TranslateIt! Help > Storing and distributing dictionaries

Index

Creating dictionary packages

TranslateIt! dictionary packages are actually folders with MDICT extension, so no special tools are needed to create them.

To create a dictionary package:

  1. Create a new folder
  2. Copy/move all compiled dictionary files (DICT + IDX + (optional) EXT) to that folder
  3. Add ".mdict" at the end of the folder name, and
  4. Click "Add" in the confirmation dialog box.

Your dictionary package can also contain an optional mdict.plist file containing metadata, such as aliases (dictionary names that are displayed in the dictionary list and the dictionary group manager); dictionary format information; name of a group (or groups), in which included dictionaries will be active, etc. Below is an example of such file's contents:

		<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
		<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
		<plist version="1.0">
		<dict>
			<key>aliases</key>
			<dict>
				<key>Mueller24</key>
				<string>Mueller's Dictionary 24 Edition</string>
				<key>woaifayu-ff</key>
				<string>Woaifayi: French-French</string>
			</dict>
			<key>flirt</key>
			<dict>
				<key>french</key>
				<array>
					<string>French</string>
				</array>
				<key>german</key>
				<array>
					<string>German</string>
				</array>
				<key>none</key>
				<array>
					<string>English</string>
					<string>Japan-English</string>
					<string>Russian</string>
				</array>
			</dict>
			<key>groups</key>
			<dict>
				<key>English</key>
				<array>
					<string>Universal En-Ru</string>
					<string>Informal En-Ru</string>
				</array>
				<key>French</key>
				<array>
					<string>Universal Fr-Ru</string>
					<string>Universal Ru-Fr</string>
				</array>
			</dict>
			<key>information</key>
			<dict>
				<key>fa-en</key>
				<string>Converted by Uncle MiF from UTF-8 tab-like file provided by Ali Samadi</string>
				<key>jmdict-en-ja</key>
				<string>Author: Jim Breen
		Converted to StarDict by Alastair Tse 
		Converted to MDict by Uncle MiF</string>
				<key>woaifayu-ef</key>
				<string>Super-puper English-French dictionary... written by... and so on...

			And even like this... Haba haba
			Irn brju...

				</string>
			</dict>
			<key>left</key>
			<array>
				<string>Universal Ru-En</string>
				<string>New Medical En-Ru</string>
			</array>
			<key>right</key>
			<array>
				<string>hebrew35r</string>
			</array>
			<key>types</key>
			<dict>
				<key>AIHA</key>
				<string>Dec/PHT</string>
				<key>Abbreviations</key>
				<string>Dec/PHT</string>
				<key>Abbreviations &amp; Acronyms En-En</key>
				<string>Dec/PHT</string>
				<key>Accounting En-Ru</key>
				<string>Dec/PHT</string>
				<key>Mueller24</key>
				<string>Plain</string>
			</dict>
		</dict>
		</plist>