mDictionary Multilingual Dictionary

mDictionary Multilingual Dictionary has been built with three modules, dependant of each other: mDictionary (internal application management), mDictionaryGui (graphical user interface) and mDictionaryPlugins (parsing engines). Since mDictionary 1.0 has been released, they are placed in one package - mDictionary.

In order to install our application make the following steps:

• Download the binary package from mDictionary website - download section
• Open the file manager and double click on downloaded file.
• A window will pop up notifying, you that the packages haven't been verified by Nokia. In order to install the dictionary you will have to ignore these warnings.

or if you are using OS2006 or OS2007 just simply click INSTALL from mDictionary webpage. If you are using OS2008 see How to... section of mDictionary webpage

During an installation process you will be asked for pointing the location where mDictionary should be placed in an application menu. The default location is Extra submenu.

If the installation process is completed you can start using your mDictionary!

To run application simply click mDictionary activator from your Task Navigator and enjoy the pleasure!

mDictionary gives user a possibility to explore a different kinds of dictionary files. You can use a couple of them at the same time or load them into the mDictionary application and keep them in case they are useful. So far there are two engines implemented, which allow for use of XDXF and StarDict dictionaries.

The Dictionaries Submenu

• Load dictionary

If you want to load a new dictionary file to your mDictionary you have to download and unpack proper files first. If you don't have any files with dictionaries you can find some here. After you have unpacked files, please create a folder with a proper name on your device and put there dictionary files. It is strongly recommended to put files into a folder with a name of the dictionary. Without that your mDictionary cannot work properly.
If you have finished the steps above, run mDictionary and choose Load dicionary from Dictionaries submenu in application menu.

Developers laid on compatibility mDictionary with various file types. mDictionary can load a dictionary from .xdxf files, .idx, .dict.dz or .ifo (StarDict files) or even .tar.bz2.

Dialog window for loading a new dictionary file


• Select dicionaries

There is possibility to use more than one dictionary at the same time. To do this, you just have to choose Select dictionaries from Dictionaries submenu and tick the dictionaries, which you would like to search in.

Anytime, you can select Bookmarks as an active dictionary as well. Than you will be able to search, not only in XDXF or StarDict dictionaries, but also in your own, Bookmark database.

Dialog window for selecting active dictionaries


• Remove dictionaries

If you decide that you don't need one of the dictionaries anymore, you can delete it from the application. It is a very easy process, but it does not mean, that a dictionary file will be erased from your device.

To remove a loaded dictionary from your mDictionary, please open Dictionaries submenu from an Application Menu and choose Remove Dictionaries. The special dialog window will pop up and lead you through the removing process step by step.

Dialog window for removing dictionaries


• Optimize dictionaries

If you load a new XDXF dictionary file, it is a good idea to optimize it. It means, that a special cache file will be created in order to make searching much faster. After loading a dictionary file you will be asked whether to optimize a new dictionary or not. If you decide not to optimize it, there is always a possibility to do this later. By choosing Optimize dictionaries from Dictionaries submenu you can check which dictionaries have not been optimized or simply optmize them.
There is no possibility to optimize StarDict dictionaries due to a special mechanism, which is build in StarDict dictionaries (enabling this option for StarDict dictionaries does not change anything).

• Open/Close Bookmarks

Bookmarks have been provided to make user feel more comfortable with the application. This module works very similar to the bookmarks which can be seen in any Web Browser application. Bookmarks are treated in the same way as other dictionaries. You can browse them anytime, search in, add or remove words.

When you choose Open bookmarks from Bookmarks submenu, application will switch into a bookmarks mode. Than you can browse bookmarks. If you perform a search, you will only see the words which have been found. If you want to reload list of all words from bookmarks, simply type * (asterisk) into the find toolbar textbox and start a search. You can use wildcards as well.

The Bookmarks submenu



If you want to leave bookmark mode choose Close bookmark from Boomarks menu.


• Add Bookmark

To add a word to the bookmarks, select it from the words list and choose Add bookmark from Bookmarks submenu or from the context sensitive menu.

Adding bookmark


• Remove Bookmark

To remove a word from bookmarks, you have to switch into Bookmark mode (Open bookmark). Then select a word from words list which you would like to remove and choose Remove bookmark from Bookmarks submenu.

Removing bookmark



Bookmarks have been implemented using Berkley DB. In case of any problems with Bookmarks (i.e. Bookmark's menu is dimmed, or note about error is displayed) please double check berkley db package presence on your device.

mDictionary gives user a wide range of possibilities to use clipboard. You can not only copy translation to the clipboard and use it in another application but also paste a text from the clipboard into a find toolbar textbox so that searching is easier than ever!

The Edit submenu

• Copy please ...

If you want to copy selected text from translation area simply choose Copy from Edit submenu in application menu or in context sensitive menu.

• Paste

If you want to paste a text from the clipboard into a find toolbar textbox choose Paste from Edit submenu in application menu or in context sensitive menu.

• Could you select this text for me?

It is very easy to select text in the translation area. Please, double tap on a word which you want to select (one word will be selected) or use double tap and drag to select any text.

You can also use Select All option from Edit submenu in application on context senstitive menu. This option allows for selecting the whole translation.

mDictionary provides couple of different views so that user can feel comfortable and choose the one that fits the best.

The View submenu

• Translation only!

There is possibility to hide words list anytime user wants. To do this, click green arrow in a left corner or choose Hide words list from View submenu in application menu.

Words list is hidden


• Magnifying ...

Sometimes font in translation area is too small to read it. In that case you can use Zoom in option. You can call it from View submenu in application menu, from context sensitive menu or just simply use hardware keys. If you don't want to magnify text anymore, choose Zoom out

• Fullscreen mode

mDictionary can work in two modes: normal and fullscreen. By default, mDictionary runs in normal mode. Anytime you can switch it into fullscreen mode by choosing Fullscreen option from View submenu or by using hardware keys.

• History

mDictionary provides a search history. It means than anytime you select a word on a words list and call for translation of the word, it is added to the history. Than, you can browse it. History stores your previous search results. It is a very useful feature, similar to the browser.

To go to the previously found word you have to choose Find previous option from Search submenu. It is dimmed if there are no words in the history. If you are browsing history, and you decide to go forward - choose Find next from Search submenu. It is dimmed if there are no words available as well.

You can also choose buttons from a find toolbar, instead of using application menu. Green arrows placed between search and stop button are appropriately back and forward in the history.

• Search a word

To start searching process you have to call search function. There are two possibilities to do this. After you type a pattern into a find toolbar entry, click a Search button places on a toolbar (next to the entry). You can also go to the application menu and choose Find from Search submenu. Finally, you can use harware key ("Go").

• Stop!

If a search process takes too long or you made mistake in a pattern, you can stop searching process. Click Stop button on a toolbar or Stop option from Search submenu.

If you want to use context sensitive menu, please tap and hold your stylus in the translation area. If you are running mDictionary under Scratchbox, you can use left or right mouse click and hold.

Context Sensitive Menu

You can click About ... in application menu to learn some details about mDictionary.

About Dialog

If you want more informations, please visit mDictionary's website or see mDictionary project on garage.maemo.org.

You don't want to use mDictionary anymore? Choose Close from application menu or just simple click on a cross in the right corner. It will close an application and remember your current preferences for mDictionary.

Closing application

If you are sure, you are not going to use mDictionary in the future and you want to remove mDictionary from your device forever, you can unistall an application.

Uninstalling mDictionary can be performed using the Application Manager. Enter the Show Installed Applications item and uninstall the mDictionary package.