The check command is available since the release of WebSpellChecker 5.5.4x in October 2019. It combines all available check types (spelling and grammar) of text in a single command.

Command name: check

Here is a list of all possible parameters and values that can be used with the check command.

The list of parameters can be used and available only when spelling check is enabled. These parameters are marked with yellow color.

#ParameterPossible ValuesDefault ValueDescription
1format
  • json
  • xml
jsonThe response format for output data.
2callback
  • callback function name

A callback function name that will be used to manipulate with the JSON data received from the server. Such approach enables sharing of data bypassing same-origin policy. It can be used only along with “format=json”.
3text
  • plain text

A piece of text which will be sent for check. The text has to be in the UTF-8 encoding. Any found tags in the text will be interpreted as plain text as well.

Avoid using # and & symbols in the text.
4tokens
  • Array of strings, e.g. ["This is a sentence number 1.", "This is a sentence number 2."]

A piece of text separated in tokens that will be sent for check. The text should be presented as an array of strings. Right now each string is a token which equals one sentence.

You can use either tokens or text at a time in a request. However, using text is more common.

5langen_USA short code of a language which will be used for check.
6disable_spelling
  • true
  • false
falseDisable the check text for spelling errors.
7disable_grammar
  • true
  • false
falseDisable the check text for grammar and style problems.
8user_dictionary
  • user dictionary name (e.g. testdict)

A user dictionary name which will be used during spell checking.

9user_wordlist
  • additional wordlist

The list of additional comma-separated words which will be used for spell checking.

10custom_dictionary
  • custom dictionary IDs (e.g. 100694)

Global custom dictionary ID(s) which can be used during spell checking.

Each new Dictionary on the creation obtains its unique Dictionary ID. Depending on the type of the version of product you are using, refer to Cloud or Server guides respectively.

11ignore_all_caps
  • 0 – Do not ignore all words written in capital letters (e.g. UPPERCASE). 
  • 1 – Ignore all words written in capital letters.
0

Ignore capitalized words.

12ignore_words_with_numbers
  • 0 – Do not ignore words that contain numbers (e.g. Number1).
  • 1 – Ignore words that contain numbers.
0

Ignore words containing numbers.

13ignore_mixed_case
  • 0 – Do not ignore words with mixed case letters (e.g. MixedCase).
  • 1 – Ignore words with mixed case letters.
0

Ignore words written with mixed case letters.

14ignore_domain_names
  • 0 – Do not ignore web addresses that start with either “www”, “http:” or “https:” and end with a domain name.
  • 1 – Ignore web addresses and domain names.
0

Ignore domain names, web addresses.

15min_word_length
  • minimal number of letters in a word to be checked
3

The minimal number of letters in the word which will be checked for spelling. E.g. if 3 is specified, the words with 2 letters and less will be ignored.

16custom_punctuation
  • string of chars (e.g. “-“)
-

A list of characters that should be considered as delimiters during spelling check.

17short_answer
  • true
  • false
false

Shorten every static string JSON key name, like messages or type down to its first character, for example: 

  • m - matches, message
  • o - offset
  • l - length
  • t - type
  • r - rule
  • s - suggestions
18customerid
  • your-service-id value

A special service ID value (activation key) that has to be passed to a request query. It's obtained upon subscription to the Cloud services (paid or trial).

Applicable only for the Cloud version.

19auto_lang_priorities{"en":"en_US", "es":"es_ES"}

Priority of language dialect for auto-detected language code. For example, of auto-detect returns "en", then American English will be used as a language for check.
20disable_style_guide
  • true
  • false
falseDisabling style guide functionality starting WebSpellChecker v.5.29.0.0
21disabled_rules
  • array
[]
Disabling specific grammar rules IDs starting WebSpellChecker v.5.29.0.0
22disabled_categories
  • array

[]

Disabling specific grammar rules categories starting WebSpellChecker v.5.29.0.0
23enforce_ai
  • true
  • false

false

To replace the classic algorithmic engines with an AI-powered engine starting WebSpellChecker v.5.25.0.0. It only works along with American, British, Canadian and Australian English.

Response Structure

The result is an array of objects which contains matches, where matches is also an array of objects consisting of attribute-value pairs.

The table below represents the following attribute-value pairs:

AttributeTypeValueDescription
typestring
  • spelling
  • grammar
Type of the problem found.
offsetnumber
Start position of a problem found in a sentence/text; start position value here equals '0'’.
lengthnumber
The length of offset from the beginning of the error; offset here is the beginning of error related to sentence/text plus the length of the error. 
udboolean
  • true

True if a misspelled word is present in a user dictionary. This attribute-value pair is used to indicate the application not to underline the word in UI.

suggestionsarray of strings
Suggested corrections for spelling, grammar or style problem.
rulestring
A short description of the problem by rule; available only for type 'grammar'.
messagestring
Description of the problem; available only for type 'grammar'.
Type: Spelling
{
    "result": [
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "spelling",
                    "offset": X1,
                    "length": Y1,
					"ud": true,
                    "suggestions": ["..."]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
Type: Grammar
{
    "result": [
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "grammar",
                    "offset": X2,
                    "length": Y2,
                    "rule": "...",
                    "message": "...",
                    "suggestions": ["..."]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Example 1.1 [GET]: Check request for American English text with all available check types (output in JSON)

Request URL (GET): 
http(s)://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=check&text=this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.&lang=en_US&format=json&customerid=[your-service-id]

Parameters:

  • Command: check

  • Text: this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.

