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1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)
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3 @setfilename ../info/ispell.info
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4 @settitle ISPELL V3.1
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5 @comment %**end of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)
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6
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7 @iftex
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8 @finalout
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9 @end iftex
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10
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11 @ifinfo
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12 This file documents ISPELL, an interactive spelling corrector.
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13
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14 Copyright 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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15
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16 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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17 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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18 are preserved on all copies.
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19
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20 @ignore
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21 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
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22 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
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23 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
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24 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
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25
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26 @end ignore
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27 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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28 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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29 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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30 notice identical to this one.
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31
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32 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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33 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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34 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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35 by the Foundation.
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36 @end ifinfo
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37
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38 @setchapternewpage odd
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39 @titlepage
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40 @sp 11
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41 @center @titlefont{ISPELL}
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42 @sp 2
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43 @center by Pace Willisson and Geoff Kuenning
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44 @sp 2
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45 @center Version 3.1
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46 @sp 2
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47 @center December 1993
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48
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49 @comment Include the Distribution inside the titlepage environment so
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50 @c that headings are turned off.
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51
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52 @page
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53 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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54 Copyright @copyright{} 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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55
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56 Published by Geoffrey H. Kuenning @*
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57 12840 Winthrop Ave., @*
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58 Granada Hills, CA 91344-1221 USA
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59 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
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60
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61 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
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62 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
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63 are preserved on all copies.
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64
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65 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
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66 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
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67 resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
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68 notice identical to this one.
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69
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70 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
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71 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
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72 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
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73 by the Foundation.
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74
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75 @end titlepage
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76 @menu
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77 * Emacs:: Using ispell from emacs
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78 * Old Emacs:: Old Emacs
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79 * Private:: Your private dictionary
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80 * Command summary:: All commands in emacs mode
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81 * Near misses:: Definition of a near miss
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82 * History:: Where it came from
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83
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84 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
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85
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86 Using ispell from emacs
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87
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88 * Word:: Checking a single word
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89 * Buffer:: Checking a whole buffer
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90 * Region:: Checking a region
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91 * Multiple Dictionaries:: Using Multiple Dictionaries
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92 @end menu
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93
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94 @node Top, Emacs, (dir), (dir)
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95
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96 @iftex
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97 @chapter ISPELL
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98 @code{Ispell} is a program that helps you to correct spelling and
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99 typographical errors in a file. When presented with a word that is not
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100 in the dictionary, @code{ispell} attempts to find @dfn{near misses} that
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101 might include the word you meant.
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102
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103 This manual describes how to use @code{ispell} from within @code{emacs}.
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104 Other information about @code{ispell} is available from the @code{Unix}
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105 manual pages.
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106 @end iftex
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107
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108 @ifinfo
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109
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110 @code{Ispell} is a program that helps you to correct spelling errors in
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111 a file, and to find the correct spelling of words. When presented with
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112 a word that is not in the dictionary, @code{ispell} attempts to find
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113 @dfn{near misses} that might include the word you meant.
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114
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115 This manual describes how to use ispell, as well as a little about
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116 its implementation.
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117
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118 @end ifinfo
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119
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120 @menu
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121 * Emacs:: Using ispell from emacs
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122 * Old Emacs:: Old Emacs
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123 * Private:: Your private dictionary
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124 * Command summary:: All commands in emacs mode
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125 * Near misses:: Definition of a near miss
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126 * History:: Where it came from
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127
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128 @end menu
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129
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130 @node Emacs, Old Emacs, Top, Top
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131 @section Using ispell from emacs
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132
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133 @menu
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134 * Word:: Checking a single word
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135 * Buffer:: Checking a whole buffer
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136 * Region:: Checking a region
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137 * Multiple Dictionaries:: Using Multiple Dictionaries
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138 @end menu
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139
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140 @node Word, Buffer, Emacs, Emacs
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141 @subsection Checking a single word
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142
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143 The simplest emacs command for calling ispell is 'M-$' (meta-dollar. On
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144 some terminals, you must type ESC-$.) This checks the spelling of the
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145 word under the cursor. If the word is found in the dictionary, then a
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146 message is printed in the echo area. Otherwise, ISPELL attempts to
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147 generate near misses.
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148
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149 If any near misses are found, they are displayed in a separate window,
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150 each preceded by a digit or character. If one of these is the word you
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151 wanted, just type its digit or character, and it will replace the
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152 original word in your buffer.
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153
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154 If no near miss is right, or if none are displayed, you have five
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155 choices:
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156
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157 @table @kbd
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158 @item I
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159
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160 Insert the word in your private dictionary. Use this if you know that
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161 the word is spelled correctly.
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162
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163 @item A
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164
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165 Accept the word for the duration of this editing session, but do not put
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166 it in your private dictionary. Use this if you are not sure about the
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167 spelling of the word, but you do not want to look it up immediately, or
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168 for terms that appear in your document but are not truly words. The
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169 next time you start ispell, it will have forgotten any accepted words.
