Re: Can I build a dictionary in my Emacs?

[Tim X]

Water Lin <WaterLin@ymail.invalid> writes:

> I want to build a dictionary in my Emacs. So I can put my specific
> words, expressions and their meanings into it.
>
> By doing this, when I need them, I don't need to google them out again.
>
> I don't know if it is suitable to call it dictionary, but it likes
> dictionary.
>
> Any good suggestions?
>
> Thanks
>
Emacs lisp has support ofr hashes and essentially, that would provide
the basic abstraction you want, but there is considerable work to
provide a useful interface etc. This is work that is pretty much already
done by other packages, so I feel you would be re-inventing a new
wheel. 

for example, emacs integrates well with spelling checkers, such as
ispell and most of these have support for including a personal
dictionary and adding words to the dictionary. As this is integrated
into things like spell checking and packages like flyspell, you get the
benefit of standard funcitons, such as spell checking using your
personal dictionary as well as the ones that come built-in. 

Rather than build/write your own, look into emacs support for spell
checking and see if you can add your word definitions to that existing
mechanism. Less work and easier to maintain in the long-term.

Tim


-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au