OK, so if I try to access Help in certain apps, the window opens briefly, then disappears. I can't discern a pattern between which apps are affected and which ones aren't. For the latter, off the top of my head: Finder, Console, Disk Utility.
Thing is, if I am able to get Help to stay open for another app (Mail, iChat AV) if I go to the Library menu item, it displays all of the Help apps I can access. The ones that don't work don't appear.
I've already trashed the preferences, but no good. Any ideas? Here's what I found in Console in the Hep.Viewer.crash.log file. I'm not sure how to read it, nor can I think of any new app that I've installed recently that may be the sole culprit for messing things up. I also recently upgraded from 10.3.6 to 10.3.7, wondering if that's the explanation too:
**********
Host Name: [My computer Name]
Date/Time: 2005-01-07 14:38:55 -0800
OS Version: 10.3.7 (Build 7S215)
Report Version: 2
Command: Help Viewer
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Help Viewer.app/Contents/MacOS/Help Viewer
Version: 2.0.7 (111.4)
PID: 1356
Thread: 0
Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000ac1
Thread 0 Crashed:
0 HelpUI 0x8e754b1c _ZN9TermIndex11GetTermInfoEP6IATerm + 0x8c
1 HelpUI 0x8e74619c _ZN7IAQuery23ComputeTermScaleFactorsEv + 0xc8
2 HelpUI 0x8e745d04 _ZN7IAQuery10InitializeEv + 0x1fc
3 HelpUI 0x8e73db38 _ZN16InvertedAccessor12RankedSearchEPhmP14RankedQu eryDocmPP9RankedHitmmPFbPK14RankedProgressPvEmS9_ + 0x144
4 HelpUI 0x8e728234 _Z6searchPKclP14RankedQueryDocmPP9RankedHitm + 0x158
5 HelpUI 0x8e727b50 -[SearchController doSearchForText:inIndices:maxHits:] + 0xe4
6 HelpUI 0x8e768150 -[HighLevelSearchController searchForString:inIndices:] + 0x16c
7 HelpUI 0x8e725d18 -[HelpViewController doSearch:inBooks:] + 0x398
8 HelpUI 0x8e711964 -[HelpViewController _handleHelpURL:] + 0xca0
9 HelpUI 0x8e719468 -[HelpViewController webView:decidePolicyForNavigationAction:request:fr ame:decisionListener:] + 0x684
10 libobjc.A.dylib 0x90836734 objc_msgSendv + 0xb4
11 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fabf0 -[NSInvocation invoke] + 0x374
12 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a2f598 -[NSInvocation invokeWithTarget:] + 0x40
13 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fcfd0 -[NSObject(NSForwardInvocation) forward::] + 0x198
14 libobjc.A.dylib 0x90836810 _objc_msgForward + 0xb0
15 com.apple.WebKit 0x9530c1bc -[WebFrame(WebPrivate) _checkNavigationPolicyForRequest:dataSource:formSt ate:andCall:withSelector:] + 0x1e8
16 com.apple.WebKit 0x9531cb30 -[WebFrame(WebPrivate) _loadRequest:triggeringAction:loadType:formState:] + 0xac
17 com.apple.WebKit 0x95314064 -[WebFrame(WebPrivate) _loadURL:referrer:loadType:target:triggeringEvent: form:formValues:] + 0x2cc
18 com.apple.WebKit 0x9532eebc -[WebBridge loadURL:referrer:reload:onLoadEvent:target:trigger ingEvent:form:formValues:] + 0xc8
19 com.apple.WebCore 0x970a387c _ZN12KWQKHTMLPart11urlSelectedERK4KURLiiRKN6KParts 7URLArgsE + 0xb8
20 com.apple.WebCore 0x9706de54 _ZN9KHTMLPart11urlSelectedERK7QStringiiS2_N6KParts 7URLArgsE + 0x568
21 com.apple.WebCore 0x9705853c _ZN3DOM21HTMLAnchorElementImpl19defaultEventHandle rEPNS_9EventImplE + 0x628
22 com.apple.WebCore 0x96ff1708 _ZN3DOM8NodeImpl20dispatchGenericEventEPNS_9EventI mplERi + 0x244
23 com.apple.WebCore 0x9702c3e8 _ZN3DOM8NodeImpl13dispatchEventEPNS_9EventImplERib + 0x74
24 com.apple.WebCore 0x9702f178 _ZN9KHTMLView18dispatchMouseEventEiPN3DOM8NodeImpl EbiP11QMouseEventbi + 0x6d4
25 com.apple.WebCore 0x9706d7c4 _ZN9KHTMLView25viewportMouseReleaseEventEP11QMouse Event + 0x22c
26 com.apple.WebCore 0x97083734 _ZN12KWQKHTMLPart7mouseUpEP7NSEvent + 0x124
27 com.apple.WebKit 0x9531c7f8 -[WebHTMLView mouseUp:] + 0x48
28 com.apple.AppKit 0x92e03214 -[NSWindow sendEvent:] + 0x1180
