Sorry, My Help Viewer keeps opening AFP connection.

Sorry I had my letters mixed up on that last post. Feel free to delete that. I just got a new Imac and set up my first ever network. Being a rookie at this I can't quite figure this one out. Everytime I open Mac Help the Help Veiwer tries to connect to my older computer. Its kind of annoying because I have to cancel and wait for the spinning color wheel of death to stop before I can get answers. With the new I-life, I've got pleny of questions. Can anybody help me with this? Thanks in advance, Keith

I have done several migrations (10+) and not experienced this one before. Once you have done all the 'normal' precautions (repairing permissions using Disk Utilities and dragging the Help Viewer preferences com.apple.helpviewer.plist to the desktop), then we have to look further.
If the above do not help, can we have some more info? I take it you did migrate your data from your old computer. Was it done after initial setup or during? Could you also tell us from which model to which, and if the older computer was running Tiger, or an older system.
Karn.

Similar Messages

My Help Viewer keeps opening APV connection?!

I just got a new Imac and set up my first ever network. Being a rookie at this I can't quite figure this one out. Everytime I open Mac Help the Help Veiwer tries to connect to my older computer. Its kind of annoying because I have to cancel and wait for the spinning color wheel of death to stop before I can get answers. With the new I-life, I've got pleny of questions. Can anybody help me with this? Thanks in advance, Keith

I have done several migrations (10+) and not experienced this one before. Once you have done all the 'normal' precautions (repairing permissions using Disk Utilities and dragging the Help Viewer preferences com.apple.helpviewer.plist to the desktop), then we have to look further.
If the above do not help, can we have some more info? I take it you did migrate your data from your old computer. Was it done after initial setup or during? Could you also tell us from which model to which, and if the older computer was running Tiger, or an older system.
Karn.

"Help viewer cannot open this content"

In iPhoto '09 Help window I would get the following error message when I tried viewing any topic:
"Help viewer cannot open this content"
Problem solved with help from "Apple Expert" phone support following these steps:
1. reboot in safe mode - I think this clears system cache and runs a disk repair utility
2. reboot
3. delete ~/Library/Caches
4. empty trash
5. log out
6. log back in
7. empty trash
Apparently the problem was caused by a corrupt cached file.

This worked for me.
From http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/helpviewer.html#Anchor-Reset-35882
Quit Help Viewer if it is open. Leopard users should click the red Close button in the upper-left corner of the Help Viewer window. Users of Tiger and earlier can press the Command-Q (Quit) keyboard shortcut.
Trash the following three files in your Home > Library > Preferences folder, if extant:
* com.apple.help.plist
* com.apple.helpui.plist
* com.apple.helpviewer.plist
Trash the following two folders in your Home > Library > Caches folder, if extant:
1. com.apple.helpui folder
2. com.apple.helpdata
Empty the Trash.
Test that Help Viewer is now operating normally.
Sell Apple stock before the market gets wind of this.
Message was edited by: LazloG

Motion crashes on open: AFP Connection Status window appears

I am one of the overly enthusiastic fools who went to the Intel Mac Pro too early--before even Apple's FCP Studio ran reliably on it. (And apparently it doesn't even now.)
But I digress before I begin. Here's my challenge:
Motion--and only Motion--crashes every time I try to open it.
Before it ultimately crashes, this window appears:
AFP Connection Status
Looking up "G4MDD"
G4MDD refers to my previous computer, a G4MDD, which I ran networked to the Mac Pro until recently because I had to constantly default back to it to finish projects when the Intel Mac Pro misbehaved inexplicably.
I've followed all of Apples suggestions posted on "Troubleshooting Basics." I've trashed preferences AND reinstalled Motion 2. It's still looking for the G4, I know not why.
From the error report I've sent to Apple time and again, I take the following to be the problem:
Exception: EXCBADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERNPROTECTIONFAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000000
SUGGESTIONS?...PLEASE?

