ClearCut 1.2 A Text File Clarification Program by Imagination Enterprises Mark Lefler 28 June 1987 ClearCut is a program that can improve the clarity of your writing. ClearCut quickly looks for bad, overblown or confusing words, and suggests replacements for these words. ClearCut is very good at getting rid of "governmentese" that may have snuck into your writing. The new version of ClearCut (1.2) can search for phrases, and suggest replacements as well. Also, more information about your writing is displayed, including a rating on the clarity of your writing. When you use ClearCut, the program will examine your text file, and suggest changes. Your file will be copied and these changes added to the new file. Words and phrases that the program finds confusing, unclear, or overblown are marked with a >>, and suggested changes added after the word or phrase. For instance, if the program finds the word "examine", it may suggest that the word "look" might be more clear, like this: >examine>>look<< After running the program, using your word processor you can edit the new file and search for >>. You can then make the suggested change, or delete the suggestion. The output from the program can go to a new text file, the screen, or both. The changes can be displayed on the screen or the text file or both. After the program has examined the file, it will give you information about how many words there are in your file. It also gives an average length of words. Shorter words are generally clearer. Finally the program will give you a Readibility Index, telling you how clear your writing is. ClearCut 1.2 even will make suggestions on ways to improve your writing. USING THE PROGRAM ClearCut should only be used on ASCII text files. Check your word processor manual to make sure your files are in ASCII format. This may involve a simple conversion utility in your word processor (Multi-Mate for instance) or your word processor may be able to directly write text files (Framework and WordStar). To use ClearCut, make sure the CLEARCUT.COM file, the BADWORDS.TXT file and your text file are on the current disk, then type: CLEARCUT Then just follow the simple instructions. You will be asked to give a file name for the source of the information you want checked. Just type in the name, then press . Next you will be asked for the name for the file with the suggested changes marked. If you do not want this marked file created, then just type: none Finally, you will be asked what information you would like ClearCut to display on the screen while it runs. If you want No information displayed, then type the letter "n". If you only want the recommended Suggested Changes displayed, then type "s". If you want the entire File displayed, including the suggested changes, then type "f". The program will search the file, and display the requested information. When the searches are completed, you will be asked to hit any key to continue. The next screen will give you information about your file, such as the number of words of various lengths, the number of sentences, the average word and sentence lengths, the number of recommended substitutions made (if any) and a Readability Index from 1 to 100. The higher the number, the more clear the writing. If ClearCut thinks that your writing could be improved, it will ask if you want some suggestions to improve the writing. Answer "y" for yes or "n" for no. If you want, you can tell CLEARCUT the name of the file you want to have checked and the other information on a single line, like shown: CLEARCUT SAMPLE.TXT none f where SAMPLE.TXT is the file you want examined. This example would not write an output file (none), but it would display the entire file on screen with the recommended changes (f). You can use this file, CLEARCUT.TXT, as an example. CHANGING OR ADDING YOUR OWN BAD WORDS You can modify the file of "bad words" and replacements. This file is called BADWORDS.TXT. The first entry is a "bad word", the second entry is the replacement for the "bad word". This pattern continues with other "bad words" and replacements for the rest of the file. To add your own words or phrases using your favorite text processor program, just insert them at the end of the list, along with your suggested replacements. Remember that BADWORDS.TXT must be an ASCII or text file. Each "bad word" or phrase should appear on a line by itself. Also, the replacements should be on a single line, and must immediately follow the bad word. It is convenient to use capitol letters for the "bad words" and small letters for the replacements. The next time ClearCut is run, the list will be resorted, and the file rewritten. When the file is rewritten, the "bad words" will appear in capital letters. This will make the file BADWORDS.TXT easier to read. You can have up to 800 "bad word" lines and 800 suggested changes lines in the BADWORDS.TXT file. Each line can be up to thirty characters long. More than 30 characters in a line will be ignored. ABOUT THE PROGRAM ClearCut was written entirely in Borland's Turbo PASCAL. The program uses very high speed search techniques to match your words and phrases to the words and phrases in the substitution file. This same technique can be used in many special applications, such as computer language translation. For instance, you could create a file that will help convert PASCAL programs to BASIC! If you are interested in the code, a listing of the source is available for a small fee. See below for mailing instructions. FINALLY Imagination Enterprises is a small business which creates useful programs for low prices. Using the same technology used in ClearCut, a flexible language translation program has been developed. The program uses a substitution file to translate SPANISH into ENGLISH (with a present vocabulary of 1300 Spanish words). The translation program TRANS 1.0 is smart enough to prompt the user for any word that it doesn't know. It will then remember the new translation the next time the program is run. You can easily create your own vocabularies for other languages, and as a side benefit, once you have taught the program the English equivalent of Spanish words, you can create an English to Spanish translation file automatically! If you want more information about Imagination Enterprises programs, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the address below. If you find ClearCut useful, then send a suggested $5 contribution to: IMAGINATION ENTERPRISES 223 Arbor Lane Bryans Road, MD 20616 Make sure you include your present address, so that information on updates to ClearCut can be sent to you. Questions and comments may be sent to the same address.