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Justin Ressler wonders: <<... if there is a decent program that
automatically builds/compiles a glossary or index.>>
No such thing currently exists, though if you define index entries yourself
as you write the document in Word, Word can then automatically build these
into an index. See the online help for details on how to use Word's indexing
features; they actually work quite well. What you're calling an index is
actually a "concordance" (list of words and where they appear in the
document), and Word lets you build concordances automatically (use
"concordance" as the search term in Word's online help). The problem with a
concordance is that it only shows the word (but not any synonyms), doesn't
include important cross-references, and doesn't provide any context for how
that word is being used. Since all these features are essential in a good
index, you're doing your readers a strong disservice if you only provide a
concordance*. Similarly, you can't automatically build a glossary, because
glossaries contain definitions, and unless you define each word the first
time it's mentioned, there would be no way (short of hyperlinking to an
online dictionary) for any software to create a useful glossary.
* The obvious exception is that literary and historical researchers often
need to find out every place that (say) someone's name is mentioned, and for
these workers, a concordance is very valuable indeed. For this reason,
you'll find comprehensive concordances for major literary figures (e.g.,
Shakespeare) and the Christian bible.
--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
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