9 replies to this topic

[morerice]

First, I have been using SpellCatcher for years with awesome success and only minor issues.

I have recently upgraded to a newer Mac (2.66 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB DDR RAM) running OSX 10.6.4. I upgraded to the latest version of SpellCather 10.3.6 just yesterday. I am running Microsoft Outlook 14.0.0.

I am having a problem with Outlook freezing up when I type in a word that does auto-replace (for example "freind" or anything in my shorthand glossary reference). When I turn SpellCatcher off, Outlook no longer freezes up. Any recommendations on how to resolve this?

Thanks,

Mo

[Evan Gross]

morerice, on 03 November 2010 - 02:48 PM, said:

First, I have been using SpellCatcher for years with awesome success and only minor issues.

I have recently upgraded to a newer Mac (2.66 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB DDR RAM) running OSX 10.6.4. I upgraded to the latest version of SpellCather 10.3.6 just yesterday. I am running Microsoft Outlook 14.0.0.

I am having a problem with Outlook freezing up when I type in a word that does auto-replace (for example "freind" or anything in my shorthand glossary reference). When I turn SpellCatcher off, Outlook no longer freezes up. Any recommendations on how to resolve this?

Thanks,

Mo

This is the same bug in WebKit that causes Safari and Mail to hang (although not as frequently as Outlook). One solution: Deselect Check Spelling While Typing. BEST solution: Use Spell Catcher’s input method component in Outlook instead of the input method application. This is easy to set up and the result is better performance (especially with DirectCorrect, which works great in Outlook now that it uses WebKit for editing), and the problem you're seeing goes away.

I'm planning on putting together a FAQ for this, but basically:

• Open Spell Catcher Preferences, Interactive pane, Typing tab
  
• With Outlook selected in the Applications drawer (add it if need be), select "Use input method component in this application where possible".
  
• Open Language & Text System Preferences, Input sources tab, make sure that Spell Catcher’s input method component is turned "On". The component is the yellow icon without the little "64" badge. This means you will see two instances of Spell Catcher in the Input menu, but with the above preference set, this should all be automatic and really not cause any confusion.

[morerice]

Evan Gross, on 03 November 2010 - 07:09 PM, said:

This is the same bug in WebKit that causes Safari and Mail to hang (although not as frequently as Outlook). One solution: Deselect Check Spelling While Typing. BEST solution: Use Spell Catcher’s input method component in Outlook instead of the input method application. This is easy to set up and the result is better performance (especially with DirectCorrect, which works great in Outlook now that it uses WebKit for editing), and the problem you're seeing goes away.

I'm planning on putting together a FAQ for this, but basically:

• Open Spell Catcher Preferences, Interactive pane, Typing tab
  
• With Outlook selected in the Applications drawer (add it if need be), select "Use input method component in this application where possible".
  
• Open Language & Text System Preferences, Input sources tab, make sure that Spell Catcher’s input method component is turned "On". The component is the yellow icon without the little "64" badge. This means you will see two instances of Spell Catcher in the Input menu, but with the above preference set, this should all be automatic and really not cause any confusion.

Even,

Thanks for your timely and thorough response.

I tried the steps you provided with no change: Outlook still hangs when I type in a word that does auto-replace (for example "freind") or anything in my shorthand glossary reference.

As for your advice to "Deselect Check Spelling While Typing" are you recommending this in Outlook or SC? I hope not SC as this would disable my shorthand glossary items and this would certainly not be a useful option for me. Anyhow, I did try deselecting "Check Spelling While Typing" in the Spell Catcher Preferences, Interactive pane, Spelling tab with Outlook selected in the Applications drawer. I restarted the Mac and still Outlook hangs in auto-replace anything or my shorthand glossary reference.

Thanks again, and I look forward to your response.

Mo

[Evan Gross]

morerice, on 03 November 2010 - 09:54 PM, said:

Even,

Thanks for your timely and thorough response.

I tried the steps you provided with no change: Outlook still hangs when I type in a word that does auto-replace (for example "freind") or anything in my shorthand glossary reference.

As for your advice to "Deselect Check Spelling While Typing" are you recommending this in Outlook or SC? I hope not SC as this would disable my shorthand glossary items and this would certainly not be a useful option for me. Anyhow, I did try deselecting "Check Spelling While Typing" in the Spell Catcher Preferences, Interactive pane, Spelling tab with Outlook selected in the Applications drawer. I restarted the Mac and still Outlook hangs in auto-replace anything or my shorthand glossary reference.

