How do you spell check a field?

Question

How are people spell checking their fields?
In searching around, I have only found (a) suggestions to yank the text into MS Word, do a spell check, then yank the resulting text into the field; (b) software from DC AL CODA that we aren't clear how they actually work (http://www.dcalcoda.com).
Specifically, my manager wants a tool that'll interface with Oracle like this: give a table name and a field name and be asked about each spelling error, much like an email spell check. The tool would change things as you ask, directly in the database. You wouldn't have to cut and paste into it and back to the db fields.
We aren't using forms. We use SQL*Plus, Quest Software's TOAD, and our own Java servlets (using JDBC to enter SQL statements).
I would love to hear how people do their spell checking.
Hopefully this is an appropriate forum for this question. There doesn't seem to be a general or SQL forum. Our database tables include a fair amount of text that shows up on Web pages. These are the fields we want to spell check.

Answer 1

I thought I'd reply to my own question since I found a workable solution, at least for our office which has MS Windows.
MS Access can connect directly to an Oracle data source. Access has a spell checking feature where you can select a field and spell check it. Below are tips and instructions for doing this.
TIPS:
It's surely a good idea to back up tables and be the only person or process changing those tables during the spell check.
One thing to watch for is whether the entire table comes in. At the bottom of the screen is a >* button which seems to get all fields. For large tables, you have to hit this button before you get the entire table.
Another glitch is that all of the given database user's tables show up in one list box -- makes for some painful scrolling, but all of the tables are listed.
A much smaller glitch is that if you widened any of the fields in the view of the table, when you close the window, it asks if you want to save the formatting. It has nothing to do with saving the data (that is automatic). It's safe to say no.
The spell check doesn't recognize HTML tags (asks about "br"s from <br> tags) but seems to know to ignore things like &quot;
How to set up an ODBC Data Source in Windows:
1. MS Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> ODBC Data Sources (32 bit)
2. Drivers tab, scroll down and select Oracle ODBC Driver
3. OK
4. User DSN tab, Add...
5. Select Oracle ODBC Driver and Finish
6. Make up a data source name (example: src)
7. Enter a description for it
8. For Service name, put what your service name is (for an SQL*Plus connection, 'usr/passwd@svc', this is 'svc')
9. For UserID, put your user id (for an SQL*Plus connection, 'usr/passwd@svc', this is 'usr')
10. Ignore the rest of the fields, click OK
11. Another OK.
How to use Access to Spell Check an ODBC Data Source Field:
0. Install Access from (MS Office 2000).
1. Start Access (by the way, you might find it way down the list in Start -> Programs).
2. Open file, in the file type box, scroll to the end: ODBC Databases. You'll get a dialog.
3. Machine Data Source tab, select the name you gave it (src in step 6 above)
4. You'll be prompted for the password (for an SQL*Plus connection, 'usr/passwd@svc', this is 'passwd')
5. Select from the huge list of every table the table you want. Ok.
5.a. If the table has no key, you'll be prompted for the unique key from a list of all fields.
6. Double click the item that has just been added to the dialog that remains on the screen. It'll have a globe next to text like USR_TABLENAME. This brings up a randomly sized first chunk of the table.
7. To make sure you get the entire table, on the paging buttons on the bottom (|< < > >| >*), click >*. It may take a few moments to get a huge table.
8. Click the heading of the field (column) you want to spell check). This selects the entire column.
9. Hit spell check (ABC checkmark tool or Tools -> Spelling)
10. Check away. The changes are made immediately to the database.
11. Close the table display window.
null