Is there an app/preference for Mac OS X that shows inactive windows as tabs at the bottom of the screen (like Windows does for minimised windows/apps)? The four finger swipe that displays all open windows/apps is fun to begin with but now it's getting a little annoying.
Changing between open windows/apps (OS X)
- Thread starter jp_bl_68
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minimized apps should show up on the dock to the far right, next to the trash can. Also if you right click the program to the left of the dock you should be able to select any open incidence of it.
I find exposé (the thing that shows all the open windows) a much better way to manage open windows of applications. Can I suggest you try hot corners as a way to activate exposé instead? Go to your system preferences and select Exposé and Spaces, go to the Exposé tab. There you can set a particular corner of the screen to activate exposé. The you just flick your mouse/trackpad cursor to that corner.
This is one of the reasons I like my Mac (which I've had some years now). I can very quickly flick into exposé and move to a new window without having to click through tabs etc. One feature of exposé is that you can get it to show only the windows of the application you currently have in focus, or you can show all windows. This is sometimes useful if you have a few word or preview documents open for example.
I have a unibody macbook and do not use the four finger swipe as it feels unnatural.
Persevere with exposé, it really is great when you get comfortable with it!
This is one of the reasons I like my Mac (which I've had some years now). I can very quickly flick into exposé and move to a new window without having to click through tabs etc. One feature of exposé is that you can get it to show only the windows of the application you currently have in focus, or you can show all windows. This is sometimes useful if you have a few word or preview documents open for example.
I have a unibody macbook and do not use the four finger swipe as it feels unnatural.
Persevere with exposé, it really is great when you get comfortable with it!
I think it's the awkward four finger swipe that's getting to me. I tend to sit at odd angles to my macbook so it starts to strain my wrist after a while. But active screen corners feels a little better. The sharp edge of the alu unibody macbook doesn't help matters. My wrists and forearms start to get sore after a while.
I don't like the four-finger-swipe either. Why not use CMD-TAB to do the same thing? It's faster than fishing around with a two stage trackpad action.
Your question is a bit confusing since there's a more pronounced distinction between windows and apps on OS X than there is on Windows. The Dock deals with apps and windows (when minimized), the swipe/CMD-TAB only deals with apps.
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It is confusing, sorry about that. I was after an app that would do for inactive windows what the dock does for minimised windows, i.e. all inactive open windows would be constantly shown in the corner of the screen ready to be reactivated when clicked. I hope that makes more sense.
Inactive window as in: doesn't have focus, but is visible (or partially/fully obscured)?
Sounds like a perfect match for Expose as zeta says. The gestures for getting in and out of All-Windows-Expose work great (four finger swipe down/up).
Sounds like a perfect match for Expose as zeta says. The gestures for getting in and out of All-Windows-Expose work great (four finger swipe down/up).
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Right now this Firefox window is filling the entire screen as I type. But behind it, completely obscured from me, is another FF window, Quinn, TextEdit and a Finder window. I'd want all of those windows to be icons in the corner of the screen that I could click to activate rather than use the four finger swipe.
OS X as-it-comes doesn't have what you're asking for, there could be some third-party thing. That said, I don't think one really needs it -- a combination of:
cmd-backtick to cycle between windows of same process,
cmd-tab to change between applications
and expose as discussed (i use the function key bind for it on the macbook, dunno about of any this four finger business)
cmd-backtick to cycle between windows of same process,
cmd-tab to change between applications
and expose as discussed (i use the function key bind for it on the macbook, dunno about of any this four finger business)
That's not standardised, is it? Wish it was.
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Doesn't the combination of the Dock (shows what is running) and Expose (to get to the Window you need) do it for you?
One thing you have to remember is OS X is not Windows and some things don't translate from one to the other...
One thing you have to remember is OS X is not Windows and some things don't translate from one to the other...
You're probably right. I think it's the sharp edge of the alu unibody that's causing me problems. Either my forearms rub against it, which is really irritating, or I have to arch my wrist which is just as uncomfortable and awkward. Does anyone else have this problem?
I'm not sure, but it works for quite a lot of things iirc. Witch might help with this sort of thing, I've never tried it though.
Surely the dock shows what's running so you click on the item in the dock?
No, I mean if I want my active firefox window to come up (that's behind another window) I just click the firefox icon on the dock and the active window appears rather than launching a new one. If I want a choice of all the firefox windows then you right click or hold click on the icon in the dock and choose the one from a menu.
That's what you want, right?
That's what you want, right?
Soldato
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You shouldn't be resting your wrists/forearms on the laptop since it's not ergonomic. If you search on Google regarding laptop ergonomics, you'll come across articles that discusses the most ergonomic positions and other related issues.