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Build your glossary

Read answers to your questions on how to build your own glossaries, using the Babylon Builder.

General Information

Downloading & Installing

Creating Glossaries

Importing Glossaries

Building & Submitting Glossaries



General Information

  • Where can I find the Babylon Builder documentation?

  • You can review the "Babylon Builder Quick Guide" here

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  • What is a Glossary?

  • A glossary is a personalized dictionary with terms and their definitions. These definitions can be styled anyway you like - as a dictionary, an encyclopedia or a photo album. Glossaries are built with the Babylon Builder, for use in Babylon. They are available in our site, at our Glossary Index, for all Babylon users to download or subscribe to.

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  • What is the Babylon Builder?

  • The Babylon Builder is an application that you can use to build glossaries for use in Babylon. Glossaries built for Babylon can also be uploaded to Babylon's Glossary Index for millions of Babylon users to use. If you submit quality glossaries to Babylon's Glossary Index, you’ll be entitled to free Babylon licenses and maybe even prizes of up to $1,000! See our Glossary Builders Reward Plan to find out more.

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  • How much does it cost to use the Babylon Builder?

  • Babylon's Builder can be downloaded and used by private users for free!
    Babylon offers corporations Babylon-Corporate Builder, specifically tailored to corporate needs, and requiring a corporate license. To find out more about corporate licenses, please send an email to corporate@babylon.com.

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  • What is a *.gls file?

  • The Babylon Builder saves glossary files that you build in a format called *.gls (glossary source file). These files can also be viewed in any text viewer (e.g. Notepad).

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  • What kind of files can be viewed in the Babylon Builder?

  • The Babylon Builder saves glossary files in a format called *.gls. These files can also be viewed in any text viewer (e.g. Notepad). You can also import already existing files that are saved in either *.txt or *.html format to the Babylon Builder, and build your glossary instantly, based on these files.

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  • Couldn't find the answer to your question?

  • Click here to send a request to our support team.

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Downloading & Installing

  • Where can I download the Babylon Builder?

  • The Babylon Builder is available for download by private users in the builder download page section of this website. Babylon offers corporations the Babylon-Corporate Builder, specifically tailored to the needs of organizations, and requiring a corporate license. Click here to find out more about corporate licenses.

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  • After I downloaded the Babylon Builder I received an error message. What should I do?

  • This usually happens when your Internet connection is interrupted, and the download process cannot be completed successfully, or when the downloaded file was damaged.
    In the latter case you will receive one of the error messages below, and you should start downloading again.
    "WinZip self-extractor header is corrupt"
    "Builder.exe is not a valid Win 32/NT application."

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  • Couldn't find the answer to your question?

  • Click here to send a request to our support team.

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Creating Glossaries

  • How do I create new glossaries?

  • A new glossary file is automatically created when you launch the Babylon Builder. This file is named "untitled.gls". You can use this file for your new glossary, save it under a different name, or create a new file by clicking on the "New" button.

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  • What kind of information should I provide about the glossary?

  • It is recommended to provide your potential glossary users with as much information as possible about your glossary, and thus encourage them to download it or subscribe to it. This is done in the Info Screen - the first screen you see in the Babylon Builder. You can enter both your personal details and general information about the glossary, including both a title and a short description. You can also choose an icon that best describes the glossary. This icon will appear next to all definitions from your glossary that appear in Babylon.

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  • What information should I specify for each entry in my glossary?

  • There are three things that you need to specify for each entry:
    1. Word/Phrase - This is the title of the entry, and the source term that you want to supply a definition for.
    2. Alternate Form(s) - Synonyms, other words (or phrases) that have exactly the same definition as the source term, OR possible spelling mistakes of the entry. For Example, if the Word/Phrase is: Anna Sui, the Alternate Form(s) would be: Ana Sui, Ana soui, etc).
    3. Definition - The text that explains the source term. This can include hyperlinks and graphics that make the definition more interesting.

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  • What is an alternate form?

