open new apps in background

Unless the app has an option to support it, the answer is no. The newly launched app always gets the current focus.

As an alternative I believe you could use Spaces (in System Preferences) to open apps in different virtual screens.

What about starting your app through Terminal using the -g switch ?

e.g.: "open -g /Applications/Microsoft\ Office\ 2011/Microsoft\ Excel.app"

You could even create a short scrip or app out of it, using the Automator app.

Hi ? I did not get any reply on this one, so I am just curious ...

Did you give a try to the -g switch in Terminal ?

That works great.

I wish there were a way to make it so you click an item on your dock and it runs that script.

There is a way ...

1. Create your script in Apple Script Editor:

do shell script "open -g \"/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Excel.app\" "

tell me to quit

2. Then, in Apple Script Editor, select File -> Export

In the Export dialog window, name your application and select File Format: Application

Finally, click "Save"

3. You now have an .app file you can double-click to run your app in background.

Drag & drop this app to your dock to create an alias

You now have a dock item you can click to start your app in background.

To make it perfect, you can even copy / paste the app icon and paste it to your newly created app before dragging it to your Dock:

- select your original app in Finder

- get info (Command + I)

- click once on the app icon in the "get Info" window

- copy it (Command + C)

- then select your newly created app in Finder

- get info (Command + I)

- click once on the app icon in the "get Info" window

- paste (Command + V)

This way, you have an alias to your script-app in the Dock, showing the original app icon (Excel in my example)

Have fun 😉