recent windows convert seeks advice

Question

recent windows convert seeks advice

Hello:

I've converted to Mac after 15+ years of Windows, and as the saying goes, I'm not going back. I really love it, but there are some relatively minor things still driving me crazy for which I have not yet found workarounds. I was hoping maybe some more experience Mac users could give me some suggestions. Note that I'm on 10.7.4 due to corporate enterprise requirements, and maybe some of this has improved in Mountain Lion. So...

The fact that you have to click to focus a window before working with it is driving me completely nuts. All day long I copy and paste snippets of text between apps. Every copy and paste takes twice as many clicks because I have to click to focus, then click to paste. I have seen a few semi-solutions with "focus on hover" with the mouse, but they seem kind of spotty. I've read this has something to do with "click through" being enabled in the apps.
Downloads always get lost behind all other windows when you click on them. Every time you download something to install you have to go on a search to find the installer window once it opens. Am I doing something wrong here?
There is no proper fixed left-pane tree view in Finder (similar to Windows Explorer). I tried some alternative Finder replacements, but they're all slow and clunky. Moving files is so awkward since you have to open multiple Finder windows. It's easy at the command line, though, so this isn't the end of the world.
Is there anyway to make OpenApple+Tab to switch between actual windows instead of apps? This can be a huge productivity blow when working with multiple windows inside a single app. Four finger swipe down on the Trackpad is my workaround, but it still feels really awkward after months of this.
I really wish my home folder names didn't start with capital letters. Or actually any folder names anywhere ever. There may be no way around that. But at least it's not as stupid as the space in "My Documents" in Windows, which breaks everything you do at the command line.

All that being said, I really am enjoying this MacBook. I never would have imagined ten years ago that I'd be using a Mac supplied by a company to do my job. It's pretty sweet.

Thanks for any advice,

NBB (Dallas, Texas)

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jan 24, 2013 10:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

sanjampet

Level 5

7,982 points

Jan 24, 2013 11:04 AM in response to richardsonheights

Maybe some help here:

OS X keyboard shortcuts

Summary

Learn about common OS X keyboard shortcuts. A keyboard shortcut is a way to invoke a function in OS X by pressing a combination of keys on your keyboard.

Products Affected

Mac OS X 10.2, Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.5, Mac OS X 10.6, OS X Lion, OS X Mountain Lion

To use a keyboard shortcut, or key combination, you press a modifier key with a character key. For example, pressing the Command key (the key that has a symbol) and the "c" key at the same time copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into the Clipboard. This is also known as the Command-C key combination (or keyboard shortcut).A modifier key is a part of many key combinations. A modifier key alters the way other keystrokes or mouse/trackpad clicks are interpreted by OS X. Modifier keys include: Command, Shift, Option, Control, Caps Lock, and the Fn key. If your keyboard has an Fn key, you may need to use it in some of the key combinations listed below. For example, if the keyboard shortcut is Control-F2, press Fn-Control-F2.Here are the modifier key symbols you may see in OS X menus: (Command key) - On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple () logo
(Control key)
(Option key) - "Alt" may also appear on this key
(Shift key)
(Caps Lock) - Toggles Caps Lock on or off
Fn (Function key) Startup shortcutsPress the key or key combination until the expected function occurs/appears (for example, hold Option during startup until Startup Manager appears, or Shift until "Safe Boot" appears). Tip: If a startup function doesn't work and you use a third-party keyboard, try again with an Apple keyboard.

Key or key combination	What it does
Option	Display all bootable volumes (Startup Manager)
Shift	Perform a Safe Boot (start up in Safe Mode)
Left Shift	Prevent automatic login
C	Start from bootable media (DVD, CD, USB thumb drive, and so forth)
T	Start in FireWire target disk mode
N	Start from NetBoot server
X	Force Mac OS X startup (if non-Mac OS X startup volumes are present)
D	Use Apple Hardware Test
Command-R	Use Recovery (OS X Lion or later)
Command-V	Start in Verbose Mode
Command-S	Start in Single User Mode
Command-Option-P-R	Reset NVRAM / parameter RAM
Hold down the Media Eject (⏏) key or F12 key, or mouse or trackpad button	Eject removable discs

