Comments on: Where do these redundant Applescript dictionaries come from?

Question: Where do these redundant Applescript dictionaries come from?

mph — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:49:22 -0800

When I use the "Open Dictionary" option in Apple's Script Editor (2.1.1, part of OS X 10.4.6), a lot of my apps have multiple dictionary entries. Where do these come from? How do I get rid of them?

By: cillit bang

cillit bang — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 16:14:16 -0800

It usually means you have multiple copies of the application available. Do you have a second hard disk or another partition with OS X installed?

By: mph

mph — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:45:33 -0800

I've got a backup drive with a complete copy of my primary hard drive that bobs up and down. I usually only turn it on at night so the backup scripts can run overnight. Otherwise, it's usually unmounted and turned off.

Is there any way to get those apps to not register or whatever it is they're doing?

By: kimota

kimota — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:23:37 -0800

I suspect that the Open Dictionary option is looking for all files of that are of type "application," so it's not really hitting a registry. To prevent their showing up, you could compress them, using the Finder's "Create Archive of ..." option, then delete the originals. That way you have them if you need them. Do you have an installation of Classic on your Mac? That might also explain having more than one version of various applications. If you never, ever use Classic, it might be worth putting it on a disk image as an archive and deleting the originals.

By: cillit bang

cillit bang — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 07:12:45 -0800

Actually, I've just found if you open the dictionary it will also open the application it comes from. Control-click the Dock icon of that application and choose Show In Finder. That will show you where it's getting the duplicates from.

I don't know of a way to get rid of them other than deleting or hiding the application.

By: mph

mph — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 22:36:14 -0800

Actually, I've just found if you open the dictionary it will also open the application it comes from. Control-click the Dock icon of that application and choose Show In Finder. That will show you where it's getting the duplicates from.

Sadly, all three address book instances opened by the Script Editor dictionaries pointed to the Address Book app in my Applications folder.