DDSA Practical Sanskrit 2.0

The Macdonell Practical Sanskrit Dictionary app is an initiative of the Digital South Asia Library program at the University of Chicago. It provides a searchable platform for Arthur Anthony Macdonell's "A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary with Transliteration, Accentuation, and Etymological Analysis," originally published in 1929 by Oxford University Press. The initial edition was reproduced with permission from Longmans, Green & Co.

This application functions in both online and offline modes. The online version connects to a database hosted on a University of Chicago server, whereas the offline version creates a local database upon initial download.

In its default setting, the app operates online. Users can perform both headword and full-text searches. Headword searches are initiated by tapping the search box (indicated by a magnifying glass icon), allowing users to input terms in Sanskrit or using accented and unaccented Latin characters.

Once three characters are entered, users are presented with a scrollable list of suggestions, from which they can select a word to populate the search field or complete the search term manually. To execute the search, the return button on the keyboard must be pressed.

Headword searches are designed to extend from the end of the input term; for example, typing "kar" yields results such as "karanda" (करण्ड) and "karaṅka" (करङ्क). To search for words beginning with specific characters, users can utilize the "%" character at the start of their query—"%kar" will return results including "á-karna" (अकर्ण) and "a-kâraka" (अकारक).

For a comprehensive text search, users can select the "Fulltext" search option and input their desired terms. A query like "temple fire" will return instances where both terms appear within definitions. Additionally, multi-word searches can incorporate boolean operators like "NOT" and "OR"; for example, "temple OR fire" yields 319 results while "temple NOT fire" provides 93 distinct entries.

Substring matching is available through the "Search Options" sub-menu. By default, searches will target "Words beginning with." However, selecting alternative options such as "Words ending with" enables users to discover a wider range of relevant terms—searching for "sant," for example, reveals 96 instances of words concluding with this string.

The search results are presented in a numbered list showing the Sanskrit headword, its accented Latin transliteration, and an excerpt of its definition. Users can access the full definition by tapping on the headword itself.

In online mode, each result page includes a link to navigate directly to its contextual location within the original text. Navigation arrows at the top facilitate movement between pages in the dictionary.

To switch between online and offline modes, users need only toggle a selector at the top of the screen. Upon launching, the app detects whether an internet connection is available and verifies access to the remote server. Given that online mode is standard by default, users should select their preferred mode prior to commencing any search queries.