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| SPELL 2.8 User's Guide |
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July 17, 1988
HOW TO USE THE SPELL PROGRAM:
SPELL is a program that allows you to detect and correct spelling
mistakes in disk files (henceforward called documents). SPELL
should work with documents produced by just about any word
processor. SPELL has been tested on documents produced by the 1ST
WORD word processor. A hard disk is recommended but not required.
THE WORD LIST:
SPELL uses a special disk file named "words.txt". This file
contains all words that SPELL recognizes as being correctly
spelled. When you use SPELL for the first time, this file will be
empty, and SPELL will ask you if each word in your document is
misspelled. As you check the spelling of more and more documents,
SPELL will know the correct spellings of more and more words.
Eventually SPELL will have a word list containing most of the
words that you use, and will only ask you if misspelled and
unfamiliar words are misspelled.
RUNNING THE PROGRAM:
Before running SPELL, make sure that the disk containing the SPELL
program and the disk containing the document to be corrected are
not write-protected (i.e. make sure that the hole in each disk is
covered by the sliding piece of plastic). Also make sure that the
document that you wish to correct is not a read-only file (See
Atari 520ST Owner's Manual, p. 56). When SPELL starts to run, all
words stored in the file "words.txt" are loaded into memory. If
SPELL is being run for the first time, no words will be loaded.
Now you are ready to check the spelling of documents. Move the
mouse over to the File menu. This menu has two options, "Quit"
and "Correct Document". Choose the "Quit" option when you are
completely finished correcting all documents.
To correct the spelling of a document, choose the "Correct
Document" option. You will be asked for the name of the document
for which the spelling is to be corrected. Choose the file you
want.
After the document to be checked is specified, whenever SPELL
encounters a word that is not in the file "words.txt", you will be
given three choices:
Add this word to dictionary
Do not add word to dictionary
Try new spelling of word
Quit correction
Regardless of which choice you make, you can always correct the
spelling of the word. To do this, type in the word as you would
like it to appear in the document being checked. You can edit the
word with the backspace, arrow keys, and escape (Esc) key.
After the spelling of the word is corrected (if it was wrong), you
can add the word to the dictionary by pointing the mouse in the
"Add this word to dictionary" box and pressing the left mouse
button.
If you do not want to add the word to the dictionary, but it is
correctly spelled, choose the "Do not add word to dictionary" box.
Even if the same word is encountered later on in the document, you
will not be asked about it.
If you have changed the spelling of the word, and would like to
find out if this new spelling is in the dictionary, choose the
"Try new spelling of word" box. If the word is found in the
dictionary, the program will go on and check the rest of the
document. If the word is not found in the dictionary, you will be
given the four options again.
If you want to stop the spelling correction process, select the
"Quit correction" box. This will leave the file you're correcting
unchanged, and you will be free to either correct other documents
or quit the program.
THE WORD MENU
The Word menu has a single option, "Delete Bad Word". Selecting
this option will allow you to specify a word that should be
removed from the dictionary. Just enter the word to delete and
select the "Delete Misspelled Word" box. If you decide not to
delete the word, press the "Cancel" box. If you attempt to delete
a word that is not in the dictionary, the program will mention
this.
THE INFORMATION MENU
The Information menu has only one option, "Show Information".
Selecting this option will reveal how many words are stored in the
dictionary, as well as how much memory is available for storing
new words.
UPDATING THE DICTIONARY:
After your document has been completely checked, if you have
inserted any words into the dictionary, or deleted any words, you
will be asked if you want to update the dictionary.
Why do you need to update the dictionary? Every time you start
the SPELL program, the dictionary contains all the words that were
in the file "words.txt". As you insert new words into the
dictionary they are stored in your computer's main memory, and are
NOT automatically placed in the disk file "words.txt". By the
same token, words deleted from the dictionary are not
automatically removed from the "words.txt" file.
If you choose to update the dictionary by pressing the left mouse
button in the "yes" box, the new words in main memory will be
inserted into the file "words.txt", and any words that you
deleted will be removed from the file. When the program is done,
"words.txt" will contain all words it had before SPELL was run,
plus the new ones that you inserted, minus the words that you
deleted. When you run SPELL again, it will know that the new
words are spelled correctly, and will not ask you about them when
they are encountered again.
If you choose not to update the dictionary by pressing the left
mouse button in the "no" box, the file "words.txt" will not be
changed - it will have the same words that it had when you started
running SPELL, and will not have the new words that you inserted
when SPELL was running.
Questions and Answers:
Q:
I get an "out of memory" message when SPELL runs. Why does this
happen, and what can I do about it?
A:
This happens when SPELL does not have enough memory to store all
the words in the file "words.txt". If this happens, remove
desk accessories (Atari 520ST Owner's Manual, p. 30) that take up
a large amount of memory (especially ramdisks).
Q:
I already have a file similar to the "words.txt" file. Can I use
this file instead?
A:
Many spelling correction programs come with a file containing the
correct spellings of many words. If you have such a file, and it
is an ordinary ASCII file (i.e. contains only printable
characters), and has each word on a line of its own, you may use
this file with SPELL. Just copy the file onto the folder
containing the SPELL program, and make sure that it is named
"words.txt".
Q:
Can I give copies of SPELL to other people?
A:
SPELL is a public domain program. This means that it can be
copied and given to anyone. However, if you find this program
useful, please send $5.00 US to:
Eric Bergman-Terrell
Cadenza Software, Ltd.
1450 West 116th Avenue, #21
Westminster, CO 80234
U.S.A.
Q:
Is this the same program advertised in ANTIC magazine?
A:
No - it is a much more recent version. Both are written by the
same author, and both are in the public domain.
Additional Information:
If you have a question about SPELL that is not answered by this
user's guide, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the
above address. If you are not in the U.S.A., please send the
necessary international reply coupons (available in post offices
throughout the world).
Enjoy the program!