Dict.json – a dict protocol wrapper for node.js

Description

Dict.json is a simple wrapper which requests definitions of given words from the dict server, and returns them in JSON format. It tries hard to be RFC–compliant, though it can't be guaranteed.

Dict.json is distributed under a MIT-Style License.

Currently supported actions

• getting definitions (many words and databases at a time)
• providing suggestions if the definition wasn't found

Limitations (likely to be fixed soon)

• lack of support for custom match command (used only for suggestions), listing databases and strategies
• Levenshtein distance one strategy hardcoded for suggestions

Usage

You should have node.js installed.

To run dict.json type node dict.json.js

The server should be up and listening on 127.0.0.1:8700. The settings are stored in the config variable on the beginning of the dict.json.js file. Best results are achieved when dict server is also run on localhost, otherwise you might want to change config.dictd.timeout to a greater value.

Data structure

Currently there are two possible kinds of requests, for one and for many words. The only supported method is GET, but it might change in the future.

Single word requests

Query string variables

• action=def – optional, specifies the action to perform
• word=<word> – without the ", \r and \n characters, otherwise they will be cut and the returning definition key name will differ.
• type=<adj|adv|v|n> – optional, filtering only specified word type from the definition, currently unsupported.
• db[]=<db name> – optional, databases to use when searching. Can be a string (db=<db name>) if only one is specified.
• suggestions=<true|default false> – optional, look for suggestions if no definitions were found.
• sug_ignore_db[]=<db name> – optional, databases which won't be used for suggestions, can be a string if only one specified.

Response

{
	"definitions": [
		//Array is empty if no definitions
		{
			"def": "<definition>"
			"db": {
					"name": <database name>
					"desc": <database description>
			}
		},
		
		<more elements>
	],
	
	"suggestions": [ //if suggestions=true
		<suggested word 1>,
		<suggested word 2>
	],
	
	"status": <ok - also when no definitions found|error>,
	
	"msg": <Status message>
}

Multiple words requests

Query string variables

• action=multi
• words[0][word]=<word>, as mentioned above
• words[0][type]=<adj|adv|v|n>
• words[0]db[]=<db name>
• suggestions=<true|false>
• sug_ignore_db[]=<db name>

Response

{
	"definitions": { // Contains keys of every word requested
		"<word 1>": [
			//Array is empty if no definitions
			{
				"def": "<definition>"
				"db": {
						"name": <database name>
						"desc": <database description>
				}
			},
			
			<etc.>
		],
		
		<etc.>
	},
	
	"suggestions": { // if suggestions=true
		"<word 1>": [
			<suggested word 1>,
			<suggested word 2>,
			<etc.>
		],
		
		<etc.>
	},
	
	"status": <"ok" – also when no definitions found|"error">,
	
	"msg": <Status message>
}