Genggoro Dictionary Server Advanced Reference - Overview

What is GDS-A?

Genggoro Dictionary Server Advanced (GDS-A) is a version of GDS which has, in addition to the basic functionalities shared with Genggoro Dictionary Server Basic (GDS-B), the ability to customize the look and feel of the popup. It also has the search tool by which you can look up text typed into the built-in search box. GDS-A is given to people supporting the GDF project financially via Patreon in thanks for their support.

How to install GDS-A

1. Create a new folder where you want to install GDS-A. As an example, we will use C:\gdsa here.

2. Download the latest version of GDS-A (gdsa-X.Y.Z.zip ("X.Y.Z" part indicates the version number)) from this page and save it in the folder created in the previous step (C:\gdsa\gdsa-X.Y.Z.zip).

3. Unzip (extract) the downloaded file to the same folder. Perhaps if you right-click on the downloaded file, you can find a command to do that. If not, you need to install a unzipping software like 7-Zip. After unzipping, the installation folder should look like this:

   • gdsa
     • gdsa-X.Y.Z.zip
     • manifest.json
     • README.md
     • etc.

4. Check "Developer mode" at the top right of the extensions management page (chrome://extensions).

   

5. Click "Load unpacked extension..." and select the installation folder.

   

6. If you use Genggoro Dictionary Client for Google Chrome™ (GDC-CR), open its options page and copy the app ID of GDS-A to the "App ID of GDS" field.

7. Scroll down to the "Send font list" field and click the "Send font list" button to send a list of fonts available on your system to GDS-A so that you can use a font selector later. This step is optional but highly recommended.

   

   Font selector

8. Make sure that GDS-A works properly (you can use Tutorial 1 and 2 for that). After that, you may uninstall GDS-B if you want. The zip file used to install GDS-A can be removed as well.

How to update GDS-A

Unfortunately, updating GDS-A isn't as straightforward as GDS-B since GDS-A isn't hosted on the Chrome Web Store like GDS-B.

1. Before updating GDS-A, make sure that:

   • No GDCs or GDDs are connected to GDS-A.

   • No tools belonging to GDS-A (the search tool, the style editor, the settings window, etc.) are open.

   • No local server (started by GDS-A) is running.

2. Delete all files in the installation folder. All your customizations are preserved as long as you use the same folder.

3. Download a new version of GDS-A and save it in the installation folder.

4. Unzip the downloaded file as you did when installing GDS-A for the first time.

5. Click "Reload".

   

Known issues and future plan

Although GDS-A has more functionalities than GDS-B, it has some issues (inconveniences) not present in GDS-B like the following.

• Installing GDS-A isn't as easy as GDS-B because GDS-A isn't hosted on the CWS.

• Updating GDS-A isn't as easy as GDS-B because GDS-A isn't hosted on the CWS.

• If you use the stable (or beta) channel of Chrome browser for Windows, you need to click through a "security" warning dialog asking you whether to disable unpacked extensions/apps everytime (!) you launch Chrome (that's Google's decision, don't blame me for that).

  

  Just click "Cancel".

I know this situation isn't desirable for both the user and the developer (even more so given the fact that these issues can be solved easily just by uploading GDS-A to the CWS). However, I learned from my experience of releasing and maintaing couple of Chrome extensions in the past that giving away a product for free and setting up a donation link doesn't work at all and the development relying on such a model stalls sooner or later. That said, if, in the future, I can get enough supporters to keep the project running, I'll think about unifying GDS-A and GDS-B and releasing it from the CWS.

Next: Search Tool Reference