Automatic text correction

Canvas can automatically fix typographical mistakes as you type. The Auto Correct manager lets you select several automatic correction options. It also lets you specify common misspellings, typing errors, and abbreviations that you want Canvas to replace as you type.

When any text replacement option is active, Canvas checks each word you type. It corrects or replaces text as appropriate once you press the Spacebar.

Auto Correct options

Use the options in the Auto Correct manager to specify corrections you want Canvas to make as you type (see Setting preferences).

To set up automatic correction:

1. Choose Text | Spell Checker | Auto Correct.
2. In the Auto Correct manager, select the replacement options to use.
3. Click OK to implement the current settings.

Setting up text replacement

Specify abbreviations, common misspellings, and other text that you want Canvas to replace as you type.

Use this feature to expand abbreviations for common phrases and long names that you type throughout a document: e.g., if you often type “Department of Agriculture,” you can specify that the abbreviation “DA” be replaced by the full name.

To set up text replacement:

1. Choose Text | Spell Checker | Auto Correct. In the Auto Correct manager, be sure Replace Text as You Type is selected.
2. In the Replace box, type text that you want to be replaced. In the With box, type the replacement text. Click Add to place the text in the scrolling list.
3. Repeat this procedure to specify more automatic replacements. Add as many items to the scrolling list as you want. When you finish, click OK.

Auto Correct does not remove specified text from a document if you type nothing in the With box. Also, Auto Correct won’t replace spaces with more or fewer spaces (such as replacing two spaces with one space); however, you can use the Text tab in the Find palette to find and replace spaces.

To remove replacement entries:

Select the entry in the scrolling list and click Delete.

Automatic spelling correction

When you use the Spelling menu (To use the spelling pop-up menu:) to correct a misspelling, Canvas adds the item to the Auto Correction list. The misspelled word appears under Replace and the correction appears under With. If you make the same spelling mistake again and “Replace Text as You Type” is selected in the Auto Correct manager, Canvas corrects the error. If “Replace Text as You Type” is not selected, Canvas won’t make these automatic corrections.