Date/Time: 2007-04-08 11:23:31.309 -0500
OS Version: 10.4.9 (Build 8P2137)
Report Version: 4
Command: Motion
Path: /Applications/Motion.app/Contents/MacOS/Motion
Parent: WindowServer [79]
Version: 2.1.2 (2.1.2)
Build Version: 2
Project Name: Motion
Source Version: 1976100
PID: 3951
Thread: 0
Exception: EXCBADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERNPROTECTIONFAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000000
Thread 0 Crashed:
0 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x9081bf7e CFURLGetString + 17
1 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0021002f PCURL::PCURL[in-charge](PCURL const&) + 25
2 com.apple.procore.framework 0x00216648 PCXMLReadStream::PCXMLReadStream[in-charge](PCURL const&) + 54
3 Ozone 0x011d3949 -[OZFileSystemLibEntry readFactoryID] + 159
4 Ozone 0x011d5df5 -[OZFileSystemLibEntry readDirectoryContents] + 1493
5 Ozone 0x011c3d99 -[OZFileSystemLibEntry forceReadOfContents] + 79
6 Ozone 0x011c3de7 -[OZFileSystemLibEntry forceReadOfContents] + 157
7 Ozone 0x0114e3c3 -[OZLibraryController buildTree] + 1655
8 Ozone 0x013a8ac6 -[OZLibraryControllerBase viewDidLoad] + 4964
9 Ozone 0x011542d9 -[OZLibraryController viewDidLoad] + 67
10 Ozone 0x01094f90 -[OZPBXModule _viewDidLoad] + 78
11 Ozone 0x01094c1c -[OZPBXModule view] + 177
12 Ozone 0x0118ba21 -[OZTabbedModule addTabViewItem:module:] + 47
13 Ozone 0x011572b5 -[OZLibraryInspectorController viewDidLoad] + 185
14 Ozone 0x01094f90 -[OZPBXModule _viewDidLoad] + 78
15 Ozone 0x01094c1c -[OZPBXModule view] + 177
16 Ozone 0x010977d7 -[OZPBXWindowController _installModuleView] + 68
17 Ozone 0x01096f86 -[OZPBXWindowController initWithModule:] + 69
18 Ozone 0x0109673c -[OZPBXModule setWantsModuleWindow:] + 174
19 Ozone 0x01157080 +[OZLibraryInspectorController instance] + 108
20 Ozone 0x01159dd4 -[OZScreenLayoutManager loadInitialLayout] + 70
21 Ozone 0x01159f97 -[OZScreenLayoutManager loadInitialDocLayout:] + 45
22 Ozone 0x0115ebe6 -[OZDocWindowController windowDidLoad] + 984
23 com.apple.AppKit 0x9339bcaa -[NSWindowController _windowDidLoad] + 376
24 com.apple.AppKit 0x9328fa63 -[NSWindowController window] + 121
25 Ozone 0x0108ae63 -[OZObjCDocument showWindows] + 147
26 com.apple.AppKit 0x93542c99 -[NSDocumentController(NSDeprecated) _openDocumentFileAt:display:] + 345
27 Ozone 0x013fe376 -[OZDocumentController openDocumentWithContentsOfFile:display:] + 218
28 Ozone 0x014929e5 -[OZTemplateBrowserController openTemplate:] + 155
29 com.apple.AppKit 0x9335cd88 -[NSApplication sendAction:to:from:] + 107
30 com.apple.prokit 0x958aee5d NSProCenterRect + 30242
31 com.apple.AppKit 0x93470b4f -[NSMatrix sendAction:to:] + 132
32 com.apple.AppKit 0x93470ac1 -[NSMatrix sendAction] + 162
33 Ozone 0x014b07ce -[TMMatrix mouseDown:] + 794
34 com.apple.AppKit 0x9334c3af -[NSWindow sendEvent:] + 5279
35 com.apple.prokit 0x958d11c6 NSProApplicationLoad + 138211
36 com.apple.AppKit 0x9333e350 -[NSApplication sendEvent:] + 5023
37 com.apple.motion 0x000063f6 0x1000 + 21494
38 com.apple.AppKit 0x93268dfe -[NSApplication run] + 547
39 com.apple.prokit 0x958af559 NSProApplicationMain + 324
40 com.apple.motion 0x000054d7 0x1000 + 17623
41 com.apple.motion 0x00003522 0x1000 + 9506
42 com.apple.motion 0x0000343d 0x1000 + 9277
Thread 1:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90048e07 semaphoretimedwait_signaltrap + 7
1 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90ce20b7 TSWaitOnSemaphoreCommon + 163
2 ...ickTimeComponents.component 0x97e10072 ReadSchedulerThreadEntryPoint + 4895
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 2:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9003f5ff syscallthreadswitch + 7