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170
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171 @item SPC
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172
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173 Leave the word alone, and consider it misspelled if it is checked again.
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174
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175 @item R
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176
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177 Replace the word. This command prompts you for a string in the
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178 minibuffer. You may type more than one word, and each word you type
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179 is checked again, possibly finding other near misses. This command
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180 provides a handy way to close in on a word that you have no idea how
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181 to spell. You can keep trying different spellings until you find one
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182 that is close enough to get a near miss.
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183
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184 @item L
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185
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186 Lookup. Display words from the dictionary that contain a
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187 specified substring. The substring is a regular expression,
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188 which means it can contain special characters to be more
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189 selective about which words get displayed.
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190 @xref{Regexps, Regexps, Regexps, emacs, emacs}. @refill
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191
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192 If the only special character in the regular expression is a leading
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193 @code{^}, then a very fast binary search will be used, instead of
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194 scanning the whole file.
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195
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196 Only a few matching words can be displayed in the ISPELL window.
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197 If you want to see more, use the @code{look} program directly from
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198 the shell.
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199 @end table
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200
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201 Of course, you can also type @kbd{@ctrl{G}} to stop the command without
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202 changing anything.
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203
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204 If you make a change that you don't like, just use emacs' normal undo
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205 feature @xref{undo, undo, undo, emacs, emacs}.
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206
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207 @node Buffer, Region, Word, Emacs
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208 @subsection Checking a whole buffer
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209
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210 If you want to check the spelling of all the words in a buffer, type
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211 the command @kbd{M-x ispell-buffer}. This command scans the file, and makes
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212 a list of all the misspelled words. When it is done, it moves the
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213 cursor to the first word on the list, and acts like you just typed M-$
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214 @xref{Word}.
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215
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216 When you finish with one word, the cursor is automatically moved to the
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217 next. If you want to stop in the middle of the list type @kbd{X} or
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218 @kbd{@ctrl{G}}.
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219
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220 @node Region, Multiple Dictionaries, Buffer, Emacs
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221 @subsection Checking a region
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222
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223 You may check the words in the region with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-region}.
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224 See @xref{mark, mark, mark, emacs, emacs}.
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225
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226 The commands available are the same as for checking a whole buffer.
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227
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228 @node Multiple Dictionaries, , Region, Emacs
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229 @subsection Using Multiple Dictionaries
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230
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231 Your site may have multiple dictionaries installed: a default one
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232 (usually @file{english.hash}), and several others for different
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233 languages (e.g. @file{deutsch.hash}) or variations on a language (such as
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234 British spelling for English).
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235
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236 @table @code
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237
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238 @item ispell-change-dictionary
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239 @findex ispell-change-dictionary
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240
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241 This is the command to change the dictionary. It prompts for a new
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242 dictionary name, with completion on the elements of @code{ispell-dictionary}.
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243
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244 It changes @code{ispell-dictionary} and kills the old ispell process, if
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245 one was running. A new one will be started as soon as necessary.
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246
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247 By just answering @kbd{RET} you can find out what the current dictionary
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248 is.
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249
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250 @item ispell-dictionary
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251 @vindex ispell-dictionary
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252
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253 If non-nil, a dictionary to use instead of the default one.
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254 This is passed to the ispell process using the @code{-d} switch and is
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255 used as key in @code{ispell-dictionary-alist}.
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256
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257 You should set this variable before your first call to ispell (e.g. in
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258 your @file{.emacs}), or use the @kbd{M-x ispell-change-dictionary}
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259 command to change it, as changing this variable only takes effect in a
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260 newly started ispell process.
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261
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262 @item ispell-dictionary-alist
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263 @vindex ispell-dictionary-alist
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264
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265 An alist of dictionaries and their associated parameters.
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266
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267 Each element of this list is also a list:
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268
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269 @example
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270 (@var{dictionary-name}
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271 @var{casechars} @var{not-casechars} @var{otherchars} @var{many-otherchars-p}
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272 @var{ispell-args})
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273 @end example
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274
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275 @var{dictionary-name} is a possible value of variable
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276 @code{ispell-dictionary}, @code{nil} means the default dictionary.
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277
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278 @var{casechars} is a regular expression of valid characters that
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279 comprise a word.
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280
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281 @var{not-casechars} is the opposite regexp of @var{casechars}.
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282
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283 @var{otherchars} is a regular expression of other characters that are
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284 valid in word constructs. Otherchars cannot be adjacent to each other
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285 in a word, nor can they begin or end a word. This implies we can't
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286 check @samp{Stevens'} as a correct possessive and other correct
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287 formations.
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288
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289 Hint: regexp syntax requires the hyphen to be declared first here.
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290
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291 @var{many-otherchars-p} is non-nil if many otherchars are to be allowed
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292 in a word instead of only one.
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293
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294 @var{ispell-args} is a list of additional arguments passed to the ispell
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295 subprocess.
