Dictionary Usually Crashes When Clearing Search Field

Question

Dictionary Usually Crashes When Clearing Search Field

Has anyone else noticed this? When using the dictionary and typing search terms on the upper right corner field, pressing the little 'X' to clear this field usually results in a crash of the dictionary. It doesn't always happen, but I would say it does about 50-60% of the time.

* This isn't that big of a deal, just a little annoying having to re-launch dictionary all the time. I usually get an error dialog promising to send a report to Apple, but it takes 5-10 seconds to show up.

* The main reason I'm reporting this is because I could find NOTHING of it on the internet. Not a single thread complaining about this bug. But, I know it's not just me, because I've seen this happen on several different machines, both MacBooks and Mac Pros, going back from El Capitan to Yosemite and Mavericks. So, I figured this bug deserved to have a thread somewhere until we can figure out what it is.

* My dictionary just uses the standard four: dictionary, thesaurus, Apple dictionary, and Wikipedia. I wonder if Wikipedia results are what's causing it to crash.

Thanks for any ideas/input you all have!

And finally, the infamous 'indiscriminate dump of thousands of line of code.' Apple forums won't let me post the whole thing, citing that "The message contains invalid characters," but here's what's the top of the error report says:

Process:	Dictionary [566]
Path:	/Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary
Identifier:	com.apple.Dictionary
Version:	2.2.1 (178)
Build Info:	DictionaryApplications_executables-178000000000000~15
Code Type:	X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:	??? [1]
Responsible:	Dictionary [566]
User ID:	503

Date/Time:	2016-02-18 16:26:51.607 -0500
OS Version:	Mac OS X 10.11.3 (15D21)
Report Version:	11
Anonymous UUID:	B9737210-A1C4-9A0D-B68E-E210750A0D3A

Time Awake Since Boot: 57000 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:

0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Exception Type:	EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes:	KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000000000018
Exception Note:	EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

VM Regions Near 0x18:

-->

__TEXT

00000001017ee000-0000000101825000 [ 220K] r-x/rwx SM=COW /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary

Application Specific Information:

objc_msgSend() selector name: isKindOfClass:

Calling encodeRestorableStateWithCoder: on window of class 'NSKVONotifying_NSWindow' with title 'Dictionary' (delegate is 0x7fd533e37c00, fr is 0x7fd536b36850)

OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 18, 2016 1:48 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

kevinfromsarasota Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 27, 2017 4:09 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

I am very happy to report that Apple has finally fixed this issue in the third public beta release of macOs 10.13 High Sierra. It was an issue of 2-3 years (or longer) but it's finally gone. No more dictionary crashes!

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Answer 2

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Feb 18, 2016 2:26 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

Shouldn't on its own cause any problem. Download http://www.etrecheck.com/ and it might give us enough information to further diagnose the issue. Also if your data isn't backed up, back it up first before giving us any results and let us know it is backed up.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 18, 2016 6:55 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

If you're going to post a crash report, you need to post the whole thing. It will be a few hundred lines, not thousands.

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Answer 4

Feb 19, 2016 11:50 AM in response to Linc Davis

You're right, maybe I should check the console. It just crashed again, here's what displayed:

Feb 19 00:04:37 ETSLBR024 storeassetd[628]: -[__NSDictionary0 downloads]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x7ffbc9d005c0

Feb 19 00:59:34 ETSLBR024 SubmitDiagInfo[727]: Removed expired problem report: file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Dictionary_2016-01-19-1 45204_ETSLBR024.crash

Feb 19 00:59:37 ETSLBR024 SubmitDiagInfo[727]: Submitted problem report file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Dictionary_2016-02-18-1 62659_ETSLBR024.crash

Feb 19 01:14:02 ETSLBR024 secd[579]: securityd_xpc_dictionary_handler cloudd[661] copy_matching Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-50 "query missing class name" (paramErr: error in user parameter list) UserInfo={NSDescription=query missing class name}

Feb 19 06:04:37 ETSLBR024 storeassetd[628]: -[__NSDictionary0 downloads]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x7ffbc9d005c0

Feb 19 08:20:53 ETSLBR024 logind[103]: -[SessionManager getClient:withRole:inAuditSession:]:241: ERROR: No session dictionary for audit session 100180

Feb 19 09:14:02 ETSLBR024 secd[579]: securityd_xpc_dictionary_handler cloudd[661] copy_matching Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-50 "query missing class name" (paramErr: error in user parameter list) UserInfo={NSDescription=query missing class name}

Feb 19 09:56:00 ETSLBR024 Dictionary[20219]: WebHTMLView(0x7fc289ce3e90) - NSView not correctly initialized. Did you forget to call super?

