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nthd · Jan 6, 2007, 09:09 AM

This has always annoyed me about mac and it's probably a simple setting but I don't know it. When working with multiple apps and windows it really slows me down to have to click on the window I want to work in to activate it before I can select something or doing anything else for that matter. In windows you can work from window to window without first having to click on the window you are going to work in. Does anyone know how I can work like this on the mac?

Goldfinger · Jan 6, 2007, 09:11 AM

You can't.

nthd · Jan 6, 2007, 09:19 AM

Thanks for the prompt reply. Any idea why there is not a hack or a program that would allow such a useful function to millions of users?

TETENAL · Jan 6, 2007, 09:28 AM

Actually you can. In Mail for example you can click the "New Mail" button when the Mail window is inactive. However you can not click the "Delete Message" button while the window is inactive. This is for your own safety.

You can not set the keyboard focus into an inactive window ("focus follows mouse"), if that is what you are asking for.

Goldfinger · Jan 6, 2007, 09:29 AM

The argument you'll probably get is that a feature like that doesn't follow Apple GUI guidelines and ease of use guidelines. Those UI guidelines are holy in the Mac world.

I have no idea if there is such a hack available, I highly doubt it...

EDIT: Yep tetenal beat me to it. There IS some limited fucntionality like that in OSX.

nthd · Jan 6, 2007, 09:42 AM

Having an option in the preferences to work in the gui in this way would be a welcome addition to osx. Steve, are you listening? Anybody else out there agree?

JKT · Jan 6, 2007, 10:21 AM

FWIW, if you press command you can move windows in the background by their title bar without giving them focus and, for some apps, grab scroll bars in background windows to move them without bringing the window to the front.

JKT · Jan 6, 2007, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by nthd

Having an option in the preferences to work in the gui in this way would be a welcome addition to osx. Steve, are you listening? Anybody else out there agree?

Personally, I think it is an insane interface decision to let you manipulate the content of any windows in the background in a potentially destructive way, so no, I definitely do not agree. I think Apple has the balance right here - non-destructive actions are possible, destructive ones are not.

nthd · Jan 6, 2007, 10:46 AM

"insane interface decision" is a little harsh isn't it? I'll I am asking for here is having the option if I so choose of working in a window without first clicking on it. 95% of computer users in the world work this way.
-Thanks for the command title bar tip, I think that will be useful.

TETENAL · Jan 6, 2007, 11:03 AM

95% of all computer users use Windows and Windows does not have "focus follows mouse".

gradient · Jan 6, 2007, 11:06 AM

Just use CMD-Tab. In the same amount of time it takes you to move your mouse to the next application, you can already have it activated with your keyboard hand.

OreoCookie · Jan 6, 2007, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by nthd

"insane interface decision" is a little harsh isn't it? I'll I am asking for here is having the option if I so choose of working in a window without first clicking on it. 95% of computer users in the world work this way.
-Thanks for the command title bar tip, I think that will be useful.

That's incorrect. Windows doesn't have this feature (perhaps there are tools to enable it, but I don't know of anyone who did). Various older window managers on Linux and *nix do (fvwm, fvwm2 and I forgot how Sun called its Window manager), newer ones such as Enlightenment and KDE don't.