29 com.apple.AppKit 0x92df583c -[NSApplication sendEvent:] + 0xebc
30 com.apple.AppKit 0x92dfdc54 -[NSApplication run] + 0x240
31 com.apple.AppKit 0x92eba2b8 NSApplicationMain + 0x1d0
32 com.apple.helpviewer 0x00009d3c 0x1000 + 0x8d3c
33 com.apple.helpviewer 0x0000ac8c 0x1000 + 0x9c8c
Thread 1:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a679bc +[NSURLCache _diskCacheSyncLoop:] + 0xa8
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28
Thread 2:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a6747c +[NSURLConnection(NSURLConnectionInternal) _resourceLoadLoop:] + 0x20c
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28
Thread 3:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000b20c select + 0xc
1 com.apple.Foundation 0x909f205c _loadRunLoop + 0xd4
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28
Thread 4:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.WebKit 0x95316460 +[WebFileDatabase _syncLoop:] + 0xa8
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28
Thread 5:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x902aa798 TSWaitOnSemaphoreCommon + 0xb0
3 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x902aa61c _Z15AsyncFileThreadPv + 0x38
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28
PPC Thread State:
srr0: 0x8e754b1c srr1: 0x0000f030 vrsave: 0x00000000
cr: 0x44024228 xer: 0x00000007 lr: 0x8e754aa0 ctr: 0x90002d40
r0: 0x8c00008b r1: 0xbfffcfc0 r2: 0x8e7eabc8 r3: 0x00000ac1
r4: 0xbfffd000 r5: 0xbfffd1a0 r6: 0x00000000 r7: 0x01be4f00
r8: 0x00000001 r9: 0x000012f8 r10: 0x00000000 r11: 0x00000000
r12: 0x00000000 r13: 0x00101b00 r14: 0x8e7f8de4 r15: 0x00000000
r16: 0xa6ff2a10 r17: 0x00000001 r18: 0x8e805980 r19: 0x0018d5c0
r20: 0x00000006 r21: 0x00000000 r22: 0x00000001 r23: 0x00000000
r24: 0x00000000 r25: 0x8e7e4aa0 r26: 0x8e7e4aa0 r27: 0x8e7e4aa0
r28: 0x00000000 r29: 0x8e7e4aa0 r30: 0xbfffd000 r31: 0x8e754aa0
Binary Images Description:
0x1000 - 0xffff com.apple.helpviewer 2.0.7 (111.4) /System/Library/CoreServices/Help Viewer.app/Contents/MacOS/Help Viewer
0xa6000 - 0xa7fff com.ecamm.pluginloader Ecamm Plugin Loader v1.0.1 (1.0.1) /Library/InputManagers/Ecamm/Ecamm Plugin Loader.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Ecamm Plugin Loader
0x8ad000 - 0x8affff com.apple.textencoding.unicode 1.6.4 /System/Library/TextEncodings/Unicode Encodings.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Unicode Encodings
0x88900000 - 0x8890ffff JapaneseTokenizer /System/Library/Find/JapaneseTokenizer
0x8e700000 - 0x8e7e3fff HelpUI /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/HelpUI.framework/Versions/A/HelpUI
0x8fe00000 - 0x8fe4ffff dyld /usr/lib/dyld
0x90000000 - 0x90122fff libSystem.B.dylib /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib
0x90190000 - 0x9023dfff com.apple.CoreFoundation 6.3.6 (299.33) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation
0x90280000 - 0x904f9fff com.apple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 10.3.6 (10.3.5) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonCore.framework/Versions/A/CarbonCore
0x90570000 - 0x905dffff com.apple.framework.IOKit 1.3.6 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit
0x90610000 - 0x9069afff com.apple.CoreServices.OSServices 3.0.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OSServices.framework/Versions/A/OSServices
0x90700000 - 0x90700fff com.apple.CoreServices 10.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices
0x90720000 - 0x90787fff com.apple.audio.CoreAudio 2.1.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreAudio.framework/Versions/A/CoreAudio
0x907f0000 - 0x907f9fff com.apple.DiskArbitration 2.0.4 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DiskArbitration.framework/Versions/A/DiskArbitration