Feb 19 10:45:02 ETSLBR024 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.xpc.launchd.oneshot.0x10000021.Dictionary[20219]): Service exited due to signal: Segmentation fault: 11

Feb 19 10:45:12 ETSLBR024 ReportCrash[23518]: Saved crash report for Dictionary[20219] version 2.2.1 (178) to /Users/kevinlocal/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Dictionary_2016-02-19-104512_E TSLBR024.crash

Feb 19 11:53:15 ETSLBR024 filecoordinationd[633]: NSFileCoordinator received a message and couldn't parse it. Details: <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc223c0> { count = 2, contents =

"parameters" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc23bb0> { count = 5, contents =

"url" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc23c80> { count = 3, contents =

"com.apple.CFURL.string" => <string: 0x7ffd8bc23e70> { length = 85, contents = "file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~TextInput/Dictio naries/" }

Feb 19 11:53:15 ETSLBR024 filecoordinationd[633]: NSFileCoordinator received a message and couldn't parse it. Details: <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc223c0> { count = 2, contents =

"parameters" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc23960> { count = 5, contents =

"url" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc23a30> { count = 3, contents =

"com.apple.CFURL.string" => <string: 0x7ffd8bc23c80> { length = 190, contents = "file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~TextInput/Dictio naries/.cdmetadata/metadata.nosync/kevinlocal~1ACBC486-DA3A-5CAE-8996-DEFA528DC7 32/UserDictionary/metadata.store" }

Feb 19 11:53:15 ETSLBR024 filecoordinationd[633]: NSFileCoordinator received a message and couldn't parse it. Details: <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc223c0> { count = 2, contents =

"parameters" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc239e0> { count = 5, contents =

"url" => <dictionary: 0x7ffd8bc23ab0> { count = 3, contents =

"com.apple.CFURL.string" => <string: 0x7ffd8bc23ce0> { length = 216, contents = "file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~TextInput/Dictio naries/.cdmetadata/metadata.nosync/kevinlocal~1ACBC486-DA3A-5CAE-8996-DEFA528DC7 32/UserDictionary/29B48965-FBCE-4374-9051-23F82C0ABA43.cid" }

Feb 19 12:05:19 ETSLBR024 storeassetd[628]: -[__NSDictionary0 downloads]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x7ffbc9d005c0

Feb 19 14:47:28 ETSLBR024 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.Dictionary.65952[23519]): Service exited due to signal: Segmentation fault: 11

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/PkgInfo

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary/..namedfork/rsrc

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app

Feb 19 14:47:47 ETSLBR024 kernel[0]: Sandbox: SpotlightNetHelp(624) deny(1) file-read-data /Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary

Feb 19 14:48:23 ETSLBR024 ReportCrash[24073]: Saved crash report for Dictionary[23519] version 2.2.1 (178) to /Users/kevinlocal/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Dictionary_2016-02-19-144821_E TSLBR024.crash

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Feb 19, 2016 12:09 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

When you post the log extract or the crash report, you might see an error message on the web page: "You have included content in your post that is not permitted," or "The message contains invalid characters." That's a bug in the forum software. Please post the text on Pastebin, then post a link here to the page you created.

If you have an account on Pastebin, please don't select Private from the Paste Exposure menu on the page, because then no one but you will be able to see it.

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Answer 6

Sep 13, 2016 12:37 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

I wanted to give this a few months to see if the issue would correct itself, but it is doing it way more than ever - maybe 75% of the time I clear the search field in dictionary. This happens on multiple Mac's, and even after I have upgraded them all to the GM release of Sierra. I have used the feedback assistant multiple times to tell Apple as well.

