ASPELL(1)                   Aspell Abbreviated User's Manual                  ASPELL(1)

NAME
       aspell - interactive spell checker

SYNOPSIS
       aspell [options] <command>

DESCRIPTION
       aspell  is  a utility program that connects to the Aspell library so that it can
       function as an ispell -a replacement, as an independent spell checker, as a test
       utility  to test out Aspell library features, and as a utility for managing dic‐
       tionaries used by the library.

       The Aspell library contains an interface allowing other programs  direct  access
       to  its  functions  and therefore reducing the complex task of spell checking to
       simple library calls.  The default library  does  not  contain  dictionary  word
       lists.   To  add language dictionaries, please check your distro first for modi‐
       fied  dictionaries,  otherwise  look  here  for   base   language   dictionaries
       <http://aspell.net>.

       The  following information describes the commands and options used by the Aspell
       Utility.

       This manual page is maintained separately from the official documentation so  it
       may be out of date or incomplete.  The official documentation is maintained as a
       Texinfo manual.  See the `aspell' entry in info for more complete documentation.

COMMANDS
       <command> is one of:

       usage, -?
              Send a brief Aspell Utility usage message to standard output.  This is  a
              short summary listing more common spell-check commands and options.

       help   Send  a detailed Aspell Utility help message to standard output.  This is
              a complete list showing all commands, options, filters and dictionaries.

       version, -v
              Print version number of Aspell Library and Utility to standard output.

       check <file>, -c <file>
              Spell-check a single file.

       pipe, -a
              Run Aspell in ispell -a compatibility mode.

       list   Produce a list of misspelled words from standard input.

       [dump] config
              Dump all current configuration options to standard output.

       config <key>
              Send the current value of <key> to standard output.

       soundslike
              Output the soundslike equivalent of each word entered.

       munch  Generate possible root words and affixes from an input list of words.

       expand [1-4]
              Expands the affix flags of each affix compressed word entered.

       clean [strict]
              Cleans an input word list so that every line is a valid word.

       munch-list [simple] [single|multi] [keep]
              Reduce the size of a word list via affix compression.

       conv <from> <to> [<norm-form>]
              Converts <from> one encoding <to> another.

       norm (<norm-map>|<from> <norm-map> <to>) [<norm-form>]
              Perform Unicode normalization.

       [dump] dicts|filters|modes
              Lists available dictionaries, filters, or modes.

       dump|create|merge master|personal|repl <wordlist>
              dump, create, or merge a master, personal, or replacement word list.

DICTIONARY OPTIONS
       The following options may be used to control which dictionaries to use  and  how
       they behave.

       --master=<name>, -d <name>
              Base  name  of  the  dictionary to use.  If this option is specified then
              Aspell will either use this dictionary or die.

       --dict-dir=<directory>
              Location of the main dictionary word list.

       --lang=<string>, -l <string>
              Language to use.  It follows the same format of  the  LANG  environmental
              variable on most systems.  It consists of the two letter ISO 639 language
              code and an optional two letter ISO 3166 country code  after  a  dash  or
              underscore.   The  default value is based on the value of the LC_MESSAGES
              locale.

       --size=<string>
              The preferred size of the dictionary word list.  This consists of  a  two
              char  digit code describing the size of the list, with typical values of:
              10=tiny, 20=really small, 30=small, 40=med-small,  50=med,  60=med-large,
              70=large, 80=huge, 90=insane.

       --variety=<string>
              Any  extra  information  to  distinguish  this variety of dictionary from
              other dictionaries which may have the same lang and size.

       --jargon=<string>
              Please use the variety option  since  it  replaces  jargon  as  a  better
              choice.  jargon will be removed in the future.

       --word-list-path=<list of directories>
              Search path for word list information files.

       --personal=<file>, -p <file>
              Personal word list file name.

       --repl=<file>
              Replacements list file name.

       --extra-dicts=<list>
              Extra dictionaries to use.

       --ignore-accents
              This option is not yet implemented.

CHECKER OPTIONS
       These options control the behavior of Aspell when checking documents.

       --ignore=<integer>, -W <integer>
              Ignore words <= <integer> characters in length.

       --ignore-case, --dont-ignore-case
              Ignore case when checking words.

       --ignore-repl, --dont-ignore-repl
              Ignore commands to store replacement pairs.

       --save-repl, --dont-save-repl
              Save the replacement word list on save all.

