-------------------------- | SPELL 2.5 User's Guide | -------------------------- April 16, 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 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 and arrow keys. 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 proper 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 proper 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 three options again. 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. The "Longest Chain" number is insignificant (actually this is the maximum number of string comparisons necessary to find out if a given word is in the dictionary). 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 disk 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!