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User profile for user: Pelagious
Pelagious Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Application Menu Bars on Indvidual Application Windows

Greetings!


I am using 11.6.1 on a 2018 Mini - and I have what seems like a silly question - when I have an application open (pages, numbers, calendar, etc) - and that application is not maximized, how can I configured the application window to have its own menu bar?


The menu bar is configured to always be present in System Preferences -- Dock & Menu Bar - and the active application is correctly displayed on the desktop as active when I have an app open.


But when I move the app window around - the menu bar does not move with it - so I always have to move back to them menu bar on the desktop.


Is there a config setting to allow each instance of an app window to have an attached menu bar?


I cannot find anything in General, Dock & Menu Bar, individual app settings.


Thanks!



Mac mini, macOS 11.6

Posted on Apr 16, 2022 3:25 PM

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User profile for user: babowa
babowa
User level: Level 9
78,429 points

Posted on Apr 17, 2022 1:38 PM

I think we have a terminology misunderstanding here (dfifficult to explain such things via written means sometimes)


The menu bar on a Mac is stationary, but changes with featured options depending on the app you have open.


If you have the Pages app open, the Pages menu bar will be on the top - and that is the menu bar for the Pages app, not a document you are working on. If you are finished working on the document and simply minimize it (that means you are closing the document window, but the Pages app is still open). So it will remain at the top of your screen until you actually quit the Pages app (Command + Q) or open a different app. Documents do not have individual menu bars - when you open a document, the app with which you created it will automatically open > and there is the menu bar.


As for your second screen: do you have mirroring displays set in System Preferences?

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User profile for user: babowa
babowa
User level: Level 9
78,429 points

Apr 17, 2022 1:38 PM in response to Pelagious

I think we have a terminology misunderstanding here (dfifficult to explain such things via written means sometimes)


The menu bar on a Mac is stationary, but changes with featured options depending on the app you have open.


If you have the Pages app open, the Pages menu bar will be on the top - and that is the menu bar for the Pages app, not a document you are working on. If you are finished working on the document and simply minimize it (that means you are closing the document window, but the Pages app is still open). So it will remain at the top of your screen until you actually quit the Pages app (Command + Q) or open a different app. Documents do not have individual menu bars - when you open a document, the app with which you created it will automatically open > and there is the menu bar.


As for your second screen: do you have mirroring displays set in System Preferences?

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User profile for user: Barney-15E
Barney-15E
User level: Level 10
116,464 points

Apr 17, 2022 6:59 AM in response to tannerfromcharleston

I don't use multiple displays anymore, so I'm trying to remember the setup. Someone that is currently using them might be able to clarify/correct my recollection.


What is set in Mission Control System Preferences for Displays have separate spaces?


If set, each Display will contain the menu bar of apps assigned to that display. Dragging a document window to another Desktop will not "assign" the app to that desktop. You have to assign apps using the Dock Icon submenu. I think the menu bar will follow the document window, but I'm not sure.


If unset, all displays merge into a single desktop--they are not independent. The menu bar will be located in the top, left of the combined display area.

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User profile for user: Pelagious
Pelagious Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Apr 17, 2022 12:34 PM in response to Barney-15E

The menu bar on my displays is good to go - the dock is good to go - I don't want to 'assign' an app to a display - When I open a document (pages) on display one - the menu bar is at the top - and then I minimize it and drag it to display two - the menu bar for Pages stays at the top of display one so to access any of the app specific menu features you have to move back to screen one. *I thought was an a way in previous versions to configure each app window to carry the app menu bar. Similar to the general setting for scroll bars on each open window.

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Application Menu Bars on Indvidual Application Windows

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