The Aroha Japanese / English Dictionary is based on the Edict and KanjiDic dictionary files from the Edict project adminstered by Jim Breen of Monash University, Australia. It is a learners dictionary with features specifically designed to assist students of the Japanese language. ############## #Installation# ############## 1) Run the Aroha.exe file. The installation files will be extracted to a folder of your choice and the installation should start automatically. If it does not, double click the Setup.exe file to run the installation program. 2) After installation the Aroha Dictionary can be run from the Aroha shortcut on the desktop, or in the Start menu. ################################ #Using the Aroha J/E dictionary# ################################ #Word Search# To search for the English equivalent of a Japanese word, click on the Words button on the top menu to open the word search form. Then simply enter the word in the text field at the top and press the search button to generate the search. Search results appear in a list box on the lower left of the Word Search form. Clicking on any of the words in the results list box will show that word in the details box. A breakdown of any of the kanji elements in a given word can be obtained by selecting that word in the results list box, and pressing the Kanji Split button. To add a word to the My Words custom dictionary first select the word in the search results list box and press the Add to My Words button. #Kanji Search# To open the Kanji search form, click on the Kanji button on the top menu. To search for information about a particular kanji (Chinese character) enter any combination of the following criteria. Kanji: Enter the kanji directly into the Kanji field. (Good if you know how to read the Kanji). Strokes: Enter the number of strokes used to write the kanji. Grade: Select the maximum grade (Jouyou) level of the Kanji. The grades from 1-8 represent the stage at which the Kanji is taught in the Japanese Education system. (1 is the earliest, 8 is the latest.) Radical Strokes: Enter the number of strokes used to write the radical (Bushu) of the Kanji. Radical: Select the Radical from the radicals table.(Generated after entering the radical strokes number and pressing the >> key.) Clicking on any of the Kanji in the results list box will show that Kanji in the details box. To see examples of Japanese words using the selected Kanji, press the Word Suggest button. To add a word to the My Kanji custom dictionary first select the word in the search results list box and press the Add to My Kanji button. NB Users of Japanese/Chinese/Korean windows can choose to draw the Kanji using the IME draw pad included with Windows. Pressing the draw Kanji button will open the IME draw pad #My Words# To open the My Words form click on the My Words button on the top menu. Any words you have added to the dictionary will appear in the list box on the left hand side. Clicking on any of the words in the list box will show details of that word in the details box. A breakdown of any of the kanji elements in a given word can be obtained by selecting that word in the results list box, and pressing the Kanji Split button. To delete a word from the My Words custom dictionary, first select it in the list box and then press the delete button. The My Words custom dictionary can be printed by pressing the Print button on the My Words form. #My Kanji# To open the My Kanji form click on the My Kanji button on the top menu. Any kanji you have added to the dictionary will appear in the list box on the left hand side. Clicking on any of the kanji in the list box will show that kanji in the details box. To see examples of Japanese words using the selected Kanji, press the Word Suggest button. To delete an entry from the My Kanji custom dictionary, first select it in the list box and then press the delete button. The My Kanji custom dictionary can be printed by pressing the Print button on the My Kanji form. #Word Suggest# To open the Word Suggest form, click on the Word Suggest button on the top menu. Using the word suggest form it is possible to obtain a list of all the words with a given kanji or kanji string appearing at the beginning, at the end, or anywhere in the word. Enter the kanji, word or kanji string into the text field, select the appropriate select option and word length from the boxes on the right hand side and press the search button. Search results appear in a list box on the lower left of the Word Search form. Clicking on any of the words in the results list box will show details of that word in the details box. A breakdown of any of the kanji elements in a given word can be obtained by first selecting that word in the results list box, and pressing the Kanji Split button. To add a word to the My Words custom dictionary first select the word in the search results list box and press the Add to My Words button. ################ #Japanese Input# ################ The Aroha Dictionary relies on the host computer to have the ability to display Japanese fonts and provide a means of inputting Japanese text. On non-Japanese Windows machines this will mean having Microsoft's Global IME for Japanese(ME,2000,XP) or 3rd party software like Twinbridges. ################ #Credits# ################ Special thanks to Jim Breen and all the others involved in the Edict project for creating such as tremendous resource as the Edict and KanjiDic files. ################ #Release Notes.# ################ This is the first release of the Aroha dictionary and so there will without doubt be some bugs, technical and design. Should you discover such a bug, please contact JStuff and let us know. We will do all we can to help you, and hopefully it will lead to a bigger and better future version. Thanks for choosing to download and install the Aroha dictionary. Justin Hunt JSTUFF.net support@jstuff.net http://www.jstuff.net