Scan Popup not working on Windows portable version

[ctcx]

I have played a lot with options in Edit -> Preferences -> Scan Popup. I even have all 3 options enabled: Enable Scan Popup, Start with Scan Popup enabled, and Only use Scan Popup when selected keys pressed. In my case I only have left ctrl selected, but makes no difference with other key combinations anyway. Scan Popup doesn't seem to work on Goldendict Portable version for Windows. And I know the function exists, because I have complete version installed on a Linux PC and Scan Popup works, by pressing the selected key and selecting the word with mouse left click.

What's going on?

[MCHAL]

By the way, devs, this doesn't work also when running programs (browsers) sandboxed under Sandboxie's sandboxie.com and DefenseWall's softsphere.com . Please, consider finding a workaround for future versions of GoldenDict, will you?

Thanks for your efforts and attention.

[chulai]

I have played a lot with options in Edit -> Preferences -> Scan Popup. I even have all 3 options enabled: Enable Scan Popup, Start with Scan Popup enabled, and Only use Scan Popup when selected keys pressed. In my case I only have left ctrl selected, but makes no difference with other key combinations anyway. Scan Popup doesn't seem to work on Goldendict Portable version for Windows. And I know the function exists, because I have complete version installed on a Linux PC and Scan Popup works, by pressing the selected key and selecting the word with mouse left click.

What's going on?

Are you using 1.0.1 portable version under Windows 64-bit? If so, that (1-year old) version does not support scanpopup functionality in that setup. You have to get one of the last early access build versions here: https://github.com/goldendict/goldendic ... or-Windows
You can convert them to portable by just creating an empty 'portable' folder inside the program folder.

Regards,

Chulai

[MCHAL]

As to myself, I am actually using the latest beta as portable under Windows 64 Bits, but the "problem" persists (no popup shown when the command is triggered from sandboxed programs).

Thanks.

[chulai]

Yes, I was addressing the original post.
In your case, you're using a software which main function is to isolate a program from others (and the system) to prevent malicious and/or unintentional bad behaviors. For what I understand, GoldenDict uses IPC or maybe other system APIs to be able to read selected text or text under cursor. So you have a conflict between both programs' functionality. You either unsandbox GD and your browsers or you would need to use some other technique (maybe the hotkeys work instead?). Sandboxie motto is "Trust No Program". Well, I do trust GoldenDict because is Open Source and you can check what's going on if you need to. And at some point I have to trust also closed-source programs. I cannot be so paranoic.
Anyway, I use hotkeys but not the scan popup. It works for me. Give it a try.

[MCHAL]

Yes, I was addressing the original post.
In your case, you're using a software which main function is to isolate a program from others (and the system) to prevent malicious and/or unintentional bad behaviors. For what I understand, GoldenDict uses IPC or maybe other system APIs to be able to read selected text or text under cursor. So you have a conflict between both programs' functionality. You either unsandbox GD and your browsers or you would need to use some other technique (maybe the hotkeys work instead?). Sandboxie motto is "Trust No Program". Well, I do trust GoldenDict because is Open Source and you can check what's going on if you need to. And at some point I have to trust also closed-source programs. I cannot be so paranoic.
Anyway, I use hotkeys but not the scan popup. It works for me. Give it a try.

I should have been more specific. Sorry. I don't use GoldenDict sandboxed - usually only browsers themselves. Also, I should have mentioned that it DOES work when using Ctrl+C+C (to make its popup appear through transfer of selected word/expression to Windows Clipboard first), but actually it does NOT for showing the related popups using the special key combos optionally chosen for this (through the set command "Only show popup when...").

I tried to get help about this from Sandboxie developer (support as to how configure Sandboxie so as to allow GoldenDict popup shown through sandboxed programs), but he didn't seem willing to bother about it.

Thanks anyway.

[ctcx]

Thank you very much for your reply, mr. Chulai. And yes, I'm on Windows 7 x64 and was using the old 1.0.1 stable.

