Q: Is there any way to force TextExit to open new windows in front of other windows already present?

By default New Window opens in front of others.

You can try "Restore All Defaults" at the risk of losing other set preferences.

Text Edit > Preferences > New Document tab

Restore Defaults button at the bottom of the preference window.

Best.

Anyone ever figure this out?  I would also like to know how to fix this as it would reduce the number of clicks required in order to get going in a TextEdit document.  Restoring defaults did not work.

I think what's happening is this: you're in another application and decide you want to create a new TextEdit document.  You right click on the TextEdit icon in the dock and select 'new document'.  It creates the document but it doesn't make it active because it doesn't assume you want to switch to the textedit application.  Whatever application that was active when you created the new document is the application that continues to be active.  Yet, that's not the case vice versa.  If you're in the TextEdit application and you right click on another application's dock icon to create a new document (whether it be a quicktime recording, new web browser window, etc.), it switches to that application, putting the application window in front, which is what is expected.  So this looks to me like a programming oversight.  I can't imagine why it would be intentionally designed this way.

Hold down the Command & Option key when clicking on TextEdit in the Dock. This hides all other open windows.

Command N opens a new window.

Hi, fellow Oregonian!

Thanks, I tried what you suggested.  Unfortunately it's not quite what I'm looking for.  I don't actually want to hide the other application windows.  In fact I want to keep them open so I can take notes in a TextEdit document side by side.  Maybe a better option would be to regular click on the TextEdit dock icon, just to activate the application before creating a new document.  The only problem with that is if I have another TextEdit document open in another desktop space, when I click on the dock icon it transports me over to that already opened document, which is not what I want.

Once you click on TextEdit and hide all others, simply click on the other app you want open and you only see those two windows.

You might like Moom  (move and zoom windows) http://manytricks.com/moom/

Enjoying our warm weather? I'm just glad I could finally turn off the heat.

Well, I'm not actually in Oregon.  I'm just Oregon raised and an Oregonian at heart.   But it's pretty hot where I am too!

Thanks, Moom seems like a handy bit of software but I think I can do most of the same functions with BetterTouchTool.

I also responded to you in the new thread:

How to open new TextEdit document in front of other application windows?