       --sug-mode=<mode>
              Suggestion <mode> = ultra|fast|normal|bad-spellers

FILTER OPTIONS
       These options modify the behavior of the various filters.

       --add-filter=<list>, --rem-filter=<list>
              Add or remove a filter.

       --add-filter-path=<paths>, --rem-filter-path=<paths>
              Add or remove paths searched for filters.

       --mode=<string>, -e, -H, -t, -n
              Sets  the  filter  mode.   Mode  is one of none, url, email, html, tex or
              nroff.  The alternative shortcut options are '-e'  for  email,  '-H'  for
              Html/Sgml, '-t' for Tex or '-n' for Nroff.

       --encoding=<string>
              encoding  the  document is expected to be in.  The default depends on the
              current locale.

       --add-email-quote=<list>, --rem-email-quote=<list>
              Add or Remove a list of email quote characters.

       --email-margin=<integer>
              Number of chars that can appear before the quote char.

       --add-html-check=<list>, --rem-html-check=<list>
              Add or remove a list of HTML attributes to always  check.   For  example,
              look inside alt= tags.

       --add-html-skip=<list>, --rem-html-skip=<list>
              Add or remove a list of HTML attributes to always skip while spell check‐
              ing.

       --add-sgml-check=<list>, --rem-sgml-check=<list>
              Add or remove a list of SGML attributes to always check for spelling.

       --add-sgml-skip=<list>, --rem-sgml-skip=<list>
              Add or remove a list of SGML attributes to always skip while spell check‐
              ing.

       --sgml-extension=<list>
              SGML file extensions.

       --tex-check-comments, --dont-tex-check-comments
              Check TeX comments.

       --add-tex-command=<list>, --rem-tex-command=<list>
              Add or Remove a list of TeX commands.

RUN-TOGETHER WORD OPTIONS
       These may be used to control the behavior of run-together words.

       --run-together, --dont-run-together, -C, -B
              Consider run-together words valid.

       --run-together-limit=<integer>
              Maximum number of words that can be strung together.

       --run-together-min=<integer>
              Minimal length of interior words.

MISC OPTIONS
       Miscellaneous options that don't fall under any other category.

       --conf=<file name>
              Main configuration file.  This file overrides Aspell's global defaults.

       --conf-dir=<directory>
              Location of main configuration file.

       --data-dir=<directory>
              Location of language data files.

       --keyboard=<keyboard>
              Use  this  keyboard layout for suggesting possible words.  These spelling
              errors happen if a user accidently presses a key  next  to  the  intended
              correct key.

       --local-data-dir=<directory>
              Alternative  location of language data files.  This directory is searched
              before data-dir.

       --home-dir=<directory>
              Directory Location for personal wordlist files.

       --per-conf=<file name>
              Personal configuration file.  This file overrides options  found  in  the
              global config file.

ASPELL UTILITY OPTIONS
       These  options  are  part  of  the  aspell Utility and work independently of the
       library.

       --backup, --dont-backup, -b, -x
              The aspell utility creates a backup file by making a copy  and  appending
              .bak  to  file  name.  This only applies when the command is check <file>
              and the backup file is only created if any  spelling  modifications  take
              place.

       --byte-offsets, --dont-byte-offsets
              Use byte offsets instead of character offsets.

       --guess, --dont-guess, -m, -P
              Create  missing  root/affix  combinations  not  in the dictionary in pipe
              mode.

       --keymapping=aspell, --keymapping=ispell
              The keymapping to use, either aspell for the default mapping or ispell to
              use the same mapping that the Ispell utility uses.

       --reverse, --dont-reverse
              Reverse the order of the suggestions list in pipe mode.

       --suggest, --dont-suggest
              Suggest possible replacements in pipe mode.  If false, Aspell will simply
              report the misspelling and make no attempt  at  suggestions  or  possible
              corrections.

       --time, --dont-time
              Time the load time and suggest a time in pipe mode.

       In  addition  Aspell will try to make sense out of Ispell's command line options
       so that it can function as a drop in replacement for Ispell.  If Aspell  is  run
       without any command line options it will display a brief help screen and quit.

CONFIGURATION
       Aspell can accept options via global or personal configuration files so that you
       do not need to specify them each time at the command line.  The  default  global
       configuration  file  is  /etc/aspell.conf  or  another  file specified by option
       --conf  and  is  checked  first.   The  default  per  user  configuration   file
       ~/.aspell.conf  located  in  the  $HOME  directory (or another file specified by
       option --per-conf) is checked next and overrides options set in the global  con‐
       fig  file.  Options specified at either the command line or via an environmental
       variable override those specified by either configuration file.

