Loadstar 128 #30/q30.d81/t.dt128 docs 18

Text File | 1992-01-01 | 10.1 KB | 199 lines

 Online Help Windows
 -------------------

    There are two help files that should have been included with the
initial set of DT128 files on LOADSTAR 128 #26.  One is a help file for the
buffer utility and the other is a help file for the terminal mode.  If you
go to Miscellaneous from the Main Menu then load the Help module, then you
can call up either of these two help files by pressing the HELP key when in
the edit buffer mode or the terminal mode.

     The two ASCII files were converted into PETASCII files for LS 128 #26,
so the information was found in the "t." instructions, but in order for the
files to be brought up while in the two modes, they must appear in their
ASCII form.  Use any file copier -- DT128 has a good one -- to copy the two
"asc." files over to your DAVE'S TERM 128 disk.


 Spell Checker
 -------------

    This utility allows you to spell check the text in the buffer.  The
text in the buffer should be in ASCII codes.  All 26 letters along with the
apostrophe are considered valid characters for words.

    To use this utility you must first select the "Spell Checker" option
which can be found by selecting the "Print Buffer" option within the buffer
menu.  Once the module has been loaded you activate it from within the
buffer editor.  To do so press the F1 key, then the keypad 4.  You will
then be prompted to insert the dictionary disk.  At this point you can
press:

  ESCape to abort,

  RETURN to continue in interactive mode,

  SPACE BAR to continue in non-interactive mode,

  "a" to append all marked words to the dictionary.  If you failed to
insert the dictionary disk, or if any files are missing the module aborts.
You will see a "Device not Present" error if you access the wrong type of
device, i.e. the 1581 module can only access the dictionary on a 1581. Once
activated the spell checker will check every word it encounters starting at
the location of the cursor.

Interactive Mode: (Press F1 Keypad 4 then press RETURN at the prompt)  If a
word is not found in the dictionary you will see the prompt "Not Found
(a,s,d)?".  The commands are:

  a - Adds the word to the dictionary.  Make sure the word is spelled
correctly before adding it to the dictionary.

  s - Skips the word.

  d - Calls up the dictionary.  This allows you to view every word in the
dictionary that begins with the same letter as the current word.  To
progress to the next page press any key.  You can exit the dictionary  back
to the not found prompt by pressing ESCape.

Non-Interactive Mode: (Press F1 Keypad 4 then press SPACE BAR at the
prompt)  If a word is not found in the dictionary a null character (ASCII
zero) is inserted after the word.  Processing then continues.  The
advantage of this mode is that you do not have to keep selecting an option
at each word not in the dictionary.  You can start the spell checker and
let it run through the entire text without your intervention.  The null
character is used to mark each word that was not found.  In addition, each
repetition of a word that is not in the dictionary will be marked with a
CTRL-A which will follow the word.

    Before using this mode you should do a search to make sure that there
are no nulls or CTRL-A's in the buffer.  To do a search press F1 then
keypad 7.  A null can be entered by pressing CTRL-@.  Then press ENTER.
Then press the keypad 7.  If any nulls or CTRL-A's are found you should use
the interactive mode instead.  The reason for this is that this mode
inserts null and CTRL-A's.  If either of these 2 characters are in the text
when you activate this mode you won't be able to tell which were inserted.
When the spell check is done you should now go through the buffer and
search for null characters.  The word that precedes each null character
will have been marked as not found in the dictionary by the spell checker.
If the word is spelled correctly you can ignore it and search for the next
null.  You should leave the null character in the text if the marked word
was spelled correctly.  The append option (see below) uses the nulls to
determine which word(s) are to be appended to the dictionary.  If a marked
word was spelled incorrectly you should do the following:

   1. Make a note of the BYTES BEG display

   2. Set the search string (F1 Keypad 7) to the misspelled word

   3. Correct the word and also delete the null character

   4. Press Keypad 7 to search for any more occurrences of the misspelled
word (further occurrences will have a CTRL-A following it) and correct the
word.  Delete the CTRL-A after it also.

   5. Press Keypad 6 and enter the value you noted in step 1.  This will
take you back to where you were when you started with step 1.

   6. Reset the search string to a null (f1 Keypad 7 then CTRL-@ ENTER) and
continue on.  Go through the entire text until you have checked each marked
word and have take the appropriate action outlined above.