Downloaded the last verion from your link (the one from March 3, 2012). Now Scan Popup does work, albeit a bit different from my Linux openSUSE setup. On Linux I press the configured key and then I have to select the word or phrase, then the popup appears. On Windows with just pressing the key and putting the mouse cursor over the word popup appears. But now the problem is popup seems to just translate individual words, doesn't translate groups of words (phrases) not even by selecting the phrase. How can I make popup translate entire phrases?
Also, do GoldenDict builds from your link work on both x86 and x64?
EDIT: scan popup seems to work on NotePad, but not on Internet Explorer.... what's happening?

On openSUSE I use Goldendict installed from openSUSE repository, I think it's the old 1.0.1 stable one. If i want latest Goldendict builds for Linux, do I have to build them from source or are there pre-built or repository versions?

[chulai]

Thank you very much for your reply, mr. Chulai. And yes, I'm on Windows 7 x64 and was using the old 1.0.1 stable.

Downloaded the last verion from your link (the one from March 3, 2012). Now Scan Popup does work, albeit a bit different from my Linux openSUSE setup. On Linux I press the configured key and then I have to select the word or phrase, then the popup appears. On Windows with just pressing the key and putting the mouse cursor over the word popup appears. But now the problem is popup seems to just translate individual words, doesn't translate groups of words (phrases) not even by selecting the phrase. How can I make popup translate entire phrases?

Yes, I think that's a platform specific behaviour because scanpopup has specific code to handle the differences between Windows 32 and 64-bit and also X Window in Linux.

Also, do GoldenDict builds from your link work on both x86 and x64?

It should work in both 32-bit and 64-bit. Check you have
GdTextOutHook64.dll, GdTextOutSpy64.dll, x64helper.exe (64-bit)
and GdTextOutHook.dll, GdTextOutSpy.dll (32-bit)

EDIT: scan popup seems to work on NotePad, but not on Internet Explorer.... what's happening?

Browsers are tricky. They use their own routines to render text on screen. Luckily, you can make GD read Internet Explorer's text if you check all the options under Preferences > Advanced. If you use any other browser you are out of luck.

On openSUSE I use Goldendict installed from openSUSE repository, I think it's the old 1.0.1 stable one. If i want latest Goldendict builds for Linux, do I have to build them from source or are there pre-built or repository versions?

Some distributions have prebuilt versions but they are a bit behind. Building from source is not complicated IMHO. Just check the forum for previous posts about this matter. I have seen a bunch of them. And also check building instructions here: http://goldendict.org/buildfromgit.php

Good Luck!

[chulai]

Yes, I was addressing the original post.
In your case, you're using a software which main function is to isolate a program from others (and the system) to prevent malicious and/or unintentional bad behaviors. For what I understand, GoldenDict uses IPC or maybe other system APIs to be able to read selected text or text under cursor. So you have a conflict between both programs' functionality. You either unsandbox GD and your browsers or you would need to use some other technique (maybe the hotkeys work instead?). Sandboxie motto is "Trust No Program". Well, I do trust GoldenDict because is Open Source and you can check what's going on if you need to. And at some point I have to trust also closed-source programs. I cannot be so paranoic.
Anyway, I use hotkeys but not the scan popup. It works for me. Give it a try.

I should have been more specific. Sorry. I don't use GoldenDict sandboxed - usually only browsers themselves. Also, I should have mentioned that it DOES work when using Ctrl+C+C (to make its popup appear through transfer of selected word/expression to Windows Clipboard first), but actually it does NOT for showing the related popups using the special key combos optionally chosen for this (through the set command "Only show popup when...").

I tried to get help about this from Sandboxie developer (support as to how configure Sandboxie so as to allow GoldenDict popup shown through sandboxed programs), but he didn't seem willing to bother about it.

Thanks anyway.

Bear in mind, that ScanPopup only works with Internet Explorer and only if you enable the options under Preferences > Advanced. Give it a try. It might still not work if IE is sand-boxed, though.

[chulai]

On openSUSE I use Goldendict installed from openSUSE repository, I think it's the old 1.0.1 stable one. If i want latest Goldendict builds for Linux, do I have to build them from source or are there pre-built or repository versions?

I just created a GoldenDict Portable Linux Version. It has the last changes as of 2012-05-20. Providing it worked you won't need to compile from source anymore. Give it a try here.

Regards,
Chulai