Dictionary for Sony PRS500/5 (autorun from SD card)

[Clemenseken]

Hi!
Like llasram, I've been busy with obelix' autorun solution:
Here is the second edition of DictioLauncher 0.7b.

*** There is a NEWLY altered versions "...7b" by =X= that's fit for larger dictionary files (=> quicker search!!!) on page 4, post #59, of this thread.
AND: there is an even NEWER version by lisak, posted on page 5 /#64, link at bottom here, that has completely rewritten code; I assume improved one (w/o having looked at it...) ***

These are the new 0.7b features:
– Found explanations for your search word are now separated correctly.
– The "Choose Dictionary" button lets you change the dictionary from the UI (your choice is saved in "dict.dat").
– Expressions that consist of several words (e.g. "New York") are displayed now completely in the "first" line; "space" can be input from keyboard.
ATTENTION: This means that in your dictionary the search word HAS to have TWO SPACES before the explanation !!! Otherwise NO WORD will be found ...

Here are the features from 0.5:
– Dictionaries can be accessed without closing your current book: by inserting the SD card the launcher just "appears" and will "disappear" after use.
– Your dictionary must be a simple ".txt" file !!!
– You can search for any word using the onscreen keyboard (use buttons 0 to 9).
– Get at different keyboard rows with "cursor-up/down" ("left/right" for model 505).
. .(It's enough to type the first letters of a word: the whole word will be displayed...)
– The "arrow" key removes letters from your input word one-by-one.
– Translation/search starts by pressing "ENTER" – To quit application press "MENU" or pull SD card out.
– The previous/next line (= word) will be displayed by pressing <page up/down> or <cursor left/right> (again: <up/down> for model 505).

DictioLauncher will check your input word against the first word of each line of your text file.
Search time varies from zero ("a...") to "quite some time" (> 3 s for "z..." in a 12,000-lines-file).

=================================================
– Included are three example dictionary files (French, Italian, Spanish; from www.freedict.com). Version 0.5 needs to have the dictionary file renamed to "dictionary.txt" and put into "software".
(Actually I found those files from freedict.com at http://www.wordgumbo.com/index.htm which has a MUCH broader assortment...)
– BUT - you may use *ANY* text file you have/find (thesaurus, to-do-list, etc.)
– Go and find dictionary files for any language you need.
– Your text file should be saved as UTF-8. Sony PRS-500/5 seems to get a "hangover" if confronted with characters like á, è, ß or even ö (o-umlaut)...
(Also the eReader does *not* like "-, *, /" at the beginning of a line while searching your input .)
=================================================

To install, extract the zip file and put "Sony Reader" onto your SD card (root); if you use version 0.5 place one of the dictionaries into "software" and rename it to "dictionary.txt".

The second attachment ("...505_SP1.zip") is especially and only for models prs-505. Its bigger size is due to an alternative keyboard layout (both are "landscape", the alternative one has letters rotated 90°; the application's windows are portrait, though...).
The third attachment is ONLY for models 500 !!!

... the fourth one ONLY for 505'ers ...
... just like the NEW fifth attachment:
an "add-on" feature for models prs505: it's another alternative keyboard layout (suggested by spooky69).
With this one letters are organized in an A-Z order (abc/def/ghi/...) which may suit 505-owners better, I assume. It wasn't too much work, so I just post it here as a "Service Pack 1" for 505ers!
But be aware that this totally different layout needs an (only marginally) changed "autorun.js" file (included); whenever you decide to swap layouts (back) you'll have to swap "autoruns", too...

*** ATTENTION ***
PLEASE SEE MY "ORIGINAL" SOFTWARE BELOW AS A PRIMITIVE FIRST CONCEPT OF WHAT HAS LATER ON BEEN DEVELOPED BY lisak AND OTHERS!
MY VERSIONS WILL NOT BE SUPPORTED ANY LONGER OFFICIALLY (BUT I WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM...)
An improved version: lisak rewrote my "old" code - see #64 on p.5 or the link below.