1 com.apple.AppKit 0x9334666e -[NSUIHeartBeat _heartBeatThread:] + 1399
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x927f12e0 forkThreadForFunction + 123
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 3:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900247e7 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 7
1 com.apple.CoreVideo 0x940e144e CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 1104
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 4:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90009bf7 machmsgtrap + 7
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x9082e2b3 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 2014
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x9083f188 CFRunLoopRun + 60
3 com.apple.DVCPROHDMuxer 0x22016507 AVS::DestroyAVCDeviceController(AVS::AVCDeviceController*) + 285
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 5:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90009bf7 machmsgtrap + 7
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x9082e2b3 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 2014
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x9082dace CFRunLoopRunInMode + 61
3 com.apple.audio.CoreAudio 0x9146841e HALRunLoop::OwnThread(void*) + 158
4 com.apple.audio.CoreAudio 0x91468239 CAPThread::Entry(CAPThread*) + 93
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 6:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900247e7 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 7
1 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022abea PCConditionVariable::wait(PCMutex*) + 24
2 Ozone 0x012b7a3f OZExecutionUnit::executeLoop() + 65
3 Ozone 0x012b7b00 OZExecutionUnit::executeLoopWrapper(void*) + 36
4 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022b226 PCThread::startup(void*) + 18
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 7:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900247e7 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 7
1 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022abea PCConditionVariable::wait(PCMutex*) + 24
2 Ozone 0x012b7a3f OZExecutionUnit::executeLoop() + 65
3 Ozone 0x012b7b00 OZExecutionUnit::executeLoopWrapper(void*) + 36
4 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022b226 PCThread::startup(void*) + 18
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 8:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900247e7 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 7
1 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022abea PCConditionVariable::wait(PCMutex*) + 24
2 Ozone 0x012b7a3f OZExecutionUnit::executeLoop() + 65
3 Ozone 0x012b7b00 OZExecutionUnit::executeLoopWrapper(void*) + 36
4 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022b226 PCThread::startup(void*) + 18
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 9:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900247e7 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 7
1 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022abea PCConditionVariable::wait(PCMutex*) + 24
2 Ozone 0x012b7a3f OZExecutionUnit::executeLoop() + 65
3 Ozone 0x012b7b00 OZExecutionUnit::executeLoopWrapper(void*) + 36
4 com.apple.procore.framework 0x0022b226 PCThread::startup(void*) + 18
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90024147 pthreadbody + 84
Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (32-bit):
eax: 0x00000000 ebx: 0x9081bf7b ecx: 0xbfffe934 edx: 0xbfffea28
edi: 0x00000000 esi: 0xbfffe934 ebp: 0xbfffe848 esp: 0xbfffe820
ss: 0x0000001f efl: 0x00010282 eip: 0x9081bf7e cs: 0x00000017
ds: 0x0000001f es: 0x0000001f fs: 0x00000000 gs: 0x00000037

