Beyond Linux® From Scratch (systemd Edition) - Version 11.0

Chapter 9. General Libraries

Aspell-0.60.8

Introduction to Aspell

The Aspell package contains an interactive spell checking program and the Aspell libraries. Aspell can either be used as a library or as an independent spell checker.

This package is known to build and work properly using an LFS-11.0 platform.

Package Information

Additional Downloads

You'll need to download at least one dictionary. The link below will take you to a page containing links to dictionaries in many languages.

Aspell Dependencies

Required

Which-2.21 (for the dictionaries)

User Notes: https://wiki.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/wiki/aspell

Installation of Aspell

Install Aspell by running the following commands: 

./configure --prefix=/usr &&
make

This package does not come with a test suite.

Now, as the root user: 

make install &&
ln -svfn aspell-0.60 /usr/lib/aspell &&

install -v -m755 -d /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.8/aspell{,-dev}.html &&

install -v -m644 manual/aspell.html/* \
    /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.8/aspell.html &&

install -v -m644 manual/aspell-dev.html/* \
    /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.8/aspell-dev.html

If you do not plan to install Ispell, then copy the wrapper script ispell: 

install -v -m 755 scripts/ispell /usr/bin/

If you do not plan to install Spell, then copy the wrapper script spell: 

install -v -m 755 scripts/spell /usr/bin/

Command Explanations

ln -svfn aspell-0.60 /usr/lib/aspell: This command is useful for configuration of other applications, such as enchant-2.3.1.

Configuring Aspell

Configuration Information

After Aspell is installed, you must set up at least one dictionary. Install one or more dictionaries by running the following commands: 

./configure &&
make

Now, as the root user: 

make install

Contents

Installed Programs: aspell, aspell-import, precat, preunzip, prezip, prezip-bin, pspell-config, run-with-aspell, word-list-compress and optionally, ispell and spell.
Installed Libraries: libaspell.so and libpspell.so
Installed Directories: /usr/include/pspell and /usr/lib/aspell-0.60

Short Descriptions

aspell

is a utility that can function as an ispell -a replacement, as an independent spell checker, as a test utility to test out Aspell features, and as a utility for managing dictionaries

ispell

is a wrapper around aspell to invoke it in ispell compatible mode

spell

is a wrapper around aspell to invoke it in spell compatible mode

aspell-import

imports old personal dictionaries into Aspell

precat

decompresses a prezipped file to stdout

preunzip

decompresses a prezipped file

prezip

is a prefix delta compressor, used to compress sorted word lists or other similar text files

prezip-bin

is called by the various wrapper scripts to perform the actual compressing and decompressing

pspell-config

displays information about the libpspell installation, mostly for use in build scripts

run-with-aspell

is a script to help use Aspell as an ispell replacement

word-list-compress

compresses or decompresses sorted word lists for use with the Aspell spell checker

libaspell.so

contains spell checking API functions

libpspell.so

is an interface to the libaspell library. All the spell checking functionality is now in libaspell but this library is included for backward compatibility

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