  • Alternate forms are synonyms of the source term (word/phrase) that you are defining. The alternate forms should be typed in the "Alternate Form(s)" box, with each alternate term typed in a new line. When a Babylon user clicks on a word that appears as an alternate form in your glossary, the same definition will appear as the definition that appears when the source term is clicked on. For example, if you put the word 'colour' as an alternate form of 'color', the Babylon Tool will give you the definition of 'color' if either 'color' or 'colour' are clicked. Consequently, it’s advisable to try to add as many alternate forms as you can think of for each definition.

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  • Can I use graphics or other files in the glossary definitions?

  • The Babylon Builder supports several graphic formats - bmp, emf, ico, jpg, png and wmf. You can embed any image saved in one of these formats into your glossary definitions. You can also create links from your definitions to unsupported file types. Any files that are linked to the glossary file will be bundled with it when you go through the "building" process.

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  • Couldn't find the answer to your question?

  • Click here to send a request to our support team.

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Importing Glossaries

  • What's the best way to arrange my document before I Import it into Babylon Builder?

  • The best way to arrange an existing document is to put it in a dictionary-style layout. That is, the word/phrase (source term) being defined should come first. The definition should appear in the following line, and a blank line should be left between the definition and the next entry.

    first term
    definition1

    second term
    definition2

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  • How can I specify alternate forms when importing a glossary?

  • You should put the alternate forms in the same line as the source term, separated by a straight line: | ([shift] + \). The general layout is:

    First term | alternate form 1 | alternate form 2 | alternate form 3 | etc.
    definition1

    Second term | alternate form 1 | alternate form 2 | alternate form 3 | etc.
    definition2

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  • How can I specify special effects when importing from XLS file?

  • After importing the Excel file use the "Advanced Styling..." button to give the definition area the 'special effects' such as bold, italics, underline.
    Embedded images & hyperlinks will be automatically imported into your definitions area.

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  • Couldn't find the answer to your question?

  • Click here to send a request to our support team.

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Building & Submitting Glossaries

  • What is building?

  • The build process converts the *.gls (glossary source file) file you built to a .bgl (Babylon glossary) file that can be viewed in Babylon. It also checks the glossary file for errors and allows you to correct them. Common errors that occur are:
    • Hyperlinks to words that do not exist in the glossary.
    • The wrong filename for an inserted image filename (the image file does not exist).
    • No title is specified for the glossary.

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  • Why should I ''build'' my glossary?

  • When your glossary is finished and you are ready to use it in Babylon, click on the "Build" button from the third screen in the Babylon Builder.

    Without the "build" process, your glossary cannot be used in Babylon. Furthermore, once you have built your glossary, you can submit it to Babylon's Glossary Index, and have a chance of winning free Babylon licenses and maybe even prizes of up to $1,000! See our Glossary Builders Reward Plan to find out more.

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  • What should I do with the ''built'' file?

  • In order to publish your glossary on Babylon’s site & in Babylon you have to submit the built file (*.bgl file) by going to the "Submit screen" in the Babylon Builder, and clicking on the "Submit" button. This will open your Browser at the Submit Glossary area on Babylon's site. Follow the instructions on the site to complete the submission process.

    Your glossary will be transferred to Babylon's linguistic team, for review, and if it is of a high enough quality it will be published in our Glossary Index, and you will get free Babylon licenses and maybe even prizes of up to $1,000!

    When your glossary is published, you will receive an email, letting you know in which category you can find your glossary on our site, and what prizes you are entitled to.

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  • After I click on ''Submit'', my browser is launched and I am asked if I wish to go online. Why?

  • In order to submit your glossary you must be online, since this process is done via Babylon's website. You do not have to submit your glossary immediately after you "build" it. The file can be accessed and submitted at another time.

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  • How can I update my glossary after it has been submitted?

  • In order to update a submitted glossary you must open your original builder file (the *.gls file) in the Babylon Builder and add new terms or update the existing terms. After making the desired changes, "build" the glossary and "submit" the file.

    As each glossary has a unique ID, the updated file is recognized, and not considered a new file. The Glossary Index will be updated automatically with the changes you have made, and users who registered to your glossary will be notified of this update.

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  • Couldn't find the answer to your question?

  • Click here to send a request to our support team.

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