Adding a dictionary to the default dictionary folder on PW2?

[OakIris]

I have searched for the answer to this, but haven't found a thing. I am sure it has been asked a hundred times before, too!

I wanted to add a different dictionary to the default Dictionary folder on my Kindle Paperwhite. I thought this would be easy, but apparently this Dictionary folder is not recognized as an actual collection by the Kindle and there is no way to add books to the folder by using the built in Collection feature. So, I figured this could be done via USB cable to my computer, just a simple drag and drop operation....

But, after adding the book files to the Dictionary folder and ejecting the Kindle, the new dictionaries don't show in the folder. I realized I have no idea what file/s I am supposed to move. Sigh. The files showing in the Dictionary folder for those dictionaries that do appear are the .sdr and .azw files for each book. I moved the files with the same extensions for the dictionaries I wanted to add to the folder, but the folder still only shows the two original dictionaries.

Does the Kindle need to be jailbroken for this to work?!? Or am I just doing it wrong?

Holly

[gabaldini]

[susan_cassidy]

There is not a separate folder for dictionaries. You just add them to the documents folder like any other book. If it is truly constructed as a Kindle dictionary, it will show up as a choice when setting a default dictionary. If the language code is set correctly, it may be used automatically, depending on which Kindle you have, and the language code of the book.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by OakIris

I wanted to add a different dictionary to the default Dictionary folder on my Kindle Paperwhite. I thought this would be easy, but apparently this Dictionary folder is not recognized as an actual collection by the Kindle and there is no way to add books to the folder by using the built in Collection feature. So, I figured this could be done via USB cable to my computer, just a simple drag and drop operation....

To install a dictionary you only need to copy it to the Kindle documents folder or a subfolder of the documents folder.

For some odd reason, they're hidden by default. To display them select All Items on the Home screen and scroll to the end of the list until you see the Dictionaries collection. Tap Dictionaries to display all dictionaries.
You can also select Settings > Device Options > Languages and Dictionaries > Dictionaries. You dictionary should be listed as a selectable dictionary if you tap the input language.

If your dictionary isn't listed, the dictionary is either corrupted or cannot be used as a lookup dictionary.

BTW, if your Kindle is registered with Amazon and you haven't updated the firmware of your PW to the latest version, you might be missing out on some of the new bilingual French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian dictionaries that Amazon offers for devices with the 5.6.x firmware.

For more information on installing the new dictionaries see this post.

Note that you can no longer jailbreak Kindles with the 5.6.x firmware. However, you can install a special PW2 jailbreak that'll survive the firmware update. I.e., if you're toying with the idea of jailbreaking your PW2 in the future, you'll need to install the jailbreak before the firmware update.

[OakIris]

Thank you all for your responses.

My Paperwhite came with firmware version 5.6.1.0.2 already installed, so I guess jailbreaking it isn't going to be an option. Doesn't seem quite as necessary as it was (to me) with my old Kindle, so hopefully I will not find any compelling reason to jailbreak it, since I won't be able to do so, lol.

I wasn't having a problem with simply installing a dictionary; the installation into the documents folder was successful and I can access the book/s. What I wanted to be able to do was to put a different dictionary in the Dictionary folder (yes, there is a separate folder for Dictionaries on the Paperwhite, susan-cassidy; the Paperwhite comes with it already installed and already populated with the dictionaries of Amazon's choice. ) so I would be able to access the dictionary - or word usage book - of my choice via the dictionary/Wikipedia look up function of the Paperwhite.

Sadly, from what I am reading and from what I have experienced when trying to do so, the end-user has no control over what goes into the Dictionary Folder so only the dictionaries that came "built in" with the PW will work this way - unless you know of a made for Kindle dictionary that can be added, Doitsu??

It would be a very cool feature if you could add things to this "look up" function, like a Thesaurus, or a book of grammar or something like that. Sure, you can separately access any of these things if you have them on your Kindle, but having them added to the look up feature would be quite convenient!

As for the "feature" of other non-English dictionaries being added by the latest firmware, I was actually annoyed to see 30 unsolicited (by me) 'foreign language' dictionaries in my Cloud storage. Seems as if this uses up a lot of room for books that I will almost never access, and none of them can be deleted to make room for other things. Not that I am running out of room, but it's the principal of the thing, too! It would be a nice change if Amazon would allow the end-user complete control over what books are on their device and in their supposedly 'personal' Cloud storage.

Holly

[eschwartz]

As susan_cassidy said: "If it is truly constructed as a Kindle dictionary, it will show up as a choice when setting a default dictionary."
Your dictionary is clearly NOT formatted as a dictionary.


