itdkah
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: ATL-TAB WITHIN APPLICATION doesn't work

I am a convert from windows and love the mac but Alt-Tab within applications does not work - very annoying. I often have multiple windows within the same application and if the only way to switch is to use the 4-finger Mission control, that's terrible because Mission control lists all the windows in a small format and pain to find out which one you want to go to. Whereas with alt-tab I can quickly cycle or just go to the last one which is often the one I want to go to.

 

This is one of the major Mac usability issues for me.

Any tips? or addons?

thanks.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Jan 1, 2016 3:59 PM

by Barney-15E,Solvedanswer
Barney-15E Barney-15E
Level 9 (50,262 points)
Mac OS X
A:

rezamusic.com wrote:

 

Thanks. Sorry didn't see the full reply (the email I got didn't show it).

 

So it's Command-Shift-Tilde (~) Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the front app.

So cumbersome -- 3 keys ! and oddly placed combo.

No, as I stated, the article is wrong. That command is to go backwards.

Cmd-` switches to next window.

Any other way to maybe redefine it? Thanks.

Keyboard System Prefs, Shortcuts tab, Keyboard category.

Posted on Jan 1, 2016 5:18 PM

Close
itdkah

Q: ATL-TAB WITHIN APPLICATION doesn't work

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 4:16 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 4:16 PM in response to itdkah

    Cmd-`

     

    Oddly, this document has the shortcut incorrect. Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support

    What they have for moving to the next application window is to go to the previous application window.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 4:16 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 4:16 PM in response to Barney-15E

    I am well aware of the command button but it does not work within applications (cmd-tab). The questions applies to cmd-tab (same).

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 4:22 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 4:22 PM in response to itdkah

    I didn't just post the Command button. I posted the full command shortcut key sequence which switches between windows in Applications.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 4:31 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 4:31 PM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks. Sorry didn't see the full reply (the email I got didn't show it).

     

    So it's Command-Shift-Tilde (~) Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the front app.

    So cumbersome -- 3 keys ! and oddly placed combo. Any other way to maybe redefine it? Thanks.

  • by Barney-15E,Solvedanswer

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 5:18 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:18 PM in response to itdkah

    rezamusic.com wrote:

     

    Thanks. Sorry didn't see the full reply (the email I got didn't show it).

     

    So it's Command-Shift-Tilde (~) Switch windows: Switch to the next most recently used window of the front app.

    So cumbersome -- 3 keys ! and oddly placed combo.

    No, as I stated, the article is wrong. That command is to go backwards.

    Cmd-` switches to next window.

    Any other way to maybe redefine it? Thanks.

    Keyboard System Prefs, Shortcuts tab, Keyboard category.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 5:18 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:18 PM in response to Barney-15E

    OH GREAT. YEY !! Thank you

     

    BUT

     

    it only shifts within applications.

     

    On windows I'm used to having it switch between all open windows [on a given desktop in mac world] -- anyway to do that?

     

    Thanks a lot!

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 5:21 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:21 PM in response to itdkah

    On windows I'm used to having it switch between all open windows [on a given desktop in mac world] -- anyway to do that?

    I don't know. I've never wanted to do that.

    Mission Control would be the only thing that would be close.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 5:32 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:32 PM in response to itdkah

    BARNEY, YOu are very knowledgeable.

     

    Another key grievance I have is icon texts on the desktop

     

    on windows it trims them when not activated

    on Mac it shows the whole bloody text and if u put 2 icons next to each other their descriptions criss cross - very sloppy.

     

    any workarounds? Thanks a lot

  • by Barney-15E,Helpful

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 5:49 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:49 PM in response to itdkah

    If you have it set to not organize the icons, then you can put them anywhere you want, including overlapping.

    You can set the view options to sort the Desktop icons such that they are always arranged, or you can set it to Snap to Grid such that you can put them anywhere, but they will slide into a grid "slot."

    If you don't have the window set to keep the icons arranged, there are options to Clean Up which will move the icons into the grid slots.

    The grid spacing can be adjusted in the View Options.

     

    All folders can be arranged that way. Use Show View Options (cmd-j) from the View menu.

     

    There are two organization options, Arrangement and Sort.

    Arrangement is grouping of like things together. Sorting is just sorting. You can sort within the groups.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 5:47 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:47 PM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks a lot -- I tried all that.

    I'm not using any mechanistic placement. To arrange my icons I put them in groups - bundles - so often they're next to each other. ON Windows the texts never overlap when the icon is not energized (activated). On mac they always overlap when they're long.

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 5:49 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:49 PM in response to Barney-15E

    another grienvance I have is on windows you can press i and it jumps and walks to next icons that start with i, for example.

     

    here u can tab after reaching first i but it'd be nicer to just keep pressing i -- if u know a way to make that happen please tell me.

     

    thanks

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 5:50 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:50 PM in response to itdkah

    Turn on Snap to Grid in the View Options and they will always go into a grid slot and won't overlap.

    If they are all within a grid cell and still overlapping, I'm not sure what is wrong.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jan 1, 2016 5:56 PM in response to itdkah
    Level 9 (50,262 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 5:56 PM in response to itdkah

    rezamusic.com wrote:

     

    another grienvance I have is on windows you can press i and it jumps and walks to next icons that start with i, for example.

     

    here u can tab after reaching first i but it'd be nicer to just keep pressing i -- if u know a way to make that happen please tell me.

     

    thanks

    In the Mac OS, you just type what you are looking for (first several letters) and it goes there. The tab key will go sequentially in whatever sort order you have set for the folder (in icon view). If it is by name or kind, then i will go to the next i file, then tab will continue in alpha order.

     

    It stores the keypresses for a short time, so if you type i, i, i, then it  will try to file with a name like "iii…"

  • by itdkah,

    itdkah itdkah Jan 1, 2016 6:09 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 1, 2016 6:09 PM in response to Barney-15E

    yes it seems i can play with that -- tried before but now I see better how it works -- thanks by the way, a 100 icons are all messed up ;-)