0x90810000 - 0x90810fff com.apple.ApplicationServices 1.0 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/ApplicationServices
0x90830000 - 0x9089ffff libobjc.A.dylib /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib
0x90910000 - 0x90983fff com.apple.DesktopServices 1.2.2 /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DesktopServicesPriv.framework/Versions/A/DesktopServicesPriv
0x909f0000 - 0x90b4bfff com.apple.Foundation 6.3.5 (500.56) /System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Versions/C/Foundation
0x90d00000 - 0x90d1bfff com.apple.SystemConfiguration 1.7.1 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/Versions/A/SystemConfiguration
0x90d40000 - 0x90d40fff com.apple.Carbon 10.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Carbon
0x90df0000 - 0x90df4fff com.apple.JavaVM 1.4.2 (1.4.2 Release 2) /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A/JavaVM
0x90ec0000 - 0x90ec0fff com.apple.Cocoa 6.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Cocoa.framework/Versions/A/Cocoa
0x910b0000 - 0x91101fff com.apple.bom 1.2.5 (63.2) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Bom.framework/Versions/A/Bom
0x912a0000 - 0x912bdfff com.apple.audio.SoundManager 3.8 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonSound.framework/Versions/A/CarbonSound
0x912e0000 - 0x912f7fff com.apple.LangAnalysis 1.5.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LangAnalysis.framework/Versions/A/LangAnalysis
0x91320000 - 0x913defff ColorSync /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ColorSync.framework/Versions/A/ColorSync
0x91460000 - 0x91473fff com.apple.speech.synthesis.framework 3.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SpeechSynthesis.framework/Versions/A/SpeechSynthesis
0x914a0000 - 0x91509fff com.apple.htmlrendering 1.1.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HTMLRendering.framework/Versions/A/HTMLRendering
0x91560000 - 0x91619fff com.apple.QD 3.4.65 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/QD.framework/Versions/A/QD
0x91670000 - 0x916a8fff com.apple.AE 1.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/AE.framework/Versions/A/AE
0x916e0000 - 0x91773fff com.apple.print.framework.PrintCore 3.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/PrintCore
0x917e0000 - 0x917f0fff com.apple.speech.recognition.framework 3.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SpeechRecognition.framework/Versions/A/SpeechRecognition
0x91810000 - 0x9182afff com.apple.openscripting 1.2.1 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OpenScripting.framework/Versions/A/OpenScripting
0x91850000 - 0x91860fff com.apple.ImageCapture 2.1.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageCapture.framework/Versions/A/ImageCapture
0x91890000 - 0x9189cfff com.apple.help 1.0.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Help.framework/Versions/A/Help
0x918c0000 - 0x918cdfff com.apple.CommonPanels 1.2.1 (1.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CommonPanels.framework/Versions/A/CommonPanels
0x918f0000 - 0x9193efff com.apple.print.framework.Print 3.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Print.framework/Versions/A/Print
0x91990000 - 0x9199bfff com.apple.securityhi 1.2 (90) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SecurityHI.framework/Versions/A/SecurityHI
0x919c0000 - 0x91a33fff com.apple.NavigationServices 3.3.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/NavigationServices.framework/Versions/A/NavigationServices
0x91a90000 - 0x91a90fff com.apple.audio.units.AudioUnit 1.3.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/AudioUnit.framework/Versions/A/AudioUnit
0x91ab0000 - 0x91ac4fff libCGATS.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libCGATS.A.dylib
