无意间从一个NLP tools推荐网站上发现了Visuwords，它的描述“online graphical dictionary”（在线图结构词典）比较吸引我，于是进入其官方网站试用了一下，感觉很有意思，就将其源码download下来，准备安装一下。我想之所以将它归类到NLP，与它使用wordnet3.0作为基本词典资源有密切关系。
在本机localhost下安装比较顺利，按官方网站介绍的方法，没敢擅自做主更改：
1. Verify that PHP 4 or better is installed and running correctly on your web server.（注：基本要求是PHP4及以上版本）
2. Make a folder in your web folder's document directory (usually htdocs) and name it 'visuwords' (this should be set for at least read access and all other folders likewise unless stated otherwise).（注：在htdocs下建立一个visuwords目录，不要使用其他文件夹名，我后来发现它的as脚本里已固定死了这些目录名，下面也是）
3. Make a folder inside the 'visuwords' folder you just made and name it 'v2.0'.（注：在visuwords下建立一个v2.0目录）
4. Unzip the contents of Visuwords20a.zip into the 'v2.0' folder you just made. The file structure should resemble this: （注：将下载的安装文件visuwords20a.zip解压到v2.0里）：
{doc_root}/v2.0/class/dictionary.php
{doc_root}/v2.0/class/xml.php
{doc_root}/v2.0/lex.php
{doc_root}/v2.0/license.txt
{doc_root}/v2.0/Manager.as
{doc_root}/v2.0/Node.as
{doc_root}/v2.0/Nodegroup.as
{doc_root}/v2.0/readme.txt
{doc_root}/v2.0/visuwords.fla
{doc_root}/v2.0/visuwords.swf
{doc_root}/v2.0/wordnet_dependencies.txt
５.Create another folder inside 'v2.0'and name it 'dict' (this folder should be set for read/write access).（注：在v2.0里新建一个目录dict，用户要有读/写权）
6. Into the 'dict' folder you just made, copy the following files from the "WordNet 3.0 for UNIX-like systems" package. All of these files come from within the 'dict' folder from WordNet. It is important to obtain "WordNet 3.0 for UNIX-like systems", EVEN IF YOU ARE RUNNING IN A WINDOWS ENVIRONMENT! WordNet does not currently provide a Windows version of WordNet v3.0, but all we need are some of the data files from it. Please make sure that you understand and abide by the WordNet license agreement. （注：将wordnet3.0 linux版本里以下6个文件放到dict目录下）
data.adj
data.adv
data.noun
data.verb
index.sense
lexnames
7. Test that lex.php works correctly. Call up http://localhost/visuwords/v2.0/lex.php in your browser. You should see an XML dump similar to this. If you don't see a similar XML dump (it will be filled with data for a random word) then ensure that you have followed all of the instructions so far and that your web server is performing properly. The unmodified front-end Flash applet makes calls directly to 'http://localhost/visuwords/v2.0/lex.php' for its data feeds. If you have installed it in any other URL path then you will need to modify the Manager.as file (lines 19 and 20) and rebuild the visuwords.swf file from the included visuwords.fla file. (Adobe/Macromedia Flash v8.0 or later is required). It is strongly recommended that you at least get it working in the default path first, before trying to customize it.（注：执行http://localhost/visuwords/v2.0/lex.php，如果生成xml文件，则说明安装成功，可以执行同目录下的visuwords.swf文件了）
8. If lex.php works correctly, then you should be able to run the front side of the application which is a Flash applet. Make sure you have installed the latest Flash player that is compatible with your browser and call up http://localhost/visuwords/v2.0/visuwords.swf in your browser. You can confirm that you have a compatible player if the online version of Visuwords works from the website ( http://www.visuwords.com ), operates correctly.(注：顺利的话，这一步就可以看到漂亮的wordnet图形词典了，很漂亮)
9. Jump for joy, you are done.
但是，当我按同样的方法放在虚拟主机www.52nlp.cn上时，却在最后一步运行visuwords.swf时显示XML Load Failed!查了一下原因，发现下载的安装包默认的路径就在http://localhost/visuwords...下，如果要安装在其他主机上，必须修改v2.0下的manager.as文件的第19行，将localhost替换成相应的主机名（事实上在上面的第7条上已经做了提示，我安装的时候没注意），并且重新编译一个visuwords.swf. 对flash不熟，试着利用flash 8重新导出了一个swf，却发现生成的文件有15m，而下载下来的文件里的swf只有几百k。虽然感觉有问题，但还是将这个swf上传到了主机上，试用了一下，失败。猜测原作者在编译swf做了很多设置，但是没能在网上找到这样的说明。如果您对flash这方面的内容比较熟，可以研究一下这个问题，并把结果通知我，不甚感激！
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