Enhancements to the Proofing Tools in Word for Windows 6.0

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

The following enhancements were made to the spelling and grammar checking functions in Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows.

Spelling Enhancements

Ignore All

Word 2.0 for Windows retains the Ignore All list only during the current proofing session. Throughout the current session of Word 6.0 for Windows, Word keeps a running log of the words you choose to be ignored during a spell check. If you choose the Ignore All button for a specific word in the Spelling dialog, Word remembers to ignore the word until you exit Word for Windows. To reset the Ignore All without exiting Word, do the following:

1. From the Tools menu, choose Options.

2. Select the Spelling tab.

3. Choose the Reset Ignore All button.

4. Choose OK.

Dictionary Suggestions from Custom Dictionaries

Word 2.0 for Windows cannot make word suggestions based on the contents of a custom dictionary. A new switch was added to the Common Speller API in Word version 2.0c , but an interface was not available to change the switch from defaulting to the main dictionary.

Word 6.0 for Windows now has an interface for this feature. By default, Word 6.0 will suggest words from the main dictionary only. You can, however, turn off this option by clearing the "From Main Dictionary Only" check box in the Spelling section of the Tools Options dialog.

Grammar Checking Enhancements

Editable Grammar Checker Sentence Box

The text in the Sentence edit box is completely editable in Word 6.0 for Windows. This improvement allows you to edit the sentence without switching the focus from the Grammar dialog (choose Grammar from the Tools menu to access this dialog). In previous versions of Word for Windows, you can make corrections by switching the focus from the Grammar dialog to the document text and then restart the grammar checker. However, Word for Windows registers this change as being two separate grammar checking sessions. As a result, the readability statistics are not correct.

ToolsGrammarStatisisticsArray

The ToolsGrammarStatisisticsArray function is new in Word 6.0 for Windows ToolsGrammarStatisisticsArray performs a grammar check, and then fills a two-dimensional array with the available grammar statistics for the active document. This function allows you retrieve document statistics without having to run the full, interactive grammar session.

The following macro example defines a two-dimensional array for storing grammar statistics, fills the array with grammar statistics for the active document, and then inserts a two-column list of statistics at the end of the document (the statistic list is included below):

WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU OF THE CODE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this macro code "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

Sub MAIN

 InsertPara
 Insert docstats$(count, 0) + Chr$(9) + docstats$(count, 1)

End Sub

Words                       446
Characters                2,589
Paragraphs                   63
Sentences                    36
Sentences per Paragraph     0.6
Words per Sentence         12.4
Characters per Word         5.1
Passive Sentences            8%
Flesch Reading Ease        62.2

Coleman-Liau Grade Level   27.9
Bormuth Grade Level        10.8