function stream = text2stream(string)
  % Converts a charachter array to a array of integer corresponding to
  % the letters and spaces in the string.
  table = zeros(1,256);
  table('a':'z')=1:26;
  table('A':'Z')=1:26;
  table(double(' '))=27;
  % German special chars
  table([214,220,223,228,233,246,253]) = table(double('ousaeou'));
  % Spanish special chars
  table([225,233,237,241,243,250]) = table(double('aeinou'));
  % Portuguese special chars
  table([192,193,201,205,218,224,225,226,227,231,232,233,234,237,243,244, ...
	 245,246,250,252]) = table(double('aaeiuaaaaceeeioooouu'));
  % Italian special chars
  table([200,201,224,232,233,236,242,249]) = table(double('eeaeeiou'));
  [dummy,dummy,stream] = find(table(double(string)));
  