Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

SuperHard · Jun 17, 2004, 04:23 PM

I use expose all the time and have gotten in the habit of working with many windows open at once (e.g. 8-14). However, I often wish I could hide all the windows except the one that is currently active. Then I could see the contents of the active window AND ~ 2/3 of my desktop at the same time. And it would be fantastic if I could move the one window around in case I need to get "underneath it".
Does anyone know if that is possible? I guess I'm hoping there an Expos� "extender" plug-in or something that could such a trick. 10.4? Is Expos� scriptable?

Thanks again and again .

SMacTech · Jun 17, 2004, 04:31 PM

While I don't have an answer for you, I use a program called Desktop Manager, which provides virtual desktops. There is a function which allows you to move a single window to another virtual desktop. I do this all the time where the desktop I am moving it to, contains no other windows.

Judge_Fire · Jun 17, 2004, 05:07 PM

This is a nice idea and weirdly, it was kinda done by Apple in early versions of Mac OS X:

The widget at the top right corner of a window switched on a 'one window' mode, where inactive windows auto-minimized into the Dock. Was this Finder only- can't remember?

I'm still hoping Apple integrates the Focus concept to Expos� at some point. That and the thing you're suggesting could make for some interesting combinations.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/feedback/ works.

J

Chuckit · Jun 17, 2004, 05:20 PM

Wow. Three years later, somebody's wishing for the purple button back.

I don't think it would be unfeasible to create something like this, but it doesn't exist at the moment. Expose is not scriptable, and it isn't possible to make a proper "plug-in" for the Dock (which runs Expose), since it doesn't load any plug-ins. So it would have to be an APE.

SuperHard · Jun 17, 2004, 05:43 PM

Thanks for the replies. Let's just hope Expos� gets some new tricks in the near future.

itai195 · Jun 17, 2004, 05:52 PM

Originally posted by SuperHard:
I use expose all the time and have gotten in the habit of working with many windows open at once (e.g. 8-14). However, I often wish I could hide all the windows except the one that is currently active. Then I could see the contents of the active window AND ~ 2/3 of my desktop at the same time. And it would be fantastic if I could move the one window around in case I need to get "underneath it".
Does anyone know if that is possible? I guess I'm hoping there an Expos� "extender" plug-in or something that could such a trick. 10.4? Is Expos� scriptable?

Thanks again and again .

There's a way to do it... it's like option command click on desktop to hide all but the active window. Don't remember if that's the right command, but experiment and you'll find it. Or do you want this to be part of Expose and have the other windows unhide when you're done?

Chuckit · Jun 17, 2004, 06:08 PM

Originally posted by itai195:
There's a way to do it... it's like option command click on desktop to hide all but the active window. Don't remember if that's the right command, but experiment and you'll find it.

Are you sure you're thinking of a key combination to hide windows? Because I'd imagine any combination like the one you're describing would hide applications.

SuperHard · 06:19 PM

itai195...I looked again but I can't find anywhere in either the expose prefs or in expose help that hides all windows except for the current window. Unless I've misinterpreted the instructions I don't think its possible with the current OS. Would love to be wrong though.
Cheers.

Although.... I wasn't aware of this one, which is useful too. When you do this cmd+option+click desktop, is there an "undo" so I can restore my dozen windows to the background? Thanks again

itai195 · Jun 17, 2004, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by Chuckit:
Are you sure you're thinking of a key combination to hide windows? Because I'd imagine any combination like the one you're describing would hide applications.

Ahh nm, thought he was referring to applications. There is a command to do it for applications.

cold aspiration · Jun 17, 2004, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by SuperHard:

Although.... I wasn't aware of this one, which is useful too. When you do this cmd+option+click desktop, is there an "undo" so I can restore my dozen windows to the background? Thanks again

so its just like pressing cmd+h to hide applications

Dale Sorel · Jun 17, 2004, 08:57 PM

Here's a solution: minimize active window, do the Expos� show desktop thing, then activate the minimized window. Presto, all the other windows stay out of your way and only the window you're working with is on the screen.

SuperHard · Jun 18, 2004, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by Dale Sorel:
Here's a solution: minimize active window, do the Expos� show desktop thing, then activate the minimized window. Presto, all the other windows stay out of your way and only the window you're working with is on the screen.

Hey thanks, that's reasonable workaround, thanks for the tip.
cheers!

Lancer409 · Jun 20, 2004, 09:11 PM

Originally posted by SMacTech:
While I don't have an answer for you, I use a program called Desktop Manager, which provides virtual desktops. There is a function which allows you to move a single window to another virtual desktop. I do this all the time where the desktop I am moving it to, contains no other windows.

that looks sweet! ... would be nice to have it gray'ed out or to have that aqua ripple emanating from the selected window .. i hope it gets implemented or someone makes it ..