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Hi guys,

is there a way to have Mellel correct my spelling mistakes? I write in German and sometimes when I type fast I mix up letters ("ans" instead of "and" for example) or forget one ("whn" instead of "when").

Mellel highlights those words correctly, but can it correct them by itself right away? It would save me the work of going back and forth and correct it manually.

I guess the feature is there, but I just don't find it

Thanks for any help and tips,
Julia

Actually, I don't think it is possible as Mellel just uses the inbuilt OS X-spelling engine, if I'm not mistaken.

But I use a software called Textpander, which used to be free (and can probably be found somewhere) and is now around 10 bucks. You can set it to auto-correct certain words that you misspell frequently. The downside is that there is a file you can import with frequently misspelled words, but it's only for the English language.

There could also be free alternatives out there, I'm not sure.

Hi Vincent,

thanks for replying. I am somewhat surprised if Mellel can't handle that. I thought that the features already available by the OS X platform provide enough to have auto correction.

I use a free-/doation ware called Journler to organize my notes and this little (but feature rich) app has auto correction, so I assumed Mellel could do that too.

I am using Typinator for the same functions you're using Textpander for. I got it during the MacAppADay Promo in december. It replaces the words you specify, but I cant foresee every typo I'll have

In the meantime, I keep my hopes up that I just havent found the feature yet or that it will be implemented soon.

Thanks anyway
Julia

Hey Julia,
That's really cool about Journier, I had no idea. I did just recall that apps like Textedit have prediction-capabilities for words, when you press 'esc' in the middle of typing a word. It doesn't work in Mellel, and I'm not sure if that's exactly what you mean, but it would be a cool feature in Mellel, yes. I think the makers have a lot on their plate, already, from what I understand, so I'm not holding my hopes up for a quick implementation.

As far as training software goes, I set a quicksilver-trigger for opening textpander and add words I know I frequently mispel. It takes some getting used to, but after a few weeks of typing you do build up a substantial library + it trains you to spell better.

Greets,
Vincent

The "prediction" capabilities in TextEdit are the same for every program that extends the standard Cococa text engine. (It is really a form of completion, based on the OS X system dictionary.)

Mellel does not offer this because its text engine is completely separate from the system. (Ever notice how Mellel's highlighting of misspelled words is different from TextEdit?)

In addition, I would like to once again make a note as to how this is a bad idea: I don't want a program changing the text that I have just entered without my permission. As shown in the first example, what if what I really wanted to type was "ans", such as a short–hand for "answer". In your situation, it would take extra steps to correct what I properly entered, and the program changed without my telling it.

Yes, there is the age-old comment "But make it an option and people can disable it if they don't like it", but then it's another step to put Mellel back in the state it should have been to start with. Perhaps I'm being a bit particular, but I know others on the forum share a similar view.

(The grammar check, auto-correct and auto-style options are the first settings I turn off on any installation of Word that I have to use.)

@rpcameron: I comletely understand your point, since I often have the same trouble when I use words which are specific to my field of study. I then "teach" my word processor and Typinator those words.

But still, I guess I am on the other side of the line, because I'd really like such a feature. My final thesis will be around 120 pages and it pains me to think of the fact that I'll have to correct every typo by hand - we are not talking about spelling mistakes I make because I don't know how a word is written. I am really only talking about typos. Since I am using the 10-finger system I type really fast and in about 1 page I'll have maybe 10 typos. So every time I have to stop writing my sentence, put my thoughts on hold and correct them. That is really not that nice.

Okay, so Mellel can't do it yet. Let's see what the future brings, I'll write to the Redlers and see if they can put it on their list for future releases.

Thanks to all of you,
Julia

iJulia81 wrote:@rpcameron: I comletely understand your point, since I often have the same trouble when I use words which are specific to my field of study. I then "teach" my word processor and Typinator those words.

But still, I guess I am on the other side of the line, because I'd really like such a feature. My final thesis will be around 120 pages and it pains me to think of the fact that I'll have to correct every typo by hand - we are not talking about spelling mistakes I make because I don't know how a word is written. I am really only talking about typos. Since I am using the 10-finger system I type really fast and in about 1 page I'll have maybe 10 typos. So every time I have to stop writing my sentence, put my thoughts on hold and correct them. That is really not that nice.

Okay, so Mellel can't do it yet. Let's see what the future brings, I'll write to the Redlers and see if they can put it on their list for future releases.

Thanks to all of you,
Julia

I belive you get more creativity and win more time to wait until you 120 pages are written before you do spell check. Alternative a day when no insipiration exists you can just do spell check. An argument to wait with spell check is that you will probably rewrite some stuff which you then have done spell check on, in vain.

I would want to second rpcameron - I find autocorrection an annoying feature in applications, and routinely turn this off wherever possible.

Lol, I seem to be the only one wanting this feature

You might check out Spell Catcher X, it's a great writer's tool. Corrects the misspellings you described, includes an auto-expander, spell check as you type or on demand, makes a back up of your work.
Also includes title case, lower case, upper case, statistics, email cleaning, etc.

With SC, it's easy to add your own auto-corrections and auto-expand entries, too. You can also quickly turn it off when you don't want it getting in your way.

I used TypeIt4Me (auto-expander) for years, but it's a one trick pony, and Spell Catcher does the same job and does it better.
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<<Since I am using the 10-finger system I type really fast and in about 1 page I'll have maybe 10 typos.>>

I smiled when I read the sentence above. I couldn't help thinking: I could type 200 wpm, if I didn't care how many typos I made. : )

You are certainly not the only one wanting this feature. With the spelling, substitution and auto-correction facilities available built in Snow Leopard, I hope the Reddlers will soon include such functionality in Mellel. It is indeed a crucial feature for academic writing which tends to be, well, wordy and quickly types.

macula wrote:You are certainly not the only one wanting this feature. With the spelling, substitution and auto-correction facilities available built in Snow Leopard, I hope the Reddlers will soon include such functionality in Mellel. It is indeed a crucial feature for academic writing which tends to be, well, wordy and quickly types.

I do not believe that OS X 10.6's "Text and Symbol Substitution" options will soon be available to Mellel. If I understand correctly, it is also tied to Mellel not being able to natively use Emacs bindings and the dictionary panel.

That's a pity. I hope there is an engineering tradeoff involved here, and that the benefits of Mellel bypassing the Apple APIs counterbalance the loss spelling/substitutions/dictonary functionality.

macula wrote:That's a pity. I hope there is an engineering tradeoff involved here, and that the benefits of Mellel bypassing the Apple APIs counterbalance the loss spelling/substitutions/dictonary functionality.

There definitely is a benefit: beautiful text, right-to-left support and OpenType features. The OpenType features that Mellel gives the user access to surpass the OpenType features that Apple makes available through ATSUI (their text interface). In ATSUI, OpenType features are first translated to their AAT counterpart, then implemented. Mellel's method allows direct access to OpenType tables.

Also, Apple's text engine does not properly support RTL languages. Each release of OS X brings better support than the last, but the truth is that Apple's RTL support is weak, and Mellel's is far superior. This also holds true of applications that use Apple's engine, such as Pages and Nisus Writer.

Furthermore, Mellel's inability to use "false" italics and boldfaces leads to better looking documents. Applications that use Apple's engine are given "faked" italics or boldfaced text.

I believe given the limitations of Apple's text engine, and the things that Mellel does (and does well) far outweigh any shortcoming that may be evidenced for Mellel not supporting Apple technologies.