https://github.com/mr-pennyworth/alfred-better-dictionaries

An Alfred workflow for better search and live previews for built-in macOS dictionaries.
https://github.com/mr-pennyworth/alfred-better-dictionaries

Last synced: 3 months ago
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An Alfred workflow for better search and live previews for built-in macOS dictionaries.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/mr-pennyworth/alfred-better-dictionaries
• Owner: mr-pennyworth
• Created: 2020-11-24T12:13:26.000Z (about 4 years ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2024-08-04T20:55:16.000Z (6 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-08-05T15:07:16.952Z (6 months ago)
• Language: CSS
• Homepage:
• Size: 11.5 MB
• Stars: 115
• Watchers: 6
• Forks: 6
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

        


  



  


  




  Better Dictionaries



Better search and live previews for built-in macOS dictionaries.


### Features

 - IPA (phonetic) pronunciations:

   Press `⌘↩` to hear the pronunciation.

 - In-Alfred live previews with colors that

   automatically adapt to Alfred's theme:

   ![](images/auto-theme.png)

 - Reverse search:

   ![](images/reverse-search.png)

 - More relevant search results:  

   left: macOS/Alfred built-in search, right: BetterDict

   ![](images/built-in-vs-workflow.png)

 - If one word has multiple, unrelated meanings with different

   origin, they are showed as diffrent entries

   (in the above example, see "arm" has two entries at the top) 

 - Import any compatible dictionary

### Importing a Dictionary

After importing the workflow, type `.dict-import` into Alfred.

![](images/import-any.png)

Select the dictionary you want to import.  

### Dictionary-specific Keywords and Hotkeys

After a dictionary is imported, a script filter and a hotkey trigger

is automatically created into the workflow editor.  

 - Freshly-installed workflow without any imported dictionaries:

   ![](images/before-import.png)

 - Two hotkeys and keyword triggers each automatically added after importing

   two dictionaries. They come pre-labeled with dictionary names:

   ![](images/after-import.png)

 - This allows you to assign hotkeys and keywords for specific dictionaries.

   For example, below you can see how I have manually assigned keywords

   `thesaurus` and `defn` to the thesaurus and dictionary respectively.

   In addition, I can trigger the dictionary search using `⌃⌥⌘D`.  

   ![](images/example-assignment.png)

### Word Lookup

You can use the hotkeys/keywords created above for directly searhcing

specific dictionaries. That's the recommended way for dictionaries

that you use frequently.

For the infrequently used dictionaries for which you haven't assigned

any hotkeys/keywords, follow this:

 1. Type `lookup` into Alfred. You'll see a list of all dictionaries

    imported into BetterDict.

    ![](images/lookup-imported.png)

 2. Select the dictionary to search, and type the search query.

### Notes and Warnings

 - Importing a dictionary could take as much as 30 minutes

   on old machines or if there's significant CPU activity from other apps.

 - After each mac restart, for the first time when you run

   the workflow, expect a comparatively slower search.

   Subsequent searches should be instant.

 - This workflow takes a LOT of space on disk. Take a look at the comparison:

   ```markdown

   # Built-in dictionaries

   Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus:  7 MB

   New Oxford American Dictionary:     36 MB

   

   # After importing into BetterDict

   Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus: 101 MB (html files)

   New Oxford American Dictionary:     442 MB (html files)

   Combined search index of these two: 730 MB (apart from html)

   ```