NeXTSTEP: Missing Buttons In Webster

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This document pertains to the NeXTSTEP operating system (versions 3.2 and previous). Apple Computer no longer provides support for these products. This information is provided only as a convenience to our customers who have not yet upgraded their systems, and may not apply to OPENSTEP, WebObjects, or any other product of Apple Enterprise Software.
Q: Why don't the buttons in my Webster.app appear?

Q: In Release 1, when I invoke Webster through the Define command in the Request menu, Webster starts up, and my word is entered in the text field, and yet nothing displays in the definitions window. Furthermore, the buttons aren't there. Why?

Q: In Release 2 and later, when I invoke Webster through the Define command in the Services menu, Webster displays the Alert panel

"Ancillary material does not exist (~/Library/References/Dictionary//tiff)

and

"Dictionary files do not exist in ~/Library/References/Webster-Dictionary/."

And if I wait, the application displays a panel

"Error providing service Define in Webster".

Webster starts up, and my word is entered in the text field, and yet nothing shows up in the definitions window. Furthermore, the buttons aren't there. Why?

A: You probably have a directory called /LocalLibrary/References or ~/Library/References, without Webster-Dictionary or Webster-Thesaurus subdirectories. In Release 1, if this is the case, you can verify it by checking your console window in Workspace Manager. Look for error messages of the form

couldn't open '/LocalLibrary/References/Webster-Dictionary/source'
can't find Webster's Dictionary!

To correct the error, make two symbolic links in a Shell:

ln -s /NextLibrary/References/Webster-* /LocalLibrary/References

and restart Webster. (Substitute "~" for "/LocalLibrary" as appropriate.)

QA468

Valid for 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1
Published Date: Feb 20, 2012