First run¶
Requires dictshelf installed (Install) and a folder of
dictionary files.
1. Start the server¶
DictShelf prints the address it listens on, the dictionary folders it reads and
the config file in effect, then opens the browser at
localhost:6888. A binary in the current folder is
started with ./dictshelf.
The DictShelf howto, a guide built in as a dictionary, is always available:
search for dictshelf to list its topics.
2. Set the dictionary folders¶
The default dictionary folder is ~/Dictionaries, subfolders included. If it
is missing or empty, the main page shows the howto with a link to the setup
page, localhost:6888/setup.
On the setup page, enter the path of a folder with dictionary files (~ is
allowed). The page checks the path as you type and shows how many dictionaries
it contains. Use this folder saves it to ~/.dmshlabs/dictshelf/dictshelf.toml;
no restart is needed.
To open the setup page later: ☰ → folder summary → Edit folders….
The folders can also be set without the setup page:
A command-line flag overrides the environment variable, which overrides
dictshelf.toml. The setup page shows when a folder list is overridden.
3. Check¶
The main page lists one section per dictionary that has a result. Search for a word you know is in one of them.
From a terminal:
Each line is one dictionary DictShelf can read.
Indexing¶
When DictShelf finds a dictionary, it queues its headword index in the background
and saves it in the library (~/.dmshlabs/dictshelf/db). Until indexing finishes, exact
and prefix searches use the dictionary's own format. The library index makes
search faster and uses less memory.
Problems¶
| Symptom | See |
|---|---|
| No dictionaries listed | No dictionaries appear |
address already in use |
Port 6888 is in use |
| No browser tab opens | No browser tab opens |
| No sound | No sound |