Can't hide applications?

Question

Level 1

13 points

Can't hide applications?

Forgive me if this is old ground, I didn't find anything in my searches.

I occasionally find that one or more applications will not Hide. Meaning the Cmd-H doesn't work and the options to Hide or Hide Others are grayed out. Sometimes it will give me that off-key buzz you get if you hold down a key for too long.

Any idea why, or how to eliminate that?

Thanks in advance.
Bryan

i Mac, 15" MBP, iPhone 4, Mac OS X (10.6.6), iLife 09, Final Cut Exp 3.5

Posted on Feb 14, 2011 7:39 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 14, 2011 8:41 PM in response to bdavisnyc

If it says "Finder" in the menu bar, then the Finder is not hidden. Having no open windows is not the same as hiding the application. If the application's menu bar is visible, it is not hidden. The Finder is an application, and it can be hidden like any other -- unless it is the last one visible.

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Answer 2

bdavisnyc Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 14, 2011 8:47 PM in response to Jeffrey Jones2

Jeffrey,

Aha! I never thought of the Finder as an application, and I very rarely hide it, so it just never occurred to me. Thanks for clearing it up, now I understand. I suppose it's a situation I've only encountered on those rare occasions when I've hidden Finder.

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Feb 14, 2011 7:48 PM in response to bdavisnyc

You can't hide everything. At least one application must be visible, so if you have hidden everything else, the last one visible cannot be hidden.

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Answer 4

bdavisnyc Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 14, 2011 8:07 PM in response to Jeffrey Jones2

Well.... Not really true in my experience.

I often "clear" my desktop by hiding all applications if I step away, or if I want to eliminate some visual clutter. I'll hide everything, and then open an application o two I want to work with. But I definitely end up with nothing open on the desktop and Finder across the Menu Bar.

Not sure which of us is missing something, or is this a new thing?

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