7.1.2 DICT URL

Another way to specify data for a query is by using URL, instead of a word to search, as in the example below:

$ dico dict://gnu.org.ua/d:entdeckung

A DICT URL consists of the following parts:

dict://user;pass@host:port/d:word:database:n
dict://user;pass@host:port/m:word:database:strat:n

The ‘/d’ syntax requests the definition of word, whereas the ‘/m’ syntax queries for matches, and is similar to the --match option. Some or all of ‘user;pass@’, ‘:port’, database, strat, and and n may be omitted. The meaning of all URL parts and their default values (if appropriate) are explained in the table below:

user

The user name to use in authentication. Similar to the --user option. If user is omitted and cannot be retrieved by other means, no authentication is attempted. See Autologin, for a detailed description of authentication procedure and sources which are used to obtain authentication credentials.

pass

A shared key (password) for that user. This part is similar to the --key command line option.

For compatibility with other URLs, dico tolerates a colon (instead of semicolon) as a delimiter between user and pass.

If user is given, but pass is not, dico will ask you to supply a password interactively (see Autologin).

host

Host name, IPv4 address, or IPv6 address (in square brackets) of the server to query. Same as the --host command line option.

port

Port number or service name (from /etc/services). If it is not present, the default of 2628 is used.

Same as the --port command line option.

word

The word to look for.

database

The database to search in. If not given, ‘!’ is assumed.

Same as the --database command line option.

strat

The matching strategy to use. If omitted, ‘.’ is assumed.

Same as the --strategy command line option.

n

Extract and display the nth definition of the word. If omitted, all definitions are displayed.

There is no command line option equivalent for this parameter, because it is used rarely.

Trailing colons may be omitted. For example, the following URLs might specify definitions or matches:

dict://dict.org/d:shortcake:
dict://dict.org/d:shortcake:*
dict://dict.org/d:shortcake:wordnet:
dict://dict.org/d:shortcake:wordnet:1
dict://dict.org/d:abcdefgh
dict://dict.org/d:sun
dict://dict.org/d:sun::1
dict://dict.org/m:sun
dict://dict.org/m:sun::soundex
dict://dict.org/m:sun:wordnet::1
dict://dict.org/m:sun::soundex:1
dict://dict.org/m:sun:::