Spellex HTML Applet Technical Support

Frequently Asked Support Questions

When I click on the Check Spelling button I get an error message "Object does not support this property or method"?

The HTML Spell Check Applet is compatible with the Java Software Version 1.4.2 and above. If you have a version below 1.4.2 please update the Java Software to run the Spell Check.

How can I install the applet and dictionaries permanently on the client machine so they don't have to be downloaded every time?

The Spell Check Applet is an unsigned applet, and browsers will not allow unsigned applets loaded from a remote site to access local files. Some browsers will allow applets to access local files if the applet is located in the browser's Java CLASSPATH. However, the procedure for doing this is platform and browser dependent, so we cannot support use of the applet this way.

How can updates made to a user dictionary be shared by all users?

First, we don't recommend doing this, at least not without some form of review and control. A user who adds a misspelled word to a shared dictionary compromises the effectiveness of the spelling checker for all users. A much better approach is to have users submit words for review, and add valid words carefully to a shared dictionary only after review.

The example files included with the Spell Check Applet store the user dictionary in a browser cookie. It should be possible to create an HTML form that collects the user-dictionary contents from the cookie and submits them to a CGI script, ASP/JSP page, etc. for processing, but this feature is not included in Spellex Spell Check Applet.  

How can I reduce the download time on slow connections?

Starting with version 1.5, Spellex Spell Check Applet includes dictionaries in three sizes. Using a smaller dictionary on a slow connection will reduce the start-up time required. See Current Version for upgrading instructions. 

Why does the applet stop checking text after a "&" or "<" in the document?

When the IGNORE_HTML_MARKUPS_OPT option is enabled, Spell Check Applet assumes that the text being checked contains correctly formed HTML. In HTML, characters such as "&" and "<" are used to denote character entities and markups. Correctly formed HTML does not use these characters literally; instead, it represents them using &amper; and < character entities. The solution is to either disable IGNORE_HTML_MARKUPS_OPT or replace any "&" and "<" characters in the text with &amp; and <.

What are some basic troubleshooting steps?

The first step in diagnosing problems with the Spell Check Applet is to try one of the example HTML pages (e.g., demo1.html or example1.html). You can also try Spellex Software's on-line demo. If the applet doesn't work in the example page:

  • Make sure all required files are in the same directory on the server as the example page. See "How to Install the Spell Check Applet on a Web Server" in the Applet user guide for detailed instructions.

  • If you were previously using the evaluation version of Spellex Spell Check Applet and have recently purchased the retail version, make sure that the SpellCheckApplet.jar file installed on your server is the file from the retail software. In some circumstances, browsers may cache the SpellCheckApplet.jar file and may fail to recognize that a undated copy of the file has been installed. Try clearing your browser's cache or "temporary Internet files."

  • Your browser or its Java class library may be out of date. See Solving browser incompatibility problems for further information.

  • If you uploaded the Spell Check Applet files to your server using FTP, make sure files with extension ".jar" and "clx" are transferred in binary mode. All other Applet files should be transferred using text mode.

  • Make sure Java and JavaScript are enabled in your browser.

The example pages work but my pages do not work?
  • Try rearranging the order of JavaScript functions, HTML forms, and the <APPLET> HTML tag so it matches the order of elements in the example page.
  • JavaScript is case sensitive, so check your JavaScript code carefully.
  • Try removing or commenting out extraneous elements in your page until it works, in an effort to identify the cause of the problem. Alternatively, start with a copy of the Spell Check Applet example page and carefully add elements from your page until you determine which element is causing the problem.

Why does the Spell Check Applet report all the words as misspelled?

  • If you are evaluating Spell Check Applet, this problem can be a symptom of a license key error. Make sure you have set the license key exactly as provided using the instructions you received when you requested an evaluation copy of Spell Check Applet. If Spell Check Applet used to work but suddenly started reporting all words as misspelled, your evaluation license may have expired.

  • A very common cause of this problem is Spell Check Applet being unable to open its dictionaries. The applet uses its dictionaries to determine which words are spelled correctly. If the applet is unable to open its dictionaries, all words will be reported as misspelled. Spell Check Applet's dictionaries are files stored on the server. Spell Check Applet itself runs on the client system. When the applet first starts, it attempts to open and read the dictionary files from the server. The applet knows which dictionary files to load from the MainLexiconN parameters you configure. The applet expects to find the dictionary files in its CODEBASE, which by default is the directory on the server containing the applet's JAR file. A number of things can go wrong in this process that will prevent Spell Check Applet from successfully loading its dictionaries:

    • The name of the dictionary file in the MainLexiconN parameter is misspelled. Example:

          <PARAM NAME="MainLexicon2" VALUE="am100k2.cxl,url,c">

        (The name should be am100k2.clx.)

