Q's about Safari and Mac interface

[Aeschines]

Hi Maccers, thanks for your help:

1. In IE if you hit control-N, you get a new window with the same page in it. This can be very convenient, because you can then use this new window to go back through the links you’ve used while preserving your present page. In Safari, either control-N or -T just gives you a blank page. I like the tab function, but how can I copy my present page to another tab (easily–of course you can just repaste the link)?

2. What is the green dot supposed to mean in the MAC UI? In Windows, the similar function is unambiguous: the whole screen is filled. Further, the icon itself changes shape. In Mac, it’s just a green dot either way, and if you want the screen to fill up, you’ve got to do it manually. I avoid using the green dot, since, if you do, the next time you push it the program only fills up 2/3 of the screen.

3. I don’t get the Command-Tab function. It brings up icons for applications (open or not), but not ALL of the applications on the dock. Can you help me here?

4. There seem to be two good methods for switching between open applications, and here is where the Mac UI really puts Windows to shame. F9 flashes everything on the screen at once. F10 flashes only the windows of the app you’re using (cool)! And even F11 is cool, as it blows everything away.

But there is also Control-F4, which will zap you to the “next” open app (which one is next is not always clear). Funny thing is that I’ve never seen this listed on lists of shortcuts–a guy I know taught it to me?

Question: Why isn’t Control-F4 “promoted” more? Also, are there any methods for app switching that I’m missing or misunderstanding?

5. What is the purpose of the “Hide” function? I just don’t get it. It app isn’t minimized, doesn’t go into the dock, and later you have to dig for it. How do I make use of this function?

6. Is there any keystroke that totally axes a window of an app without closing the entire app (as Command-Q does)?

7. Your other helpful hints and tips will be met with gratitude.

[Podkayne]

@Aeschines

1. In IE if you hit control-N, you get a new window with the same page in it. This can be very convenient, because you can then use this new window to go back through the links you’ve used while preserving your present page. In Safari, either control-N or -T just gives you a blank page. I like the tab function, but how can I copy my present page to another tab (easily–of course you can just repaste the link)?

This feature of IE makes me insane. Who the hell expects the same page to pop up when you ask for a new window? Different strokes for different folks.

Command-enter in the address bar will open that URL in a new window.

6. Is there any keystroke that totally axes a window of an app without closing the entire app (as Command-Q does)?

Command-w will close a window without quitting the application. Note: when you Command-w your last application, this will not quit the application; you can still access it through the dock icon.

[Podkayne]

Sorry: when you Command-w the last window of a particular application, that will not quit the application.

[drewbert]

@Aeschines

1. In IE if you hit control-N, you get a new window with the same page in it. This can be very convenient, because you can then use this new window to go back through the links you’ve used while preserving your present page. In Safari, either control-N or -T just gives you a blank page. I like the tab function, but how can I copy my present page to another tab (easily–of course you can just repaste the link)?

I don’t think you can do that in Safari. However, if you hold down command while clicking on the link, it will open your link in a new tab. Sounds like the end result would be the same.

2. What is the green dot supposed to mean in the MAC UI? In Windows, the similar function is unambiguous: the whole screen is filled. Further, the icon itself changes shape. In Mac, it’s just a green dot either way, and if you want the screen to fill up, you’ve got to do it manually. I avoid using the green dot, since, if you do, the next time you push it the program only fills up 2/3 of the screen.

It’s supposed to resize the window to display as much content as possible, but no bigger. Mac people often don’t get why Windows people like an application to eat up the entire screen when it’s not necessary. Windows people probably wonder the opposite thing Mac people.

3. I don’t get the Command-Tab function. It brings up icons for applications (open or not), but not ALL of the applications on the dock. Can you help me here?

It only displays active applications. What may be confusing you is that in the Mac world, an application may have no open windows, but it can still be running. Active applications are marked with a little triangle under their icon in the Dock.

6. Is there any keystroke that totally axes a window of an app without closing the entire app (as Command-Q does)?

Depends on the app - some apps don’t want you to close a window without quitting. Most of the time, though, Command-W will close a window.

[Aeschines]

@drewbert

It’s supposed to resize the window to display as much content as possible, but no bigger. Mac people often don’t get why Windows people like an application to eat up the entire screen when it’s not necessary. Windows people probably wonder the opposite thing Mac people.

I just have gotten used to concentrating (visually) on one screen at a time.

It only displays active applications. What may be confusing you is that in the Mac world, an application may have no open windows, but it can still be running. Active applications are marked with a little triangle under their icon in the Dock.

Got it, thanks! But you can never quit Finder, can you?

Also thanks to Pod–Command-Enter does indeed work!

[friedo]

@Aeschines

I just have gotten used to concentrating (visually) on one screen at a time.

Got it, thanks! But you can never quit Finder, can you?

You can, but it will restart itself immediately. To quit the finder, go to the Apple Menu -> Force Quit and select the Finder.

