MarkdownViewDesk

MarkdownViewDesk is a small Windows-friendly PyQt6 GUI application for opening and reading README.md files, AmigaGuide .guide files, FILE_ID.DIZ descriptions and other local text documents.

What it does

• Opens .md, .markdown, .mdown, .mkd, .guide, .diz and .txt files.
• Renders Markdown with a clean README-style layout.
• Shows Markdown headings and AmigaGuide nodes in an outline panel.
• Displays fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting.
• Resolves relative local image and file links from the Markdown file location.
• Supports app-wide themes: Light, Dark, Sepia, Ocean, Matrix, Purple and Hellfire / Hölle.
• Supports English and German UI text.
• Includes a source view toggle.
• Renders basic AmigaGuide .guide documents with node sections and internal LINK buttons.
• Displays FILE_ID.DIZ / .diz files in a fixed-width 45-column view and highlights overflow instead of rewrapping lines.
• Can be registered as a Windows .md, .guide and .diz file handler after building the EXE.

Quick start from source

1. Install Python 3.10 or newer.
2. Run install_windows.bat.
3. Run run_windows.bat.
4. Open sample_readme.md, sample_amigaguide.guide, sample_file_id.diz or drag a supported document into the window.

Build an EXE

Run:

build_windows_onedir.bat

The recommended output is:

dist\MarkdownViewDesk\MarkdownViewDesk.exe

build_windows_onefile_experimental.bat is included, but Qt WebEngine applications are usually more reliable in onedir mode because the embedded browser engine has helper binaries and resources.

Register supported document files on Windows

After building the EXE, run:

register_md_filetype_user.bat

This writes user-level registry keys under HKCU\Software\Classes for .md, .markdown, .mdown, .mkd, .guide and .diz. Windows may still ask you once to confirm the default app for a file type.

To remove the registration keys again:

unregister_md_filetype_user.bat

Offline install option

On an online PC, run:

download_wheelhouse_windows.bat

Copy the folder to the offline PC and run:

install_from_wheelhouse_windows.bat

Original source / updates

github.com/zeittresor

Notes

This program disables JavaScript in the rendered document view and blocks local Markdown content from loading remote URLs directly. Clicking normal web links opens them in the system browser.

License

GPL-3.0-or-later.

Changelog

v0.1.4

• Added basic AmigaGuide .guide support with node parsing and clickable internal LINK commands.
• Added FILE_ID.DIZ / .diz support with fixed-width display, 45-column boundary and overflow highlighting.
• Updated open dialog, drag/drop and Windows file registration for .guide and .diz.
• Added sample .guide and .diz files.

v0.1.2

• Improved theme system so themes affect the whole application, not only the rendered Markdown area.
• Added Ocean, Matrix and Hellfire / Hölle themes.
• Improved code block contrast by using theme-specific Pygments styles and stronger code-block CSS overrides.
• Added English/German UI selector.
• Added visible original source / updates reference in About and README.
• Added colored console output to installer/update/build scripts.

v0.1.1

• Fixed missing QLineEdit import.

v0.1.0

• Initial Markdown viewer.