Search Me 2.1 ---------------------------- Freeware Copyright 1993, David Becker GEnie mail to D.Becker8 Compuserve 73030,3562 This puzzle generator creates word searches just like the ones in the newspaper! You can use the dbWRITER dictionary (available on all the major online systems), your own custom dictionary or your own list of words. You can save and load puzzles to disk, print them out, save them as DEGAS pictures or play them right on the ST! You will need a monochrome monitor. When first run you will be greated with a standard GEM drop down menu and two GEM windows. The window on the left is where the puzzle is created and played and the window on the right is where creation data is displayed and where the answers are shown. Dictionary ---------- Search Me 2 will automatically load load the dictionary file so the computer has some words to choose from. I have included a downsized version of the dbWRITER dictionary called DICTIONA.RY2 with this program. These are multiple word dictionaries. Search Me randomly chooses words from this type of dictionary (most ASCII text files will be read as multiple dictionary files). You can create another type of dictionary by typing a list of words into your favorite word processor one at a time, with no spaces and no blank lines, one word per line. Save this file to disk as ASCII text and it can also be used by Search Me. This type of dictionary listing is read top to bottom and not randomly (also see 'Manual list creation' below in this documention). Search Me will retain this dictionary in memory until you exit the program or choose to load another dictionary. Word Configuration ------------------ Under the drop down menu heading "Options" is a menu called "Length and number of words". When you click on this a dialog box appears. Here you can choose the minimum word length used within the puzzle, the maximum word length and the number of words the puzzle should contain. Creation speed is dependant upon how long words are and how many you try to fit in. The smallest word allowed is 2 letters and the largest can be 15 letters. The maximum allowed in any puzzle is 78 words. Click within any box to change its contents then hit RETURN. Click the right mouse button or hit UNDO to exit this dialog box. There is a button called "Include Special Characters" within this dialog. Click here and a new configuration screen will appear. You can choose to include custom characters from this screen. Click to select and deselect within the grid. Display Options --------------- The next drop down menu is called "Display word as placed". This setting lets you watch the computer fit each word onto the grid and lets you see the word itself and the different directions being tried. This option displays a check mark next to the menu when it is activated. Show Answers ------------ After a puzzle has been created you can display the answers on the screen using the next drop down menu. A new window will replace the data window on the right. It will contain a list of all the words within the puzzle. Click the close box at the upper left of this window to remove it. Begin Creation -------------- After you have set up your word configuration and loaded a dictionary you can begin puzzle creation. The window on the right displays many creation parameters. During puzzle creation you can see the numer of words placed, the number of directions tried for the current word, the word the computer is currently trying to fit, the direction the computer is trying, and the number of words that have been skipped. The only box within this window that you can click inside is the HYPHENATED WORDS button. This will change from white to black and allows words with hyphens to be used in your puzzle (these words tend to be easier to find than others!). Lets click the drop down menu called "Create a new puzzle" and away we go! The first thing Search Me does is choose words from the dictionary. You will be asked if you wish to use upper or lower case letters in this puzzle. The computer now begins fitting the words onto the grid in one of eight possible directions. You can watch the indicator arrow to see the current direct being tried! If you chose "Display words as placed" from the drop down menus then you will also be shown the current word and you will actually see each word placed onto the grid. If you wish to skip a word or cancel creation, click one of the mouse buttons. Search Me will sometimes automatically skip a word if it can't fit it in. After all the words have been placed, the grid window will fill the unused spaces with random letters and the puzzle will be complete. Playing the puzzle on the ST ---------------------------- Click on "Display all of the answers" in the drop down menu and the window on the right will list every word present within the grid. You can select words by pointing into the grid window and clicking the left mouse button. Same thing goes for the answer window. You can cross out the answers as you find them! Hit UNDO to remove the last mark drawn or click the right mouse button to redraw the windows. Click the close button on the answer window to remove it. If you click within the puzzle window without the answers displayed, you will be prompted to input a new letter for that spot. You can only cross out when the answers are displayed. Printing out your puzzles ------------------------- Search Me offers four options for saving your puzzle. First, you can save and load puzzles to disk under the "File" menu. This method only saves computer data and can not be printed out unless you load the data back into Search Me. The most common way of saving puzzles is to print them on paper. The first drop down menu under "Output" prints the entire puzzle grid and its answers to your printer. The printout is ASCII text and should work on almost any brand of printer. The next menu saves the entire puzzle and answers to disk as ASCII text. You can then print puzzles from your desktop publisher or word processor using fancy typefaces. You could also simply click from the desktop and print them out. The last option under "Output" saves a DEGAS picture to disk. This file must have a .PI3 extension. This is really just a 'snapshot' of the screen. Special ------- Under this menu you can choose what directions Search Me uses to place words. Children have an easier time with words that only run from left to right or top to bottom. Click a drop down menu to toggle it between active and in-active. A checkmark appears when the direction is activated. Manual list creation -------------------- Under the "Manual" menu heading you can create a quick and simple list of up to 78 words for puzzle creation. This list of words will replace any multiple dictionary currently in memory or if you have a custom list loaded you can edit it. When you choose the menu "Manual word entry" a window will open in the centre of the screen. Type each word, one at a time, followed by RETURN. Hit RETURN by itself on any blank line to exit. You can save this list to disk with the next menu. This way you will be able to compile mini custom dictionary lists from within Search Me! The last menu entry quits Search Me and return you to the GEM desktop. Help ---- If you press HELP after puzzle creation you can see all the words at once. Press any key to exit. Note: Canadian players will want to delete the file Z.SPL and then rename ZED.SPL to Z.SPL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Version 2.1 fixes a bug that prevented some loaded games from printing correctly.