Prevent apps from stealing focus

When I am in the middle of entering a URL, typing an email, or selecting a tool in Photoshop, I absolutely do not want the OS to throw another window in front of what I'm doing, grabbing focus and telling me that my iTunes import is complete.

It often happens, and I mean often, that I'm typing in a document only to glance up at the screen to see that half the paragraph I've typed is not in Pages, but was ignored due to another application grabbing focus.

This behavior works against me and what I'm doing. Yet I've read replies blaming the user for not working the way the OS demands -- either by running only one application at a time or by embracing constant unwanted interruptions.

If I'm in the middle of typing or clicking, then that's the most important task at the moment... save some urgent system issue. A new email informing me that I can get cheap pharaceuticals from Canada can show up as a badge on the dock icon.

Why did you open it if you are working on something else and don't want to be bothered?

It can take 10-20 minutes to open or save an entire project for me in InDesign. Instead of watching it or taking a break, I like to use that time to work on another project.

Or, just open everything you think you might use and leave them open.

I do that, but at some point you have to open everything, and save throughout.



I can chew up *hours a day* just opening and saving in InDesign, I need to be using this time effectively by not being interrupted. I don't need to know when each of my individual files has opened or saved - I can't do anything with it anyways. I need the dock to simply notify me that everything I asked the app to do is now done.

Because nothing says "Mulit-Task" like not using an app.

Please see my response above.

I really don't know how the OS is supposed to know when it is you want to open an app, but not intend to actually use it. I just can't imagine opening an app I don't want to use, so making it an on/off toggle in Sys Prefs doesn't make any sense to most users. If people don't want to use an app, they don't open it.

The OS should know I don't want to use the app because I have switched away from it. If I switch out of InDesign and go to Photoshop, didn't I just tell the OS I want to work in Photoshop now - regardless of what I just asked InDesign to do for me?

It's not just about opening an app. It's about asking an app to do anything time consuming for you while you work on something else - which can encompass opening the app, opening files, saving files, importing/exporting data/images, and a multitude of other tasks.


This issue is a HUGE thorn in the multi-tasker's side!!!

Is there any update on this subject? I have searched forever and cannot find anything. I work in an imaging department and have to use Photoshop in conjunction with Bridge all day. We have scripts that save out different sizes of the images we need for the site we support and while photoshop is running the scripts I'm in Bridge getting the files ready for the next project, but the minute the script is finished it steals focus and forces me to pay attention to photoshop.

Not to mention if I'm running a batch using 40 or 50 images that need to be opened and saved out to multiple sizes. I can't get any work done when that's happening because every time Photoshop opens a new file in the process it comes to the forefront and interrupts whatever I'm doing. Sometimes if I'm in the middle of typing or dragging files or any other myriad of activities it will screw up the script, what I'm doing, or both.

It's really a ridiculous problem that should not exist, and it should be something that Apple addresses. Give the users control not the programmers. I know what the **** I'm doing with my computer. I don't need the OS trying to tell me what I'm supposed to do.

jhockman,

I am in the same boat as you. I think it is bad design. I have resigned myself to the fact that Apple is smarter than I am and I try to live with it.

The ABILITY to steal focus is a good thing, with out a doubt that statement is true. However, hog tying my hands so that I am at the mercy of every programmer out there who cannot think past the length of their keyboard, is bad design.

Please give us a way to either turn app focus off per application or turn it off completely.

-c0d3p03t

I'm in the same boat. Particularly Eclipse is troubling me. A minute or so after starting it up it steals focus just to ask where the workspace is. If you happen to be typing in some text document, half of your last sentence plus the return will be inserted in the workspace location, which of course makes no sense and just causes Eclipse to fail the startup... you then have to quit Eclipse, restart it, and fix the workspace settings... if you don't get into the same boat again.

And honestly I don't seen any case at all where focus stealing would be OK.

Barney, I gotta say I'm, with the OP on this one. I may switch away during a launch, but Microsoft apps especially even after the splash screen, (not really noticed it with others), will steal focus. Can I ask which version of Office you are using?

As with others, I have this problem. I'll be working on application A, then will open application B but will need to keep giving my attention to A (either because i'm really busy with A or because B is taking so long). So while B is loading, I switch over to A. But rudeness of all inconsiderate rudeness, the O.S. thinks B is still priority one; even though I switched away from it and thus the O.S. should think that A is priority one.

This is not some tricky complicated thing. It's utterly basic (and necessary) for multitasking in order to allow a user's use of the O.S. to flow. I don't know about the users Apple has in mind, but I'm the kind of guy who gets familiar with a machine and then very fast. A relationship like between a rider and a horse [insert some better analogy here] forms between me and the machine. And it should flow. Speed and flow are everything to users like me. But alas, i find myself dismayed at how long the computer takes to catch up to me and how disconnected its responses are to my commands. The relationship is broken and the computer does it's thing instead while i do mine.

Anyway, I'm really annoyed that no one has provided any solutions to this steal-focus issue. I will make one suggestion:
ℹ Mac OSX programmers: please make it so that if a person switches TO an application, then that application takes priority one in terms of focus, over all other Applications running.

That's all.

2008.

If you want to report this issue to Apple's engineering, send a bug report or an enhancement request via its Bug Reporter system. To do this, join the Mac Developer Program—it's free and available for all Mac users and gets you a look at some development software. Since you already have an Apple username/ID, use that. Once a member, go to Apple BugReporter and file your bug report or enhancement request. The nice thing with this procedure is that you get a response and a follow-up number; thus, starting a dialog with engineering.

Alternatively, send Feedback, but that usually goes through support and marketing, although when it'll get to engineering is anyone's guess.

As Barney's already noted, why are you launching an app if you don't want to use it? I usually have Terminal, Activity Monitor, Eudora, Safari, TextEdit, and Preview opened always. When I need to go to another, I launch it. Doesn't slow down things for me.

I wonder if that's it?

Well put!!

This is a new "feature" of Leopard, I believe; Tiger didn't force us to change window focus onto launching applications.

Some applications take a really long time to launch, so it's a no-brainer that a user would like to continue focusing on App 1, while App 2 launches.

Even after fully launching, I wish App2 would just wait for me - the user - to change window focus when I want to do so, rather than disruptively forcing the change.

rocker88 wrote:
This is a new "feature" of Leopard, I believe; Tiger didn't force us to change window focus onto launching applications.

I don't. Had exactly the same with certain apps under Tiger.

I've just discovered this problem today as well. And while (from the sound of what problems other people are having) I now plan on having problems with this issue while working with FCP, my issue was very simple and something that previous os didn't seem to have a problem with- I have multiple Chrome windows up, and any time one of the flash ads on the sidebar of a page changes, it will switch spaces. Obviously I could minimize, have a different tab on top, etc. but like I said, this wasn't a problem in the previous os (just reinstalled). If I want to have music playing and then switch to a different space to do work, I really don't care to answer what the capital of the state of North Carolina is or whatever game you want me to click on is. This is so simple compared to other problems, yet in my mind equally annoying- like I said, I'm not looking forward to image or video work with these problems the way they currently stand.

Any solid leads on this yet?

Folks, I have the same issue. I.e. typing an email while scanning a document and my scan app pops up over the email while I'm typing FOR EVERY PAGE. What a pain (bad app, bad app).

I discovered this, which may help:
http://infinite-labs.net/afloat/