[sunfish]

Nah, you can’t quit Finder. It’s sort of like Active Desktop in Windows Explorer, in that you may occasionally need to relaunch Finder if things all of a sudden get wonky, but it’s always there.

BTW, cmd+N in Safari can open a new window to whatever page you prefer - your home page, a blank page, the same page you’re already in, or your bookmarks. You decide which by going into Safari -> Preferences -> General and setting “New pages open with:” to your choice. That doesn’t work with cmd+T, though.

[Aeschines]

Thanks, Sunfish–I reset it!

[drewbert]

You can quit Finder and keep it off, if you install a little shareware app called TinkerTool. It does a lot of other handy tweaks too.

You can find it at Versiontracker.com, which is a good site to keep bookmarked.

[rjung]

@Aeschines

2. What is the green dot supposed to mean in the MAC UI?

“Resize big enough to display everything.” As others have mentioned, the Windows idea of resizing a window to fiull the whole screen strikes long-time Mac users as silly. The only benefit that provides is that it puts the menus in the upper-left corner, which is standard on the Mac anyway.

@Aeschines

3. I don’t get the Command-Tab function. It brings up icons for applications (open or not), but not ALL of the applications on the dock. Can you help me here?

The confusion here is because the Dock doesn’t only display your currently-running applications, it’s a placeholder for the stuff you use frequently.

@Aeschines

Question: Why isn’t Control-F4 “promoted” more? Also, are there any methods for app switching that I’m missing or misunderstanding?

There are lots of “secret” keystrokes in the Mac UI; Apple doesn’t “promote” them to avoid confusing newbies, but most decent “Mac tips” books will have them. One example I like is control-command-W, which closes all of the windows for your current application without quitting it. And for some fun, hold down the shift key when you click a window’s “minimize” (yellow) button, or when using Expose (F9/F10/F11).

Finally, I believe shift-command-tab will take you backwards through your currently-running applications.

@Aeschines

5. What is the purpose of the “Hide” function? I just don’t get it. It app isn’t minimized, doesn’t go into the dock, and later you have to dig for it.

Just click its icon in the Dock to bring it back. I use it myself for Mail, since I’m not that fond of minimized windows.

[Nonsuch]

@Aeschines

Hi Maccers, thanks for your help:

5. What is the purpose of the “Hide” function? I just don’t get it. It app isn’t minimized, doesn’t go into the dock, and later you have to dig for it. How do I make use of this function?

Hiding is, to my mind, the best metaphor for managing multiple running programs at once. It’s basically the same as minimizing a program to the Taskbar, except it’s cleaner and more efficient (IMHO of course). Unlike with Exposé, hidden programs will appear in the application switcher menu (cmd-tab). If you like to run a clean workspace, hiding is the way to go; I hardly even need to use Exposé at all. A few handy tips:

• Cmd-H is the universal keystroke for “Hide current application.” Cmd-opt-H hides every visible app except the foreground app.

• While browsing the running apps using Cmd-TAB, press H to hide the highlighted program.

• Option-clicking on the desktop will hide the current app to reveal the Finder. Option-clicking a program’s Dock icon will hide the current program and reveal the clicked program. A grat power user tip: program an extra mouse button to deliver an option-click.

[Aeschines]

Great tips! I have some followup questions.

@Nonsuch

Option-clicking on the desktop will hide the current app to reveal the Finder. Option-clicking a program’s Dock icon will hide the current program and reveal the clicked program. A grat power user tip: program an extra mouse button to deliver an option-click.

This is cool, but Finder doesn’t come up on my screen in a visible way. I have to click on it again to get the “view.” What can I do to get the “box” to come up when I do this–just have it up on the desktop all the time?

Thanks for your continued help!

[rjung]

What “box” do you mean?

Generally speaking, the fastest way to get to the Finder’s menus is to click on the desktop.

[Aeschines]

@rjung

What “box” do you mean?

Generally speaking, the fastest way to get to the Finder’s menus is to click on the desktop.

Well if I do opt-click on the desktop, it hides everything and gives me the desktop, or nothing.

In order to get the Finder’s goodies to appear, I then have to click on the Finder icon or select “View” in the menu.

Yes, the narrow menu bar is at the top, but it doesn’t give you much to work with until you start opening stuff up, right?

[rjung]

Like Nonsuch said, option-clicking on the desktop will hide whatever program you are currently using and bring the Finder to the front. Any other programs will remain in place.

Example: I am using Finder, Mail, and Safari. From Safari, I option-click the desktop. Safari hides, but Mail and the Finder are still visible.

Note that if my Mail window is covering my Finder window in the above example, option-clicking on the desktop will not bring the Finder windows to the front. This is normal. If I wanted to hide Safari and bring the Finder’s window to the front in one move, then I can option-click the Finder icon (in the Dock) instead.

Though to be honest, I hardly bother with option-clicking myself. I simply have my mouse’s scroll-wheel button set for Expose (F9), and have instant access to all of my windows without moving my hand off the mouse.