Viewing/disconnecting open file connections on Lion Server?

Has anyone found a way to view open file connections on Lion Server? With 10.6 Server Admin, you can view/disconnect open connections by protocol. I haven't been able to locate a way to do this in the new Server app or new version of Server Admin.

Hi kevinfromhunt,
Try sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.AppleFileServer.plist
sudo serveradmin start afp
Suppose it would work with other services as well.
It worked for FileSharing for me.
It appears that 10.7 Lion doesn't unload properly and as it fails loading it cause it's already loaded it fails.
Good luck.
Beno

Why does my computer keep opening netbios connections?

netbiosd keeps opening connections to random IP addresses (usually an overseas ISP). Since installing LittleSnitch I've blocked 5 of these connections (2 ISP's in the US, 1 ISP in Poland, 1 ISP in the UK), and am starting to become concerned that I might have some kind of malware.
I intalled ClamXav and checked the whole harddrive with the latest definition, but it didn't come up with anything.
Any ideas?

Using LittleSnitch I have received 3 alerts from netbiosd in the past week.
I have denied all of them after a cursory lookup of the IP addresses using various tools (whois, traceroute)
The blocked entries were:
69.70.43.102, port 137
82.186.105.146, port 47863
125.239.135.130, port 53659
Any idea why netbiosd is trying to contact these IP addresses? I would assume this is along the same lines. I'm getting to the point where I am willing to disable/block netbiosd to keep these messages from coming up, but I don't want to risk undue wear and tear by not sleeping.
I do have screen sharing enabled, but am always behind a firewall. <---don't know if this is related. File and print sharing are not enabled.
Lion 10.7.4, fully updated. MBP/i7 2.6/8GB

Keep opened socket connection?

Hi,
My Java application communicates with server on average every 3 seconds. I wonder if it is a good idea to keep an opened socket connection to the server and don't open new connection for each request. The problem with this is that if in the meantime is connection aborted, java.net.SocketException is throwned.
What do you think about keeping opened connection? Is appropriate to work with opened connections or to open new connection for each new request? How do you solve in your applications situation when communication is irregular but frequent.
Thanks.

I had one more question on this topic relating to capture and processing exceptions. Communication between client and server I accomplish wit these three classes:
- ClientRequest - represents client request to the server
- Communication - gets ClientRequest and socket connection to the server and sends the request to the server
- ServerResponse - represents response returned from the server
Now If Communication class gets dead connection it can't work and throws an exception. We discussed that I should find out the situation and suitably respond to this situation.
My question is whether the method for reconnection should call:
a) Communication class
b) class that uses the Communication class?
c) somebody else (?)
In case a) there is an advantage that all is in one place and Communication class user does not have to worry about anything beause class will try reconnect itself (if second attempt fails, method throws another exception). The advantage of b) is that the user needs, he can respond to this situation and do some another action.
Thanks.

Need help badly- Keep getting error: connection refused.

I'm developing an online multiplayer game, and everytime I try to use the multiplayer capabilities I get this kind of error. I have created a mini-connection class just to test if my program is working right, and apparently not. I have not included disconnection object in the following classes, since they are unneccessary since I cannot connect in the first place. First I ran my Servertest.class, which runs up to "Waiting for Connection", then waits, then I ran my ClientTest.class, which always gives me the error at teh bottom of the page.
Please tell me what is wrong with the following-
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.geom.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.URL;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
public class Servertest {
private ObjectInputStream input;
private ObjectOutputStream output;
private ServerSocket server;
private Socket connection;
public void Servertest() {
public void runServer() {
try {
server = new ServerSocket( 12347, 100 );
System.out.print( "Waiting for connection\n" );
connection = server.accept();
System.out.print( "Connected to: " + connection.getInetAddress().getHostName() );
output = new ObjectOutputStream( connection.getOutputStream() );
output.flush();
input = new ObjectInputStream( connection.getInputStream() );
System.out.print( "\nGot I/O Streams\n" );
catch ( IOException ioException ) {
ioException.printStackTrace();
public static void main( String args[] ) {
Servertest application = new Servertest();
application.runServer();
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.geom.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.net.URL;
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
public class ClientTest {
private ObjectInputStream input;
private ObjectOutputStream output;
private Socket client;
public void ClientTest() {
public void runClient() {
System.out.println( "Attempting Connection" );
try {
client = new Socket( InetAddress.getLocalHost(), 12348 );
System.out.println( "Connected to: " + client.getInetAddress().getHostName() );
output = new ObjectOutputStream( client.getOutputStream() );
output.flush();
catch (EOFException eofException) {
System.err.print( "Client Terminated Connection!" );
catch (IOException ioException) {
ioException.printStackTrace();
public static void main( String args[] ) {
ClientTest application = new ClientTest();
application.runClient();
When I run Server Test it shows: Waiting for Connection.
When I run Client Test is show the following:-
Attempting Connection
java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused: connect
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketConnect(Native Method)
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.doConnect(PlainSocketImpl.java:305)
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connectToAddress(PlainSocketImpl.java:171)
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(PlainSocketImpl.java:158)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:452)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:402)
at java.net.Socket.<init>(Socket.java:309)
at java.net.Socket.<init>(Socket.java:153)
at ClientTest.runClient(ClientTest.java:26)
at ClientTest.main(ClientTest.java:41)
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Your server listens on port 12347. Your client tries to connect to a different port. No server is listening on the other port, so the connection is refused. Solution: make client connect to port 12347.

