window focus using cursor

Question

Level 1

0 points

window focus using cursor

I'm a new Mac user and am trying to figure out how to control the window focus. What I'd like to do is have the window focus when the cursor is simply in window, no clicking necessary. Such behavior is easy to control in Unix/X Windows. I always hated PC Windows for not being able to do this and assumed OS X, being Unix based, would allow this. I've snooped around, but haven't found a window manager file anywhere.

Is this at all possible?

Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Jan 11, 2009 10:43 PM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 11, 2009 11:01 PM in response to tkopley

AFAIK, it's not doable in OS X and if was there'd far more complaints that yours for the opposite action. With your requested performance, things would jump all over the screen and be very disconcerting. With a GUI, performance is remarkably different that Unix/X Windows.

Since you're new to Macs, see these:

Switching from Windows to Mac OS X,
Basic Tutorials on using a Mac,
MacFixIt Tutorials,
MacTips, and
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition.

Additionally, *Texas Mac Man* recommends:

Quick Assist.
Welcome to the Switch To A Mac Guides,
Take Control E-books, and
A guide for switching to a Mac.

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Answer 2

2point5

Level 3

973 points

Jan 11, 2009 11:05 PM in response to tkopley

Hi tkopley,

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

OSX does not offer that functionality as I understand it. What you can do is set up hot corners in System Preferences (under Desktop and Screen Saver) which will enable you to show all windows (in a tiled view) and then you can move the mouse cursor to the one you want and click on it to make that window active.

Chris

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Answer 3

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Jan 11, 2009 11:41 PM in response to tkopley

Just to add one thing to the good advice already given, is in Leopard, with a scrollable mouse, you can scroll a window* even if it is sitting behind the one in focus.

*+if the window avails itself to that movement.+

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Answer 4

davesp

Level 1

5 points

Feb 27, 2009 3:29 PM in response to tkopley

To enable focus-follow-mouse under Mac OS X 10.5.6, open a terminal and run:
*defaults write org.x.x11 wm_ffm -bool true*

To tell X11 under Mac OS X 10.5.6 to not warn you when you quit X11 with X11 apps running, open a terminal and run:
*defaults write org.x.x11 no quitalert -bool true*

To confirm your above X11 settings, open a terminal and run:
*defaults read org.x.x11*

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Answer 5

davesp

Level 1

5 points

Feb 27, 2009 3:30 PM in response to davesp

The above is for X11 applications, not necessarily for Mac OS applications.

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