Enter Synonyms

To enter synonyms, you must first choose which synonym file to use. Beginners should use the default synonym file, nborbis.syn. Once you are familiar with using synonyms, you might want to have different synonym files for each textbase, or even more than one synonym file for each textbase.

Next, you must choose a headword and a list of synonyms that will be found when you search for the headword. If you would like the headword to be one of the words found in your search, you should include it in the list of synonyms. For example, if you would like to search for +Obama (i.e., headword is "Obama") and find all instances of either "Barak" or "Obama," then your headword should be "Obama," and your synonyms should be both "Obama" and "Barak" (all entered without the quotes). You may choose to use a headword that is not one of your synonyms. For example, the headword "degrees" could be used to search for BA, MA, PhD, etc. An asterisk can be used at the end of a synonym to indicate that all words that start with the specified letters should be found. For example, the synonym "universit*" would include "university" and "universities."

1	Click Edit, Synonym List. Nota Bene will open the Orbis Synonym Files dialog with the most recently selected synonym file active. If you have not previously worked with synonym files, the default synonym file will be nborbis.syn in your Users\Default folder.

2	Click on the synonym list you wish to edit and then click the Edit button at the bottom of the dialog. The Orbis Synonym Files Edit dialog will open.

3	There are two blank boxes in the middle of the dialog. In the smaller box on the left, enter the headword. In the larger box, enter the synonyms, with each word separated by one space.

4	Click Add. The headword and synonyms will be displayed in the box at the bottom of the dialog.

5	Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each headword that you want to add.

If you prefer, you can open and edit the synonym file directly with Nota Bene. Headwords and synonyms can be entered directly into the file (e.g., into nborbis.syn). Enter the headword first, followed by a tab, then synonyms with one space between each word and finally, a hard return after the final synonym. Thus, the format is as follows:

The next headword starts on the next line. There is no limit to the number of headwords you can include in a synonym file, and no limit to the number of synonyms you can link to the headword. Be careful, as you are editing the file, to use exactly the format specified above. Do not enter any embedded commands (no formatting, labels, annotations, notes, etc.).