MySpell
Encyclopedia
MySpell was the former spell checker
included with OOo Writer
of the free
OpenOffice.org
office suite
.
Since version 2.0.2 OpenOffice.org has replaced MySpell with Hunspell
.
build. With a little prodding from Kevin Atkinson, the author of Pspell
and Aspell, a new spelling checker (MySpell) was written in C++
that supported affix compression, based on Ispell
.
(language for a specific territory) can have files for spelling, hyphenation and for a thesaurus. These files will be all found together in one folder. The spell checking is done using the .aff file for the locale together with the .dic file. The .dic file is a list of words along with a group of letters which refer to the affixes found in the .aff file. This saves space because instead of having include all forms of a word, like jump (jumping, jumps, jumped), the .dic file will include the word once and the references to the affixes in the .aff file allow the construction of all the other forms.
It is not enough to copy the files for a locale into the folder. As there are a huge number of locales there would be a considerable overhead if the dictionaries for every locale was automatically loaded. Hence only those locales listed in dictionary.lst are accessible. dictionary.lst can be edited with a simple text editor but front ends provide a more user friendly way of adding new locales.
Aspell and Vim
7 can now use a dictionary created for MySpell.
Spell checker
In computing, a spell checker is an application program that flags words in a document that may not be spelled correctly. Spell checkers may be stand-alone capable of operating on a block of text, or as part of a larger application, such as a word processor, email client, electronic dictionary,...
included with OOo Writer
OpenOffice.org Writer
OpenOffice.org Writer is the word processor component of the OpenOffice.org software package. Writer is a word processor similar to Microsoft Word and Corel's WordPerfect, with some of their features....
of the free
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org, commonly known as OOo or OpenOffice, is an open-source application suite whose main components are for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases. OpenOffice is available for a number of different computer operating systems, is distributed as free software...
office suite
Office suite
In computing, an office suite, sometimes called an office software suite or productivity suite is a collection of programs intended to be used by knowledge workers...
.
Since version 2.0.2 OpenOffice.org has replaced MySpell with Hunspell
Hunspell
Hunspell is a spell checker and morphological analyzer designed for languages with rich morphology and complex word compounding and character encoding, originally designed for the Hungarian language....
.
Background
MySpell was started by Kevin Hendricks to integrate various open source spelling checkers into the OpenOffice.orgOpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org, commonly known as OOo or OpenOffice, is an open-source application suite whose main components are for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases. OpenOffice is available for a number of different computer operating systems, is distributed as free software...
build. With a little prodding from Kevin Atkinson, the author of Pspell
Pspell
The purpose of Pspell was to provide a generic interface to the system spelling checking libraries. It was, and sometimes still is, used in computer programming such as C, and is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License.Pspell has not been updated since 2001, but is still available on...
and Aspell, a new spelling checker (MySpell) was written in C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
that supported affix compression, based on Ispell
Ispell
Ispell is a spelling checker for Unix that supports most Western languages. It offers several interfaces, including a programmatic interface for use by editors such as emacs...
.
Locale (language) Files
Every localeLocale
In computing, locale is a set of parameters that defines the user's language, country and any special variant preferences that the user wants to see in their user interface...
(language for a specific territory) can have files for spelling, hyphenation and for a thesaurus. These files will be all found together in one folder. The spell checking is done using the .aff file for the locale together with the .dic file. The .dic file is a list of words along with a group of letters which refer to the affixes found in the .aff file. This saves space because instead of having include all forms of a word, like jump (jumping, jumps, jumped), the .dic file will include the word once and the references to the affixes in the .aff file allow the construction of all the other forms.
It is not enough to copy the files for a locale into the folder. As there are a huge number of locales there would be a considerable overhead if the dictionaries for every locale was automatically loaded. Hence only those locales listed in dictionary.lst are accessible. dictionary.lst can be edited with a simple text editor but front ends provide a more user friendly way of adding new locales.
MySpell with other programs
MySpell is currently used by other programs:- AbiWordAbiWordAbiWord is a free and open source software word processor. It was originally started by SourceGear Corporation as the first part of a proposed AbiSuite. Development stopped when SourceGear changed their focus to Internet appliances. AbiWord was adopted by some open source developers and AbiWord...
- Mozilla ThunderbirdMozilla ThunderbirdMozilla Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox, a project aimed at creating a web browser...
2.0, and older versions. Thunderbird 3.0 uses Hunspell instead of MySpell - Mozilla FirefoxMozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
2.0, and older versions with the SpellBound extensionExtension (Mozilla)]Add-ons are installable enhancements to the Mozilla Foundation's projects, and projects based on them. Add-ons allow the user to add or augment application features, use themes to their liking, and handle new types of content.-Extensions:...
. Firefox 3.0 uses Hunspell instead of MySpell - AegisubAegisubAegisub is a free open-source cross-platform subtitle editing program. It is extensively used in fansubbing, the practice of creating or translating unofficial, noncommercial subtitles for visual media by fans...
2.0 can use a dictionary created for MySpell by adding AFF and DIC files to the Dictionary folder. - STAR Transit NXT, a CATComputer-assisted translationComputer-assisted translation, computer-aided translation, or CAT is a form of translation wherein a human translator translates texts using computer software designed to support and facilitate the translation process....
suite from the SwissSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
firm STAR AG, can optionally use MySpell dictionaries for spell-checking.
Aspell and Vim
Vim (text editor)
Vim is a text editor written by Bram Moolenaar and first released publicly in 1991. Based on the vi editor common to Unix-like systems, Vim is designed for use both from a command line interface and as a standalone application in a graphical user interface...
7 can now use a dictionary created for MySpell.
See also
- GNU AspellGNU AspellGNU Aspell, usually called just Aspell, is a free software spell checker designed to replace Ispell. It is the standard spell checker for the GNU software system. It also compiles for other Unix-like operating systems and Windows. The main program is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public...
- HunspellHunspellHunspell is a spell checker and morphological analyzer designed for languages with rich morphology and complex word compounding and character encoding, originally designed for the Hungarian language....
- IspellIspellIspell is a spelling checker for Unix that supports most Western languages. It offers several interfaces, including a programmatic interface for use by editors such as emacs...
- PspellPspellThe purpose of Pspell was to provide a generic interface to the system spelling checking libraries. It was, and sometimes still is, used in computer programming such as C, and is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License.Pspell has not been updated since 2001, but is still available on...
- EnchantEnchant (software)Enchant is a free software project developed as part of the AbiWord word processor with the aim of unifying access to the various existing spell-checker software. Enchant wraps a common set of functionality present in a variety of existing products/libraries, and exposes a stable API/ABI for doing so...