Blank Fields in Thesaurus in Microsoft Word

[hossmosis]

When I attempt to use the thesaurus in MS Word on my mac, I am unable
to see the meanings or synonyms.

I know that they are appearing because when I click "look up", the
selected 'blank' field brings up a new word (one of the invisible
synonyms from the list that I can't see).

This was not a problem when I used the same version of word on my
Powerbook but the problem is occurring using my MacBook.

 

[William Smith]

When I attempt to use the thesaurus in MS Word on my mac, I am unable
to see the meanings or synonyms.

I know that they are appearing because when I click "look up", the
selected 'blank' field brings up a new word (one of the invisible
synonyms from the list that I can't see).

This was not a problem when I used the same version of word on my
Powerbook but the problem is occurring using my MacBook.

Can you share which version of Word you're using? Are you using the
latest version? That usually helps diagnose a problem. Also, please
indicate which Mac OS you're using too.

--

bill

William M. Smith, Microsoft Interop MVP - Mac/Windows
Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>

 

[hossmosis]

Can you share which version of Word you're using? Are you using the
latest version? That usually helps diagnose a problem. Also, please
indicate which Mac OS you're using too.

--

bill

William M. Smith, Microsoft Interop MVP - Mac/Windows
Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>

Sorry for leaving out the details -

office 2004: mac
I am using Leopard OS 10.5.1

 

[rknopp]

Sorry for leaving out the details -

office 2004: mac
I am using Leopard OS 10.5.1

I have experienced the same problem of missing fields in the Word
Thesaurus. I transfered all files via firewire from a PowerBook G4 to
a new MacBook Pro. I'm still using Office (Word) 2004, version
11.3.8. However, I went from Mac OS 10.4.11 to Mac OS 10.5.1. The
Thesaurus worked fine on the PowerBook, but not on the MacBook Pro.
(I do get definitions to show up, and I can scroll through and double-
click on and open words in the Thesaurus window, but there are no
words that show up in the Thesaurus list.) Please help. I use the
Thesaurus a lot and it's a major inconvenience not to have it.

 

[gert]

I am also having the problem with the thesaurus of Office 2004 with my new mac. I assume it's the upgrade to OS 10.5.1. I use the thesaurus constantly! I know 2008 is now available, but I would really rather not again pay hundreds for a working thesaurus. Will this be updated?

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Gert:

We have no formal knowledge of Microsoft's future plans. However, I would
be almost certain that there will be no further updates to Office 2004's
Thesaurus.

However, Microsoft will almost certainly issue at least one more general
service release for Office 2004. That may cure the issue.

The Thesaurus works fine for me (yeah, I'm in OS 10.4...). I don't recall
seeing other 10.5 users complaining about the Thesaurus. They complain
about other things, but not that.

Note that it's possible that various Haxies would interfere with the correct
operation of the Thesaurus. If you are running any, disable them all and
see if it improves.

I also suggest that you re-apply the existing service releases 11.3.5 and
later, in the correct sequence. When you have finished, re-boot and repair
permissions on your boot volume.

It's worth a try...

Cheers

I am also having the problem with the thesaurus of Office 2004 with my new
mac. I assume it's the upgrade to OS 10.5.1. I use the thesaurus constantly!
I know 2008 is now available, but I would really rather not again pay hundreds
for a working thesaurus. Will this be updated?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[mejilsa]

I have the same problem. I'm using a Mac PowerBook G4 running OS 10.5.1 and
I noticed that problem started when I upgraded to Leopard. Some of the
solutions seemed a little complicated but I just wanted to share the
low-hassle temporary solution that I've been using. When I use the thesaurus
and see the blank fields I just collapse the thesaurus window of the
Reference Tools panel by clicking the arrow and then immediately pressing the
arrow again to show the thesaurus fields. Magically they show up. The bad
news is that you need to do this collapse/show each time you select you a
word from the list to look up.

re-apply the existing service releases 11.3.5 and

later, in the correct sequence. When you have finished, re-boot and repair
permissions on your boot volume.

