dictionary enlarges view

[marysville]

Some of the time when I "control click" a word to bring up the dictionary, the entire view on my screen enlarges, is slightly blurry, and the menu edges are now off the screen. In fact the Apple icon cannot be accessed.
Any ideas as to what is going on, and how to bring the view back to normal?

iMac 21.5 in. Snow Leopard.

 

[MrCheeto]

Are you sure you're not accidentally Control+Scrolling?

Try this:

Hold Control and scroll up with your trackpad or however you scroll. Then scroll down.

 

[GGJstudios]

Try opening Dictionary, then click Window > Zoom

 

[marysville]

Are you sure you're not accidentally Control+Scrolling?

Try this:

Hold Control and scroll up with your trackpad or however you scroll. Then scroll down.

Guess I was not clear. It it the entire desk top, not just the open window, that enlarges, pushing the apple icon out of sight.

Try opening Dictionary, then click Window > Zoom

I don't want to zoom the dictionary window. It is the entire desk top that has zoomed, I guess, to the point where the Apple icon is no longer visible, having move out of sight to the right.

 

[Gregg2]

Suspects: com.apple.dictionary.plist and com.apple.desktop.plist

Not sure it will fix it, but replacing those wouldn't hurt. You can always save the current one in case you want it back.

 

[MrCheeto]

-.-' Dude....

Check this video out and tell me if it's similar to what you're experiencing.

 

[marysville]

-.-' Dude....

Check this video out and tell me if it's similar to what you're experiencing.

Hi,
Yes, I guess that is the same in that the menu is so enlarged that both ends disappear off the visible screen.

 

[MrCheeto]

That's what I said in the beginning!

Holding Control while scrolling does NOT enlarge Safari pages and such, it ZOOMS the ENTIRE DESKTOP!

Did you try control+scrolling? Give that a try and tell us if that's the same effect you're getting.

 

[marysville]

That's what I said in the beginning!

Holding Control while scrolling does NOT enlarge Safari pages and such, it ZOOMS the ENTIRE DESKTOP!

Did you try control+scrolling? Give that a try and tell us if that's the same effect you're getting.

Thanks again for a reply.
Here is what I do, I control click on a word for which I want to see a definition. To the right up comes the dictionary window with the definition.
Sometimes, but not always, the enlargement of the desktop takes place.
I am not scrolling. At least not intentionally.
Practical question: How to I undo the enlargement?

 

[GGJstudios]

Practical question: How to I undo the enlargement?

Hold the Control key and scroll down until the entire screen shows.

You can also find definitions by hovering over a word (mouseover, not clicking) and pressing Control+Command+D

 

[Gregg2]

You can also find definitions by hovering over a word (mouseover, not clicking) and pressing Control+Command+D

Neither that nor right clicking was doing it for me right here in this window I'm typing in until I went to Dictionary > Preferences and clicked the Contextual Menu: Open Dictionary Application button. But Control+Command+D still doesn't do it.

 

[GGJstudios]

Neither that nor right clicking was doing it for me right here in this window I'm typing in until I went to Dictionary > Preferences and clicked the Contextual Menu: Open Dictionary Application button. But Control+Command+D still doesn't do it.

You may have altered the keystrokes with a custom setting.

From Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts

Command-Control D - Display the definition of the selected word in the Dictionary application

 

[Gregg2]

You may have altered the keystrokes with a custom setting.

I'm 100% positive that is not the case, unless I did it in my sleep.

 

[GGJstudios]

I'm 100% positive that is not the case, unless I did it in my sleep.

You haven't possibly added a custom keyboard shortcut in System Preferences, possibly using that key combination? Or installed a 3rd party app that might have done the same thing? If not, I can't imagine why a standard keyboard shortcut wouldn't work. Maybe a corrupt .plist or permissions issue? I've searched, but haven't found that to be a known issue.

 

[Gregg2]

You haven't possibly added a custom keyboard shortcut in System Preferences, possibly using that key combination? Or installed a 3rd party app that might have done the same thing? If not, I can't imagine why a standard keyboard shortcut wouldn't work. Maybe a corrupt .plist or permissions issue? I've searched, but haven't found that to be a known issue.

I already said no to the first question. I do not have any third-party OS enhancers, if that's what you're referring to. I do have Click to Flash installed for Safari, if that would make any difference. I do have a weird keyboard issue that I think I've mentioned here before. The Option and Command keys were mislabeled. Rather than get used to hitting one for the other, I switched them in SysPrefs. Maybe that affects the combo use.

 

[GGJstudios]

I do have a weird keyboard issue that I think I've mentioned here before. The Option and Command keys were mislabeled. Rather than get used to hitting one for the other, I switched them in SysPrefs. Maybe that affects the combo use.

That would do it. That's what I was referring to when I asked if you had altered the keystrokes with a custom setting. If you reversed the Option and Command keys, try Option+Control+D.

 

[Gregg2]

That would do it. That's what I was referring to when I asked if you had altered the keystrokes with a custom setting. If you reversed the Option and Command keys, try Option+Control+D.

Yeah I guess I didn't connect the dots there.

Opt-Ctl-D deletes the selected word, Cmd-Z brings it back
Opt-Cmd-D is a toggle for hiding or showing the Dock
Ctl-Cmd-D doesn't appear to do anything

For some reason, the word I was experimenting with temporarily was underlined with a red dashed line, as if it were misspelled. It isn't. The line stayed when I did other things, but after clicking around a bit, it went away. The word is in the middle of a complete sentence. ???

 

[GGJstudios]

For some reason, the word I was experimenting with temporarily was underlined with a red dashed line, as if it were misspelled. It isn't. The line stayed when I did other things, but after clicking around a bit, it went away. The word is in the middle of a complete sentence. ???

What app were you using?