THL Toolbox > Reference > Dictionaries > Preparing Dictionary Entries Offline For Importation
Preparing Dictionary Entries Offline For Importation
Contributor(s): David Germano
No matter how well designed, it will always be easier to input structured data into a spreadsheet rather than into an online interface. If you have a large number of dictionary entries, you can input them into a spreadsheet and then have them imported. However, please note that if the entries being described already have structured entries within the dictionary, there may be problems with synchronizing the data. For example, if a term already has 3 definitions, and you want to add 2 more, then it really must be considered how those 5 definitions relate to each other. Follow the Tibetan Historical Dictionary Editorial Manual in general.
Firstly, use a Tibetan Unicode font. Tibet Machine Uni or Jomolhari from THL will be fine. IF you use Mac, you can just use the Unicode fonts built in with the system.
Secondly, analyze the structure of the data you want to input in relationship to dictionary's structure as detailed in Tibetan Historical Dictionary Editorial Manual.
Thirdly, create a spreadsheet with a separate column for each separate piece of information. One column should of course be the term itself; another column might be for a Sanskrit translation; another for a definition; a second definition; part of speech; etc. If there is separate sources for each information, you will need to use a THL id to identify each source seaprately.
You can do this work in the spreadsheet from the start, or type in and proof form Word and then cut and paste in.
