the text files should be formatted one entry to a line, with entries formatted as:
word /// definition1 / definition 2
with no more than 3 definitions. Note the spaces around the slashes. If the entry is a Japanese word with a furigana reading, then
word {reading} /// definition1 / definition 2
and if you also want to be able to look it up by reading then you'll need to add a second entry formatted as
reading {word} /// definition1 / definition 2
The information below is how to convert a text file to a .dic dictionary; this is from http://zaurus.biojapan.de/zaufaq.html (I copied the instructions rather than just linking to them just in case the original page becomes unavailable--apologies to the authors)
Tools - Ž«�‘‚̕ϊ·
the following options:
“]‘—Œ³Œ`Ž®:
ˆê�sƒeƒLƒXƒgŒ`Ž®
“]‘—�æŒ`Ž®�F
PDIC Œ`Ž®
Load the files with ŽQ�Æ, e.g. wadoku.txt for the ˆê�s ,
and write wadoku.dic for the pdic file to be created.
In the bottom menu choose
•t‚¯‰Á‚¦‚é�i‹æ�Ø‚è•¶Žš•t‚«)
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Then move on to �Ú�× and choose
ˆê�sƒeƒLƒXƒgŒ`Ž®‚Ì‹æ�Ø:
///
i.e. with a space at the left and the right of the three slashes.
In the left menu
–ó Œê/ —p—ñ•”‚ɂ‚¢‚Ä
choose only the first point
–ó ‚²/ —p—ñ‚ð‹æ�؂肵‚ÄŽæ‚è�ž‚Þ
and at the bottom choose
‹æ�Ø‚è•¶Žš
/
i.e. a space to the left and the right of the slash.
In the right menu
�o—͂Ɋւµ‚Ä
choose the first
Ši”[‚µ‚«‚ê‚È‚¢�ê�‡‚݈̂³�k
and the third point
—p—ñ‚ðˆ³�k
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In the submenu
“o˜^�€–Ú
choose points 1,4 and 5.
OK this menu as well as ���B
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OK once more.
Ok once more. (on the menu that pops up--Hyper.... should already be selected, blanking out all the other choices except the box on the bottom, which you shouldn't select)