Keyboard shortcut to access Dictionary

B

bowjest

Registered
Hi to all,

I use a very nice CAT program (computer aided translation) called OmegaT and often like to highlight a word, go up to Services and then click on Look up in Dictionary (which is then set up with a number of dictionary/wiktionary/wikipedia plugins).

Is there any way to set up a keyboard short cut to do this instead of always having to go up to OmegaT -> Services -> Look up in Dictionary with my mouse?

I've tried just opening System Prefs and assigning a keyboard shortcut for the option "Look up in Dictionary" (I've disabled the one for "Search in Google" and would like to use it) and associating this with my choosen app (OmegaT), but so far, when I save the shortcut, System Prefs crashes out and wants to send a report off to Apple.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!
 
Right-click on your highlighted word - then choose Look Up in Dictionary from that contextual menu.
You can also set Dictionary prefs to search by default in wikipedia.

I realize that's still using your mouse or trackpad, but is a click or two faster.
 
Good call, Ben! I forgot about that keyboard shortcut. I used to use that a lot, but now just use the right-click menu.
 
Thanks for your replies, but neither of those options works.

DeltaMac: The CAT software I'm using doesn't seem to allow that sort of use of context menus within the application (plus I'm using a MacBook Pro 10.6 with trackpad, so I don't know how you get a right mouse click).

If I highlight a word and then try variations on cmd+click on the trackpad (or ctrl+click, etc.) it only gives me options specific to the application.

Earthsaver: I've tried the cmd+ctrl+D option and although it does open a small dictionary reference, it just gives the dictionary entry - I need it to launch Dictionary which I have set to call on all my plug-ins (several languages plus wikipedia options in several languages as well as thesaurus options).

Thanks for your help, both of you. I'll keep trying ideas, but may just have to stick to using the old mouse. :)

Cheers
 
For a right-click using your trackpad: There are two major methods.
Hold Control, and click to get your contextual menu. Or,
While touching your trackpad with two fingers, click the button, and you'll get the menu.
That option might be turned off in your Trackpad perf pane, so go there to see that, plus other options that you might be interested in.
If your Macbook Pro is the one you have listed in your posts, then you will see a brief animation showing the use of many options for your multi-touch pad. You would be using the 'secondary click' option.
When you have the little look-up window (the control-command-D), you may have what you need with that simple pop-up.
There's a drop-down to display thesaurus entries. If that doesn't show what you need in that simple box, click "more" to launch Dictionary app as usual.
 
Hi, DeltaMac,

Unfortunately the application I'm using doesn't support using the context menu as you've outlined. When I try the options you've listed above, I only get cut, copy, paste. Nothing further.

I've also tried expanding the window that pops up, but to be honest, I'd just rather go through Services. :)

Thanks for your help. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post and offering good advice on getting around the problem.

Bowjest
 
So, it sounds like we're back to troubleshooting System Preferences crashing when you try to edit the keyboard shortcut for Open in Dictionary. DeltaMac, do you know where shortcut preferences are actually stored? What file should bowjest try removing to make he pane work as desired?
 
I'm a little confused. You said that contextual menus are not supported in OmegaT, but then you said you do get copy/paste, etc. So, you do get a contextual menu, but not with the items that you need to use?
I just tried out OmegaT, and you are correct, no contextual menus available.
Is there internal dictionary support within OmegaT, or is your only choice using the Dictionary app?
 
There's supposed to be dictionary support, but when I try to download some of the proposed dictionaries (from various sites) they aren't in the format outlined in the Help for the software or the links try to download an app that is associated with the dictionary files.

I figured my best bet was just to rely on Dictionary. :)

I've got another problem that at least hints at why Sys Prefs is crashing when I try to set up that short cut. You know when you click to choose the app you want to associate with the shortcut and the Applications list comes up? Well, OmegaT isn't listed in that list.

If I click on "Other..." at the bottom of the list that comes up, the Apps directory is opened and I can see it there, but when I then try to save the shortcut there's a second's hesitation and the crash takes place.

I just don't think it likes my app, dammit! :)
 
OmegaT is a java app. That makes it easily multi-platform - but may also mean that the developer has not taken a lot of care supporting some OS X features to make the app more useful on OS X. Perhaps that's why a keyboard shortcut can't be applied to that app.
 
But bowjest explicitly said that using Lookup in Dictionary from the Services menu has worked and that trying to set a shortcut for that Service command was causing System Preferences to crash. That sounds like a preference corruption issue, not any relation to OmegaT.
 
bowjest said:
Earthsaver: I've tried the cmd+ctrl+D option and although it does open a small dictionary reference, it just gives the dictionary entry - I need it to launch Dictionary which I have set to call on all my plug-ins (several languages plus wikipedia options in several languages as well as thesaurus options).
Click to expand...
In that small dictionary reference window that pops open, have you tried clicking the 'More" button on the window border, this gives you full Dictionary and Thesaurus access.
 
bowjest,

I told you we do Mac support on the OmegaT user group :)

Anyway, the file you need to displace to restore the preferences is ~/Library/Preferences/pbs.plist.

For security, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Services and hit Restore Defaults too.

"Services" is the place that you need to check. Not "Application Shortcuts".

You'll see that Look Up in Dictionary is enabled by default without a global shortcut.

Double click on the right most area and enter the shortcut you want. Shift+Command+D is fine but will be overridden in applications that have that shortcut assigned to other functions (ex: Mail-> Send mail...).

When you're done, OmegaT should accept that shortcut for any selectable item. It works here on 10.6.3.

If you want to assign a global overridding shortcut, you need to go down the left handed list to "Application Shortcuts".

There, you add an "All Applications" shortcut by selecting "All Applications", hitting the + box, and you'll have to enter the Service menu string exactly as it shows in the Service menu for it to be assigned that shortcut.

JC
 
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