NAME

SYNOPSIS

    use Lingua::EN::Squeeze;              # import only function
    use Lingua::EN::Squeeze qw( :ALL );   # import all functions and variables
    use English;                          # to use readable variable names

    while (<>) {
        print "Original: $_\n";
        print "Squeezed: ", SqueezeText(lc $_), "\n";
    }

    #  Or you can use object oriented interface

    $squeeze = Lingua::EN::Squeeze->new();

    while (<>) {
        print "Original: $_\n";
        print "Squeezed: ", $squeeze->SqueezeText(lc $_);
    }

DESCRIPTION

Warning: Each line is processed multiple times, so prepare for slow conversion time

You can use this module e.g. to preprocess text before it is sent to electronic media that has some maximum text size limit. For example pagers have an arbitrary text size limit, typically around 200 characters, which you want to fill as much as possible. Alternatively you may have GSM cellular phone which is capable of receiving Short Messages (SMS), whose message size limit is 160 characters. For demonstration of this module's SqueezeText() function, this paragraph's conversion result is presented below. See yourself if it's readable (Yes, it takes some time to get used to). The compression ratio is typically 30-40%

    u _n use thi mod e.g. to prprce txt bfre i_s snt to
    elrnic mda has som max txt siz lim. f_xmple pag
    hv  abitry txt siz lim, tpcly 200 chr, W/ u wnt
    to fll as mch as psbleAlternatvly u may hv GSM cllar P8
    w_s cpble of rcivng Short msg (SMS), WS/ msg siz
    lim is 160 chr. 4 demonstrton of thi mods SquezText
    fnc ,  dsc txt of thi prgra has ben cnvd_ blow
    See uself if i_s redble (Yes, it tak som T to get usdto
    compr rat is tpcly 30-40

And if $SQZ_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL is set to non-zero

    u_nUseThiModE.g.ToPrprceTxtBfreI_sSntTo
    elrnicMdaHasSomMaxTxtSizLim.F_xmplePag
    hvAbitryTxtSizLim,Tpcly200Chr,W/UWnt
    toFllAsMchAsPsbleAlternatvlyUMayHvGSMCllarP8
    w_sCpbleOfRcivngShortMsg(SMS),WS/MsgSiz
    limIs160Chr.4DemonstrtonOfThiModsSquezText
    fnc,DscTxtOfThiPrgraHasBenCnvd_Blow
    SeeUselfIfI_sRedble(Yes,ItTakSomTToGetUsdto
    comprRatIsTpcly30-40

The comparision of these two show

    Original text   : 627 characters
    Level 0         : 433 characters    reduction 31 %
    Level 1         : 345 characters    reduction 45 %  (+14% improvement)

There are few grammar rules which are used to shorten some English tokens considerably:

    Word that has _ is usually a verb

    Word that has / is usually a substantive, noun,
                    pronomine or other non-verb

Read following substituting tokens in order to understand the basics of converted text. Hopefully, the text is not pure Geek code (tm) to you after some practice. In Geek code (Like G++L--J) you would need an external parser to understand it. Here some common sense and time is needed to adapt oneself to the compressed format. For a complete up to date list, you would be better off peeking the source code

    automatically => 'acly_'

    for           => 4
    for him       => 4h
    for her       => 4h
    for them      => 4t
    for those     => 4t

    can           => _n
    does          => _s

    it is         => i_s
    that is       => t_s
    which is      => w_s
    that are      => t_r
    which are     => w_r

    less          => -/
    more          => +/
    most          => ++

    however       => h/ver
    think         => thk_

    useful        => usful

    you           => u
    your          => u/
    you'd         => u/d
    you'll        => u/l
    they          => t/
    their         => t/r

    will          => /w
    would         => /d
    with          => w/
    without       => w/o
    which         => W/
    whose         => WS/

Time is expressed with big letters

    time          => T
    minute        => MIN
    second        => SEC
    hour          => HH
    day           => DD
    month         => MM
    year          => YY

Other big letter acronyms, think 8 to represent the speaker and the microphone.

    phone         => P8

EXAMPLES

    use English;
    use Squeeze qw( :ALL );

    my %myExtraWordHash =
    (
          new-word1  => 'conversion1'
        , new-word2  => 'conversion2'
        , new-word3  => 'conversion3'
        , new-word4  => 'conversion4'
    );

    #   First take the existing tables and merge them with the above
    #   translation table

    my %mySustomWordHash =
    (
          %SQZ_WXLATE_HASH
        , %SQZ_WXLATE_EXTRA_HASH
        , %myExtraWordHash
    );

    my $myXlat = 0;                             # state flag

    while (<>)
    {
        if ( $condition )
        {
            SqueezeHashSet \%mySustomWordHash;  # Use MY conversions
            $myXlat = 1;
        }

        if ( $myXlat and $condition )
        {
            SqueezeHashSet "reset";             # Back to default table
            $myXlat = 0;
        }

        print SqueezeText $ARG;
    }

Similarly you can redefine the multi word translation table by supplying another hash reference in call to SqueezeHashSet(). To kill more text immediately in addition to default, just concatenate regexps to variable $SQZ_ZAP_REGEXP

KNOWN BUGS

    use English;
    use Lingua::EN:Squeeze;

    #   Activate debug when case-insensitive word "Messages" is found from
    #   the line.

    SqueezeDebug( 1, '(?i)Messages' );

    $ARG = "This line has some Messages in it";
    print SqueezeText $ARG;

EXPORTABLE VARIABLES

INTERFACE FUNCTIONS

SEE ALSO

• Lingua::EN::Contraction will contract English phrases, converting "I am" to "I'm", and suchlike.
• Lingua::EN::Fathom measures the readability of English text.
• Lingua::Stem can stem text in a range of natural languages, including English.

AVAILABILITY

AUTHOR

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This is free software, licensed under:

  The GNU General Public License, Version 2, June 1991

You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of GNU General Public License v2 or later.