HOWTO: Create a Dictionary/Fictionary for KOBO or koreader

febalci · 04-23-2025, 09:42 AM

Started to read Malazan series on KOBO Libra Colour, and i immediately faced the problem of the excessive number of characters in the book; and since i am old, i had trouble remembering the character names. So i heard about this Fictionary; which ias basically a dictionary, and when you press and hold the name on kobo, it will show you who this guy is...

I had the very same problem on Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time Series. Wheel of Time has a whole chapter at the end, showing Who is Who? in the book...

Since my book version is in Turkish, The Fictionary dictionaries din't helped me. So i learned how to prepare dictionaries for KOBO, and when i later continued on koreader; i also learned to make Stardict dictionaries. You can find details on:

https://github.com/febalci/KOBO-Fictionary-Utilities.

KOBO Dictionary

Install dictgen (https://github.com/pgaskin/dictutil)
Create a .txt file with the extension .df

Define characters or words here:
Simple Sample:

Code:

@ word
Definition here.
@ word 1
Definition 1 here.
@ test
Blah blah blah.

Another Sample:

Code:

@ Hannan
& Mosag
: , Hannan Mosag
Altı Kabile Konfederasyonu'nun Bağcı Kralı\
Tiste Edurlar
@ Theradas
: , Theradas Buhn
Buhn Soyu'nun Büyük Oğlu\
Tiste Edurlar

# Dictfile reference for dictgen

Code:

    @ HEADWORD: Start a new entry. The headword doesn’t have to be unique, and can contain spaces.
        Header
            : WORD_INFO or :: (optional): Add extra word info after the headword, or remove it entirely.
            & VARIANT (optional): Add an additional word to match. Follows the same rules as the headword. Can be repeated multiple times.
        Body
            MARKDOWN or <html> RAW_HTML: Include a definition written in Markdown or raw HTML code.

Code:
```
$dictgen mydictionary.df
```
It creates a dicthtml-mydictionary.zip file.
Copy this file to KOBOeReader/.kobo/custom-dictionary folder.

koreader dictionary
# koreader uses Stardict dictionary only.

Install pyglossary (https://github.com/ilius/pyglossary)
Create a .TXT file with the extension .txt

Define characters or words here:
Sample:

Code:

Tomad	<b>Tomad Sengar</b><br>Sengar Soyu'nun patriği<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>
Uruth[TAB]Sengar Soyu'nun matronu<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>
Korku[TAB](Fear)<br>Sengar, Büyük Oğul, Kabilelerin Silah Ustası<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>
Trull[TAB]<b>Trull Sengar</b><br>İkinci Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>
Binadas[TAB]<b>Binadas Sengar</b><br>Üçüncü Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>
Rhulad	<b>Rhulad Sengar</b><br>Dördüncü ve En Küçük Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i>

# Press tab key instead of [TAB]. Make sure your editor does not change tabs to spaces
# You can use html codes in work explanations

Code:

$pyglossary mydictionary.txt ./mydictionary --sort --write-format=StardictMergeSyns

Your dictionary is ready. But most probably you will need a synonyms file too.
Create a synonyms.txt file
Optionally, define synonyms in this file:

Sample:
Code:
```
Tomad Sengar[TAB]Tomad
Trull Sengar[TAB]Trull
Binadas Sengar[TAB]Binadas
Rhulad Sengar[TAB]Rhulad
Sengar[TAB]Tomad
Sengar[TAB]Trull
Sengar[TAB]Rhulad
```
# Press tab key instead of [TAB]. Make sure your editor does not change tabs to spaces
# Right side after [TAB] should match one of the words in mydictionary.txt file
Execute syncreate.py file. This will create .syn file.
Code:
```
$python3 syncreate.py mydictionary synonyms.txt
```
Copy all mydictionary(.idx, .ifo, .dict.dz and optionally .syn) files to /KOBOeReader/.adds/koreader/data/dict/mydictionary/ folder.

PeterT · 05-09-2025, 05:43 PM

A general question on custom dictionaries.

In the standard Kobo English (OED) dictionary, the definition of a word includes the text "Oxford Dictionary of English..." at the end of each definition. Is there any way to add a similar field to custom dictionaries to aid in identifying which custom dictionary it is.

Additionally are there best practices / suggestions for how to name the dicthtml.zip files on the Kobo? I've tried naming them things like dicthtml-Manwe-v5.zip and while this does work, its not that clean looking in the dictionary view.

jackie_w · 05-09-2025, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

In the standard Kobo English (OED) dictionary, the definition of a word includes the text "Oxford Dictionary of English..." at the end of each definition. Is there any way to add a similar field to custom dictionaries to aid in identifying which custom dictionary it is.

If you have the WinRar utility it's very easy.

Open the dictionary .zip with WinRar (but don't unpack it) and choose 'Comment' from the main toolbar.
Enter any text string you like in the 'Comment' tab

PeterT · 05-11-2025, 12:10 PM

That was FAR simpler than I expected. In fact, no need to use Winrar; on linux the command line zip tool can add comments using the -z switch.

Number9 · 05-11-2025, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

A general question on custom dictionaries.

