Recommended dictionary supports TAB-delimited text

[fengdaolong]

I have a lot of TAB-delimited text dictionary,The format is:

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keyword{tab}Definition
keyword{tab}Definition
keyword{tab}Definition
keyword{tab}Definition
.............


Every time it is converted into the format supported by the GoldenDict before use, e.g. StarDict dictionaries (.ifo, .dict, .idx, and .syn files),is very inconvenient. Recommendations GoldenDict able to directly read the text file as a dictionary to use.

[Tvangeste]

I would recommend to use DSL format for such dictionaries, it is a plain text format and very easy to work with.

In your case the dictionary would look like this:

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#NAME "Sample DSL Dictionary"
#INDEX_LANGUAGE   "English"
#CONTENTS_LANGUAGE   "English"

keyword
    definition
keyword2
    definition2
keyword3
    definition3

Basically, headwords start at the beginning of the line. The definitions start after spaces or tabs, on the new line. So, to convert your tab-delimited data into a DSL dictionary, all you need to do is to add 3-line header on top and to replace TAB by Carriage return + TAB.

More advanced DSL sample is here: https://github.com/VVSiz/SampleDSL

[fengdaolong]

DSL format is not as easy as TAB delimited text file,You can not use Excel to edit it casually,If the definition of a line break even harder.
I hope GoldenDict support custom delimited text file,The left side of the delimited is keyword,the right side of the delimited is Definition.The definition of carriage returns and line breaks can use the escape character, such as: "\ r\ n".
This file can easily use any text editor to edit, just like Excel to edit the CSV file.Also, you can easily exchange data with other databases.

[midoziad]

hi Tvangeste,
could you tell us what is the carriage return symbol in word, excel or notepad++; so that I could change my files to DSL format. I have files like these:

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headword1
translation1
headword2
translation2

[Tvangeste]

hi Tvangeste,
could you tell us what is the carriage return symbol in word, excel or notepad++; so that I could change my files to DSL format. I have files like these:

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headword1
translation1
headword2
translation2

Carriage return is what you type when you press "Enter", basically a new line. So, the headwords should start right from the beginning of the new line, and the translations should start after some spaces or tabs.

For example:

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headowrd1
  translation line 1
  translation line 2
  translation line 3

[Tvangeste]

Here's how to split tab-separated entries into a two lines, suitable for DSL dictionary, in Notepad++:

Press Ctrl+H for search and replace dialog.

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Find what: ^(\S.*?)\t+(.*)$
Replace with: \1\n\t\2
Search Mode: Regular expression

[midoziad]

Here's how to split tab-separated entries into a two lines, suitable for DSL dictionary, in Notepad++:

Press Ctrl+H for search and replace dialog.

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Find what: ^(\S.*?)\t+(.*)$
Replace with: \1\n\t\2
Search Mode: Regular expression

thank you Tvangeste. this will help me a lot.

[Tvangeste]

fengdaolong, do you know that there is a tool in Stardict distribution that could convert a TAB-file into a stardict dictionary with just a single button click?

Namely, the name of the tool that allows to do that is Stardict-Editor.

[fengdaolong]

I know, but I think not compiled TAB text easier to edit and update the content and to exchange any database at any time.

[Tvangeste]

I know, but I think not compiled TAB text easier to edit and update the content and to exchange any database at any time.

Yep, agreed.