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Why Isn't Wikipedia Working In The Dictionary App?! -- Fixed, courtesy of blacksocks

B

Brandon263

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 12, 2009
404
37
Beaumont, CA
The dictionary app only shows the part of the article that corresponds with the window. Can't scroll down or up. Even in my new i5, which hasn't been altered in any way.

Resizing or this solution don't work.

Does anyone else have this problem? How do we solve it?!

SOLUTION FOUND! (Make sure private browsing is turned off in Safari, and don't delete the cache. You also have to do this every 30 days, which sux.)

blacksocks said:
Did you guys follow the tutorial at menoob.com? Worked for me!

http://menoob.com/tutorials/mac-os-dictionary-app-loses-scroll-bar-when-viewing-wikipedia-articles/
Click to expand...
 
You could try new preference file

HD/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Dictionary.plist

Move that file to the Desktop.
Start up Dictionary. That makes a new default plist file.
Test Wikipedia. Better?
If so, Trash the file on the Desktop.
 
Gregg2 said:
HD/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Dictionary.plist

Move that file to the Desktop.
Start up Dictionary. That makes a new default plist file.
Test Wikipedia. Better?
If so, Trash the file on the Desktop.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, but it didn't work. Deleting the preferences list didn't work. I hope Apple/someone else finds a solution soon.

jesterscourt said:
Maybe it has something to do with the recent Wikipedia revamp.
Click to expand...

What was the revamp, jc?
 
I have the same problem! I came here to find a possible solution but no avail....yet! Deleting the plist didn't work for me either. Hoping for a solution...
 
You can scroll by clicking and dragging on the page, if that makes things at all easier.

I have the same problem.
 
One more suggestion for all three of you...
Whatever OS version you have, get your OS installation discs out. Put in the Applications disc and reinstall Dictionary. That might fix whatever is out of whack.
 
Why Isn't Wikipedia Working In The Dictionary App?!

It's because of the Wiki "New Features" - there have been several complaints in the feedback forum there as well.
Turning off the new features will restore the scroll bar, and the dictionary.app will be back to normal.
 
Gregg2 said:
One more suggestion for all three of you...
Whatever OS version you have, get your OS installation discs out. Put in the Applications disc and reinstall Dictionary. That might fix whatever is out of whack.
Click to expand...

It's not the Dictionary. It's Wikipedia. They changed the site and the new design affects interoperability with Dictionary.

A new look for Wikipedia
 
I have the same problem and frustrated. My page doesn't even display the vertical scroll bar on the right side. The problem seems to be in the Dictionary app, and not at Wikipedia, which if I go to direct, scrolls and shows the full page and all is normal.
 
anthony9h said:
I have the same problem and frustrated. My page doesn't even display the vertical scroll bar on the right side. The problem seems to be in the Dictionary app, and not at Wikipedia, which if I go to direct, scrolls and shows the full page and all is normal.
Click to expand...

Did you read my post? It's not Dictionary. It's not the Wikipedia website. It's the interoperability between them that has been affected by the new design.
 
GGJstudios said:
Did you read my post? It's not Dictionary. It's not the Wikipedia website. It's the interoperability between them that has been affected by the new design.
Click to expand...

Yes, I now understand what you mean by 'inoperability Between them'/ And that may be some of it/ But it doesn't account for the absence of the scroll bar and function, nor why only the top half of the screen displays.
 
anthony9h said:
Yes, I now understand what you mean by 'inoperability Between them'/ And that may be some of it/ But it doesn't account for the absence of the scroll bar and function, nor why only the top half of the screen displays.
Click to expand...

The scroll bar is there on mine, and the whole screen displays fine.
 
Amaling9 said:
It's because of the Wiki "New Features" - there have been several complaints in the feedback forum there as well.
Turning off the new features will restore the scroll bar, and the dictionary.app will be back to normal.
Click to expand...
Could you please elaborate? How do you turn them off?

This link
GGJstudios said:
A new look for Wikipedia
Click to expand...
mentions a "Take me Back" link, but does not tell you where to find it. I looked for five minutes, which is four minutes beyond my normal patience threshold. ;)
 
Gregg2 said:
This link mentions a "Take me Back" link, but does not tell you where to find it. I looked for five minutes, which is four minutes beyond my normal patience threshold. ;)
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:UsabilityInitiativePrefSwitch
Take Me Back
If you would like to turn off the new features, click here. You will be asked to login or create an account first.
Click to expand...
That won't affect the Dictionary problem, however. That only relates to the Wikipedia website, not to the interface between the two.
 
GGJstudios said:
That won't affect the Dictionary problem, however. That only relates to the Wikipedia website, not to the interface between the two.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I guess they're working on a fix. I'm having the same problem: no scroll bars in Dictionary. (OS 10.5.8 and Dictionary 2.0.3)

You said you have scroll bars. I assume that means online, right?
 
Gregg2 said:
You said you have scroll bars. I assume that means online, right?
Click to expand...

No, offline:
Picture 132.jpg​
 
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