AutoCAD 2004. One Step at a Time (Part 1)

13.2 Okay I Typed It, but I Don't Know If It's Right! “ AutoCAD's Spell Command

The next aspect of text we must consider is AutoCAD's Spell Checker. This remarkably simple tool can provide an inestimable service to those of us who never made it to the national spelling bee. It works in much the same way that spell checkers work in the major word processors.

The command sequence is simply:

Command: spell (or sp )

Select objects: [select the text object or objects]

Select objects: [enter to complete the selection set and open the Check Spelling dialog box]

After you select some text, AutoCAD presents the Check Spelling dialog box (Figure 13.2a “ next page). This box offers the same options as most spell checkers, but it also gives you the opportunity to change dictionaries. This can prove quite valuable to the project. It means that the project lead can assign a single person to control the project dictionary (usually that wonderful typist “ the project secretary). That person creates the custom dictionary using a word processor. The secretary must then save the dictionary with a . cus extension. AutoCAD needs this extension for recognition but your word processor should have no problem reading the file as well. (See the Extra Steps in Section 13.4 for a procedure to set up a custom dictionary.)

Figure 13.2a:

Let's take a look at the Spell Checker.

• If AutoCAD finds a word that isn't in its dictionary, it presents the word in the Current word frame. It makes a few suggestions as to what word it thinks you may be trying to spell in the Suggestions list box with the word it thinks that you are most likely trying to spell highlighted in the text box.

• You can pick a button to Ignore this word or Ignore All (ignore the word throughout this checking session), Change the word or Change All (change it every time it occurs in the selected text), or Add it to the dictionary.

• You can also type a word into the Suggestions text box and pick the Lookup button to have AutoCAD check its spelling.

• If you want to use the project dictionary, the Change Dictionaries button provides that opportunity.

Let's take a look at AutoCAD's Spell Checker in action.

Do This: 13.2.1 Checking Your Spelling

1. Be sure your are in the MyFlrPln13 (or FlrPln13 ) drawing the C:\Steps\Lesson13 folder. If not, please open it now.

2. Follow these steps.

   Tools	Command Sequence	Steps
   No Button Available	Command: sp	1. Enter the Spell command by typing spell or sp at the command prompt.
   	Select objects:	2. The spell checker works on all types of text in the drawing. Select the Multiline Text we've been using.
   	Select objects: [enter]	3. Confirm your selection. AutoCAD presents the Check Spelling dialog box (Figure 13.2a). It identifies Tara as being misspelled .
   		4. We know that Tara is spelled correctly and will probably occur again somewhere in the project documents, so let's add it to the dictionary. Pick the Add button.
   		5. (Note: AutoCAD may identify our special font as a series of Js and indicate that it's misspelled. If so, pick the Ignore button.) AutoCAD looks for the next misspelling and presents the word hook-up . It shows that the correct spelling should be hookup . Our summer intern thought the first spelling was correct and might have used it more than once in our text, so let's pick the Change All button to be sure we fix every occurrence.
   		6. Next AutoCAD finds instal . This was probably a typo so let's just pick the Change button.
   		7. Change hook-up, to hookup, (apparently, the comma prevented the earlier fix).
   		8. Now AutoCAD finds the abbreviation min . Normally, we would like to put a period after an abbreviation, but the project standard is to omit the period. So we'll Ignore this prompt.
   		9. Change gipsum to gypsum .
   		10. Ignore All occurrences of the hyphenated words sun-blocked , and the abbreviation HVAC: . (Normally, we would Add HVAC; but in this instance, the colon would go with it.)
   		11. It looks like we omitted the r in the word from . Scroll down the list box to find the correct spelling at the bottom of the list. Pick on it and notice that it appears in the text box above.
   		12. Pick the Change button to fix the word.
   		13. Now AutoCAD presents a message box telling you that is has completed the spell check. Pick the OK button to complete the procedure.
   	Command: qsave	14. Save your drawing but don't exit.

Now complete the text as seen in Figure 13.2b as follows :

• Place all text on the Text layer.

• Text heights are: 12", 9", and 6".

• Put your own information into the title block (school name, your name , date, etc.).

• When you've finished, save the drawing as MyFlrPln15 in the C:\Steps\Lesson15 folder.

Figure 13.2b: