Recommend a Dictionary

[Senkrad_Luna]

That is so very cool. Can the dictionary look up words that are in the dictionary definitions?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Senkrad_Luna

That is so very cool. Can the dictionary look up words that are in the dictionary definitions?

Yes; I do that all the time on my CyBook.

[ericshliao]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

This is an enhancement to the MobiPocket Reader app, which is integrated into the "Universal Document Shell" to allow dictionary lookup from any supported format.

By imagination, that so called UDS should be a addon or enhancement to pdf reader, instead of an enhancement to mobi-reader. After all, when a user reads a pdf, the dictionary lookup action should be started from pdf-viewer to mobi-reader. There should be an entry point for pdf-viewer to pass proper parameter to mobi-reader.
If the above imagination is true, then modifying mobi-reader is not necessary. Besides, I have browsed the uds source code from iRex (http://developer.irexnet.com/pub/iOn...2491-r1.tar.gz). It's written in C++. As mobi-reader for iLiad is written in Java, I suppose it's the same with DR1000. Then that UDS plugin should be an addon to pdf-viewer, not mobi-reader.
From the above, I think it's possible to modify ipdf to accomodate dictionary lookup provided by mobi-reader.

Added:
Although mobi-reader is not open source software, its Java bytecode can be decompiled into java source code. But it's really hard to read.

[veeraganesh]

Unabridged Chambers Dictionary

Is this free? If not where can I purchase one.

[HarryT]

Certainly not free. Sold by pretty much any MobiPocket bookstore. Try FictionWise or BooksOnBoard.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by ericshliao

By imagination, that so called UDS should be a addon or enhancement to pdf reader, instead of an enhancement to mobi-reader.

On the iLiad we would not have to implement UDS, but a "viewer" (PDF, FBReader) still has to request a lookup and a dictionary (MOBI Reader, Stardict) still has to supply the result. My point about this not working on the iLiad is that the MOBI Reader had to be upgraded to allow outside requests for dictionary lookup. This capability isn't available (so far as we know) in the iLiad Java Reader, copyrighted code which we don't have permission to change, but we could instead implement a similar capability via Stardict.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ericshliao

Added:
Although mobi-reader is not open source software, its Java bytecode can be decompiled into java source code. But it's really hard to read.

MobiPocket have shown themselves to be extremely "protective" of their code. Mess with it at your peril!

[veeraganesh]

Hi Harry

I am wondering how would you use Dictionary on Cybook! How would you select a word?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by veeraganesh

Hi Harry

I am wondering how would you use Dictionary on Cybook! How would you select a word?

The main menu on the CyBook has an item called "Lookup Mode". Selecting this gives you a "word highlight" cursor, which you move left, right, up, and down around the page using the navigation key. When the word you want to look up is selected, you press <Enter> to see its definition.

It's an interface which works very well indeed.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The main menu on the CyBook has an item called "Lookup Mode". Selecting this gives you a "word highlight" cursor, which you move left, right, up, and down around the page using the navigation key. When the word you want to look up is selected, you press <Enter> to see its definition.

It's an interface which works very well indeed.

It works but it is a bit slow due to the slowness of the navigation. And if you have a lot of books in the same directory as the dictionary the lookup is also very slow.

I just tested the MobiPocket reader on my S60 phone and the lookup worked pretty similar there. You press 9 to get to lookup mode and then you navigate exactly as on the Cybook Gen3. The thing the Mobile Phone reader is much better on is that it supports looking up any word in the dictionary and it support search through the whole dictionary. And since the navigation on the phone is much faster it works really well as a portable dictionary.

[ericshliao]

Originally Posted by HarryT

MobiPocket have shown themselves to be extremely "protective" of their code. Mess with it at your peril!

Peril? The worst case is a mal-functioning Java app. Nothing serious will happen.

Added:
In fact, I had done such thing to mobi-pocket reader for experiment purpose.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by ericshliao

Peril? The worst case is a mal-functioning Java app. Nothing serious will happen.

Added:
In fact, I had done such thing to mobi-pocket reader for experiment purpose.

He was talking about legal peril by Mobipocket lawyers.

Dale

[ericshliao]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

He was talking about legal peril by Mobipocket lawyers.

Dale

There won't be any legal issue decompiling, unless the code was reused or distributed without owner's consent.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by ericshliao

There won't be any legal issue decompiling, unless the code was reused or distributed without owner's consent.

exactly. That was the reason for the warning. Mobipocket is very protective of their code. Don't just add a fix and redistribute the code and don't use their DRM decode. And even if you manage to make a legal version that somehow uses their DRM you will end up in court, take plenty of money.

Dale

[owl123]

Originally Posted by ericshliao

There won't be any legal issue decompiling, unless the code was reused or distributed without owner's consent.

I'm not sure about the legal stuff in your country but here where I live you can't decompile, modify or copy computer programs even for your own personal use (although fair use policy regarding books, music etc. is much more generous here in Poland.)