Importing plain-text files into a Spelling Dictionary.
You can add, delete, or alter entries in a spelling dictionary by importing plain-text files using the item "Add File to Spelling DB..." on the File Menu.
If you just want to add words for use in spellchecking, you don't have to prepare the plain-text file in any special way. V&N Lookup will add to the spelling dictionary all the words in the file that the dictionary doesn't already contain (unless you head the file with one of the special headings mentioned below). This means that you can import a file of normal text (an essay, an article, a book), and V&N Lookup will add all the new words to the spelling dictionary. It's a quick and easy way of adding words, especially if you are working with technical material and you want to add specialist words. Obviously you will want to be sure that the words are correctly spelled in the text that you use as your source. Please note that the file must be in plain-text format. A SimpleText file is perfectly suitable, or a file in plain-text format produced by another program.
To import a text-file open the Preferences window (on the File menu), and consider whether you want to check or uncheck the box called "Ignore ' and - ?". If this box is checked, V&N Lookup will treat an apostrophe as being the end of a word, and will regard a hyphenated word as two separate words. If this box is unchecked, V&N Lookup will treat a form such as "boy's" as being a single unit and it will treat a hyphenated word such as "self-confident" as being a single word. You may want to experiment a little before you add many words of these kinds to the spelling dictionary.
Still in the Preferences Window, check that the spelling dictionary already selected in that window is the spelling dictionary that you want to change. If not, you should select the spelling dictionary you want to change.
When you are satisfied with your choices in the Preferences window, click OK.
Close the plain-text file if it isn't already closed. From the File Menu, choose "Add File to Spelling DB...". Navigate to locate the file you want to import, and click Open.
There are four other ways you can make changes to a spelling dictionary. To use these options, you need to prepare the file slightly differently.
Preparing a special text file for import into a Spelling Dictionary.
Follow these guidelines to prepare the plain-text file. "References" are used for translation. If you don't use V&N Lookup for translation, you can skip any paragraphs that mention references.
The first line of the text file tells V&N Lookup what kind of changes you want to make. Here are the various possibilities, and what the outcome will be when you use a particular heading for your file.
窶｢ The first line of the plain-text file is V&N Lookup Dictionary Delete
The words will be deleted from the spelling dictionary.
窶｢ The first line of the plain-text file is V&N Lookup Dictionary
New words and any references for the new words will be added to the spelling dictionary. If a word is already included in the spelling dictionary, the existing entry for the word and its reference will not be altered in any way. The additional entry for that word will be ignored.
窶｢ The first line of the plain-text file is V&N Lookup Dictionary Replace
New words and any references for the new words will be added to the spelling dictionary. If a word is already included in the spelling dictionary, the existing entry for the word and its reference will be deleted and will be replaced by the new entry for the word, including the new reference if there is one.
窶｢ The first line of the plain-text file is V&N Lookup Dictionary Incremental
New words and any references for the new words will be added to the spelling dictionary. If a word is already included in the spelling dictionary, the word itself will not be altered and the existing references will be preserved, but any additional references for a particular word will be added to the existing references for that word.
Use a separate line for every word that you want to add or delete, or for which you want to change the reference. Start new lines by using the Return key on your keyboard.
If you just want to delete words from the spelling dictionary, prepare the text file with a single column ("field") of words, so that every word you want to delete has a line to itself. The text file looks like this:
Line 1: V&N Lookup Dictionary Delete
Line 2: sabbatic [Return]
Line 3: sabered [Return]
Line 4: sabering [Return]
Line 5: saberlike [Return]
Line 6: saberlikes [Return]
Line 7: sabol [Return]
and so on.
The notation [Return] means that you must use the Return key after every entry in order to start a new line for the next entry.
If you want to add or alter the references that are used in translation, you need to prepare a text file formatted in two fields. The first field contains the words themselves and the second field contains the references. The two fields must be separated by a tab. V&N Lookup uses the references when it does translation. Translation dictionaries don't usually contain the plural or possessive forms of nouns or the past tense of verbs. In case the translation dictionary doesn't contain the exact word that's in the text you are trying to translate, the reference enables it to give you the translation of a related word. For instance if you ask V&N Lookup to translate "The men talked" or "The girl's shoes", the translation dictionary probably couldn't cope on its own. The references enable it to give you the translations for "man", "talk", "girl", and "shoe". It's up to you what references you choose to include in your text file.
A two-column text file with words and references looks like this:
Line 1: the appropriate heading, depending on what changes you want to make (see above).
Line 2: man [Return]
Line 3: man's [tab] man [Return]
Line 4: men [tab] man [Return]
Line 5: talk [Return]
Line 6: talks [tab] talk [Return]
Line 7: talked [tab] talk [Return]
Line 8: talking [tab] talk [Return]
And so on. The notation [tab] means that the two fields must be separated by a tab, and [Return] means that you must use the Return key after every entry in order to start a new line for the next entry.
If you want to include more than one reference for a single word, put all the references in the second field, separated by commas and single spaces. The file looks like this:
Line 1: the appropriate heading, depending on what changes you want to make (see above).
Line 2: joke
Line 3: joking [tab] joke [Return]
Line 4: jokingly [tab] joking, joke [Return]
Line 5: jokester [tab] joke [Return]
Line 6: jokesters [tab] jokester, joke [Return]
Line 7: jokester's [tab] jokester, joke [Return]
And so on.
Appendix B
Using sets of dictionaries in V&N Lookup.
People who work with more than one language find that they have to keep changing the selection of dictionaries in the Preferences window. V&N Lookup has a feature that allows you to specify the Set of dictionaries that you use for each kind of work. Each Set can contain one spelling dictionary, plus several inflection dictionaries and simple dictionaries. When you have created a Set, it means that on future occasions you won't have to navigate and select each item separately. Instead you need only select the Set as a whole. To create a set:
1. On the File menu, choose Preferences.
2. In the Preferences window, click the New button near the top left-hand corner.
3. In the dialog box, type a name for the new set of dictionaries.
4. In the Preferences window, select the Spelling Dictionary you want to use in this set. If the dictionary you want is already selected, you don't have to select it again. If it is not already selected, click the Select Spelling Dictionary button, navigate to locate the spelling dictionary you want to include in this set, select it and click Open.
5. In the Preferences window, select the other dictionaries you want to use in this set. This could include inflection dictionaries and translation dictionaries. Click the Add V&N Dictionary to List button, navigate to locate a dictionary you want to include in this set, select it and click Open. Do the same for each additional dictionary that you want to include in the set.
6. If you make a mistake, you can change your selections. To remove a dictionary from the list at the left, select the dictionary concerned and press the Backspace/Delete key on your keyboard.
7. When you are satisfied with the set you've created, click OK. The Preferences window will close, and the set you have specified will be the active set of dictionaries until you choose a different set.
8. You can create several different sets. Use the pop-up menu at the top of the Preferences window or the Sets menu on the menubar to change from one set to another.
If you want to delete a set, select the set and then click the Delete button in the Preferences window.