0x91ae0000 - 0x91aebfff libCSync.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libCSync.A.dylib
0x91b10000 - 0x91b2afff libPDFRIP.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libPDFRIP.A.dylib
0x91b50000 - 0x91b5ffff libPSRIP.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libPSRIP.A.dylib
0x91b80000 - 0x91b93fff libRIP.A.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRIP.A.dylib
0x92070000 - 0x92096fff com.apple.FindByContent 1.4 (1.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/FindByContent.framework/Versions/A/FindByContent
0x920c0000 - 0x922a7fff com.apple.security 2.4 (177) /System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security
0x92430000 - 0x92468fff com.apple.LaunchServices 10.3.5 (98.4) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/LaunchServices
0x92740000 - 0x92777fff com.apple.CFNetwork 1.2.1 (7) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CFNetwork.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork
0x927d0000 - 0x92b54fff com.apple.HIToolbox 1.3.5 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/HIToolbox
0x92d30000 - 0x92d80fff com.apple.HIServices 1.4.1 (0.0.1d1) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIServices.framework/Versions/A/HIServices
0x92dc0000 - 0x932bffff com.apple.AppKit 6.3.6 (743.33) /System/Library/Frameworks/AppKit.framework/Versions/C/AppKit
0x935d0000 - 0x938a8fff com.apple.CoreGraphics 1.203.27 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/CoreGraphics
0x939a0000 - 0x939b4fff libcups.2.dylib /usr/lib/libcups.2.dylib
0x939d0000 - 0x939d4fff libmathCommon.A.dylib /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.A.dylib
0x93b50000 - 0x93bf3fff com.apple.audio.toolbox.AudioToolbox 1.3.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/Versions/A/AudioToolbox
0x94060000 - 0x94078fff com.apple.WebServices 1.1.1 (1.1.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebServicesCore.framework/Versions/A/WebServicesCore
0x945b0000 - 0x945b9fff libz.1.dylib /usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
0x94610000 - 0x9462afff libresolv.9.dylib /usr/lib/libresolv.9.dylib
0x94650000 - 0x946affff com.apple.SearchKit 1.0.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SearchKit.framework/Versions/A/SearchKit
0x94a30000 - 0x94af5fff libxml2.2.dylib /usr/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
0x94b20000 - 0x94badfff com.apple.ink.framework 101.1.3 (55.10) /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Ink.framework/Versions/A/Ink
0x95300000 - 0x95374fff com.apple.WebKit 125.5.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/WebKit
0x968d0000 - 0x969b2fff libicucore.A.dylib /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib
0x96a20000 - 0x96ae2fff libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib /usr/lib/libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib
0x96b40000 - 0x96b6efff libssl.0.9.7.dylib /usr/lib/libssl.0.9.7.dylib
0x96bf0000 - 0x96c7ffff ATS /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ATS.framework/Versions/A/ATS
0x96cb0000 - 0x96d9efff libiconv.2.dylib /usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib
0x96f20000 - 0x96f96fff com.apple.JavaScriptCore 1.1 (125.6) /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/JavaScriptCore.framework/Versions/A/JavaScriptCore
0x96ff0000 - 0x97214fff com.apple.WebCore 125.8.12 /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebCore.framework/Versions/A/WebCore
0x97490000 - 0x97490fff com.apple.securitynssasn1 1.2 (12) /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SecurityNssAsn1.framework/Versions/A/SecurityNssAsn1
0x97510000 - 0x97518fff libbsm.dylib /usr/lib/libbsm.dylib
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