Can't open .help document with OS X Help Viewer

My Canon scanner's on-screen documentation is only available as a .help file. Howerver, by default this file is opened with "DVD Studio Pro" on my Mac. Very strange. No other app is available under the .help file's "Get Info". I cannot pick OS X's Help Viewer. Since it's no app any more, it can't be selected or even found for that matter.
*So how do I get Help Viewer to open up this .help document?* Control-clicking also doesn't give me that option.

Thanks. Now that I know where to find it, I could change it in "get info". Problem solved.

Is there any hope for Help Viewer?

I have read through as many discussions about Help Viewer problems as I can find, and still, help in Finder doesn't work. I have tried all of Dr. Smoke's suggestions and many others to no avail. Help Viewer still ends up going back to a blank screen, links that don't work, and the search just keeps searching.
All of the suggestions I have tried fix Help Viewer temporarily, but it has always gone back to its same old broken self.
If anyone out there can REALLY help, I would REALLY appreciate it.
Thank you!

Hi Jordan. Hopefully I can offer a solution for this which bugged me enough to really try to resolve it, and have now done so, at least for me.
First the essentials.
System Setup: Powermac G4 Dual 1GHz MDD. 1GB. MacOS 10.4.3
Issue: Loading Mac Helper from the Finder will result in a blank screen after the first launch. On first launch you will be able to click one or two links then it will not work and search will not function [issues may vary but blank screen always]
This problem occurred with earlier versions of Tiger. I have since done a clean install. Tried replacing the Help Viewer app from the Install disk and also the MacHelp.help document too, but it did not help. I even tried the same items from other disks just to check for corrupt files but still no change. Trashing the prefs does not seem to make any difference, nor the same with the cache folder but it can resolve other issues, just not this particular one.
NOTE Before others try this fix I strongly suggest you try the solutions suggested by Apple and those on the very good XLab web site. Here are a few related articles:
XLab. The most comprehensive guide to the Help issues.Check out the 'Help Viewer displays a blank window.' link.
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/helpviewer.html
Apple. From the source. Not quite the same symptoms but offers Help advice on
'Mac OS X 10.2, 10.3: Mac Help Viewer unexpectedly quits'
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107013
Solution:
1. Go to User > Library > Caches > com.apple.helpui [note: you need to launch Help Viewer at least once so that this folder is created]
2. Delete ALL files/ folders in the com.apple.helpui folder, if any.
3. Create a new folder inside com.apple.helpui and name it 'Mac Help' [the same as that created automatically by Help Viewer, case sensitive].
4. Select the new folder and use Command + I to see the folder 'Info'. First
label it red [to aid further diagnostics] and then change ALL the permissions at the bottom to *Read only* [click Details to see the options, not just 'You can'. Include Read only for 'Owner', 'Group' & 'Others'. You will need Admin access for this]. Close the Info panel.
5. Launch Mac Help from the Finder menu bar. If it was blank before, the Help Viewer screen should show the Mac Help homepage again. Try several links and search and Index. They should all work, and quicker now. Quit and relaunch. This time the Help Viewer works now and no blank screen. The issue with Mac Help is fixed ( but be aware that any other Help folders created could well cause the same issue, so check for these if it still happens and read on for details of how to deal with this other part of the issue)
*BUT*
Although this resolves the Mac Help issue, AS SOON AS OTHER MAC APPLICATION HELP's ARE LAUNCHED, IT IS MOST LIKELY THE ISSUE WILL RETURN!, hence the labeling of the Help folders red, to track newly created Help folders (i.e. Mail Help, Safari Help etc). If these are launched this automatically creates help folders in com.apple.helpui for them and they also cause the blank screen problem.
So, the best thing is to create Help folders in the same way that you did for Mac Help, for ALL Mac applications to avoid having to do it incrementally as and when you use another Mac application Help [or if you do a search it may well create folders anyhow]. These are the Help folders I have created, with the red label and 'Read only' permissions:
Activity Monitor Help
Address Book Help
AirPort Help
AppleScript Help
Automator Help
Bluetooth Help
Calculator Help
Chess Help
Console Help
Dictionary Help
Directory Access Help
Disk Utility Help
DVD Player Help
Font Book Help
Grapher Help
iCal Help
iChat Help
Image Capture Help
Mac Help
Mail Help
ODBC Administrator Help
Preview Help
QuickTime Player Help
Safari Help
Script Editor Help
Sherlock Help
Stickies Help
System Profiler Help
Terminal Help
TextEdit Help