    • The parameter name make be misspelled. Example: 

          <PARAM NAME="MainLexcion2" VALUE="am100k2.clx,url,c">
    • The parameter value may be malformed. Examples: 

          <PARAM NAME="MainLexicon2" VALUE="am100k2.clx,url">
          <PARAM NAME="MainLexicon2" VALUE="am100k2.clx,c,url">
    • The file format specifier may be incorrect for the type of dictionary file. Examples: 

          <PARAM NAME="MainLexicon2" VALUE="am100k2.clx,url,t">
          <PARAM NAME="MainLexicon1" VALUE="am.tlx,url,c">
    • The dictionary files may not be located in the applet's CODEBASE directory on the server. By default, the applet's CODEBASE directory is the directory where SpellCheckApplet.jar resides. The applet's CODEBASE can be changed by setting the CODEBASE tag in the HTML reference to the applet in the page which uses the applet. If the dictionary files are not located in the CODEBASE directory, Spell Check Applet will be unable to open them and all words will be reported as misspelled as a result.

    • The server may prevent the dictionary files from being opened or read because of permissions or other security issues. Sometimes examining the server's access logs may explain why it refused to return the file.

    • If the server supports virtual directories or aliases, the server may be mapping the applet's CODEBASE directory to a different directory, one which does not contain the dictionary files.

    • The browser may be preventing the applet from opening the dictionary files for security reasons. Some browsers or browser versions will not allow reference to files located in higher level directories on the server, for example. If you have set the applet's MainLexiconN parameters to include a reference to a higher-level directory ("../" in the dictionary file path name), try moving the dictionary files to the same directory as the applet's JAR file and remove the "../" from the path name.

    • The dictionary file may be corrupted. Dictionary files with a ".clx" extension are binary files, and must be transferred between systems in "binary" mode. Uploading these files to a server using FTP in ASCII or "Text" mode may corrupt them. Like any files, dictionary files can also become corrupted over time due to file system errors. Restoring the files from your original Spell Check Applet distribution may solve the problem.

    • If your server runs Windows 2003 Server (IIS6), you may need to associate MIME "txt" type for files with ".clx" and ".tlx" extensions (the extensions used by Spell Check Applet's dictionaries). This can be done using Internet Services Manager in the HTTP Headers tab. Click on the New Type button and create new types for both .clx and .tlx, associated with .txt.

  • One way to diagnose file related issues is to view the am.tlx file from a browser. am.tlx is a text file. To view it, enter a URL like the following into your browser: 

    http://domain/appletpath/am.tlx

    Substitute the actual domain you use to access content on your server for domain, and the path to Spell Check Applet's CODEBASE (or the directory containing its JAR file) for appletpath. For example, if Spell Check Applet's JAR file is located in directory forms/app under the server's root directory on www.mydomain.com, use the following URL:

    http://www.mydomain.com/forms/app/am.tlx

    If the browser is unable to open the file, Spell Check Applet will also be unable to open the file, and you must solve that problem first before the applet will work correctly. (You can also try this with am100k2.clx, but the contents will be gibberish because this is a binary file.)

  • If you are still unable to diagnose the cause of the problem, set Spell Check Applet's Verbose parameter to "true", re-run your test, and set the browser's Java console to Spellex Software's Support group for analysis. You can set Verbose to "true" by adding the following PARAM tag to the applet's HTML definition:

        <PARAM NAME="Verbose" VALUE="true">

    The PARAM tag can be placed among any other Spell Check Applet PARAM tags, but must appear before the </APPLET> tag.

    On Internet Explorer, the Java Console is accessible under the View menu. If the View menu does not contain a Java Console item, you may need to enable it first (note that the procedure below may vary slightly in different versions of IE; consult your browser's documentation for a procedure specific to your version):

    • Select Tools + Internet Options

    • Select the Advanced tab

    • Locate "Microsoft JM"

    • Select "Java Console Enabled (requires restart)"

    • Close all running copies of Internet Explorer, then open Internet Explorer.

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