Text Editor for Exams...?

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 10:29

Hello all

Just thought I'd poke your brains a little bit!

We require a text editor for Exams...Basically Notepad / word pad aren't sufficient

It needs to be able to do headers / footers, and not to have a spellchecker...?

Unless you can configure Word / Open office or something, or some other program

Any questions just ask

Thanks

Emphacy · 16 Dec 2010 at 14:57

Is it possible for you just to install the shell of Microsoft Word? With none of the optional extras?

You can however remove the proofing tools in some versions of microsoft word.
If you go through the program directory and look for msspell3.dll and rename it to msspell3.dll.old or something, this should work

I'm not sure if this works for all versions of word, it's worth a try!

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:20

Emphacy said:
Is it possible for you just to install the shell of Microsoft Word? With none of the optional extras?

You can however remove the proofing tools in some versions of microsoft word.
If you go through the program directory and look for msspell3.dll and rename it to msspell3.dll.old or something, this should work

I'm not sure if this works for all versions of word, it's worth a try!

Would there be a list where it shows what dll's do what? Might be an option...depends on licensing i guess

PhillyDee · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:21

You may be able to add/remove it in the features of word?

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:25

PhillyDee said:
You may be able to add/remove it in the features of word?

Aye just looking in the add/remove programs part, then i'll test it

Although I just crossed out the grammar thing and its the same...hmm

MikeHunt79 · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:36

Notepad++

PhillyDee · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:42

I think they need a WYSIWYG editor, and does notepad++ do headers and footers? I use it for code but thats all!

Emphacy · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:43

Would there be a list where it shows what dll's do what? Might be an option...depends on licensing i guess

Why would you need to know what all the other .dll files do?
msspell3.dll is the only dll file that effects the spell checker, renaming the file with a .old extension will stop word from using it.

It wouldn't affect licenceing or anything, and you could quite easilly put it back to normal by removing the .old extension from the file, and it'll work again.

EASY.

Fourstar · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:45

What format do these documents need to be saved in?

Presumably as you need headers/footers they will not be plain text.

Fourstar · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:49

Emphacy said:
It wouldn't affect licenceing or anything, and you could quite easilly put it back to normal by removing the .old extension from the file, and it'll work again.

EASY.

Quite easy to put back in the middle of an exam also..

Is there really no guidance from the school/university/exam board?

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:09

Emphacy said:
Why would you need to know what all the other .dll files do?
msspell3.dll is the only dll file that effects the spell checker, renaming the file with a .old extension will stop word from using it.

It wouldn't affect licenceing or anything, and you could quite easilly put it back to normal by removing the .old extension from the file, and it'll work again.

EASY.

Easy, however I just searched for that file on my system with word 2007 installed and cannot find it

I asked for others as things like Thesaurus shouldnt be used either I am guessing, etc etc

I only mentioned licensing as im not sure what our license is with regards to having word installed on anoter 30 odd systems

Fourstar said:
Quite easy to put back in the middle of an exam also..

Is there really no guidance from the school/university/exam board?

We are the School

And they wont be able to put it back as the systems are all locked down

Just installed Notepad++, you can remove the spellchecker, however im looking for the header footer option

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:19

Oh...we alos cant use word apparently because an old IT guy here thinks a certain student can get around the word spell checker 'bodge'....Which I think is a load of tosh to be honest

PhillyDee · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:26

Delvis said:
Oh...we alos cant use word apparently because an old IT guy here thinks a certain student can get around the word spell checker 'bodge'....Which I think is a load of tosh to be honest

In that case monitor the student with VNC. That will tell you

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:28

PhillyDee said:
In that case monitor the student with VNC. That will tell you

Nah, far too much effort...anyway, the laptop wont even be networked

Quire frankly, i'd bodge word, and lock the systems down, like they already are...Then no one else can even adjust the files or even view them for that matter

paradigm · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:42

Install Abiword.

Make sure you only install the base program and untick everything else.

Job done, and looks and feels close enough to Word 2003 for people to not get lost.

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:43

paradigm said:
Install Abiword.

Make sure you only install the base program and untick everything else.

Job done, and looks and feels close enough to Word 2003 for people to not get lost.

I'll have a look thanks

Delvis · 16 Dec 2010 at 17:09

paradigm said:
Install Abiword.

Make sure you only install the base program and untick everything else.

Job done, and looks and feels close enough to Word 2003 for people to not get lost.

Hello

Seems to be good actually

Thank you

I've forwarded it on to see if the boss etc thinks its sufficient...You can ask the program to spell check still (After not installing it) However it does not find anything wrong