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!

If you install DesktopWidget in maemo system you can use widget in desktop. Click tool button with logo of mDictionary to start application.

New version

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.

• Select and unselect dictionary

To select a dictionary from which you want to use click "dictionarys" in the top menu. You'll see a list of current dictionaries, and by the checkbox for each name you can select or unselect dictionary.

• Add dicionaries

To add new dictionary click "dictionarys" in the top menu. Click "add", select the type (eg xdxf), select the location of the dictionary and then save the settings. The new dictionary will appear in the list.

• Remove dictionary

To remove dictionary click "dictionarys" in the top menu. Click on name of dictionary you want remove, then click "delete" button. Accept change and save settings. A dictionary should disappear from the list

• Dictionary settings

Different dictionaries have to choose your own settings, for example: xdxf has the ability to optimize and avoid accents in words To change settings click "dictionarys" in the top menu. Click on name of dictionary you want change settings,then click "settings" button.

Old version

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).

New version

Add Bookmark

To add word to bookmark you have to click on the star next to name of word in the search list.

Show Bookmark

To show all word in bookmark click to "bookmark" in the top menu, and select "show all".

Remove all Bookmark

To remove all words from bookmark click "remove all" in the same pleace where was "show all".

Remove one Bookmark

If you want remove only one word from bookmark you can show all, and unselect star in the list of words

Old version

• 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!

New version

In new version operations such as copying,selecting all, searching can be used by click on the pictures in the bottom left corner of the translation

Old version

• 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.

• 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 history you can choose buttons from a find toolbar. 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 write word in find toolbar, and entry or click a Search button

• 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

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

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

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.