The "dictionary" folder, that is, the organization on the filesystem level that you see when plugging your Kindle in like a flashdrive, is insignificant. It has no effect whatsoever.
(This applies to all books, no matter their format or intent.)
(If your dictionary is in

documents/purple/please_dont_see_this/Harry_Potter_And_The_Sorcerers_Stone.mobi

it will still show up as a dictionary named something entirely different.)

If the book is formatted as a mobipocket dictionary, it will show up in the list of dictionaries available to your device. This will happen regardless of the name or filepath all that matters is it must have the right format.

There are freely available dictionaries that you can find in various locations online, or you can make your own. For help finding free dictionaries, or building your own, see the Sticky thread in this very forum, helpfully entitled "Dictionary FAQ".

[OakIris]

Thank you, eschwartz. So, sounds as if galbadini and susan were both correct by saying that a dictionary will be recognized by the Kindle and will automatically end up in the Dictionaries folder - galbadini has since removed his/her post for some reason, but, as I recall, that was the gist of it.

There are freely available dictionaries that you can find in various locations online, or you can make your own. For help finding free dictionaries, or building your own, see the Sticky thread in this very forum, helpfully entitled "Dictionary FAQ".

My searching skills seem to be more deficient than usual this month - didn't even notice that sticky, thank you for pointing it out. Off to read it now.

Holly

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by OakIris

My Paperwhite came with firmware version 5.6.1.0.2 already installed, so I guess jailbreaking it isn't going to be an option. Doesn't seem quite as necessary as it was (to me) with my old Kindle, so hopefully I will not find any compelling reason to jailbreak it, since I won't be able to do so, lol.

If you've synced your PW with your Amazon account via WiFi at least once, you should see a couple of top-notch monolingual/bilingual dictionaries for download on the Manage Your Contents and Devices page.

BTW, what language pair(s) are you interested in?

As eschwartz has already pointed out, the folder location is pretty much irrelevant, as long as the dictionary is valid¹ and located in the documents folder or a subfolder of the documents folder.

There are two easy ways to find out whether your dictionary actually is a dictionary:

1. Download JMME, double-click the .jar file and open your Dictionary with it. Click Language.... If the value of the Input and Output language fields is "Unknown(0)," the "dictionary" is a regular book and won't work. If the Input and Output language fields are not zero, but contain the wrong language pair (e.g. Fr-En instead of En-Fr) change them and resave the file.
   
2. Copy the dictionary to the documents folder on the Kindle and select the PW Home screen and select ≡ > Settings > Device Options > Language and Dictionaries > Dictionaries > language.
   
   If you don't see your dictionary listed, it's not a valid dictionary.

[1] I know from past experience that many Kindle users accidentally re-convert working .mobi or .prc dictionaries with Calibre, which turns them into regular books, because you can't convert Kindle dictionaries with Calibre.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by OakIris

Thank you, eschwartz. So, sounds as if galbadini and susan were both correct by saying that a dictionary will be recognized by the Kindle and will automatically end up in the Dictionaries folder - galbadini has since removed his/her post for some reason, but, as I recall, that was the gist of it.

My searching skills seem to be more deficient than usual this month - didn't even notice that sticky, thank you for pointing it out. Off to read it now.

Holly

Sure thing.

[OakIris]

I am actually just looking for English language dictionaries, preferably those that are free or don't cost very much. Sadly, I cannot speak, read or write any other language; my two years of French in high school, 40+ years ago, didn't really stick. I am sure I can find a suitable translation dictionary in the 30 that Amazon has already provided me should I need to translate a 'foreign' word.

The default Oxford American/English dictionaries Amazon chose for the PW are good dictionaries, but I wanted to add one or two more. I would love to have an etymological dictionary of the English language available to the look up function, too. Oh well!

I just download Webster's Unabridged Dictionary from Amazon's Kindle store; it was the vintage 1923 edition and apparently it isn't formatted correctly either as my PW did not recognize it in order to automatically put it into the Dictionary folder. Anyone know if the Kindle recognizes the Chambers Dictionary of the English language?

I read through the Dictionary FAQ sticky hoping to see a list of possibilities but didn't see much, most of the thread has to do with making your own dictionaries by using various programs to change metadata, etc. I really wasn't looking for a way to reinvent the wheel, though, (too lazy??) just wanted a link to some decent dictionaries that work with the Kindle look up function.

Holly

[eschwartz]

I believe you might be able to find some through clickjumping.

[susan_cassidy]

The default English dictionary does have etymology. Just look at the full definition, not the initial pop up.

[OakIris]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

The default English dictionary does have etymology. Just look at the full definition, not the initial pop up.

Thank you, susan_cassidy. I knew the print version of the Oxford Dictionary included a word's etymology, but hadn't done much exploring of the one on my Kindle - good to know!

Holly