  • Language: en_US

  • Format: json

Request response:

{
    "result": [
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "spelling",
                    "offset": 5,
                    "length": 5,
                    "suggestions": [
                        "sample",
                        "sampled",
                        "sampler",
                        "samples",
                        "ample",
                        "amply",
                        "scamp",
                        "stamp"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "type": "grammar",
                    "offset": 0,
                    "length": 4,
                    "rule": "UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START",
                    "message": "This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter",
                    "suggestions": [
                        "This"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Example 1.2 [GET]: Check request for American English text with all available check types (output in XML)

Request URL (GET): 
http(s)://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=check&text=this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.&lang=en_US&format=xml&customerid=[your-service-id]

Parameters:

  • Command: check
  • Text: this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.
  • Language: en_US
  • Format: xml

Request response:

<result>
	<result>
		<matches>
			<matches>
				<type>spelling</type>
				<offset>5</offset>
				<length>5</length>
				<suggestions>
					<suggestions>sample</suggestions>
					<suggestions>sampled</suggestions>
					<suggestions>sampler</suggestions>
					<suggestions>samples</suggestions>
					<suggestions>ample</suggestions>
					<suggestions>amply</suggestions>
					<suggestions>scamp</suggestions>
					<suggestions>stamp</suggestions>
				</suggestions>
			</matches>
			<type>grammar</type>
			<offset>0</offset>
			<length>4</length>
			<rule>UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START</rule>
			<message>This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter</message>
			<suggestions>
				<suggestions>This</suggestions>
			</suggestions>
		</matches>
	</result>
</result>

Example 1.3 [GET]: Check request for American English text as two tokens with all available check types (output in JSON)

Request URL (GET): 
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=check&tokens=["this sampl text.", " It demonstrate the work of the Web API service."]&lang=en_US&customerid=[your-service-id]

Parameters:

  • Command: check

  • Tokens: ["this sampl text.", " It demonstrate the work of the Web API service."]

  • Language: en_US

  • Format: json

Request response:

{
    "result": [
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "spelling",
                    "offset": 5,
                    "length": 5,
                    "suggestions": [
                        "sample",
                        "sampled",
                        "sampler",
                        "samples",
                        "ample",
                        "amply",
                        "scamp",
                        "stamp"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "type": "grammar",
                    "offset": 0,
                    "length": 4,
                    "rule": "UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START",
                    "message": "This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter",
                    "suggestions": [
                        "This"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "grammar",
                    "offset": 4,
                    "length": 11,
                    "rule": "IT_VBZ",
                    "message": "Did you mean demonstrates?",
                    "suggestions": [
                        "demonstrates"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Example 1.4 [GET]: Check request for American English text as two tokens with all available check types and shorntened response (output in JSON)

Request URL (GET): 
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=check&tokens=["this sampl text.", " It demonstrate the work of the Web API service."]&lang=en_US&short_answer=true&customerid=[your-service-id]

Parameters:

  • Command: check

  • Tokens: ["this sampl text.", " It demonstrate the work of the Web API service."]

  • Language: en_US

  • Format: json

  • Short Answer: true

Request response:

{
    "r": [
        {
            "m": [
                {
                    "t": "spelling",
                    "o": 5,
                    "l": 5,
                    "s": [
                        "sample",
                        "sampled",
                        "sampler",
                        "samples",
                        "ample",
                        "amply",
                        "scamp",
                        "stamp"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "t": "grammar",
                    "o": 0,
                    "l": 4,
                    "r": "UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START",
                    "m": "This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter",
                    "s": [
                        "This"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "m": [
                {
                    "t": "grammar",
                    "o": 4,
                    "l": 11,
                    "r": "IT_VBZ",
                    "m": "Did you mean demonstrates?",
                    "s": [
                        "demonstrates"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Example 1.4 [POST]: Check request for American English text with all available check types (output in JSON)

Here we use the same request and parameters as described in example 1.1 but form it as a POST request.

Request URL (POST): 
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?
Body (Raw): 
cmd=check&text=this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.&lang=en_US&format=json&customerid=[your-service-id]

Request response:

{
    "result": [
        {
            "matches": [
                {
                    "type": "spelling",
                    "offset": 5,
                    "length": 5,
                    "suggestions": [
                        "sample",
                        "sampled",
                        "sampler",
                        "samples",
                        "ample",
                        "amply",
                        "scamp",
                        "stamp"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "type": "grammar",
                    "offset": 0,
                    "length": 4,
                    "rule": "UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START",
                    "message": "This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter",
                    "suggestions": [
                        "This"
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Example 1.5 [POST]: Check request for text with the auto-detected language (output in JSON)

In this POST type request, we use “auto” as a value for language and define the priorities for the language dialects. If “en” is detected, then AI-based English will be used during check request.

Request URL (POST): 
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?
Body (Raw): 
cmd=check&text=this sampl text demonstrates the work of the Web API service.&lang=auto&format=json&customerid=[your-service-id]&auto_lang_priorities={"en":"en_AI"}