Beyond Linux From Scratch - Version 6.2.0

Chapter 8. General Libraries

Aspell-0.60.4

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.

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-2.16

Optional

teTeX-3.0

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

Installation of Aspell

Install Aspell by running the following commands: 

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

Pre-built HTML documentation is included in the package. If you have teTeX installed and you wish to build additional formats of the documentation, issue any or all of the following commands: 

make -C manual pdf &&
make -C manual pdf &&
make -C manual ps &&
cd manual &&
makeinfo --plaintext -o aspell.txt aspell.texi &&
makeinfo --plaintext -o aspell-dev.txt aspell-dev.texi &&
cd ..

This package does not come with a test suite.

Now, as the root user: 

make install &&
install -v -m755 -d /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.4/aspell{,-dev}.html &&
install -v -m644 manual/aspell.html/* \
    /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.4/aspell.html &&
install -v -m644 manual/aspell-dev.html/* \
    /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.4/aspell-dev.html

If you built additional formats of the documentation, install them by issuing the following command as the root user: 

install -v -m644 manual/aspell{,-dev}.{ps,pdf,dvi,txt} \
    /usr/share/doc/aspell-0.60.4

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

make -C manual pdf: This command is listed twice as the first time it runs it will display an error and abort, although it creates the requested file. Running the command again ensures the other file is also created.

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.

Last updated on 2006-06-21 11:26:07 -0500