WebStart Instructions for ShelfServer

ShelfServer, the desktop component of BookShelf provides access for your phone to the book content on your desktop computer. You might think of it as a very simple iTunes for books (or not...).

ShelfServer can be started in one of two ways. Either downloading it as a ZIP file containing a double-clickable JAR or by using Java WebStart. For most users with a properly configured Java environment, WebStart is the easier way to go.

When you click the WebStart link, your browser should prompt you to download or open the file shelfserver.jnlp. You'll need to open this file, either with the initial dialog or by finding it in your Downloads folder and double-clicking it. This file is tiny and so should download in a matter of seconds.

When you open the jnlp file, either your browser or your operating system may give you some various warnings about the impending demise of your computer. Running ShelfServer has not been known to cause any desktop's to burst into flame, but your mileage may vary...

Once opened, you should see the Java WebStart splash screen briefly and a download progress bar for ShelfServer. The total ShelfServer download is 1.5MB, so it shouldn't take too long.

Once the download is complete, you'll be prompted by Java to accept the certificate which signed the application and (possibly separately) to grant permissions for the application to run. These prompts look something like the screen shots that follow. You need to choose "Trust," optionally selecting "Always trust www.thebedells.org" in order for the application to run. You may be prompted to enter your login password to authorize the certificate, and you may receive additional admonitions of certain doom from your operating system. Select Ok/Yes/Proceed/etc. for any such dialogs.

Once you've passed the gauntlet of various warning messages, ShelfServer start start up automatically:

Assuming your computer is on the same network segment as your iPhone or iPod touch, the ShelfServer should show up in BookShelf like this:

New in BookShelf 2.0:
Download Books without using ShelfServer

Click to Install BookShelf with iTunes or AppStore

Latest News

• Apr 29, 2009 ePub Support added ShelfServer now supports the ePub format[More...]
• Apr 29, 2009 2.0.1738 submitted to Apple Minor bugfixes & iPhone 3.0 support[More...]
• Mar 24, 2009 BookShelf 2.0 Released! FeedBooks.com support and cover art[More...]
• Feb 22, 2009 BookShelf down south BookShelf goes to college in New Zealand![More...]
• Nov 11, 2008 Temporary Support Slow down [Click 'All News' for details] Developer is moving house.[More...]
• Nov 6, 2008 Version 1.3 Available Stability & Plucker fixes[More...]
• Oct 8, 2008 Server issues nearly resolved [More...]
• Oct 4, 2008 1.2 Available NOW [More...]
• Sep 17, 2008 Version 1.2 Submitted to Apple [More...]
• Aug 16, 2008 Baen Free Library from BookShelf Hundreds of SciFi titles for direct download[More...]

[All News]