Customizing Error Alerts

As you type, Spell Catcher watches for various different kinds of errors-spelling, capitalization, punctuation, shorthands, and repeated words, as described in "What's an Error?" at the beginning of this chapter. In fact, Spell Catcher can make a different beep sound for each of these kinds of errors.

• Error type: To specify which of your Mac's built-in sounds Spell Catcher should use for each kind of error, click the Error Type on the left side of the Preferences window and then click the corresponding sound from the list on the right side. (Note that some of the sounds in the list, such as "Capitalization" and "Double Word," aren't built-in Mac sounds-they're special Spell Catcher sounds, a voice speaking these words, such as "Misspelling!")

• Volume: Using this slider, you can also specify how loud each sound should be.
• Mute: Select this checkbox to make Spell Catcher silent. From now on, when Spell Catcher detects an error, it will not notify you. That's a handy option when, for example, you're about to take your laptop into a meeting and would rather not alarm your comrades with unnecessary beeps.
• Signal Errors: During Interactive Checking and During Check Selection. Instead of turning off Spell Catcher's beeps completely, using the Mute checkbox described above, you can use these two checkboxes for independent control over the beeping during Spell Catcher's two spell-checking modes-Interactive Checking and after-the-fact (Check Selection) checking. (When you silence Spell Catcher using the checkboxes, you get no notification at all, except for the appearance of the correction-suggestion list, if you've opted to have it appear automatically).