The forum thread still won't let me post the report from the latest dictionary crash (still says 'this message contains invalid characters') so I have dumped it onto a pastebin: http://pastebin.com/CrBhtLpT

Here's the top portion of the report:

Process:	Dictionary [24580]
Path:	/Applications/Dictionary.app/Contents/MacOS/Dictionary
Identifier:	com.apple.Dictionary
Version:	2.2.1 (194)
Build Info:	DictionaryApplications_executables-194000000000000~32
Code Type:	X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:	??? [1]
Responsible:	Dictionary [24580]
User ID:	503

Date/Time:	2016-09-13 15:26:53.007 -0400
OS Version:	Mac OS X 10.12 (16A320)
Report Version:	12
Anonymous UUID:	D586D456-9CF7-36AB-D95C-F95D12CF357D

Sleep/Wake UUID:

2D7936C1-A7C8-4EF2-A293-67D9027820A0

Time Awake Since Boot: 240000 seconds

Time Since Wake:

2400 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:

0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Exception Type:	EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes:	KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x00003d6dc91abec0
Exception Note:	EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Termination Signal:	Segmentation fault: 11
Termination Reason:	Namespace SIGNAL, Code 0xb

Terminating Process: exc handler [0]

VM Regions Near 0x3d6dc91abec0:

CoreAnimation

000000012f2a6000-000000012f4a7000 [ 2052K] rw-/rwx SM=PRV

-->

JS JIT generated code 000052a636c00000-000052a636c01000 [

4K] ---/rwx SM=NUL

Application Specific Information:

objc_msgSend() selector name: _isAnyAcceleratorButton

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Answer 7

Sep 23, 2016 1:24 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

Just upgraded to 10.12.1 on a few different Macs, dictionary crashing as much as ever when clearing the search field.

Still sending crash reports and using feedback assistant to tell Apple.

Maybe some day...

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Answer 8

Sep 23, 2016 1:26 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

Actually, should I move this over to the Sierra forum now?

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Answer 9

Sep 23, 2016 3:32 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

I have never encountered this dictionary search string issue that you describe — on years of OS X releases, and cannot reproduce it with strings that I test here. What specific search string(s) crashed the application?

I have far more dictionaries configured (including Wikipedia) than you state, and even a couple custom dictionaries and my dictionary application is rock solid on El Capitan 10.11.6, and the newly released macOS Sierra.

In your console dump, I noticed the following reference (omitting the user name here):

"file:///Users/userlocal/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~TextInput/Dictio naries/"

That highlighted Dictionaries folder is not space punctuated on my machine, and my Macs are rebooted far more frequently than your last reported 66 hours. Have you booted your Mac into Safe Boot mode, and attempted your dictionary search then? Reboot normally, and try it again too.

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Answer 10

Sep 25, 2016 7:40 AM in response to kevinfromsarasota

Kevin,

The Apple Support Community guidelines, and the beta macOS Sierra agreement (10.12.1) restrict you from posting beta issues in any of these open support communities.

Yes, as long as it is a App Store released version of Sierra, then you can post over in the macOS Sierra community.

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Answer 11

Sep 25, 2016 7:41 AM in response to kevinfromsarasota

I can request that the hosts move this entire post over into the Sierra community, if you wish?

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Answer 12

Sep 28, 2016 2:18 PM in response to VikingOSX

Sure, that would be fantastic. Thank you very much for the help!

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Answer 13

Oct 11, 2016 6:44 PM in response to kevinfromsarasota

Hi kevin,

Have you solved this problem? I got this crash 9 times today.

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Answer 14

Oct 24, 2016 12:03 PM in response to jeffflash

No, it's crashing more than ever whenever I press the X. It's not even giving me error reports now, it just crashes without a word. Sometimes it even crashes without clearing the search field - just crashes for no reason.

To be fair, I've been too lazy to start up in safe mode and try what VikingOSX tried - though the file:///Users/kevinlocal/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~TextInput/Dictio naries/" } line is from a crash way back in February. I don't see it saying stuff like that anymore.

All I know is that it still does it on multiple MacBooks I have without rhyme or reason.

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Answer 15

Oct 26, 2016 1:51 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

I got this dictionary.app crash since up to date to macOS Sierra, It seems that quite a lot people met this problem. Would you mind to check my crash report? It would be a big help. This is the log that etrecheck.app generates link: http://pastebin.com/bgMMPfGj

And this is the console.app log link: http://pastebin.com/y0eejHh3

Thanks!

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