There are probably more but these are the ones I could find fairly easily. If they are labeled red then it is easy to see if any others appear and cause the issue. Once I have done this I make a backup copy of these folders with the permissions set and archive it for use as and when I need to replace them.
Result: For me and my setup this has resulted in my being able to use Help normally without the blank screen issue for nearly two weeks now since I spent a lot of time looking at this issue. In fact I find Help works a lot faster and suffers fewer delays. Because this only requires amendments to file permissions, in a folder which is automatically replaced if deleted anyhow, I feel it is a safe and easy enough for most users to do if they have this problem.
I hope this offers a solution to other users with the same issue and who have tried the other suggestions (Including Dr. Smoke's and from Apple etc) but still have problems with the blank screen.
The Cause & Other Notes
Having been frustrated with this issue for several months now I spent some time trying to find the cause. It clearly does not effect everyone, and others have found the suggested fixes, such as trashing the com.apple.helpui cache folder and relevant preference files, have worked for them. It makes it a more complicated problem to identify. It appears perhaps to be related to your type/ speed of connection from the computer to the Apple help servers where the cache folders and files and downloaded from. This seems likely from error messages. It also appears that, for whatever reason, some of those files being automatically created when Help Viewer is launched are the actual problem. In order to explain why I think that, if you have this issue then you should get the exact same repeatable test which led me to find the solution.
Do this:
1. Firstly navigate to > Library > Caches > com.apple.helpui and trash this folder. Then before proceeding launch the following apps to help diagnose and follow what is happening:
a. Console [so you can watch for error message in console.log window]
b. Activity Monitor [to watch internet traffic during launch and browsing the Help Viewer]
c. Leave the FInder window so you can watch what happens.
2. Launch Mac Help from the Finder menu bar. It should launch and show the home page on the screen. Immediately you will see a new com.apple.helpui folder being created. Navigate into this so you can watch what is being placed in the newly created com.apple.helpui folder.
3. Now click on any of the Help links on the right (not the link to the apple web site). Immediately (slower if dialup and not already connected) you should see traffic over the network as the computer connects to the Apple help servers. Then, in the com.apple.helpui folder you will see a new folder called 'Mac Help'. Also some other numbered (0-15) cache folders which are not of interest right now. And on quit a file called 'TOCCache.plist' which does not effect things. Soon you should see an error in the Console console.log window something like this:
"2005-11-19 01:57:45.585 Help Viewer[1313] Exception raised during posting of notification. Ignored. exception: * End of archive encountered prematurely at 400"
I am not sure exactly why this is but it appears to be related to some sort of timeout and failure to fully download some items.
4. Now try to click on any link or Index. For me, nothing happens and I get only more error messages like:
"2005-11-19 02:02:21.190 Help Viewer[1313] Uncaught exception - * End of archive encountered prematurely at 400
2005-11-19 02:02:21.190 Help Viewer[1313] * Attempt to remove unrecognized exception handler 0xbfffdce0"
The only option is to quit out.
5. Immediately relaunch Mac Help. If it is like me then it will now be a blank screen accompanied by the following my critical error message:
"2005-11-19 02:03:33.543 Help Viewer[1319] * NSRunLoop ignoring exception '* End of archive encountered prematurely at 400' that raised during posting of delayed perform with target 375df0 and selector '_setupTOC'"
Now, everytime I quit a launch Mac Help it is the same error and blank screen.
This seemed to me to point towards an issue within the com.apple.helpui folder because when it is trashed Help Viewer will launch one time then stop.
So I went through each folder (I had a number of Help folders the first time) and tried moving it out of the folder, rather like testing for bad prefs in OS8.
Eventually I tracked the offending file/s down to this:
User > Library > Caches > com.apple.helpui > Mac Help > Contents > Resources > English.lproj > pgs > pgs.helpindex
As soon as this file is created then it all stops. Trash this file and relaunch and the homepage appears again until it appears and once again the problem reappears. This is totally repeatable for me.
Once I had isolated the problem file I tried various solutions to resolve it. The first was to replace it with the same file which is already in the System within the MacHelp.help documentation here (the system Library, not the User path)
Library > Documentation > Help > MacHelp.help
Copy MacHelp.help and then use Command + I and 'Show Package Contents' to navigate to:
MacHelp.help > Contents > Resources > English.lproj > pgs > pgs.helpindex
(right at the bottom of the pgs folder with hundreds of .html files)