Link to lisak's version "Page 5 (Goto Post #64...)"

... NEWER version "dictioLaunchX.87" on page 7, post #99 ... VERY interesting "addon" by = X = page 9, post #125 !!!

[JSWolf]

Well done! I might have to give this a go.

I've stuck the thread to make it easier to find.

[Ret]

I'll try this!
Thank you very much!

[dynabook]

Why can't Sony have a line of accessories like this for sale?

[Clemenseken]

I apologize to any hopeful prs-505 users who downloaded my first version of the "DictioLauncher".
I feel ashamed I didn't realize sooner that their button layout *IS* different from model 500 (though I read a lot about it...).

So I hurried to make a version for all "505ers": See second attachment to my first posting!

Sorry – and have fun!





@ JSWolf: I'm really proud to get a "sticky award" at MobileRead.com!
I was a little overwhelmed by all the posting / finding out about wrong button layout for 505ers / repairing faults / answering feedback etc...

[adr2689]

This seems like an excellent addition to the device, but I'm on a 505 and am a little confused by something: each column of the keyboard is selected by right/left arrows, but the numbers seem to be inversely related to the input letter (eg, number 2 => "s", number 9 => "l"). Not sure whether this would require anything more than a change to the skin, but this obviously would affect the intuitive qwerty layout.

It would be quite nice, on that front, for the text to be rotated with the keyboard when reading in landscape mode.

One other thing that struck me is the truncation of definitions. I'm currently playing with the French dictionary included in the zip, and, for example, the definition of "abaisser" finishes at the word "abate," missing the final three definitions (although the word following "abate," "abridge," exceeds the prescribed area and overlaps the keyboard). A larger text area might be useful in this regard. And (a minor aesthetic point) the title overlaps the icon in the top right hand corner.

Other than that, this seems like an ingenious way of getting around the lack of a keyboard, and supplies a sorely-needed tool for the unit.

EDIT: one other query: any support for multiple word definitions - ie, is it possible to demarcate the word from the definition by something other than the first space? Eg, La Manche (the English Channel), La Haye (the Hague) &c.

EDIT EDIT: any way to avoid the splitting up of words? - as in the definition of "abandon" (plucked at random - though, in this dictionary, seems to be a singularly unuseful definition ) which appears:
" abandonment 2. abandonme
nt 3. abandonment 4. aban
donment 5. isolation, sep
aration 6. acquiescence,
rezignation 7. cession relinqui|sh"
(| denotes right hand border of text box - last two letters of "relinquish" exceed this)

[Clemenseken]

Originally Posted by adr2689

... and am a little confused by something: each column of the keyboard is selected by right/left arrows, but the numbers seem to be inversely related to the input letter (eg, number 2 => "s", number 9 => "l"). [...]

Sorry. You are SOOOOOOOOO right!!!
I developed "DictioLauncher" on my prs500 - and realized too late that prs505s are oriented completely different in regards to button layout...
I changed that and attached a "ServicePack1_505.zip" for all those who already tried my application: just replace the "old" autorun.js with the one in the Service Pack...
(...and I replaced the second attachment by one with the correct button access.)

It would be quite nice, on that front, for the text to be rotated with the keyboard when reading in landscape mode.

You are right again; but I will get to that later when I repaired some of the more urgent faults...

One other thing that struck me is the truncation of definitions ... definition of "abaisser" finishes at the word "abate," missing the final three definitions (although the word following "abate," "abridge," exceeds the prescribed area and overlaps the keyboard) [...]

I hope to have repaired that in the current Service Pack;

Other than that, this seems like an ingenious way of getting around the lack of a keyboard, and supplies a sorely-needed tool for the unit.

Thanks for your feedback!
I'm just glad most of your findings came to my mind when I lay in bed, this morning - and I didn't learn of them only from your post ... Pooooooooh!

