Getting started

GalShelf (栞) is a visual-novel library for Windows with a companion website. The desktop app organises the games on your computer, times your play sessions and runs the native tools; the website keeps a shelf in your GalShelf account that you can use from any browser. You can start with either one.

What you need#

• Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.
• The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime. It is not bundled with GalShelf; Windows 11 normally has it already. If GalShelf reports that it cannot start and mentions WebView2, install the runtime from Microsoft and try again.
• No Python, Node.js or administrator rights are needed.
• Some tools have their own limits (for example Magpie scaling or controller mapping for games that run as administrator). See Native tools.

Install the desktop app#

1. Download the Windows package from the download page. Published releases live at https://github.com/Harihi-Works/GalShelf-Dev/releases (external link); the desktop app checks the same place for updates.
2. Choose a package: GalShelf Full (-Full.zip) is the complete, batteries-included experience with Locale Emulator, Magpie and the share-card art library pre-installed; GalShelf Lite (-Lite.zip) is a smaller download with the same features, where optional tools can be associated from an installation you already have or installed later through GalShelf. Extract the whole ZIP into a new folder. Keep the components folder (aria2 and Real-ESRGAN) next to GalShelf.exe, and in Full also the modules folder.
3. Start GalShelf.exe.

GalShelf has no installer and the executable is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may ask for confirmation. Each package includes SHA256SUMS and package-manifest.json; compare the hashes after extracting if you downloaded from a mirror.

Where your data lives#

The desktop app keeps everything in %LOCALAPPDATA%\GalShelf: the library database, settings, logs, screenshots, save backups and local backups. Deleting the program folder does not delete this data.

• To use another location, start GalShelf with --data-dir "<folder>" or set the GALSHELF_DATA_DIR environment variable.
• The app talks to its own local service on 127.0.0.1:18765. Nothing outside your computer can reach it.
• Logs are in %LOCALAPPDATA%\GalShelf\logs.

First run and your first import#

You don't need an account to use the desktop app. On first run:

1. Open Import and choose a folder that contains your games, or scan the Steam games installed on this computer. See Library and import.
2. Review the proposed matches. Nothing is added or changed until you confirm.
3. Open a work to set its status, score and notes. See Status and dango rating.

Accounts, Steam, QQ and cloud features are optional and can be connected later.

The welcome tour#

• Desktop appAvailable in 0.2.8
• WebsiteNot applicable

The new interface opens an animated welcome tour, 欢迎来到栞 / Welcome to GalShelf, the first time it starts. Its eight scenes use demo data with made-up titles, so your shelf, accounts and games are never changed:

1. choosing profile A or B (applied immediately),
2. importing and reviewing matches,
3. the three group states,
4. play status and the dango rating (a try-it demo that isn't saved),
5. image, GIF and video backgrounds,
6. accounts and sync, with cloud saves as a separate choice,
7. VNDB-confirmed releases versus unconfirmed announcements,
8. settings, these docs and the companion.

Use 下一步 / Next, 上一步 / Back or the arrow keys, and 跳过引导 / Skip tour or Esc to leave; 开始使用 / Get started finishes it. You can change the language inside the tour. If it is interrupted, it resumes where it stopped. With reduced motion the scenes are shown as still pictures. Replay it any time from Settings → 帮助 / Help → 重新播放新手引导 / Replay the welcome tour.

Updates#

Since 0.2.4 the desktop app can update itself:

• It checks the public release page about 90 seconds after start and then every 8 hours.
• The update manifest is signed, and every download is checked against its SHA-256 before use; interrupted downloads resume.
• You choose the mode in settings: notify (default), download automatically, or install automatically. Installation waits until no play timer, download or sync is running, backs up the program files first and rolls back if something fails.
• The updater never touches your data folder.

If the app lives in a protected folder such as Program Files, it only checks and notifies; install the update by extracting the new package yourself.

Uninstall#

1. If you turned on the Windows Explorer context menus, turn them off in settings first (or run GalShelf.exe --shell-integration remove). This removes only the two per-user entries GalShelf created.
2. If you installed the galbd bridge on a bot, remove it with its installer first (see galbd / AstrBot).
3. Delete the program folder.
4. Delete %LOCALAPPDATA%\GalShelf only if you also want to remove your personal data.

Using the website instead#

The website at galshelf.com needs no installation. Sign in with a GalShelf account or NextMoe and your shelf lives in your account. See The website shelf and Accounts.