Adding dictionaries to Web Designer

Hello strangers ... it's ol' Reji (The WheelBrat) signing on again after so many years of quiet ... bet you didn't miss me at all! :-)

Just purchased my copy of this great software & have a quick question:

Just wondering if it's possible to import of language dictionaries into Web Designer. And if so, whats the process? My second language is fast becoming Scottish Gaelic & I want to make sure of my wording when working in the language. Anyone have an idea of how this can be accomplished. There's one available for Open Office can that be imported?

Wow ... a fellow can sure get 'wordy' after being quiet for so long. lol

Reji aka The WheelBrat

Hi Reji,

Great to see you post. It has been a very long time.

Looking at the provided dictionaries they are designed to work with ASpell . http://aspell.net/

There is a Scottish Gaelic dictionary on the site in the above link.

I would assume you place the file in the Program Files/Xara/WebDesigner/dict folder.

The download has a lot of Linux/Unix related files which you probably will not need.

I'm still playing about to see how to include the dictionary in Web Designer.

Hmmm...there is an app called ISpell that has a windows version. But still not finding files similar to those in Web Designer dict folder.

Hi Bill and Reji,

I'm not an expert on this so I can't give you chapter and verse on how to install dictionaries but check out "Hunspell":
http://hunspell.sourceforge.net/

I hope that steers you in the right direction.

Phil

I found a link to an ispell Scottish Gaelic dictionary that contains .aff and .dic files. http://borel.slu.edu/ispell/ispell-gd-0.1.1.tar.gz

The page that contains that link is: http://borel.slu.edu/crubadan/apps.html

Same filename extensions as those in the Web Designer dict folder.

Adding the files to that folder does not add the dictionary to the list within Web Designer. I do not find a registry key that would add the dictionary.

This release of Web Designer does not appear to allow adding more dictionaries. Perhaps this could be added in a future update? Would that be possible John (Covoxer)?

WheelBrat,

I take it this is what your looking for...

If so, let me know and I'll attempt to tell you how I accomplished it.

Cheers,
HayTay

Thanks Phil. I went to sleep shortly after my last post and did not see your post until now.

I'll experiment with the information. Crossing fingers something can be figured out for Reji. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HayTay

WheelBrat,

I take it this is what your looking for...
If so, let me know and I'll attempt to tell you how I accomplished it.
Cheers,
HayTay

---

S math sin, HayTay

So how's did ya do it?

BTW:
So "Who was that sheep I saw you with last night?"
Cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WheelBrat

BTW:
So "Who was that sheep I saw you with last night?"
Cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?

---

I'll never tell!

Before we start:
Read the directions below before attempting to modify any files, folders or Dictionary Language files. If you're not familiar with files and folders or you're uncomfortable with performing any of the steps, DO NOT PROCEED!

IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROCEED YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Dutch nl_NL
English (U.K.) en_GB
English (U.S.) en_US
French fr_FR
German (Austria) de_AT
German (Germany) de_DE
German (Switzerland) de_CH
Italian it_IT
Portuguese (Portugal) pt_PT
Spanish es_ES

OK, here goes with the explanation:

1. Save any work and Close Xara WebDesigner if it is open/running.
2. Pick a Dictionary Language from the above list that YOU ARE NOT GOING TO USE and make note of the text in RED next to the language.
3. Make a new folder on your hard drive and name it something appropriate (remember what you named the folder and the folder's location)
4. Download the Scottish Gealic Dictionary zipped file to the folder you created in Step 3.
5. Unzip the gd_GB.zip file to the same folder created in Step 3 and you should wind up with three files named gd_GB.aff, gd_GD.dic and README_gd_GD.txt.
6. Create another folder in the one you created in Step 3 named 'SAVE'.
7. Keep the above folder open.
8. Open up a new window and navigate to the following folder:
   
   C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict
9. Find the three files that correspond to the Dictionary Language YOU ARE NOT GOING TO USE as determined in Step 2. (eg. pt_PT.aff, pt_PT.dic and README_pt_PT.txt)
10. Copy all three files into the SAVE folder you created in Step 6.
11. Verify that all three files were actually copied to the SAVE folder.
12. Delete JUST those three same files from the C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict folder.
13. Copy the three files named gd_GB.aff, gd_GD.dic and README_gd_GD.txt that were unzipped in Step 5 to the C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict folder.
14. One at a time, rename (Right/Alt Click>Rename)the three files you just copied into the C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict folder to correspond to the three files that were deleted. For my example files above:
    
    gb_GB.aff becomes pt_PT.aff
    gb_GB.dic becomes pt_PT.dic
    README_gb_GB.txt becomes README_pt_PT.txt
15. After the three files have been successfully renamed, start Xara WebDesigner.
16. Open a New Document
17. Select the 'Text Tool (T)'
18. Before typing anything select the 'Spell Checker' and click on the Dictionary Language you modified (Portuguese in my example) in the preceding steps.
19. Xara WebDesigner will pop up a dialog box verifying
    
    http://www.talkgraphics.com/attachme...1&d=1236478561
    
    
20. Click on the 'Set' button.
21. Start typing in your new language to verify the "new" Spell Checker Language.

If anything doesn't go quite as planned you can close Xara WebDesigner and copy the files from the SAVE folder (Step 10) back to the C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict folder allowing the original files to overwrite the modified files.

This is like going around your elbow to get to your thumb but it does seem to work (At least it did for me! See screen shot on previous post). Just remember which Dictionary Language that you modified for future reference.

For the brave at heart, and any who want to experiment, there are a bunch of other language files at OpenOffice.org Dictionaries

NOTE: If you're thinking of getting creative and manually modifying any of the three new Dictionary files (*.aff, *.dic & *.txt) they will no longer work! SO DON'T!

G'un robh math agad!,
HayTay

Creative work around HayTay!

From what I have read about hunspell the dictionaries to be used are determined at compile time of the spell checker. This would indicate the need to substitute as you have done.

Thanks, Bill.

The information about Hunspell, Aspell, Pspell, MySpell, et al appears to be correct. I wasted a lot of time trying to modify the files and attempting to get the new dictionary name to display correctly in Xara WebDesigner. This was all for naught!

If you delete 3 associated dictionary files from C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict they disappear from the XWD Spell Check drop down list. If you just copy the three new .aff, .dic & .txt files to the C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Web Designer\dict folder the Dictionary doesn't show up in the drop down list. It seems that the 'supported' Dictionary file names are somehow coded into XWD or one of the supporting DLL's. In the end, deleting, renaming and replacing was the only way I could make another Dictionary work.

It would appear, that without much effort, additional Dictionaries could be supported and properly named from within XWD. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.

Enjoy it FWIW,
HayTay

Tha e a uabhasach math, a' HayTay!
Moran Taing!!

That's very good HayTay!
... Works like a charm. Even picked up the genitive case in some wordsd.

You're genius laddie! Much appreciated.

Moran taing!
Cuidhil Meaban

Reji,

Ceud mìle fàilte!

I'm glad it worked for you. I take it you ignored the big red warning text at the beginning and managed to fumble through my (hopefully) sufficiently detailed tutorial. I usually end up missing a step or two the first time I type up a set of instructions. :o Be sure to post a link to your website when you get it up and running, I'll have to check it out.

Slàinte mhath!,
Harry

P.S. I don't understand most of this but I can cut and paste like a fiend! :D