Additionally are there best practices / suggestions for how to name the dicthtml.zip files on the Kobo? I've tried naming them things like dicthtml-Manwe-v5.zip and while this does work, its not that clean looking in the dictionary view.

This, I'd like to know as well.

febalci · 05-11-2025, 02:01 PM

With the latest Kobo firmware, it only recognizes ISO country codes, like dicthtml-en-es.zip and nothing else. There seems to be a way to alter it explained in https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...20&postcount=1 but i never tried.

04-23-2025, 09:42 AM	#1
febalci Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Device: none	HOWTO: Create a Dictionary/Fictionary for KOBO or koreader Started to read Malazan series on KOBO Libra Colour, and i immediately faced the problem of the excessive number of characters in the book; and since i am old, i had trouble remembering the character names. So i heard about this Fictionary; which ias basically a dictionary, and when you press and hold the name on kobo, it will show you who this guy is... I had the very same problem on Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time Series. Wheel of Time has a whole chapter at the end, showing Who is Who? in the book... Since my book version is in Turkish, The Fictionary dictionaries din't helped me. So i learned how to prepare dictionaries for KOBO, and when i later continued on koreader; i also learned to make Stardict dictionaries. You can find details on: https://github.com/febalci/KOBO-Fictionary-Utilities. KOBO Dictionary Install dictgen (https://github.com/pgaskin/dictutil) Create a .txt file with the extension .df Define characters or words here: Simple Sample: Code: @ word Definition here. @ word 1 Definition 1 here. @ test Blah blah blah. Another Sample: Code: @ Hannan & Mosag : , Hannan Mosag Altı Kabile Konfederasyonu'nun Bağcı Kralı\ Tiste Edurlar @ Theradas : , Theradas Buhn Buhn Soyu'nun Büyük Oğlu\ Tiste Edurlar # Dictfile reference for dictgen Code: @ HEADWORD: Start a new entry. The headword doesn’t have to be unique, and can contain spaces. Header : WORD_INFO or :: (optional): Add extra word info after the headword, or remove it entirely. & VARIANT (optional): Add an additional word to match. Follows the same rules as the headword. Can be repeated multiple times. Body MARKDOWN or <html> RAW_HTML: Include a definition written in Markdown or raw HTML code. Code: $dictgen mydictionary.df It creates a dicthtml-mydictionary.zip file. Copy this file to KOBOeReader/.kobo/custom-dictionary folder. koreader dictionary # koreader uses Stardict dictionary only. Install pyglossary (https://github.com/ilius/pyglossary) Create a .TXT file with the extension .txt Define characters or words here: Sample: Code: Tomad <b>Tomad Sengar</b><br>Sengar Soyu'nun patriği<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> Uruth[TAB]Sengar Soyu'nun matronu<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> Korku[TAB](Fear)<br>Sengar, Büyük Oğul, Kabilelerin Silah Ustası<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> Trull[TAB]<b>Trull Sengar</b><br>İkinci Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> Binadas[TAB]<b>Binadas Sengar</b><br>Üçüncü Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> Rhulad <b>Rhulad Sengar</b><br>Dördüncü ve En Küçük Oğul<br><i>Tiste Edurlar</i> # Press tab key instead of [TAB]. Make sure your editor does not change tabs to spaces # You can use html codes in work explanations Code: $pyglossary mydictionary.txt ./mydictionary --sort --write-format=StardictMergeSyns Your dictionary is ready. But most probably you will need a synonyms file too. Create a synonyms.txt file Optionally, define synonyms in this file: Sample: Code: Tomad Sengar[TAB]Tomad Trull Sengar[TAB]Trull Binadas Sengar[TAB]Binadas Rhulad Sengar[TAB]Rhulad Sengar[TAB]Tomad Sengar[TAB]Trull Sengar[TAB]Rhulad # Press tab key instead of [TAB]. Make sure your editor does not change tabs to spaces # Right side after [TAB] should match one of the words in mydictionary.txt file Execute syncreate.py file. This will create .syn file. Code: $python3 syncreate.py mydictionary synonyms.txt Copy all mydictionary(.idx, .ifo, .dict.dz and optionally .syn) files to /KOBOeReader/.adds/koreader/data/dict/mydictionary/ folder.

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05-09-2025, 05:43 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,316 Karma: 78876004 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	A general question on custom dictionaries. In the standard Kobo English (OED) dictionary, the definition of a word includes the text "Oxford Dictionary of English..." at the end of each definition. Is there any way to add a similar field to custom dictionaries to aid in identifying which custom dictionary it is. Additionally are there best practices / suggestions for how to name the dicthtml.zip files on the Kobo? I've tried naming them things like dicthtml-Manwe-v5.zip and while this does work, its not that clean looking in the dictionary view.

05-11-2025, 12:10 PM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,316 Karma: 78876004 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	That was FAR simpler than I expected. In fact, no need to use Winrar; on linux the command line zip tool can add comments using the -z switch.

05-11-2025, 02:01 PM	#6
febalci Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2019 Device: none	With the latest Kobo firmware, it only recognizes ISO country codes, like dicthtml-en-es.zip and nothing else. There seems to be a way to alter it explained in https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...20&postcount=1 but i never tried.