# Overview of the User Dictionary Build Tool

Click here for a graphic overview of the User Dictionary Build Tool.

The User Dictionary Build Tool creates a loadable dictionary file (.dic) from a list of words and their corresponding pronunciations. The dictionary is loaded with a call to TextToSpeechLoadUserDictionary or from the File menu in the Speak Program applet.

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(1) | Edit Window In the edit window, enter word-pronunciation pairs that are not predefined or not pronounced as desired in the DECtalk Software user dictionary. A word-pronunciation pair is a word, followed by its phonemic spelling enclosed in square brackets.
(2) | File pull-down menu Open... A pop-up dialog box that opens up a dictionary definition file (*.tab). Close Closes the dictionary definition file. If the entries in the edit window have been modified, a dialog box pops up asking if you want to save changes. Compile Dictionary Compiles the current file to a .dic file with the same name. Save... A pop-up dialog box that saves the file and calls the compiler to create a dictionary file (*.dic). Save as... A pop-up dialog box that lets the user rename the file. This also calls the compiler to create a dictionary file (*.dic). Exit Exits the program, and if the entries in the edit window have been modified, a dialog box pops up asking if you want to save changes.
(3) | Edit pull-down menu Undo Undo the previous command. Cut Cut the selected region. Copy Copy the selected region. Paste Paste the selected region. Delete Delete the selected region. Select All Select all of the word-pronunciation pairs from the edit window. Find... A pop-up dialog box that prompts you to search for selected text.
(4) | Translate Menu Translates selected text into phonemic spelling.
(5) | Help pull-down menu Selects the online help.
(6) | Pronounce Word button When pressed, the selected text in the edit window is spoken. If a word-pronunciation pair is selected, the phonemic pronunciation is used. If only the word is selected, the currently stored pronunciation is used.
(7) | Next button When pressed, the next word-pronunciation pair in the list is spoken.
(8) | Previous button When pressed, the previous word-pronunciation pair in the list is spoken.

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