Dictionary word lookup -

Author: jakewalk, Posted: 04.10.06 10:40

Hi,

will it some day be possible to lookup a word in a dictionary from within palmfiction without exiting the program?

Many dictionaries have a resident function which work like that, but when I read in fullscreen mode I have to return to normal mode, make a pen stroke and launch the resident module.

Something similar to this would be nice:

http://www.prussfamily.us/PPI.html

jakewalk

Author: alexhemp, Posted: 04.10.06 14:09

What functionality present in PalmFiction about year or more.

See in "Tune Profile" on "Selection" Tab.

Author: Yuval, Posted: 04.10.06 16:26

alexhemp - you are right, but so is jakewalk:

the PPI (Plucker's PlugIn) support custom launch codes (0x8000+ aka CustomBase...) that are common and compatible with some dictionary software (I use SlovoEd with great success - shows a little disposable window when loads).

With PalmFiction, the call to the external app is a normal launch code - SlovoEd (my configured app, shows as "Dictionary Engine") loads in full-blown mode, which is also slower.

Actually, I never cared much about it - PalmFiction was intelligent enough to have the "Return to PF when tap at home", which is a great and satisfying feature for me.

The only thing you should configure in SlovoEd (or other dictionaries maybe) for such methods to work smoothly, is to immediately show a translation for the clipboard on startup.

Having all the dictionary files on the RAM instead of the card, helps with the loading time too, of course :)

Author: alexhemp, Posted: 04.10.06 18:54

Yuval

PPI must be supported in dictionary application.
SlovoEd has such support?

Author: Yuval, Posted: 04.10.06 23:42

Not exactly - PPI simply supports the "CustomBase+" launch command codes, and it's appearantly how SlovoEd works in the background for its own resident option (took me a while to figure this out, but it simply worked).

For this option to work properly as I said, I think that both the PPI and the dictionary application should be configured to use the clipboard.

PalmFiction works great for me thanks to all of its surrounding features, even though it doesn't support this special launch code, so I never bothered to make a special request.

However, I understand that any feature requests are denied anyway now? I really hope it's not because of me and my problematic Hebrew support request that messed the last version a little...;)
Nevertheless, PalmFiction does a GREAT job now and it supports Hebrew quite flawlessly as far as I checked, thanks to the author's kind efforts.

Author: alexhemp, Posted: 05.10.06 13:56

Slovoed Resident API not published.

Author asked for them but no response...

Author: Yuval, Posted: 05.10.06 18:31

Maybe because they don't want to call it officialy an "API" - it's something internal of theirs for the resident feature. The reason it worked for me with PPI in the first try is probably sheer coincedence/luck of hitting the right custom launch code.

But then again, maybe it's not pure luck - I'm pretty certain that Dr. Alex Pruss knew what he was doing when he offered the custom launch method in PPI...;)

Author: alexhemp, Posted: 06.10.06 20:39

PPI internals contains different API to popular dictionary engines.

Core function of PPI:

Code:

// .h file
typedef struct {
Char name[ dmDBNameLength ];
AppType type;
UInt32 launchCmd;
Boolean toClipboard;
} LookupList;

typedef enum {
TYPE_APP = 0,
TYPE_DA,
TYPE_CUSTOM
} AppType;

/* Started with sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase, pass word to Dictionary */
/* System Globals and Static Variables are not available */
static Err LookupWord( MemPtr cmdPBP )
{
LocalID dbID = 0;
Err err = dmErrCantFind;
UInt32 outputValue;
Preferences prefs;
LookupList lookupList[] = {
{"None", 0, 0, false },
{"Custom", TYPE_CUSTOM, 0, false },
{"RoadLingua", TYPE_APP,
sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase, false },
{"KDIC DA", TYPE_DA, 0, true },
{"BDicty", TYPE_APP,
sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase + 212, true },
{"BDicty", TYPE_APP,
sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase + 212, false },
{"SlovoEd", TYPE_APP,
sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase + 0, false },
};

