FadedStardust Posted July 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM One of my new favorite features of the newest version of OSX that was released last week is the new Dictionary pop-up functionality. Using the built-in Dictionary app that comes pre-installed and 小词典 http://xiaocidian.com/ plugin for it, which uses the free CC-EDICT, I can click into web pages, emails, QQ chats (and context menus, such as the description of a group) and three-finger double-tap on my MacBook Pro's trackpad and get an instant translation! The feature a LOT of Chinese learners have been wanting has finally arrived, and it's built right in to the OS! (To be fair, there is a keyboard shortcut that can be enabled in Snow Leopard that kinda does this, but it was always waaaay too buggy to be useful, at least on my machine... so I never used it and don't remember what it was or how to enable it) I've attached a screenshot of this feature in action in a QQ group window, looking up a word in the group's description. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchtel Posted August 6, 2011 at 08:44 AM Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 at 08:44 AM Would you mind explaining in more detail how you did this? I downloaded and installed the 小词典 from their website, and it works well from within the Mac dictionary program, but I haven't figured out how to do the 'three-finger double-tap' to look up characters within other programs. Actually, selecting the text and control-clicking (or two-finger double-tap, or right-click) to bring up the menu doesn't show the definition either . . . Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muirm Posted September 10, 2011 at 04:15 AM Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 at 04:15 AM The three-finger double-tap worked for me (in English) right out of the box. You are running Lion on a newish Macbook, right? Older Macbooks' trackpads can't do all the gestures the modern ones can, I believe. Anyway, to get the Chinese lookups to happen I had to open the Preferences in the Dictionary App and fiddle with the preferred dictionary order. It must have been a bug because even after I set it back to the original order the lookups still worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchtel Posted September 10, 2011 at 10:56 AM Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 at 10:56 AM Thanks for the response - yes, I'm using a Macbook that hasn't become obsolete yet , with Lion. Right now selecting Chinese text and bringing up a menu (by double-finger tapping or right clicking) does show the 'Look up in dictionary' option. This is pretty useful, but a pop up definition would be even better! Looking in the System Preferences under trackpad, there is actually an option for 'Look Up' (double-tap with three fingers), and it is on . . . but it still doesn't work, even with English! 'Tis a puzzle, this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.