Dictionary

[chucky]

Hi,

could anyone please tell me, what data format does the Dictionary app in Tiger use and if the users will be able to add their own dictionary entries?

I currently work on a dictionary app and would like to make it compatible with Dictionary that comes with Tiger.

Thanks.

 

[laurris]

Hello chucky,

In 8A393, files used by dictionary app are in fact packages. I had a look inside it and there is a file called dict_body. It' s XML but without root element.
All entries are like this:

<o:ent xmlns:o="http://oup.dataformat.com/doc/OUP_DTD_Dictionary.html" sortkey="a" url="x3684931">
   <o:hwGrp>
      <o:hw>a</o:hw>
      <o:vhw>an</o:vhw>
   </o:hwGrp>
   <o:SB url="x3684934">
      <o:sense url="x3684932" status="Active">
         <o:xrefGrp>
            <o:xref>See note below.</o:xref>
         </o:xrefGrp>
      </o:sense>
   </o:SB>
   <o:specialFeature url="x3684933" type="usage_notes">
      <o:oup_head>a, an</o:oup_head>
      <o:oup_body>
         <o:paragraph>The indefinite article <o:render as="italic">a</o:render> is used before words beginning with a consonant sound, including /y/ and /w/ sounds. The other form, <o:render as="italic">an</o:render>, is used before words beginning with a vowel sound. Since the sound rather than the letter controls, it's not unusual to find <o:render>a</o:render> before a vowel or <o:render>an</o:render> before a consonant. Hence: <o:render>a European country</o:render>, <o:render>a one-year term</o:render>, <o:render>an FBI agent</o:render>, <o:render>an MBA degree</o:render>.</o:paragraph>
       </o:oup_body>
   </o:specialFeature>
</o:ent>

This is the first element in the file. Is it a known XML schema ?

It would be great to write an app to convert to this format files used for the dict protocol (dict.org). this way, you could read all sort of dictionaries in dictionary.app.