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how to disable the shortcut for dictionary

I have changed my shortcut key in system->keyboard. It does not work. The dictionary is using ctrl-z, which is abort under unix, I really need ctrl-z back.


10.9.2, Intel Core i5

Posted on Mar 12, 2014 12:00 PM

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Posted on Mar 12, 2014 7:48 PM

ttkrpink,


Control-Z is typically the “suspend” character (to send a SIGTSTP signal) for a UNIX terminal device.


To disable the “Look Up in Dictionary” shortcut, go back into the Keyboard pane of System Preferences, and select the Shortcuts tab. On the left-hand side of the window, select Services. On the right-hand side of the window, scroll down to the ▼ Searching section, and uncheck the checkbox next to “Look Up in Dictionary”.

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Mar 12, 2014 7:48 PM in response to ttkrpink

ttkrpink,


Control-Z is typically the “suspend” character (to send a SIGTSTP signal) for a UNIX terminal device.


To disable the “Look Up in Dictionary” shortcut, go back into the Keyboard pane of System Preferences, and select the Shortcuts tab. On the left-hand side of the window, select Services. On the right-hand side of the window, scroll down to the ▼ Searching section, and uncheck the checkbox next to “Look Up in Dictionary”.

Mar 13, 2014 7:58 PM in response to ttkrpink

ttkrpink,


you’ve confused me now. Are you trying to disable the Look Up in Dictionary shortcut, or enable it? If you’re trying to keep it enabled, but just wanting to change the shortcut that does the lookup, then simply change it in the same way that you’d originally set it to Control-Z — click on the shortcut’s key combination itself, and enter whatever key combination you’d like to change it to.

Mar 13, 2014 8:16 PM in response to Melophage

sorry that I confused you.


My system was updated from 10.8. I set it up Control-Z in 10.8. In 10.9, I realized control-z should be reserved for other function (suspend). I want to remove it from dictionary shortcut. I changed it to something else like control+command+n. The system still thinks control-z is the dictionary after reboot. Is there a file or something I can remove or change to make control-z go away? Change it system preference does not take effect.

Mar 13, 2014 8:49 PM in response to ttkrpink

ttkrpink,


in your ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.systempreferences folder are a set of cache files; I don’t know if one of those would contain that Control-Z shortcut. It’s not one shortcut per file, so by deleting these cache files, you could be deleting all of your system preferences — so take great care if you want to experiment with them.

Mar 14, 2014 10:54 AM in response to Melophage

Thanks for pointing that out.


I moved the entire /Caches folder to /Backup_Caches, reboot. It does not change the control+z.


I went to System Preference. Changed the "Look Up in Dictionary" to ^+apple+p. Now, both control+z and ^+apple+p "look up in dictionary". control+z opens a dictionary box, and ^+apple+p opens a pop-up windows. 😟


I removed ^+apple+p later from System Preference. It can be removed and does not take any effect anymore. control+z is always there. No matter how I changed the System Preference.

how to disable the shortcut for dictionary

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