The dictionary maintenance program, called RS DICT MAlNT, adds new words to the dictionary. The list of words to be added can be the file created by the spell checker, or you can create it with RUN Script Plus by typing words in, then saving them to disk (see below).
When typing dictionary words into RUN Script Plus, you must ensure that each word is separated from the others by some nonalphabetic character such as a space or carriage return.
Eight commands (l s a $ > < x E) in the DICT MAINT program are activated by pressing F1, then the appropriate key. In addition, the following commands can be used:
O--Sort any words in memory into alphabetical order, then save the entire sorted list to disk.
U--Unpack a dictionary file into text, which lets you edit text in the file with RUN Script Plus. Use the following procedure to edit a dictionary file:
Load and run the DICT MAINT program. Press F1, then U. Enter the filename of the desired dictionary file, from "RS.A" through "RS.Z." After the file is unpacked, save the unpacked file with either the F1,s or F1,@ command. Edit the file with RUN Script Plus and resave it. Load and run the DICT MAlNT program. Load in the edited file. Press F1,O to sort the words and save them to disk. Load the file saved with the F1,O command. At this point you can, if you wish, press F1,E to see how many words there are in this file. Press F1,P to repack the file into dictionary format. Make sure the file is assigned the correct filename.
P--Packs a list of words into dictionary format. The words must be in alphabetical order, and each must be followed by a carriage return character (see F1,O).
D--Merges a list of words into the dictionary. The list must be in the correct format--it must have been created either by the spell checker or by the F1,O command. Lists of words created with RUN Script Plus require processing through the F1,O command before they are acceptable. The word list and the dictionary files must share the same disk.
First, a "device number for dictionary?" prompt appears. Enter the device number containing the dictionary files. This can be a conventional disk drive, a 1581 drive or a RAM disk. Next an "added words filename?" prompt appears. Enter the filename of the list of words you want merged into the dictionary. Finally, a "device number for new dictionary?" prompt is displayed. Enter the device number on which to store the new dictionary files.
Be forewarned that dictionary files larger than 8000 bytes can crash the spell checker.
For maximum speed, it's best to create a personalized dictionary, which contains only words that you commonly use. Start by loading and running the spell checker. It doesn't matter that no dictionary exists. Just use any blank, formatted disk as a dictionary disk. Next, load in four or five of your old RUN Script text files and use the F1,Q command on them. If you do not have any old text files, create one with RUN Script Plus by typing in common words from a dictionary (the book type).
After you've created a few files of added words, exit the spell checker and run the DICT MAINT program. Use the F1,a command to load all your files of added words into memory. The DICT MAINT text area holds between 4000 and 5000 total words. Use the F1,E command to be certain these limits are not exceeded.
After you place a large file in memory, execute the F1,O command to write the unique words out to disk, then execute the F1,D command. Since no dictionary file exists yet, the initial use of F1,D creates one and gets you started.
