate spell check capabilities into their own applications may not use CSAPI to access the spell check engine and lexicons that are installed by Microsoft Office. Microsoft does not currently provide spell check utilities for use in third-party products.