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Windows installer

The installer is optional. It installs DictShelf.exe for the desktop and terminal commands, alongside a Start menu entry, an uninstaller and four optional actions. It runs on 64-bit Windows on x64, and on Arm64 Windows 11 through x64 emulation. There is no native Arm64 build.

Install

  1. Download dictshelf-windows-x64-setup-<version>.exe from the releases page.
  2. Run it. The file is not code-signed, so Windows shows Windows protected your PC: choose More info, then Run anyway.

  3. Choose an install mode:

    Mode Needs Installs to
    For all users (default) administrator rights C:\Program Files\wuDict2
    For me only %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\wuDict2

  4. Select the options.

  5. Finish. Start DictShelf now starts the server.

The browser opens localhost:6888, and the DictShelf icon appears in the notification area.

Options

Task Default Effect
Create a desktop shortcut off a desktop shortcut
Start DictShelf at sign-in off a Startup folder shortcut that runs DictShelf.exe --no-browser
Add DictShelf to %PATH% on makes the wuDict2 command available in PowerShell and cmd
Offer DictShelf in Open with on for .mdx, .dsl, .slob, .bgl and .zim files

The uninstaller removes all four. Start DictShelf at sign-in is the same as the manual Startup folder shortcut in Run at startup; use one of the two.

Console or tray

DictShelf.exe opens the app without a console window and shows a tray icon. The same executable accepts commands such as DictShelf.exe --help from PowerShell or cmd. The log is written to %USERPROFILE%\.dmshlabs\dictshelf\db.logs\dictshelf.log.

If the app is already active, a second operational launch displays a warning and exits.

DictShelf keeps its files in %USERPROFILE%\.dmshlabs\dictshelf. On first launch, if %USERPROFILE%\.dictshelf exists, DictShelf checks its state.json for DictShelf-only settings. If it finds them, it asks whether to copy or move DictShelf settings, styles and lemma files into the new folder. Otherwise, it offers to import only the dictionary folders and lemmas, or start with Edit Folders. Dictionary indexes are not copied; DictShelf rebuilds them in its own format. The old DictShelf server is stopped before files are copied when its settings identify a running instance.

Tray menu Action
Open DictShelf open the page in the browser
Rescan dictionaries re-read the dictionary folders
Open dictionary folder show the dictionary folder in Explorer
Quit DictShelf stop the server

Upgrade

Download and run the latest installer. It keeps the install mode, closes a running DictShelf.exe, and does not restart unless asked. Existing dictionary files, dictshelf.toml and the library are not changed.

Silent install

all users
.\dictshelf-windows-x64-setup-<version>.exe /ALLUSERS /VERYSILENT /NORESTART
current user
.\dictshelf-windows-x64-setup-<version>.exe /CURRENTUSER /VERYSILENT /NORESTART

/ALLUSERS and /CURRENTUSER skip the install mode page. A silent install does not start the server.

Uninstall

Settings → Apps → Installed apps → DictShelf → Uninstall removes the program, the shortcuts, the PATH entry and the Open with entries. Dictionary files, %USERPROFILE%\.dmshlabs\dictshelf (settings and library) and the log remain; delete them by hand if you no longer need them.

Next

Set the dictionary folders