Thanks again, and I look forward to your response.

Mo

Well, this should and does work. Please check to make sure you've set things up right. When you're in Outlook, verify that Spell Catcher's input method component gets selected. In other words, make sure the yellow checkmark icon in the menu bar is the one without the "64" badge when Outlook is active.

Let me know your results.

[morerice]

Evan Gross, on 03 November 2010 - 11:09 PM, said:

Well, this should and does work. Please check to make sure you've set things up right. When you're in Outlook, verify that Spell Catcher's input method component gets selected. In other words, make sure the yellow checkmark icon in the menu bar is the one without the "64" badge when Outlook is active.

Let me know your results.

Evan,

I missed the "without the "64" badge". My bad. Yes. It works perfectly now as per your excellent instructions.

Again, thanks!!! As a small aside, I have been using SpellCathcher for many, many years. I remember buying my first copies of SpellCatcher (it was made by Thunder and I recall it went by a different name) on 3 1/2" floppy disks. Each time I have upgraded OS or computers, I have loyally upgraded my SpellCatcher software. I love how it seamlessly works in the background and lets me use my shortcut glossary in every program I use. Thanks for making and supporting such amazing software.

Mo

[MRubenzahl]

I had a similar problem and resolved it using the input method component. I still have two issues. One, a minor annoyance, is that one of my glossary expansions fails.

"dont" should expand to "don't"

but instead, it expands to "ddon't"! It's repeatable.

Second is I still have an occasional hang, always (I am pretty sure) after a word SpellCatcher is intercepting. (Sorry, don't recall if it's a misspelling or a glossary -- I'll pay attention and chime back in.) I get the spinning beach ball and have to Force Quit (the dialog tags Outlook as 'Not responding').

Will let you know if I learn more.

[Evan Gross]

MRubenzahl, on 08 November 2010 - 09:16 PM, said:

I had a similar problem and resolved it using the input method component. I still have two issues. One, a minor annoyance, is that one of my glossary expansions fails.

"dont" should expand to "don't"

but instead, it expands to "ddon't"! It's repeatable.

Make sure that Outlook isn't also autocorrecting. You say this only happens with this one single shorthand?

Quote

Second is I still have an occasional hang, always (I am pretty sure) after a word SpellCatcher is intercepting. (Sorry, don't recall if it's a misspelling or a glossary -- I'll pay attention and chime back in.) I get the spinning beach ball and have to Force Quit (the dialog tags Outlook as 'Not responding').

Will let you know if I learn more.

The Office 2011 update that was just released apparently solves an Outlook hang. Install it, tell me if it still happens. Also make sure that the input method component is being used at the time it does (i.e. the 64-bit input method isn't).

[MRubenzahl]

I am out of the office for a couple of days. I will report back after I have a chance to test your suggestions.

Moe

[MRubenzahl]

Update: I updated Outlook to the latest (14.0.1 (101012)) and there is no change. I can muddle through -- it's an annoyance but not fatal. Details below.

Overall: I am not generally a Microsoft fan but have to say Outlook is very nice. Finally, a mail program powerful enough to unseat creaky old, but venerable, Eudora. Undisputably better than Apple Mail.

Issues:

1. SpellCatcher only works if you follow Evan's steps above to use the 'input method component' (without the 64).

2. And even with that, it hangs a few times a day, always after a word SpellCatcher is intercepting. I get the spinning beach ball and have to Force Quit (the dialog tags Outlook as 'Not responding'). The good news is that its recovery mechanism is great and no work is lost. When it comes back, the document is still there, just about where I left off.

3. And one really weird thing: one glossary item fails. "dont" should expand to "don't" but instead, it expands to "ddon't"! It's 100% repeatable! All other glossary entries work fine.

[MRubenzahl]

UPDATE: It now works better in Outlook (with the input method component, following the steps Evan gave).

The key:

1. SpellCatcher only works if you follow Evan's steps above to use the 'input method component' (without the 64).

2. In Outlook, choose Preferences, click Autocorrect and unclick everything, under both tabs (Autocorrect and Autoformat). This solves the dont->ddon't problem I mentioned before.

Still have the occasional spinning beach ball freeze but I can live with it. Force Quit and restart the app, and it usually recovers what I was working on.