       Each line of the configuration file has the format:

              option [value]

       where option is any one of the standard library options above without the  lead‐
       ing  dashes.   For  example  the following line will set the default language to
       Swiss German:

              lang de_CH

       There may be any number of spaces between the option and the value,  however  it
       can  only be spaces, i.e. there is no '=' between the option name and the value.
       Comments may also be included by preceding them with a '#' as  anything  from  a
       '#'   to   a   newline   is   ignored.   Blank  lines  are  also  allowed.   The
       /etc/aspell.conf file is a good example of how to  set  these  options  and  the
       Aspell Manual has more detailed info.

SEE ALSO
       aspell-import(1), prezip-bin(1), run-with-aspell(1), word-list-compress(1)

       Aspell  is  fully  documented  in its Texinfo manual.  See the `aspell' entry in
       info for more complete documentation.

SUPPORT
       Support for Aspell can be found on the Aspell mailing lists.   Instructions  for
       joining  the various mailing lists (and an archive of them) can be found off the
       Aspell home page at <http://aspell.net>.  Bug reports should  be  submitted  via
       the Sourceforge Tracker rather than being posted to the mailing lists.

AUTHOR
       This  manual  page  was  written  by Brian Nelson <pyro@debian.org> based on the
       Aspell User's Manual, Copyright © 2002 Kevin Atkinson.  Updated Nov 2006 by Jose
       Da Silva <digital@joescat.com>, and Dec 2006 by Kevin Atkinson <kevina@gnu.org>.

GNU                                    2006-12-10                             ASPELL(1)

Aspell 0.60.7-20110707.  Copyright 2000-2011 by Kevin Atkinson.

Usage: aspell [options] <command>

<command> is one of:
  -?|usage         display a brief usage message
  help             display a detailed help message
  -c|check <file>  to check a file
  -a|pipe          "ispell -a" compatibility mode
  list             produce a list of misspelled words from standard input
  [dump] config    dumps the current configuration to stdout
  config <key>     prints the current value of an option
  soundslike       returns the sounds like equivalent for each word entered
  munch            generate possible root words and affixes
  expand [1-4]     expands affix flags
  clean [strict]   cleans a word list so that every line is a valid word
  -v|version       prints a version line
  munch-list [simple] [single|multi] [keep]
    reduce the size of a word list via affix compression
  conv <from> <to> [<norm-form>]
    converts from one encoding to another
  norm (<norm-map> | <from> <norm-map> <to>) [<norm-form>]
    perform Unicode normalization
  [dump] dicts | filters | modes
    lists available dictionaries / filters / filter modes
  dump|create|merge master|personal|repl [<name>]
    dumps, creates or merges a master, personal, or replacement dictionary.

  <norm-form>      normalization form to use, either none, internal, or strict

[options] is any of the following:

