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Monty236

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2004
18
0
Not the end of the world, but somehow my "Help" program (on the main menu) does not work.,,,it just spins endlessly. I know the search term is OK as I tried it on another computer. And, yes, I repaired permissions. Do miss it when it's gone.

Thanks for any help!
 
Monty236 said:
Not the end of the world, but somehow my "Help" program (on the main menu) does not work.,,,it just spins endlessly. I know the search term is OK as I tried it on another computer. And, yes, I repaired permissions. Do miss it when it's gone.

Thanks for any help!

This post won't help you much, but at least you will know that you're not alone. When I first got my eMac, whenever I went to the mac help program, it would just give me a blank window-- nothing. Somehow, I forget now, I got it to work again, so like I said this is no help but I remember something like that happening to me too. Hope others will know how to fix it. Good luck :)
 
Try putting these two files in the trash:

com.apple.help.plist
com.apple.helpviewer.plist

You don't necessarily have to delete them (although it is safe to do so) and if removing them from their original folder doesn't help, then you can place them back in the folder from whence they came. :)
 
mad jew said:
Try putting these two files in the trash:

com.apple.help.plist
com.apple.helpviewer.plist

You don't necessarily have to delete them (although it is safe to do so) and if removing them from their original folder doesn't help, then you can place them back in the folder from whence they came. :)

They are in "~/Library/Prefrences/" or you can use Spotlight to find them.
 
Yeah, thanks Mechcozmo. I forgot to mention that. Just out of interest, do you know which file would be causing the problem (if it is a preference issue)?

I can't think why there is a help preference file and a help viewer preference file. :confused:
 
Did as U suggested, but...

Mechcozmo said:
They are in "~/Library/Prefrences/" or you can use Spotlight to find them.
===

Did as you suggested and it did not cure the problem. In addition, when I open the "small house" option on the "help" window, I get links (in blue), but none of the topics/links work. It does not connect to selected topic.
 
mad jew said:
Yeah, thanks Mechcozmo. I forgot to mention that. Just out of interest, do you know which file would be causing the problem (if it is a preference issue)?

I can't think why there is a help preference file and a help viewer preference file. :confused:

Don't know which one, and don't really know why... I could probably think of something but I won't.

I don't know why... if you have AppleCare call 'em up?
 
I found this on the Apple Discussion forums (sorry, don't have a link).

Try first (quit Help) deleting this folder:
Home/Library/Caches/com.apple.helpui

If Help still doesn't work, try then deleting those three files:
Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.help.plist
Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.helpui.plist
Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.helpviewer.plist


I've found the first step works fine for me when Help stops being helpful
 
Try removing the Finder preferences (com.apple.finder.plist). The help viewer has some odd Finder ties IIRC. Make sure you don't delete this one unless it actually helps, since there are a lot of prefs in it that you don't want to have to reset unless you have to.
 
Have Pacifist...Which files?!?

mersea said:
I had similar problems and somebody pointed me to a really good website.. I'm trying to find it..

I think this is it: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/helpviewer.html

It didn't fully fix my problem (a clean install did.. but that was for other reasons), but it might help

======
Acquired the app. Pacifist, but I'll be damned if I know which portion of OSX will reinstall the "Help" portion of the system.

Any clues, ideas, help?

Thanks!
 
just worked throught this problem myself...
this is how it was fixed for me..

using Onyx

maintenance menu I believe.

check off
'reset mac help'

uncheck everything else..

click execute
 
A BIG "YES!"

Omega3 said:
just worked throught this problem myself...
this is how it was fixed for me..

using Onyx

maintenance menu I believe.

check off
'reset mac help'

uncheck everything else..

click execute
-=-=-=

It worked ! A lot easier than Pacifist! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
My main help is fine

Sorry to head off in a slight tangent

Whist main help is OK with me my Mail 2.0 Help does a very similar thing to what Monty236 describes. I cant see similar preferences files for Mail help.

I have the feeling this might have been caused by a recent security update as it was Ok a few months back :rolleyes:
 
Omega3 said:
just worked throught this problem myself...
this is how it was fixed for me..

using Onyx

maintenance menu I believe.

check off
'reset mac help'

uncheck everything else..

click execute

Thanks for posting this question Monty236. I have also been having this trouble with Tiger and its been driving me nuts. Thanks for posting the solution Omega3. :D

I have only had this problem since I installed Tiger. Does anyone know why this is happens?
 
DerChef said:
Sorry to head off in a slight tangent

Whist main help is OK with me my Mail 2.0 Help does a very similar thing to what Monty236 describes. I cant see similar preferences files for Mail help.

I have the feeling this might have been caused by a recent security update as it was Ok a few months back :rolleyes:

Weird. I had the same problemas Monty236 but it didn't affect iTunes help. Does Onyx fix your problem with Mail?
 
smile

inlimbo said:
Weird. I had the same problemas Monty236 but it didn't affect iTunes help. Does Onyx fix your problem with Mail?
:D Yes it did !

clearly there must be some hidden cache or preference file somewhere
 
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