DCT File

Files with the .dct extension serve as a word database used primarily for spell-checking. These are predominantly text-format files, capable of storing a variety of vocabulary data. Their internal syntax can vary, sometimes defined at the beginning of the file in a header. Some .dct variants also use a ZIP-package format - in such a case, a single file may contain one or several word lists along with the rules describing them.

.dct files may, but do not have to, be linked to definitions or translations. It all depends on the format and the program that uses them. For example:

• a spell-checker allowing verification of writing correctness
• a translator enabling word-by-word lookup
• an encyclopedic application providing access to definitions

The way records are saved in .dct files depends on the software. In text-based variants, words are most commonly separated by a newline character; separate language dictionaries are kept in separate files.

The .dct extension is used by several unrelated applications, each with its own internal format. The two most common contexts are AutoCAD - where .dct holds a plain-text word list (one entry per line) loaded automatically at startup - and QuarkXPress, which uses a proprietary binary .dct with indexed lookup structures. In AutoCAD, user-added words go into a companion .cus file rather than the main .dct.

IntelliSpell spelling software also uses .dct dictionary files organized as a package. Dictionaries are divided into main, user, and custom types; the user .dct dictionary is most often modified on an ongoing basis as part of individual text checking.