Converting "dictd" dictionaries to StarDict format
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Start with a  "dictd" dictionary-file set.  This should consist of two
"dictd" data files, which should have ".dict.dz" and ".index" filename
extensions, respectively. For example:

      vulcan.dict.dz
      vulcan.index

Note: If you've got a ".index.gz" file instead of a ".index" file, de-
compress it. For example:

      gzip -d vulcan.index.gz

Use "dictunzip" to decompress the ".dict.dz" file. For example:

      dictunzip vulcan.dict.dz 

This should replace the ".dict.dz" file with a ".dict" file.

Run  "dictd2dic" and  specify the  base filename  associated with  the
"dictd" data files. Omit the ".dict" and ".index" filename extensions.
For example:

      dictd2dic vulcan

"dictd2dic" should create two files with  ".dict.dz" and  ".idx" file-
name extensions, respectively. For example:

      dictd_something_vulcan.dict.dz
      dictd_something_vulcan.idx

"dictd2dic" should also print a  status message similar to the follow-
ing:

      wordcount: 15267

Make a note of the word-count value displayed.

"dictd2dic" will assign an arbitrary  base name to the  ".dict.dz" and
".idx" files.  You may wish to rename these files. If you do so, use a
consistent base name for both files,  and preserve the  ".dict.dz" and
".idx" filename extensions.

For example:

      mv -i dictd_something_vulcan.dict.dz NewVulcan.dict.dz
      mv -i dictd_something_vulcan.idx     NewVulcan.idx

Create a  text file  with  the same  base name  as the  ".dict.dz" and
".idx" files,  but with a ".ifo" filename extension instead of ".dict.
gz" or ".idx".

For example:  If the new  ".dict.dz" and ".idx" files are named  "New-
Vulcan.dict.gz" and "NewVulcan.idx",  create a file named  "NewVulcan.
ifo".

Edit the new ".ifo" file and add lines similar to the following (with-
out leading or trailing white space):

      StarDict's dict ifo file
      version=2.4.2
      wordcount=15267
      idxfilesize=312052
      bookname=Vulcan dictionary
      description=Creative Commons license
      date=2006.12.22
      sametypesequence=m

Set "version" to 2.4.2 (even though StarDict has a higher version).
Set "wordcount"   to the word-count value obtained previously.
Set "idxfilesize" to the size of the ".idx" file (in bytes).
Set "bookname"    to a short  descriptive string. Spaces are allowed.
Set "description" to a second descriptive string.
Set "date"        to an appropriate date (in YYYY.MM.DD format).

Note: The "description" line is optional.

At this point, you've created three new files.  The three files should
have  ".dict.dz", ".idx.gz", and ".ifo" filename extensions,  respect-
ively.

Create a  StarDict data directory to hold the new files.  The new dir-
ectory should be located directly under StarDict's "dic" subdirectory,
and it should have a unique name.

For example:

      mkdir -p /usr/prod/stardict/share/stardict/dic/19_vulcan

Note: The leading portion of the path shown here will vary from distro
to distro.

Move the new files into the data directory, and you're done. If every-
thing is working correctly, the next time you run "stardict", the pro-
gram should load the converted dictionary automatically.