FireDictionary

FireDictionary is an add-on extension for Firefox. Upon mouse-over, it provides word definitions in a sidebar. Here are directions on how to install an Instant Lookup Taiwanese-English Dictionary.

How to Install

1. Install Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox
2. Using Firefox, goto to http://www.firedictionary.com and install FireDictionary
   • Click on Download, then Install (Yes, the license is in Japanese, and it's OK if you can't read it)
   • After pressing 'Install', you should see a popup window with 'Install now' button. If you don't, Firefox is blocking that page. You need to select 'Allow' by clicking on the line up top where it says Firefox is blocking the page first.
   • Restart Firefox after a successful installation, and start FireDictionary if not started already (under Tools).
   • You should see the following page chrome://firedictionary/locale/install/GENE95.htm . Follow the directions and install the GENE95 dictionary. This is an English-to-Japanese dictionary that must be installed before you continue, even if you probably will never use it. You can use 7-Zip to open the LZH file and save it to the desktop. Then click Install and select that file. Then restart Firefox.
3. Now download the Taiwanese-English dictionary file to your desktop or other temporary place. The dictionary file is based on work at http://www.edutech.org.tw. It is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which there is a copy here.
4. Select Tools->FireDictionary under Firefox menu bar.
5. In the FireDictionary sidebar (in the left pane of Firefox), select Tools->Dictionary Configuration button.
6. Choose "add..." to add a new dictionary, and fill in the fields:
   • Dictionary name: TEDict;
   • Format: PDICText;
   • Index depth: 5;
   • File name: engbuunQXP.txt; (using the Browse button to select the Taiwanese-English dictionary file you downloaded.)
   • URL*: blank;
   • Charset: ISO-8859-1
7. Press OK, then select your new dictionary (i.e. TEDict.)
8. Press OK, and restart Firefox. Take note!! After you restart and move the cursor over the first word, Firefox will appear to hang (it is actually generating an index file for the dictionary you just installed). You will see a dialog like the following pop up after several seconds: A script on this page may be busy...
9. Press Continue. Keep waiting and the above dialog will appear again, and again, and again. Each time it appears, press Continue and BE PATIENT. This only happens the first time loading a new dictionary.
10. Eventually, Firefox will return to life and your dictionary will now be functional, showing the English equivalents of the MTL Gwsuu under the mouse. Note: you need to select Tools -> FireDictionary for displaying MTL.
11. Enjoy your dictionary!

Known Issues

• The apostrophe (') breaks up MTL words
• Use of HTML tags to reduce font size of "Q" breaks up MTL word

References

• http://taiwanesetbox.sourceforge.net/
• http://taiwanesetbox.sourceforge.net/ch02.html

Siongkoafn

• Taiwanese-English dictionaries