GDict Manual
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# Using GDict

`GDict` can be used to obtain dictionary definitions of words from local or remote dictionary servers. It can check spelling and look up words based on imprecise spelling using various pattern matching techniques. This section describes basic usage of `GDict`.

## Basic usage

Starting `GDict` opens the Main window, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. GDict Main Window

`GDict` automatically connects to its default server, giving you an error message if it is unable to connect.

To get a definition of a word, type the word in the text bar immediately below the toolbar, and click on the Look up button on the toolbar or the Enter or Return key.

`GDict` connects to the server and, if a definition is found, returns it in the main text window.

If no word is found, `GDict` will automatically open its spell check window and run a spell check on it. More information on spell-checking is available in the section called Spelling

If you type in a search string using regular expressions, `GDict` opens the spell-checking window and begins a search for words matching the pattern typed. For example, typing ^h[ie]ll returns "hell," "hill," and all words beginning in "hill" or "hell". Regular expressions are a powerful pattern-matching technique that are beyond the scope of this document. Details can be found in the manual for `grep`.

By default, `GDict` uses the server at dict.org and searches all of its databases for a word that is a perfect match for the word you typed in. You can change the server in use, the databases it searches and the search strategy (allowing it to search for wound-alike words, for example, or use wildcards) in the preferences dialog, shown in Figure 3 in the section called Customization.

## Spelling

If you type in a word and click on the toolbar button labeled spell, `GDict` opens the spell checker window, shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. GDict Spell Checker Window

This window returns a list of possible spellings, based on a search strategy for similar words. The search is executed on the server, not by `GDict`, and the types of search strategies available vary. A pull-down menu showing the various strategies available on the server is labelled `Search Strategy`. This menu allows you to change search strategies and conduct a new search by clicking on Find Words.

In the spell checker window, you can also look up a word once you've found a correct spelling. To do so, click on the word, then click on Look up Word. The definition will appear in the program's main window.

## Menus

The menu bar, located at the top of the Main Window, contains the following menus:

File

  This menu contains: Look up which looks up a word, Spell which launches a spelling help window, and Exit which is self-explanatory.

Edit

  This menu contains nothing.

Settings

  This menu contains Preferences, which opens the Preferences Dialog.

Help

  This menu contains:

  - Manual — shows this manual.

  - About — shows basic information about `GDict`, such as the author's name and the application version number.

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