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NASPA Zyzzyva macOS Installation

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Revision as of 21:37, 16 October 2019 by Judycole (talk | contribs) (NASPA Zyzzyva 3.2.1 Issue With macOS 10.15 (Catalina): 2019-10-16 - removed NASPA from icon)

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This page describes how to install NASPA Zyzzyva on a macOS (typically Apple Macintosh) computer for NASPA members. If you are not a NASPA member, please download Collins Zyzzyva instead.

Installing NASPA Zyzzyva 3.2.1

This version requires macOS Release 10.12 or greater.

  • Download the installer disk image file.
  • Open the disk image file and drag the app to the Applications folder as indicated.
  • Run the "double-click me" script included with the installer if you previously used NASPA Zyzzyva.
  • Open the app in the Applications folder.
    • Enter your logon password and choose Always Allow, if prompted, to give the new version access to keychain data.
  • Choose Edit > Preferences > Load Lexicons > Edit... and check NWL2018 and any other lexicons that you want to use.
  • Rebuild databases when prompted. This step may take several minutes if you have many lexicons installed. When it completes, you’re done!
    • If not prompted, you can choose Tools > Rebuild Database... to start the process.
  • (Optional) Import quiz statistics and cardbox data into NWL2018.
    • Choose File > Cardbox.
    • Select the Lexicon - NWL2018 and Quiz Type - usually Anagrams.
    • Choose Import...
    • Select the lexicon from which you want to import data - for example, OTCWL2016 - and click OK.
      • If the lexicon from which you are importing data is subject to licensing restrictions, you will need to have a valid license installed. Choose Tools > Manage Licenses... to check the status of your license.
  • Review the What's New notes.

NASPA Zyzzyva 3.2.1 Issue With macOS 10.15 (Catalina)

Catalina requires all apps that are signed with developer IDs to be 'notarized' by Apple. If you are not on a live network connection, you may receive an error message that Apple can't check for malicious software when you try to open NASPA Zyzzyva.

To work around the issue:

  1. Dismiss the message.
  2. Right click on the Zyzzyva icon and choose Open.
  3. Click Open when the message appears again.


NASPA Zyzzyva should run normally thereafter.

Installing Older Versions

If you are installing a version of NASPA Zyzzyva prior to 3.2.0, here is archived information about what you should do.

  1. If you wish to install the OTCWL2016, OSPD5, or SSWL2016, make sure that you have a NASPA membership, its ID (number) and password, and a 64-bit (Intel Core Duo 2 or later) OS X (10.7 or later) computer with an Internet connection.
  2. Download the installer disk image file.
  3. Open the disk image file and drag the app to the Applications folder as indicated.
  4. Open the app in the Applications folder.
    1. If you see a warning about security, either click the Allow button if there is one, or else go to the Apple menu → System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General → Allow applications downloaded from: and select Anywhere, then try again.
    2. If you see a warning about an unknown developer, hold down the Control key and click the app. Choose Open and then click Open. Zyzzyva is saved as an exception to your security settings.
  1. Go to Tools → Manage Licenses... and click Claim License.... Choose NASPA. Log in with your NASPA ID and password. Click OK to acknowledge that you have received a license file. Click OK to acknowledge that you have received an activation certificate. Click Close to close the Licenses window. Click OK to acknowledge that Zyzzyva is attempting to load lexicons using the new license.
  2. Go to Zyzzyva → Preferences → General → Load Lexicons: Edit... and click on OTCWL2016. Click OK twice to close windows.
  3. To check that you have OTCWL2016 loaded correctly, click the magnifying glass search button, choose the OTCWL2016 lexicon, and ask for an anagram match for ABEDHIRTT. If you see BIRTHDATE, you’re done.
  4. If you want to see definitions or do more complex searches, go to Tools → Rebuild Database... and choose to build the OTCWL2016 lexicon database. This will take a while, but when it's complete, you'll have the full set of capabilities with the new lexicon.

NASPA Zyzzyva 3.1.0 Issue With macOS 10.13 (High Sierra)

If Zyzzyva fails to launch when you try to run it, you can fix your installed copy of NASPA Zyzzyva 3.1.0 by following these steps:

  1. In Finder, in the Go menu, choose Go to Folder…
  2. Enter /usr/lib and click Go.
  3. Select the file named libz.1.dylib and copy it to the Clipboard.
  4. Navigate to the folder where Zyzzyva is installed.
  5. Control-click the Zyzzyva application icon and choose Show Package Contents.
  6. Open the Contents folder and then the Frameworks folder.
  7. Paste the file that you copied onto the clipboard, and click Replace when prompted.