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Files often open as tabs in a previous window. but it's unpredictable.
Preview >Preferences = set to open each file in it's own window.
The function Window > move tab to new window is sometimes greyed out.
This is very frustrating and time-consuming.
Any solutions please?
It has possibly been fixed without carrying out those steps.
I deleted all open documents in Preview and now it appears to work normally. I would have done that before but they were all mixed up in many different tabs. Normally I rename them and file them where needed. This time I put duplicates on the desktop (I didn't want to use their original location) and then closed them all.
Thanks, perhaps that will be sufficient.
It has possibly been fixed without carrying out those steps.
I deleted all open documents in Preview and now it appears to work normally. I would have done that before but they were all mixed up in many different tabs. Normally I rename them and file them where needed. This time I put duplicates on the desktop (I didn't want to use their original location) and then closed them all.
Thanks, perhaps that will be sufficient.
Good work, I think we may have narrowed it down my friend.
Quit Preview & move this folder & this fie to the Desktop for now...
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Preview/Data/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.Preview.savedState
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Preview/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist
~ tilde indicates your home folder
Apple hid the Users' Library folders...
Method 1:
Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode? Could take 10 minutes.
Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches & loads safe Drivers, & prevents loading of 3rd party extensions, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.
To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...
Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.
Does it work in the new account?
That's interesting, but before I do it, the following note.
The computer was recently upgraded from El Capitan to High Sierra. For various reasons, but mostly to save time, whole directories, like Documents, Music, etc. were moved offline. This was done by a professional. However, I did wonder why there are 2 libraries, one under the home directory and one under the user directory.
The priority was to get applications working and this is a machine constantly in action.
Preview was an annoyance but so is Finder, which does not always shows files alphabetically. Both appear abnormal and to me it looks like an OS problem.
Well, each User has a Library folder, then there's one at root of the drive also, then one in the System folder at root of the drive.
I wonder if you wouldn't be better of starting anew on an external drive?
Thanks, I rebooted into safe mode, but the problem exists. I repeated re-booting into safe mode again, but no relief.
I set up a tempAdmin account, which appears to work. Where to go from here?
Do you mean putting the OS on an external drive? I already have several attached.
Yes as a test, but what is on those drives? Can one be erased?
Not yet. It's my media and backups. I'll go ahead with your initial suggestion and see if that works.
Good work, great to hear, take care my friend.
Preview stubborn - files often open as tabs in a previous window
