You can search a dictionary without being in that dictionary, either from within the script you’re working on, or from an inspector window.

• To search the dictionary from the Look Up Definition inspector, first make sure the inspector is showing (if not, choose Window > Inspectors > Look Up Definition). The search field here is just like the Search field in the dictionary window toolbar. In particular, it has the same popup menu at the left end, with the same options determining what aspects of the dictionary to search. It also has five additional options (at the top of the menu) determining what dictionary to search:
  • You can choose whether to include scripting additions in your search.
  • You can choose whether to include AppleScript’s own internal dictionary in the search. (This option is good for helping to track down terminology clashes.)
  • You can choose whether to search the tell context application. This is the application being targeted at the selection point in the frontmost script window.
  • You can choose whether to search scriptable running applications.
  • You can choose whether to search all applications in the known applications list.

Searching the known applications list can be time-consuming the first time that you do it, because dictionaries must be loaded and applications may have to be launched. But it will be fast after that because the dictionary is cached. When you start to search known applications, a dialog will appear warning you of any applications that must be launched in order to load their dictionaries, giving you a chance to prevent any or all of these applications from launching (in which case their dictionaries will not be searched or cached).

• To search a dictionary from within a script window, select a term in the script’s text, and choose Search > Look Up Definition. (Alternatively, choose Look Up Definition from the script window’s contextual menu.) This enters the selection into the Look Up Definition inspector and performs the search. The settings already present in the Look Up Definition inspector search field popup menu will apply to this search.

[You might wish to see a list of the types of entity you can find here, and the meanings of the icons.]

The Look Up Definition inspector cannot be widened, so the entire content of a result usually cannot be displayed. To see the full content of a result, hover the mouse over the result; a tooltip will appear, showing the full result.

Having performed a search in the Look Up Definition inspector, and having obtained results, to display a result in its dictionary:

• Double-click the result.