Re: [aspell-devel] clear_session, store_replacement, and support

[Gary Setter]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Moseley" <address@hidden>
To: "Gary Setter" <address@hidden>
Cc: <address@hidden>
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 9:58 AM
Subject: Re: [aspell-devel] clear_session, store_replacement, and
support


> Thanks for the reply, Gary:
>
> On Fri, Jul 29, 2005 at 08:35:24AM -0500, Gary Setter wrote:
> > ___POINT 1___
> > The function seems to be in error. Take a look at the
> > implementation of store_replacement.
> >
> >   PosibErr<void> SpellerImpl::store_replacement(const String
&
> > mis,
> >                                                 const String
&
> > cor,
> >                                                 bool memory)
> >
> > It returns a void, not a bool. There is no data returned.
>
> Is the API *suppose* to return a value?  And if false should
the
> error number and error message be available with
aspell_speller_error_number
> and aspell_speller_error_message?  That's what I'm not clear
on.

I didn't design aspell, but it sure looks to me it is suppose to
return success/failure status. The c lib functions do not seem
consistent in how they report failure. Since it clearly return -1
if the function call failed, I submitted a patch to make this
function return 0 on success. Aspell seems to work with error
strings, not error numbers. If (after patching, making, and
installing aspell) our favorite function returns not zero, you
can call aspell_speller_error_message() to get the current error.

<snip>
> Again, I'd like to first make sure that I'm using clear_session
> correctly and I understand the Aspell usage correctly.
>

I made a version of one of my programs that uses aspell to
exercise the session functions. I found that they do return true
on success. I found that after I add a 'misspelled word to the
session dictionary that the check function accepts the word.
After the session dictionary is cleared, the check function stops
accepting the word.
Maybe that would be a more straightforward test for Text::Aspell?
Maybe someone else from the mailing list has a suggestion?
<snip>

> PS -- one other question:  I require the en_US dictionary
installed
> for testing.  Of course, not everyone has that dictionary, but
I'm
> not sure how I can test Aspell without knowing a specific
dictionary
> is installed -- I want to make sure I can lookup misspelled
words, so
> seems like I need a specific dictionary to do that.  If you or
anyone
> has a better idea I'd like to hear.  Also, I'm not 100% clear
how to
> verify that the dictionary I need is installed -- but I haven't
> looked at that yet.
>
Just off the top of my head, you already warn the users that the
dictionary is needed. You could include a note on what to look
for to verify that the dictionary is found ( or not found). You
could provide a sample aspell.conf file and suggest how to
configure it to find the dictionary and data files.

Does anyone else have better ideas?

Best regards,
Gary Setter

I had something of an adventure building the Text::Aspell add-in.
The test you provided is failing with a freeze in what appears to
be the Tex test. I'll send you my notes on what I did to get the
add-in built in case it is of any help.