Documentation for ADSPELL V1.00, updated 11/28/87



(C) Copyright 1987 by Allen Driskill
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


ADSPELL is a spelling-checker and a spelling-corrector. ADSPELL
provides an easy facility for adding words to its dictionary, gives
editing support for keying corrections, and creates .BAK versions of
any updated files. If Turbo Lightning (R) is installed, ADSPELL will
interface to Turbo Lightning's dictionary as well ("Turbo Lightning" is
a product of Borland International).


This .DOC file is formatted for printing on 8.5 inch paper at 8 lines
per inch, or on 11 inch paper at 6 lines/inch. Assuming this file is
on the current drive in the current directory, use the DOS "COPY"
command as follows:

COPY ADSPELL.DOC LPT1:



Table of Contents
-----------------

Topic Page
----------------------------------------------- ----

Licensing Information 1

General Information 2

List and explanation of distribution files 2

System Requirements and Miscellany 3

Starting ADSPELL from the DOS command line 4

How ADSPELL operates 5

Suggested/Anticipated Enhancements 6

Suggested but Rejected Enhancements 7

History of changes 8


Licensing Information Page 1
--------------------- ------

ADSPELL is a simple spelling checking and correcting utility for
MS/DOS environments, written by:

Allen Driskill
5193 Taylor Lane Avenue
Hilliard, Ohio 43026

Phone: (614) 876-0885

and available on several bulletin boards in the Columbus, Ohio area:

NoChange #12 (614) 764-6744
C.O.R.E. (614) 864-2673

ADSPELL is ShareWare. You are granted a limited license to use ADSPELL,
and to copy and distribute it, providing that the following conditions are
met:

1. The software is distributed intact (not modified by other
than the author), including documentation and supplemental
files

2. There is no charge made for the copy, other than a reasonable
duplication/media fee which may be charged by clubs or
organizations for copies given to members or guests.

Individuals may become licensed users by sending $10 to the author.
Licensed users may call (6-10 P.M. EST) or write the author to report
and obtain fixes for program bugs. Licensed users are notified by
mail of significant new releases.

Commercial or governmental organizations may not use this software
without paying a single-machine license fee of $25. Site licenses and
commercial distribution licenses are available; contact the author.

Contributions of less (or more) than $10 are also appreciated. Unlicensed
users are free to report bugs, etc, but no obligation will exist to
fix them or notify such users when bugs are fixed. Also, advice is not
provided to, or questions accepted from, unlicensed users except as the
mood strikes me.


General Information Page 2
------------------- ------

Distribution of this software, and new updates to this software, is
generally made available via the public bulletin boards listed above.
If you send a floppy and a prepaid return mailer, I will distribute
copies in that form, also.

Any user, licensed or not, is encouraged provide feedback to the
author on ways to improve ADSPELL. Please send feedback via US Mail or
bulletin board mail, and indicate how I may contact you to discuss
your ideas.

Distribution Files
------------------

In the ADSPELL distribution package (normally a .ARC file created using
the PKARC program from PKWare, Inc) you should find the following files:

ADSPELL.DOC This documentation file

ADSPELL.EXE The executable program; feel free to re-name this
to any name you like (SPELL.EXE, SP.EXE, etc)

ADSPELL.DCT The spelling dictionary



System Requirements and miscellany Page 3
---------------------------------- ------


Memory - at least 64K, the more the better.
ADSPELL memory management is fully
compatible with DOS; it may be invoked from other DOS
applications via the "EXEC" system call.

Language- Microsoft Assembler V5.0

Features-
- fast
- customizable
- interfaces to Turbo Lightning (R)




Starting ADSPELL from the DOS command line Page 4
----------------------------------------- -------


ADSPELL is started from the DOS command line as follows:


ADSPELL [[d:][path]filename[.ext]]


The file specification selects the file to be checked. If supplied
on the command line, ADSPELL will process this one file and end. If
omitted, ADSPELL will prompt for a filename, process that file, and
prompt for another filename; this will continue until no additional
name is entered (just press without typing anything).

The default for [d:] is the current drive.

The default for [path] is the current directory of the
selected drive.

The default for [.ext] is ".TXT".


ADSPELL will detect the presence of Turbo Lightning (R) if installed. If
Turbo Lightning is installed, the ADSPELL.DCT file is optional. If Turbo
Lightning is NOT installed then ADSPELL.DCT is required. ADSPELL will
look for this file as follows:

a. In the current directory of the current drive

b. (For DOS 3.0 and above) In the directory where ADSPELL.EXE (or
whatever name you've given to the executable file) was located
by DOS.


How ADSPELL Operates Page 5
-------------------- -------

ADSPELL processes in 4 steps:


1. The specified file is read and divided into individual words.
An in-memory table is constructed of all the unique words,
without regard to upper/lower case sensitivity

2. The table of unique words is checked (in alphabetical order) for
spelling errors:

a. If the ADSPELL.DCT file is available, the word is considered
mis-spelled if it is not in ADSPELL.DCT

b. If Turbo Lightning (R) is available, the word is then passed
to TL for checking: if TL says the word is OK, it is marked
for addition to the ADSPELL.DCT file

c. If the word cannot be verified as correct, the word is
displayed for correction. The user has 5 options (listed
in an on-screen message):

i. Press the key to ignore the word. The word will
not be changed, and will not be added to the
dictionary.

ii. Press the key to mark the word for addition to
the ADSPELL.DCT dictionary file

iii. Correct the displayed word and press ; the
original word will replaced by this correction during
phase 3.

iv. Press the key to skip to phase 3 without any
further checking.

(a) If Turbo Lightning is installed, its "Hot Keys"
can be used to select a replacement for the
displayed word.

(b) Editing facilities are available to aid in
keying/correcting the word: Ins, Del, Home,
End, backspace and cursor left<->right keys are
all functional

v. Press the key to end ADSPELL immediately


3. If any words were corrected by the user, a new file is created
incorporating the corrections; the original file is left under
a ".BAK" file name, using the base name of the original filename.

4. If any words were marked for addition to ADSPELL.DCT, and the
ADSPELL.DCT file is available, those words are added.
An ADSPELL.BAK file is created when ADSPELL.DCT is re-created.


Anticipated/Requested Enhancements ("If I ever get to it ...") Page 6
---------------------------------- -------

(By the way; priority is always given to fixing bugs over installing
new features or enhancements)

- Option (via DEBUG change and/or flag) to disable creating .BAK
files

- Add a third (supplied by user via DEBUG or flag) location for the
ADSPELL.DCT file (searched before the others)

- Display suspect words "in context" of the line in which they appear

Requested/Suggested but Rejected Changes ("Excuses, Excuses") Page 7
---------------------------------------- -------



ADSPELL Revision level History ("How I got here from there") Page 8
----------------------------- -------


1.00 Initial release of ADSPELL.
(11/28/87)