I then replaced the existing pgs.helpindex with this one. It is different at it has an earlier Created date of 16/03/2005 (my vary), the one in the cache folder is Created 20/10/2005 (may vary?)
This allowed Help Viewer to launch correctly, but after a short time and re-launch it returned to the blank screen. Examining the file showed it was being overwritten by the later downloaded version, the one causing the problem. This led me to change the permissions to 'Read only' to prevent it being overwritten and after this the Help Viewer worked normally on relaunches.
I also changed and altered the permissions on the pgs/pgs2.helpindex folder in the same directory as the pgs folder as it seemed to also cause a problem.
So, finally I resolved the problem, with no error messages, the Help Viewer loading correctly and a working Help. However, I noticed that after a while the blank screen came back. Knowing the pgs.helpindex was OK it seemed likely that other .helpindex files in other Help folders created in the com.apple.helpui folder. This proved the case because, on trashing the new Help folder, it launched again. Swapping the downloaded .helpindex in say, Mail Help, and changing the permissions fixed it, until another Apple application Help folder was created and it re-occurred. The problem does not occur with all the Mac application Helps, but with some (notably for me, Mail Help, Safari Help and some others).
Finally I found that rather than digging into the apps contents I could get the same fix and also quicker Help browsing by simply creating the actual Help folders as described above and ensuring the .helpindex (or other folders/ files like idx) was not created.
From nearly two weeks trials it so far appears to completely resolve this issue.
Just be aware of any new Help folders/ files being created.
The are a few other observations:
1. I tried just altering the permissions on the actual com.apple.helpui folder to 'Read only' but whilst it allowed the Help Viewer to open fine, it broke links within the application Help windows.
2. I have not tried many Helps on other non Apple applications. I find that Toast help triggers error messages:
"2005-11-19 02:27:02.229 Help Viewer[1340] -[IdxSearchController openIndices:] caught a VTWIN exception. Bad index file is /Applications/Toast 7 Titanium/Toast Titanium.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/Toast Help/Toast Help idx
It is not possible to change the 'Toast Help idx' as it is an exec file. The errors do not seem to break Help Viewer. I had similar error messages from Quicktime Help when it loaded. I suspect that the Toast help is broken for similar reasons as mac Help b (it works for links to installed pages but not external ones). But it could be from the alterations to the Help folders. Either way at least Help works.
3. It is possible to get most .helpindex files from the relevant application contents but just using the Help folders is a quicker solution.
4. I can't help feel that the difference between those that have or do not have these issues is a slower connection, i.e. non-broadband. I have a 64k ISDN connection through a router which is pretty much 'always on' with solid 7KB speeds, but it seems this is insufficient for Help to work properly. I read elsewhere that connection speed appears to be an issue and Help is sensitive to this. It would be interesting to know what type of connection people with the issue have. I also have a hardware firewall in the router which may be a factor but it does not stop any other normal traffic and allows the files through anyhow. It has been in place for 6 years and with no issues. Just wanted to note it.
5. Certainly for my situation, it appears that the files being downloaded from the Apple help servers are actually causing the problem at my end. I can't explain why or how other than the tests explained above are repeatable and that using the same file but from the System file resolves the problem. It remains unclear why a slower connection would lead to files downloading which affect some people but not others? It may be something totally different of course but the error messages in Console do seem to point towards this.
6. I imagine the reason why the files and folders are downloaded are to ensure that they are kept up to date, as the pgs.helpindex for instance is a later creation date. However I do not seem to have any problems browsing or looking at topics, especially with the 'Include product Support Searches' option selected in the Help View menu. It means that there is extra traffic but gives a wider range of responses from Apple. Perhaps it is better to deselect this option if you have a slow dialup connection?
Summary
I hope that this solution can help others with this issue and perhaps other related problems. There is no way of me testing it further and I do not know how others who seemingly do not have a problem can check this. I just know it resolved it for me. I am no expert but a long time Mac user who is used to simple and elegant functionality, not the ongoing saga of the current Help, and wanted the thing just to 'work'.
Good luck
Simon

