Technical details

JISHOP is available as an archived group of the following files:

jishop.exe  –  main executable file;
sqlite3.dll  –  database library file;
jishopskin.uskn  –  visual style file;
js_kan.txt  –  table of dictionary entries;
js_tan.txt  –  table of compound words.
js_ele.txt  –  table of radicals;
js_str.txt  –  table of kanji structures;
samples.kdg  –  file of sample kanji drill groups;
JishopSync.dll  –  synchronization driver for JISHOP Mobile;
Strokes.exe, Strokes.dll, StrokesEng.dll  –  files for Strokes software;
help/  –  folder containing help files.

When you first run JISHOP, the four text files are translated into five tables of the database. Please do not delete these text files (*.txt), as they are necessary for the running of the program.

Files KDSettings.txt and KDFonts.txt created after the first run, store information on settings made by the user. If they are absent or broken, default parameters are automatically set.

From version 5.0, JISHOP stores its files in a new format, which is better suited to the modern ideology of Windows and guarantees correct functioning under Windows Vista. By default, all files created by the program (database jishop.db and user's settings KDSettings.txt and KDFonts.txt) are saved not in the same folder as previously, but in Documents And Settings\{User name}\Application Data\Jishop. In this folder, a subfolder ‘Groups’ is created as well, which by default keeps the files of drill groups (samples.kdg and all user-created ones).

During the installation, you can choose the old scheme if you like it better.

The fonts JISHOP uses for kanji and kana can be either bitmapped or vector (parametric). By default, it uses a built-in unscalable BDF font of three fixed sizes: 16, 24 and 48 pixels. Shapes of characters in this font are considered the internal standard of JISHOP.

The built-in font allows you to use the program even without Japanese fonts installed in Windows. But if you prefer scalable vector fonts and have them installed, you can use them by selecting "View>Kanji and kana>True type font".

The visual style ("theme", "skin") used in JISHOP was specially designed for this software. It is possible to change the visual style using the "Options" menu. However, skin files available through the Internet would probably not suit this program. In the future, extra JISHOP skins will be developed and made available for users.

The dictionary data is shown in the format of bitmap images. This improves the visual appearance  –  but, on the other hand, makes it difficult to provide some useful functions. Therefore, from version 4.0, JISHOP supports rich text mode that allows you to select and copy text from dictionary entries and other windows. This format is also used for printing.

The dictionary data for JISHOP is regularly updated. New downloadable versions of the text files (js_kan.txt and js_tan.txt) regularly appear on JISHOP website as a zip archive. By default, the program checks at every start if there is a new data update or version upgrade on JISHOP web-page (only if there is an active internet connection). You can switch off the default automatic check and do it manually via the command in "Options" menu.

To rebuild the database, open a special window by "Options>Rebuild database" in the main menu. If the updated data files are not downloaded yet, press the button "Get files" which will direct you to the JISHOP website where you can download them. Make sure that the files are unzipped and placed in JISHOP folder before pressing the button "Start".

After updating dictionary data, select "Options>Fresh data" to view the unfolded list of newly edited kanji.