Changing clues in a crossword without changing the layout

Currently, when you change the clues in a saved crossword puzzle, EclipseCrossword will rebuild the layout of the puzzle.  There is no way to get around this.  However, there is a workaround you can use if you really want to do this.

This procedure is intended for advanced users.

Make a backup copy of your crossword puzzle file

These instructions, if followed incorrectly, can cause EclipseCrossword to no longer be able to open your crossword puzzle file.  We recommend making a backup copy of your file before you start.

1. Find your crossword puzzle on your computer and click on it to select it.
2. Press Ctrl+C to copy it.
3. Press Ctrl+V to paste it to the same folder.

You should end up with two copies of the file.  One will be named something like "Copy of My Crossword" or "My Crossword - Copy".  That's your backup copy.  If you don't make a backup and then later make a mistake so that EclipseCrossword can't open the file anymore, you'd need to correct the problem in Notepad, which can be difficult.

Open your crossword puzzle in Notepad

Notepad is a text editor that comes with Windows.  You'll use it to make changes to your puzzle file.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type "notepad" and press Enter.
   • On extremely old versions of Windows, instead click All Programs, then Accessories, then Notepad.
3. In the Notepad window, click the File menu and then Open.
4. In the Files of Type dropdown list, choose All files.
5. Now, find your crossword puzzle file on your computer and Open it.

The puzzle will look something like this (trimmed down for readability):

; EclipseCrossword (1.x.x) crossword puzzle
Title: Sample puzzle
Width: 5
Height: 5

* Across words
; ------------------------------------------------------------
HAT: 2, 3: headgear

* Down words
; ------------------------------------------------------------
CAT: 3, 2: feline

Making the changes to your clues

Now, you can change the clues for any of the words in your puzzle.  Be sure not to change the formatting of the line—if you remove a colon, for example, EclipseCrossword won't be able to read that word and clue anymore, and you may break your puzzle.

For example, you could change the clue for "HAT" to be "chapeau."

You can change as many clues as you'd like.  Don't change the words, though.  If you need to change the words, you should do it in EclipseCrossword and let the software build a new puzzle layout for you.  For example, in the above example crossword, the words "HAT" and "CAT" intersect in the middle at the letter "A".  What happens if you change CAT to DOG?  Suddenly, one word says that the middle letter is "O" and one says it's "A".  This is all very confusing to EclipseCrossword.

Once you're all done, open the File menu and click Save to save your changes.  Then, double-click on your crossword file to open it in EclipseCrossword and see how it looks. 

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Keywords: how can I change my puzzle's clues or correct spelling errors and typos without rebuilding the whole layout?