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296
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297 Note that the @var{casechars} and @var{otherchars} slots of the alist should
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298 contain the same character set as casechars and otherchars in the
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299 @var{language}@file{.aff} file (e.g., @file{english.aff}).
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300
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301 @end table
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302
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303 @node Old Emacs, Private, Emacs, Top
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304 @section Old Emacs
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305
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306 Until ispell becomes part of the standard emacs distribution, you will
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307 have to explicitly request that it be loaded. Put the following lines
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308 in your emacs init file @xref{init file,, init file, emacs, emacs}.
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309
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310 @example
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311 (autoload 'ispell-word "ispell" "Check the spelling of word in buffer." t)
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312 (autoload 'ispell-region "ispell" "Check the spelling of region." t)
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313 (autoload 'ispell-buffer "ispell" "Check the spelling of buffer." t)
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314 (global-set-key "\e$" 'ispell-word)
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315 @end example
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316
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317 (It will do no harm to have these lines in your init file even after
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318 ispell is installed by default.)
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319
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320 @node Private, Command summary, Old Emacs, Top
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321 @section Your private dictionary
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322
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323 Whenever ispell is started the file @file{.ispell_words} is read from
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324 your home directory (if it exists). This file contains a list of words,
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325 one per line. The order of the words is not important, but the case is.
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326 Ispell will consider all of the words good, and will use them as
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327 possible near misses.
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328
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329 The @kbd{I} command adds words to @file{.ispell_words}, so normally you
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330 don't have to worry about the file. You may want to check it from
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331 time to time to make sure you have not accidentally inserted a
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332 misspelled word.
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333
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334 @node Command summary, Near misses, Private, Top
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335 @section All commands in emacs mode
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336
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337 @table @kbd
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338 @item DIGIT
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339 Select a near miss
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340 @item I
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341 Insert into private dictionary
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342 @item A
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343 Accept for this session
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344 @item SPC
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345 Skip this time
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346 @item R
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347 Replace with one or more words
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348 @item L
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349 Lookup: search the dictionary using a regular expression
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350 @item M-$
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351 Check word
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352 @item M-x ispell-buffer
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353 Check buffer
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354 @item M-x ispell-region
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355 Check region
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356 @item M-x ispell-change-dictionary
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357 Select different dictionary.
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358 @end table
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359
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360 @node Near misses, History, Command summary, Top
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361 @section Definition of a near miss
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362
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363 Two words are near each other if they can be made identical with one
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364 of the following changes to one of the words:
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365
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366 @example
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367 Insert a blank space
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368 Interchange two adjacent letters.
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369 Change one letter.
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370 Delete one letter.
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371 Add one letter.
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372 @end example
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373
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374 Someday, perhaps ispell will be extended so that words that sound
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375 alike would also be considered near misses. If you would like to
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376 implement this, see Knuth, Volume 3, page 392 for a description of the
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377 Soundex algorithm which might apply.
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378
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379 @node History, , Near misses, Top
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380 @section Where it came from
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381
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382 Ispell has a long and convoluted history. Originally called SPELL, it
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383 was written by Ralph E. Gorin in 1971. That version was written in
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384 assembly language for the DEC PDP-10 to run under the WAITS operating
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385 system at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Subsequent
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386 versions, also in PDP-10 assembly language, were developed for the BBN
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387 TENEX, MIT ITS, and DEC TOPS-10 and TOPS-20 operating systems. It was
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388 later revised by W. E. Matson (1974), and W. B. Ackerman (1978),
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389 changing its name to ISPELL in the process.
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390
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391 In 1983, Pace Willisson (pace@@ai.mit.edu) converted this version to
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392 the C language and modified it to work under Unix.
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393
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394 In 1987, Walt Buehring revised and enhanced ispell, and posted it to the
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395 Usenet along with a dictionary. In addition, Walt wrote the first version
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396 of "ispell.el", the emacs interface.
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397
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398 Geoff Kuenning (geoff@@ITcorp.com, that's me, and by the way I pronounce
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399 it "Kenning") picked up this version, fixed many bugs, and added further
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400 enhancements. In 1988 I got ambitious and rewrote major portions of the
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401 code, resulting in the table-driven multi-lingual version. Ken Stevens
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402 (stevens@@hplabs.hp.com) made overwhelming contributions to the elisp
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403 support to produce the version you are using now.
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404
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405 Due to a misunderstanding involving the Free Software Foundation, it
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406 later became necessary to rename this version to ispell to avoid
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407 confusion on the part of users.
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408
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409 Many other enhancements and bug fixes were provided by other people.
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410 Although I omit mention here due to space, many of these people have
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411 also made significant contributions to the version of ispell you see
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412 here. For a full list of people who have contributed to ispell, refer
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413 to the file @file{Contributors} which is distributed with the ispell
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414 sources.
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415
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416 @noindent
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417 Geoff Kuenning @*
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418 geoff@@ITcorp.com @*
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419
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420 @contents
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421
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422 @bye
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