Basically a dictionary is a place to store information as global variables. It makes it easy to pre-program lots of content into your game in notepad form without having create an event for each entry. Here is how to set one up:
Capx Example
Dictionary Setup
1. Create a dictionary object (this is a global object)
2. Create what I call a "validate button"
-Create text box called validate
-Create event "On left click of object 'textbox validate' download DictionaryasJSON AND set textbox value to DictionaryasJSON
3. Launch your game and click on the 'validate' object and download the JSON file. This will provide you with a template for adding values by hand instead of having to push them all initially.
4. Find the JSON file and put in all your keys and values (you will need to set it to open with notepad)
5. Save the JSON notepad text file and in construct2 right click on the "Files" folder on the project list typically on the right hand side and select "Import files" then select the JSON file you just modified. (from now on you can doubleclick the JSON file in the project to modify it and blow the other one away.
6. Set your "on layout load" to set the dictionary to the contents of the JSON file (this is to initially populate it, these values will remain as long as the game is running as it is stored in RAM)
7. Now you can use the Dictionary Set key and Dictionary.Get to call upon values like to set and start the name of an animation stored in it.
Json Validator
Here is my event view for the virtual joystick and keyboard controls
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3T5Q5b_wNSI/UV4KM6XbnPI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/61YQs3Tor4E/s956/Joystick%26Keyboard+Movement2.png" border="0">