EDIT: one other query: any support for multiple word definitions - [...] La Manche (the English Channel), La Haye (the Hague) &c.
EDIT EDIT: any way to avoid the splitting up of words? - as in the definition of "abandon" (plucked at random - though, in this dictionary, seems to be a singularly unuseful definition ) which appears:
" abandonment 2. abandonme
nt 3. abandonment 4. aban

Yes. These are some items that I plan to get into a version 0.6 or 0.7 later on.
I was happy to have the little baby running (crawling, that is) in the first place.
Any requests/queries are welcome!!!

[=X=]

This is a very nice application! Kodos to you! I find myself using this dictionary on oncation.
I really like your keyboard solution how cleaver was that!

The only limitation that is that the user is required to re-insert the memorystick. If these devices weren't so fragile I would not be such a drawback.


Feedback.
Dictionaries: It would be great! if the dictionaries could be changed from the UI and not by renaming the file.

[Clemenseken]

Originally Posted by =X=

The only limitation that is that the user is required to re-insert the memorystick [...].
It would be great! if the dictionaries could be changed from the UI and not by renaming the file.

Thanks for your feedback!
I didn't have the idea to change dictionaries, yet, as I mainly use only just one. Good idea!

[lutzik]

Where would i go if i want to have another dictionary, for instance, russian? Is there a place where i can find .txt dictiories?
Thanks

[olis]

This is my first post and I'm writing it to say you a biiiig thanks.
That's a wonderful and to me very useful app.
It would be even more great if it was possible to start it from the internal memory.
P.S.
the link freedict.com in your first post doesn't work

thank you again.

[Clemenseken]

Originally Posted by lutzik

Where would i go if i want to have another dictionary, for instance, russian?

Hi!
The place where I got my dictionaries is: http://www.wordgumbo.com
They have one Russian>English / English>Russian dictionary each, there.
But remember: you need a txt-file. If it's html you must at least change the extension to "txt"; then you'd have to eliminate any leading tags (e.g. <b> or <l>) at line beginnings: which any text editor will do by "find>replace" easily.

But I am no search guru : there must be dozens of places to go, I assume...

Originally Posted by olis

P.S. the link freedict.com in your first post doesn't work

Sorry for that: the last bracket in my sentence got into the url.
Thanks again for your feedback: I would NEVER have learned of this typo without you!

I'm still researching the internal memory issue; I am not a "pro" programmer so I depend much on hints from the "local" gurus here.

Thanks very much to kovidgoyal, igorsk, obelix and others, BTW !!!

[Clemenseken]

Originally Posted by olis

This is my first post and I'm writing it to say you a biiiig thanks. That's a wonderful and to me very useful app.
It would be even more great if it was possible to start it from the internal memory.[...]

Hi, olis!

I just saw that you are from Italy:

Buona sera e salve da Germania!

I am German and don't speak Italian fluently at all (but spent most of my childhood holidays in Italy. Mostly near Roma or Verona/Padova ...)
I actually developed this app because I needed a dictionary for ITALIAN that I'd like to read much more in!!!

(So I feel especially flattered to get such a positive feedback from you.)

Can you tell me if there is any kind of "community" for ereading devices in Italy? Any forums or the like? (Where did you learn of eReaders?)

[olis]

@ Clemenseken.

I'm glad to hear you like Italy.
There are no Italian forums on ebook reading devices that I'm aware of. I stumbled upon e-ink reading through English gadgets blogs. If you are interested in Italian ebooks I'd like to recommend these two sites:
http://www.liberliber.it/biblioteca/index.htm
http://www.letturelibere.net/libri-gratis.php
They are plenty of ebooks, all legally downloadable.

ciao,olis

[Clemenseken]

Hi!
Just wanted to announce that there will be a version 0.7 on monday/tuesday next week (14/15th of april, 08) with the above mentioned improvements...
(Features are working well, but need some exception testing and porting to the 505'ers.)

Clemens