 Append Mode: (Press F1-Keypad 4 then press "a" at the prompt)  Append mode
offers an easy way to add many words to your dictionary with a single
command.  Append should only be selected after you use the Non-Interactive
mode and have gone through the text.  Each word that has a null character
following it will be appended to the dictionary.  After the word has been
appended the null character will be deleted for you automatically.  The
append function will also delete the CTRL-A's that it encounters.

    Remember, the CTRL-A's mark words that are were not found in the
dictionary but were marked with a null earlier in the text.  This prevents
the same new word from being appended to the dictionary more than once.

    If you use the append function all nulls and CTRL-A's will be deleted
automatically.  If you do not use append you should do a search through the
text for any extraneous nulls or CTRL-A's.  Any occurrences of either of
these 2 characters should be removed (after you check the word they
follow).

    The 1581 version of the spell checker has an extra feature which allows
you to sort your dictionary files.  This is useful in interactive mode
where you may call up the dictionary.  An alphabetized listing makes it
easier to locate the correct spelling of a particular word.  The sort
function works with any device (you can use it to sort your dictionary on a
1541, 1571, or 1581)

Notes:

    You should always activate the spell checker with the cursor at the
start of a word or in between words.

    You can abort the spell checker by pressing RUN/STOP (press ESCape if
you are at a prompt).

    When a word is "pulled" from the buffer it is first compared to a list
of words that are contained within the module.  This list consists of the
following words:

a an and as also all any at are aren't am about after again ask almost
allow be by big because become but been both before better bad best being
break box back bar bother busy can cause can't could come change chance
cannot call choose do does did didn't doesn't don't drop decide during done
drive date down define detail each ever every else except easy easier even
end exact either enter exit etc for from few fun fair fill find full free
fast fix field found form fact far fail feel fine go got give get getting
going good guess goes given has had here have hasn't hear half haven't how
hold happen help high hi her he her's he's him his i is it its it's if in
isn't i'm i'll i've i'd it'll idea into just kind know knew knowing kill
key keep low like likely least light list large look left leave length less
lot little let lets let's late later lose led lead me my more make may much
most many made must main miss mean matter move might meant map mail mind no
not new need nothing never now near none our oh of on off or often okay
other out only own old one over open once part prefer place pass pad put
per past probably pie point perhaps page run right read red reason require
ready return real rare rarely rely reach rule so some see she she's sure
soon say stop sad set should step same start such save seen send side show
self size slow still sometimes soft since says the to this that then them
than there their they're thing these those try through too two they tell
true thought though turn take taken top there's tall time tries that's talk
twice three us use used uses user up using until unless usual very was what
what's when where why who who's wear with which will went we've we'll way
want while would wanted wasn't won't were we well you your you're you've
you'll yes yet

    The words in this list are not displayed when you call up the
dictionary.  By storing words like this in memory it greatly speeds up the
word search and reduces disk access.  When you activate the spell checker
the starting point is remembered.  All words from the starting point to the
current word are assumed to be correct.  This also reduces disk access
time.  What this means is that words which are not in the built in list
only need to be disk searched once.  If you skip a word all future
occurrences of the same spelling are also considered correct.

    In summary, when a word is "pulled" from the buffer the module first
searches the built in list of words, then the buffer itself from the place
you started to the current word.  If the word is not found in either place
then the disk dictionary is searched.  If a word is found the module moves
on to the next word otherwise you see the not found prompt where you take
whatever action you choose.

    The format of the disk files is very simple.  Each word is entered in
lower case except for the last letter of each word which is in upper case.
The files are stored in PetASCII codes.  Should you find a misspelled word
in a file you can load the file, edit the word, then save the file (scratch
the old file before re-saving it).  Use PetASCII conversion at both the
load and save conversion prompts.

    This spell checker does not check grammar nor can it determine the
validity or usage of words.  Whether the correct word is "your" or
"you're", "its" or "it's", "there", "their", or "they're", etc, is up to
you.  It only helps to verify that the words found in the buffer are in
fact words, although they may not be the correct word.

    If you use the non-interactive mode make sure you have removed all
inserted nulls and CTRL-A's before you finish up.