Wrapper to combine access to DICT using curl, and spell checking using aspell.

Major purpose is to provide dict functionality via the command line on cygwin, as dictd is lacking. But the wrapper can be used on any unix platform with a bash.

Requires 2 packages to be present on the platform:

• aspell + dictionaries
• curl

To use this wrapper just put it somewhere in your path: e.g. "/usr/local/bin/".
To install the dependencies on cygwin:

• You can also do this with the cygwin setup program. Use the dependency packages from below.
• But I prefer to use apt-cyg as it doesn't update all your other packages by default.
  • Use any browser to get apt-cyg e.g.:

     lynx -source rawgit.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/master/apt-cyg > apt-cyg

    or

     wget https://rawgit.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/master/apt-cyg -O apt-cyg
    

  • Install apt-cyg into cygwin, apt-cyg is just a bash script, so you can inspect the code if you want to. 🙂

     install apt-cyg /bin
     hash -r  # to pick up apt-cyg or start a new bash.
    

  • Now we can install our dependencies:

     apt-cyg install aspell aspell-en 
     apt-cyg install curl
    

  • For additional dictionaries use:

     apt-cyg searchall aspell
    

    And install the ones you need.
• The list of dictionaries for aspell is limited in cygwin. But there are many dictionaries available on line. As an example we will install a dutch aspell dictionary. As before you can download with any browser but here we use lynx (apt-cyg install lynx).

    $ cd /tmp
    $ lynx -source gnu.mirror.constant.com/aspell/dict # show all dictionaries available
    $ lynx -source gnu.mirror.constant.com/aspell/dict/nl # show dutch dictionaries
    $ lynx -source gnu.mirror.constant.com/aspell/dict/nl/aspell-nl-0.50-2.tar.bz2 > aspell-nl-0.50-2.tar.bz2 # get the latest(?) 
    $ 7z x aspell-nl-0.50-2.tar.bz2  # 7z is in cygwin package p7zip
    $ tar -xvf aspell-nl-0.50-2.tar
    $ cd aspell-nl-0.50-2
    $ cat README # to check that next 3 lines are still correct
    $ ./configure
    $ # to get make: apt-cyg install make 
    $ make # skipped 3 dutch words (no problem):  "rock-'n-roll" "rock-'n-roller" "spring-in-'t-veld"
    $ make install

  Check that the library was added correctly:

    $ dict -c -l nl "kaaskop kaskop"
    @(#) International Ispell Version 3.1.20 (but really Aspell 0.60.8)
    *
    & kaskop 11 8: kaaskop, kas kop, kas-kop, kaalkop, keikop, kaaskoper, leeskop, loskoop, luiskop, kesp, kroeskop
  

You are done.

Some examples:

$ dict -? # show the manual page.

$ dict dragonfly
150 1 definitions retrieved
151 "dragonfly" wn "WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)"
dragonfly
    n 1: slender-bodied non-stinging insect having iridescent wings
         that are outspread at rest; adults and nymphs feed on
         mosquitoes etc. [syn: {dragonfly}, {darning needle},
         {devil's darning needle}, {sewing needle}, {snake feeder},
         {snake doctor}, {mosquito hawk}, {skeeter hawk}]
.

$ dict -c "dragonfly dragonflie"
@(#) International Ispell Version 3.1.20 (but really Aspell 0.60.8)
* 
& dragonflie 3 10: dragonflies, dragonfly, dragonfly's

$ dict -c c:/temp/measure_pu.html --mode=html  # spellcheck a html file (see aspell --help) 

$ dict -l fd-eng-fra dragonfly
150 1 definitions retrieved
151 "dragonfly" fd-eng-fra "English-French FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.6"
dragonfly /drægənflai/
libellule
.

$ dict -t dragonfly  # show all translations for "dragonfly" it can find