      		            				About AddToDict
      		            				

Preamble:

The Newton has a lot of potential, but the recognition dictionary in the first
versions is appalling. Having to use the soft-keyboard to type stuff in all
the time is a drag. And then it asks you if you want to add the word to the
User Dictionary as well! This really gets in the way. AddToDict is a small
Newton application that allows multiple additions to your User Dictionary in
one sitting. It also has a couple of other goodies.

2.0 has some System management features and automatic addition from your
"Notes" and "Names".
Take a look at the "Pro" features. They give you a look at the potential of a future
Professional version.


Installation:

(Manually remove any copies of AddToDict's previous incarnation, "AddUserDict.")
Send the package file down to the Newton with your Connection Kit.
-That's it.

To install the sample word lists; open your backup Notes files with Connection
Kit, create a new Note and paste it the sample word list. Connection Kit should
break it up into more than one note if it is too big. (You may have to do this
by hand.) Synchronize your Newton. Now use the Newton 'Clipboard' feature to paste
the text into AddToDict or use the Notes button to add the entire Notes' contents.


How It Works:

Launch the application from the Extras Drawer. Tap on the Keyboard button to
bring up the keyboard. Key the words you wish to add to your User Dictionary
into the text field and hit the button. It's as simple as that. 

You can try to write VERY neatly (as the recognition dictionary is turned off in
the field) or, as I suggest, use the keyboard. 

When you tap the "Add them to the Dictionary" button, you will hear two kinds
of sounds. The high-pitched 'ping' means a successful addition. The beep sound
(set in your preferences) means that the word was not added -probably because
it was already there.

* Warning: 
- Any punctuation or numbers will go in, so make careful lists.

Even better, you can paste large lists into the field.  Try importing a list of
words into your Notes using the Connection Kit. Once you have it in Notes,
select the text, drag it to the side of the screen so that it goes into the
Clipboard. Next launch AddToDict and drag the clip into the main field. Then just hit
the button. This saves a lot of soft-keyboard tapping. 

For long lists, the sounds can cause a racket, so you can turn them off with the
checkbox at the bottom of AddToDict.

Clicking on the button to the right of the Keyboard button brings up the User
Dictionary editing window. Use this to review your User list and remove
unwanted words.


Pro Features:

2.0 includes a "Pro Palette" that add a number of extra features.

The "CG" does the memory garbage collection routine. Lets you keep going a little
longer even when you get told to restart. 

"Restart" does just that. There is no warning so be careful. Restarting will fix problems
caused by hopelessly fragmented memory. It will also remove all words added to
your User Dictionary that you have not saved. Be warned that Restarting can throw your
clock off. If you restart a lot, your Newton will become a time machine and you will
start slipping into the void. Also your sound preferences will mysteriously fade away
without the Extras "Volume" slide-bar knowing about it. -if this happens, poke the
slide-bar until it wakes up.

"Save" will store your User Dictionary in the permanent System Soup. Your word lists will
then be retained over Restarts and Backups. There is a limit to how many words the User
Dictionary will take, it is somewhere between 1000 & 3. When you reach the limit any future
attempts to save will give you a memory error. You can continue to add words to the User
Dictionary so long as you don't Save. They will be usable _until_ you Restart.
* Note  - On such memory errors you will be asked if you want to Restart. You do not have
to as nothing is broken. Just cancel and go on your merry way.  But I recommend you keep
your listsdown to a thousand or so until a new lookup mechanism is released.

"Get Names" will go through your Names soup and pull out First, Last, Company and
City names and offer them to the Dictionary. This will take a few minutes if you have
many entries.

"Get Notes" goes through all you notes and tries to add all the words it comes across.
Onceagain, this can take a while if you have a heap of notes there.

"Edit UD" just pulls up the orginal Edit UserDictionary dialog for the moment. Expect to
see a better one when the full Professional version ships.


System Related Issues:

Adding word lists to your UserDictionary does not slow down handwriting recognition
as it is held in RAM. But there may be a slow down in global searches once you save
the dictionary to the System. There is a bug in the present System (1.04) that prevents
scrolling in the UserDictionary edit keyboard (that you call with the book shaped
button,) This does not occur it all words start with lowercase letters. I have
elected to retain capital support because I want "AddToDict" or "IBM" to come
out that way. If you really want scrolling in that window make sure the lists
you make are all lowercase.


Word Lists:

The word lists included with AddToDict are just random samples, but are still useful.
For massive methodical word lists by categories, register your copy at the address below.


Note:

UserToDict is FreeWare, but it is also supported. I have prepared some large
word list ready to add into your User Dictionary. There are lists of proper nouns,
computer words and Japanese related words (including places, people and companies)
each in the thousands of words. There is also a large dictionary coming, larger than
the dictionary that comes with the Newton itself.


Send US$10 and you will receive the latest version of AddToDict and all the lists I have
ready. I was accepting checks until I found out it costs me about US$25 to have them
cashed.
Just throw a $10 note in an envelope. If you must send a check, I will just have to
wait until I am in the US to cash it.


Expect to see new features coming as soon as Connection Kit Pro comes along and
when we are allowed card-based dictionaries. These include: an Assist feature;
printing; custom dictionary soups; direct import from Excel, dictionary program or
your local mainframe. I will have some more useful word lists prepared soon
including some specialized ones such as medical terms or even NewtonScript.


Have fun and happy scratching.


Send registration fees and generous donations to:

Richard Northcott
Enfour Media Laboratory
5-3-14-203 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 151 JAPAN

AppleLink: ENFOUR.DVJ
CIS: 101024,1503
NIFTY: GCE01503
most Japanese BBSes: RICHARD
_______________________________________


Version History:


AddUserDict 1.0d1

Nothing fancy, just getting the words in there. 
Searching string for Spaces. -No support for CR or tabs.


AddUserDict 1.0d2

Added icon, about and sounds


AddToDict 1.0d3

New name -for space reasons.
New sounds and icon.
Keyboard icon -at last.
New search routine (had to do things the old byte way).
Supports vertical and tab-delimited word lists.
Does not support high-byte characters.


AddToDict 1.0d4

Now handles any Unicode Character.
Changed fonts and sounds.
No longer beeps when it runs across two spaces in a row.


AddToDict 1.0

First full release.
Added a Sound Off option.
Keyboard buttons work added edit dictionary feature.
Improved sample files.


AddToDict 1.01

Minor fix


AddToDict 1.02

Included Save button.
Changed the word list to a continuous list to make copying easier.


AddToDict 2.0

Removed the Save routine from adding process.
Changed "Save" button to "Pro" and added "Pro Palette."
Use "LookupWord" to strip out number only strings.
(It does not remove captials like the docs say.)
Changed the shipping creator to "DOCK."
Removed meaningless static string from interface.
Started sharing the stripping/adding routine.
Now strip out brackets but keep hyphens.


