Co:Writer SOLO Help Sheet - Co:Writer for Neo and Topic Dictionaries
by Penny McCulloch
Co:Writer, the powerful word prediction program so useful for students who struggle with writing, is available for the Neo portable notetaker. It comes in the form of a Smart Applet, an application that is loaded into the Neo from your computer. Co:Writer for Neo is a separate program and it comes on a separate CD to the one that you would use to install Co:Writer SOLO on your computer.
Topic Dictionaries
Co:Writer for Neo has a default dictionary of words that it draws on when the writer types. Topic dictionaries are used to provide writers with topic-specific words they need when they are engaging in a writing task.
Selecting a readymade Topic Dictionary to send to your Neo
Co:Writer for Neo has a number of readymade topic dictionaries that can be found in the following file path once the CD has been installed on your computer C:DonJohnstonCoWriter for NeoTopic SelectorUKTopics.
To load one or more of these topic dictionaries, follow these steps.
- Make sure you have NEO Manager and Co:Writer for Neo (UK version) installed on your computer.
- Attach the Neo to the computer and wait until you receive a confirmation message on your Neo indicating that it is attached to the PC and emulating the keyboard.
- Go to Start, All Programs, Co:Writer for Neo. To select one or more topic dictionaries to send to your Neo, click on Topic Selector. Double click on its icon if you have it on your desktop.
- Click on Select and Load Topics to view the available list of readymade dictionaries.
- You may select up to five dictionaries from the displayed list. To see the words and some additional details about the dictionary select a title, then click on Show Description. You are not able to edit the words from here.
- Click OK. You will be asked to run the CW_TopicInstall.acf file from the AlphaSmart Manager. Click OK.
- Close the Topic Selector window.
- Open the AlphaSmart Manager either from a desktop icon or by going to Start, All Programs.
- Go to Edit, Preferences.
Make sure that you have the box ticked beside the option Replace SmartApplets on device with SmartApplets from computer. Click OK.
- From the AlphaSmart Manager window, go to File, then Open Send List.
- Select CW_TopicInstall.acf then Open.
- Select the Send List tab then click on Send.
- Wait for a message indicating that the send list was sent to the AlphaSmart USB successfully. This may take a few minutes as the process essentially uninstalls existing settings on the Neo, then reinstalls the modified list of applications and settings.
- Unplug the Neo from the computer.
Selecting a Topic Dictionary once the files have been sent
- Turn your Neo on.
- Make sure Co:Writer is active on your device. You can do this in several ways: by either pressing the tab or + keys or by pressing the Applets key, arrowing down to CoWriter and pressing Enter.
- Select the Home key to see all the Co:Writer options. Choose Topic Dictionary.
- Arrow down to the name of the topic dictionary you want to use, then press the Enter key.
- Start typing, making sure Co:Writer is active.
When you select a topic dictionary, you will be using the main prediction dictionary as well as the topic dictionary loaded into the Neo.
Creating and sending your own customised topic dictionaries to the Neo
To create your own topic dictionary, you need to have the separate Co:Writer SOLO program installed on your computer. It is not possible to create topic dictionaries within the Co:Writer for Neo program. Once you have created a new topic dictionary within Co:Writer SOLO, you can then send it to the Neo.
Copy your Topic Dictionary file (it ends in .cwz) from the original location to the Co:Writer for Neo location for Topic Dictionaries on your computer (C:DonJohnstonCoWriter for NeoTopic SelectorUKTopics).
Send to the Neo as per previous instructions – and your customised topic specific words will appear as you type!
See also Help Sheet on How to Create a Topic Dictionary within Co:Writer SOLO