Firefox keeps opening window after window on it's own

Very often, when I try to run my firefox to explore various websites, it will suddenly start jumping to a different site. If I hit the back button, it goes back to where I was, and immediately jumps forward again. If I close the browser, a new one opens up...sometimes three or four windows at a time. I am currently using a Windows 7 machine, but it also occurred on my Windows XP computer. This has happened on 2 machines, both connected and disconnected from my wireless network, and with differing softwares loaded on each. Therefore, I firmly believe it must be something wrong with the software itself.

You may have a content type incorrectly set to "Use Firefox". This article should help - [[Firefox keeps opening many tabs or windows]], start with the section "Change the action for a content type".

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Honestly, there are System/Library/Caches folders with names that don't match what you've listed. They are:
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10.4.6 fixed my help viewer!

Yep, it did.
After months of repeatedly going through the routine on Dr. Smoke's site, and it repeatedly failing on Mac Help, it finally works. The first time, it took about 30 sec (on dialup) to open each category, but now it works fine.
One quirk -- there is no spinning wheel while waiting, which may make you think it's not working.

You wrote: "site indeed says it fixes the viewer..."Actually, the exact wording is"Resolves an issue that could cause Help Viewer to sometimes display a blank window."It does not say that the issue was in Help Viewer itself, merely that it could cause Help Viewer to display a blank window. My surmise is that something else was amiss, either in the OS or the Apple Help Sever, or both, that would result in Help Viewer showing a blank window.
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Can't see Help Viewer content

When I try to learn how to use iWeb, I pull down the Help menu, choose iWeb Help. I get a window with various link, but when I click on one, i get a message that says "Help Viewer Cannot Open this content."
So what's the problem?

thanks for getting back to me.
Yes, I can access Help in Garage Band and also Pages and prsumably other Apple apps. But not iWeb. Also, when I try to search for a topic, I cannot get the cursor to appear in the search window.
Glenn

"Help Viewer" quits

I am running OS X Version 10.3.4 on my iMac Power PC 750 (Blue slot-loader). "Help Viewer" keeps quitting on me as I look for information. What might be up and how do I correct this problem?

Could be that a little routine maintenance could clear this up. Go to this site:
http://thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html
and, in the second group of topics ("Preventions and Preparation"), read the second and third items. Good suggestions there.
Considering upgrading all the way to 10.3.9; it's free and adds a lot of improvements over 10.3.4.
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Sorry, My Help Viewer keeps opening AFP connection.

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