Sample Dictionary Service Client Application

A sample command line application, illustrating how to call the DictService Dictionary Web Service from C# is available for download.

DictServiceSample.zip (42KB)

Source code suitable for use with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is included

Application Usage

Usage: DictServiceSample.exe <subcommand> [args]

Possible subcommands:

dictionarylist

Show a list of all available dictionaries

define word [/dict:dictionary]

Define the word, optionally showing results for the specified dictionary only

serverinfo

display remote server information

dictionaryinfo dictionary

display detailed dictionary information

strategylist

show a list of all available strategies for matching words

match word strategy [/dict:dictionary]

show all word matches using the given strategy, optionally showing results for the specified dictionary only

Common subcommands:

/proxy:value

/proxyusername:value

/proxypassword:value

/proxydomain:value

Set proxy URL and optional authentication methods, for when behind a corporate firewall

Examples:

• Give all definitions of hello from all dictionaries

            DictServiceSample.exe define hello
            From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
            Hello \Hel*lo"\, interj. & n.
            An exclamation used as a greeting, to call attention, as an
            exclamation of surprise, or to encourage one. This variant of
            ...
          

• Show dictionary list

            DictServiceSample.exe dictionarylist
            gcide : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
            wn : WordNet (r) 2.0
            moby-thes : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
            elements : Elements database 20001107
            ...
          

• Get detailed dictionary information

            DictServiceSample.exe dictionaryinfo wn
            ============ wn ============
            00-database-info
            This file was converted from the original database on:
            ...
          

• Show the list of matching strategies

            DictServiceSample.exe strategylist
            exact : Match headwords exactly
            prefix : Match prefixes
            ...
          

• Match ‘for’ using the prefix strategy, and limit results to the WordNet dictionary

            DictServiceSample.exe match for prefix /dict:wn
            wn : for 24 hours
            wn : for a bargain price
            ...