ReadPrefs ( &prefs );
if ( prefs.lookupAction == ( LookupWordActionType ) 0 )
return errNone;

if ( prefs.lookupAction != SELECT_WORD_CUSTOM ) {
dbID = DmFindDatabase( 0, lookupList[ prefs.lookupAction ].name );
if ( dbID == 0 )
return err;
}

switch ( lookupList[ prefs.lookupAction ].type ) {
case TYPE_APP:
err = SysAppLaunch( 0, dbID, 0,
lookupList[ prefs.lookupAction ].launchCmd,
cmdPBP, &outputValue );
break;

case TYPE_DA:
err = LaunchDa( dbID, ( Char* ) cmdPBP,
lookupList[ prefs.lookupAction ].toClipboard );
break;

case TYPE_CUSTOM:
if ( 0 < StrLen( prefs.name ) ) {
Char* text = ( Char* ) cmdPBP;

dbID = DmFindDatabase( 0, prefs.name );
if ( dbID == 0 )
return err;
if ( prefs.isDA )
return LaunchDa( dbID, text, prefs.toClipboard );
if ( prefs.toClipboard )
ClipboardAddItem( clipboardText, text, StrLen( text ) );
err = SysAppLaunch( 0, dbID, 0, sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase
+ prefs.launchCmd, cmdPBP, &outputValue );
}
break;

}
return err;
}

/* System Globals and Static Variables are not available */
/* Save UI info */
static Err LaunchDa( LocalID dbID, Char* word, Boolean toClipboard )
{
DmOpenRef db;
MemHandle handle;
void ( *da_entry )();
Err err = dmErrCantFind;
FormPtr saved_form;
UInt16 saved_form_id;
WinHandle saved_active_win;
WinHandle saved_draw_win;
FontID saved_font;

db = DmOpenDatabase( 0, dbID, dmModeReadOnly );
if ( db != NULL ) {
handle = DmGet1Resource( DA_RSRC_TYPE, DA_RSRC_ID );
if ( handle != NULL ) {
da_entry = MemHandleLock( handle );
if ( da_entry != NULL ) {
if ( toClipboard )
ClipboardAddItem( clipboardText, word, StrLen( word ) );
saved_form = FrmGetActiveForm();
saved_form_id = FrmGetActiveFormID();
saved_active_win = WinGetActiveWindow();
saved_draw_win = WinGetDrawWindow();
saved_font = FntSetFont(stdFont);
( *da_entry )();
MemHandleUnlock( handle );
if (saved_form_id != 0)
FrmSetActiveForm(saved_form);
WinSetActiveWindow(saved_active_win);
WinSetDrawWindow(saved_draw_win);
FntSetFont(saved_font);
err = errNone;
}
DmReleaseResource( handle );
}
DmCloseDatabase( db );
}
return err;
}

Author: PalmFiction, Posted: 10.10.06 7:46

In version 0.14r you can customize eight application or DA for word lookup.
Parameter "To clipboard" - copy selected text to clipboard before start app or DA.
Parameter "CustomBase+" and digital value field - a) if checked - start app with launch code "sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase+value", hiden for DA and work only if app contain resident module. b) if unchecked - switch using SysUIAppSwitch to this app and return to PF with press "Home" button. If PF in fullscreen mode, status bar restore and hide after return in PF.
PF support three predefined resident dictionary.
1. RoadLingua
2. BDicty
3. Slovoed (Multilex) - need configure in dictionary for using with PF.
In "Resident option" - check activation method "Command Bar Menu" and check "Use Clipboard to get text". In "Common option" - check "Paste on start". This is allow PF launch resident Slovoed (Multilex). My Multilex work in this mode and not work with sysAppLaunchCmdCustomBase. Maybe new version work, but I don't have this version.

Author: bobo, Posted: 27.11.06 13:57

hi,

can I used this feature with MSDict also? it has a resident module.

bobo