 

[John McGhie]

While you are on the Internet, run Apple's Software Update tool, and apply
any updates it offers.

Then go to the Help menu in Word and choose Check for Updates.

If you need any updates, that will suck them in for you. Office 11.4.0
update just came out yesterday. We're not sure what it fixes yet.

Cheers

I have the same problem. I'm using a Mac PowerBook G4 running OS 10.5.1 and
I noticed that problem started when I upgraded to Leopard. Some of the
solutions seemed a little complicated but I just wanted to share the
low-hassle temporary solution that I've been using. When I use the thesaurus
and see the blank fields I just collapse the thesaurus window of the
Reference Tools panel by clicking the arrow and then immediately pressing the
arrow again to show the thesaurus fields. Magically they show up. The bad
news is that you need to do this collapse/show each time you select you a
word from the list to look up.

later, in the correct sequence. When you have finished, re-boot and repair
permissions on your boot volume.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50

 

[gary]

I am having the same problem, also after upgrading to Leopard (10.5.2) and
running Microsoft Update (Word 11.3.8). Logging in a test user (with no
haxies etc) does not alleviate the problem. Seems to be problem with the
redraw routine used by the Thesaurus, evidently different from the redraw
routine used by the Dictionary.

As with others, I can click on thesaurus entries even though they are blank,
establishing that the problem is not with the database per se, but forcing a
redraw (by togglign the theasuaus pane) does some times work, albeit only for
one entry.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Garry:

You mean Word 2004 is at 11.3.8? That's correct.

There is update 11.4.0 available now, I assume you have applied it? (The
version of Word will not go up, but it will update some other components).

Sorry: I don't have anything else to suggest.

Cheers

I am having the same problem, also after upgrading to Leopard (10.5.2) and
running Microsoft Update (Word 11.3.8). Logging in a test user (with no
haxies etc) does not alleviate the problem. Seems to be problem with the
redraw routine used by the Thesaurus, evidently different from the redraw
routine used by the Dictionary.

As with others, I can click on thesaurus entries even though they are blank,
establishing that the problem is not with the database per se, but forcing a
redraw (by togglign the theasuaus pane) does some times work, albeit only for
one entry.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Guest]

I found this temporary fix on another forum - it does work. :
Re: thesaurus results go missin
This is a display issue in Leopard, the only thing so far that works for me
is clicking on the little arrow (triangle) in front of the Thesaurus
collapse the window and then expand, the results will appear and when they
dissapear again click the little arrow again.

The - Thesaurus Magic Trick message - Nov 5 - in this news group shows more
info.
Bras

in message

Since installing Leopard, my thesaurus results in Word 2004 are invisible.
I can bring them back by minimizing and reopening the thesaurus window.
Help! This is enormously frustrating.

 

[Tiuska]

Hello, everybody!
Does anyone know if Office for Mac 2008 has solved the problem with Thesaurus? I use it all the time and it's really irritating having to do the whole look up/collapse/re-open routine for every single word. It's also very frustrating that Apple and Microsoft Italian client assistance services are constantly rebounding the prob to one another: Apple says it's Microsoft problem 'cause it's their software; Microsoft says it's Apple problem 'cause I bought the software already installed in my new iMac. Meanwhile, nobody helps and I'm caught in the middle...

 

[John McGhie]

No, nobody but Microsoft knows whether they have solved that one, yet.

It's definitely a Microsoft bug

There's a Service Release due out sometime after March 11th. That may
contain the fix. We'll just have to wait and see.

Cheers

Hello, everybody!
Does anyone know if Office for Mac 2008 has solved the problem with Thesaurus?
I use it all the time and it's really irritating having to do the whole look
up/collapse/re-open routine for every single word. It's also very frustrating
that Apple and Microsoft Italian client assistance services are constantly
rebounding the prob to one another: Apple says it's Microsoft problem 'cause
it's their software; Microsoft says it's Apple problem 'cause I bought the
software already installed in my new iMac. Meanwhile, nobody helps and I'm
caught in the middle...

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50