  --conf=<str>                main configuration file
  --conf-dir=<str>            location of main configuration file
  --data-dir=<str>            location of language data files
  --add|rem-dict-alias=<str>  create dictionary aliases
  --dict-dir=<str>            location of the main word list
  --encoding=<str>            encoding to expect data to be in
  --add|rem-filter=<str>      add or removes a filter
  --add|rem-filter-path=<str> path(s) aspell looks for filters
  --mode=<str>                filter mode
  -e,--mode=email             enter Email mode.
  -H,--mode=html              enter HTML mode.
  -t,--mode=tex               enter TeX mode.
  -n,--mode=nroff             enter Nroff mode.
  -D,--mode=debctrl           enter Debctrl mode.
  --add|rem-extra-dicts=<str> extra dictionaries to use
  --home-dir=<str>            location for personal files
  -W,--ignore=<int>           ignore words <= n chars
  --[dont-]ignore-case        ignore case when checking words
  --[dont-]ignore-repl        ignore commands to store replacement pairs
  --keyboard=<str>            keyboard definition to use for typo analysis
  -l,--lang=<str>             language code
  --local-data-dir=<str>      location of local language data files
  -d,--master=<str>           base name of the main dictionary to use
  --[dont-]normalize          enable Unicode normalization
  --[dont-]norm-required      Unicode normalization required for current lang
  --norm-form=<str>           Unicode normalization form: none, nfd, nfc, comp
  --[dont-]norm-strict        avoid lossy conversions when normalization
  --per-conf=<str>            personal configuration file
  -p,--personal=<str>         personal dictionary file name
  --prefix=<str>              prefix directory
  --repl=<str>                replacements list file name
  -C|-B,--[dont-]run-together consider run-together words legal
  --run-together-limit=<int>  maximum number that can be strung together
  --run-together-min=<int>    minimal length of interior words
  --[dont-]save-repl          save replacement pairs on save all
  --[dont-]set-prefix         set the prefix based on executable location
  --size=<str>                size of the word list
  --sug-mode=<str>            suggestion mode
  --sug-edit-dist=<int>       edit distance to use, override sug-mode default
  --[dont-]sug-typo-analysis  use typo analysis, override sug-mode default
  --[dont-]sug-repl-table     use replacement tables, override sug-mode default
  --add|rem-sug-split-char=<str> characters to insert when a word is split
  --[dont-]use-other-dicts    use personal, replacement & session dictionaries
  --add|rem-variety=<str>     extra information for the word list
  --[dont-]warn               enable warnings
  --[dont-]affix-compress     use affix compression when creating dictionaries
  --[dont-]clean-affixes      remove invalid affix flags
  --[dont-]clean-words        attempts to clean words so that they are valid
  --[dont-]invisible-soundslike compute soundslike on demand rather than storing
  --[dont-]partially-expand   partially expand affixes for better suggestions
  --[dont-]skip-invalid-words skip invalid words
  --[dont-]validate-affixes   check if affix flags are valid
  --[dont-]validate-words     check if words are valid
  -b|-x,--[dont-]backup       create a backup file by appending ".bak"
  --[dont-]byte-offsets       use byte offsets instead of character offsets
  -m|-P,--[dont-]guess        create missing root/affix combinations
  --keymapping=<str>          keymapping for check mode: "aspell" or "ispell"
  --[dont-]reverse            reverse the order of the suggest list
  --[dont-]suggest            suggest possible replacements
  --[dont-]time               time load time and suggest time in pipe mode


Available Dictionaries:
    Dictionaries can be selected directly via the "-d" or "master"
    option.  They can also be selected indirectly via the "lang",
    "variety", and "size" options.

  hu


Available Filters (and associated options):
    Filters can be added or removed via the "filter" option.

  url filter: filter to skip URL like constructs

  email filter: filter for skipping quoted text in email messages
  --add|rem-email-quote=<str> email quote characters
  --email-margin=<int>        num chars that can appear before the quote char

  context filter: experimental filter for hiding delimited contexts
  --add|rem-context-delimiters=<str> context delimiters (separated by spaces)
  --[dont-]context-visible-first swaps visible and invisible text

  texinfo filter: filter for dealing with Texinfo documents
  --add|rem-texinfo-ignore=<str> Texinfo commands to ignore the parameters of
  --add|rem-texinfo-ignore-env=<str> Texinfo environments to ignore

  ddtp filter: filter for Debian DDTP-emails

  nroff filter: filter for dealing with Nroff documents

  debctrl filter: filter for Debian packaging control files

  sgml filter: filter for dealing with generic SGML/XML documents
  --add|rem-sgml-check=<str>  SGML attributes to always check
  --add|rem-sgml-skip=<str>   SGML tags to always skip the contents of

  tex filter: filter for dealing with TeX/LaTeX documents
  --[dont-]tex-check-comments check TeX comments
  --add|rem-tex-command=<str> TeX commands

  html filter: filter for dealing with HTML documents
  --add|rem-html-check=<str>  HTML attributes to always check
  --add|rem-html-skip=<str>   HTML tags to always skip the contents of


Available Filter Modes:
    Filter Modes are reconfigured combinations of filters optimized for
    files of a specific type. A mode is selected via the "mode" option.
    This will happen implicitly if Aspell is able to identify the file
    type from the extension, and possibility the contents, of the file.

  tex            mode for checking TeX/LaTeX documents
  ccpp           mode for checking C++ comments and string literals
  comment        mode to check any lines starting with a #
  html           mode for checking HTML documents
  perl           mode for checking Perl comments and string literals
  texinfo        mode for checking Texinfo documents
  sgml           mode for checking generic SGML/XML documents
  none           mode to disable all filters
  url            mode to skip URL like constructs (default mode)
  debctrl        mode for Debian packaging control files
  nroff          mode for checking Nroff documents
  email          mode for skipping quoted text in email messages
  ddtp           mode for Debian DDTP-emails