See also: Startup key combinations for Intel-based Macs. Sleep and shut down shortcuts

Key or key combination	What it does
Power button	Turn off your Mac or put it to sleep
Hold down the power button	Force your Mac to shut down
Command-Control-power button	Force your Mac to restart
Control-Media Eject (⏏)	Show restart/sleep/shutdown dialog
Command-Option-Media Eject (⏏)	Put the computer to sleep
Command-Control-Media Eject (⏏)	Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then restart the computer
Command-Option-Control-Media Eject (⏏)	Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then shut down the computer
Shift-Control-Media Eject (⏏)	Put all displays to sleep

Finder keyboard shortcuts

Key combination	What it does
Command-A	Select all items in the front Finder window (or desktop if no window is open)
Command-Option-A	Deselect all items
Command-Shift-A	Open the Applications folder
Command-C	Copy selected item/text to the Clipboard
Command-Shift-C	Open the Computer window
Command-D	Duplicate selected item
Command-Shift-D	Open desktop folder
Command-E	Eject
Command-F	Find any matching Spotlight attribute
Command-Shift-F	Find Spotlight file name matches
Command-Option-F	Navigate to the search field in an already-open Spotlight window
Command-Shift-G	Go to Folder
Command-Shift-H	Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account
Command-I	Get Info
Command-Option-I	Show Inspector
Command-Control-I	Get Summary Info
Command-Shift-I	Open iDisk
Command-J	Show View Options
Command-K	Connect to Server
Command-Shift-K	Open Network window
Command-L	Make alias of the selected item
Command-M	Minimize window
Command-Option-M	Minimize all windows
Command-N	New Finder window
Command-Shift-N	New folder
Command-Option-N	New Smart Folder
Command-O	Open selected item
Command-Shift-Q	Log Out
Command-Shift-Option-Q	Log Out immediately
Command-R	Show original (of alias)
Command-T	Add to Sidebar
Command-Shift-T	Add to Favorites
Command-Option-T	Hide Toolbar / Show Toolbar in Finder windows
Command-Shift-U	Open Utilities folder
Command-V	Paste
Command-W	Close window
Command-Option-W	Close all windows
Command-X	Cut
Command-Option-Y	Slideshow (Mac OS X v10.5 or later)
Command-Z	Undo / Redo
Command-1	View as Icon
Command-2	View as List
Command-3	View as Columns
Command-4	View as Cover Flow (Mac OS X v10.5 or later)
Command-Comma (,)	Open Finder preferences
Command-Accent (`) (the Accent key above Tab key on a US English keyboard layout)	Cycle through open Finder windows
Command-Shift-Question Mark (?)	Open Mac Help
Command-Left Bracket ([)	Go to the previous folder
Command-Right Bracket (])	Go to the next folder
Command-Up Arrow	Open the folder that contains the current folder
Command-Control-Up Arrow	Open the folder that contains the current folder in a new window
Command-Down Arrow	Open highlighted item
Command-Shift-Up Arrow	Make the desktop active
Right Arrow (in List view)	Open the selected folder
Left Arrow (in List view)	Close the selected folder
Option-click the disclosure triangle (in List view)	Open all folders within the selected folder
Option–double-click	Open a folder in a separate window, closing the current window
Command–double-click	Open a folder in a separate window
Command-click the window title	See the folders that contain the current window
Command-Tab	Switch application–cycle forward
Command-Shift-Tab	Switch application–cycle backward
Command-Delete	Move to Trash
Command-Shift-Delete	Empty Trash
Command-Shift-Option-Delete	Empty Trash without confirmation dialog
Space bar (or Command-Y)	Quick Look (Mac OS X v10.5 or later)
Command key while dragging	Move dragged item to other volume/location (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)
Option key while dragging	Copy dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)
Command-Option key combination while dragging	Make alias of dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)

Application and other OS X shortcuts Note: Some applications may not support all of the following application key combinations.

Key combination	What it does
Command-Space bar	Show or hide the Spotlight search field (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through enabled script systems)
Control-A	Move to beginning of line/paragraph
Control-B	Move one character backward
Control-D	Delete the character in front of the cursor
Control-E	Move to end of line/paragraph
Control-F	Move one character forward
Control-H	Delete the character behind the cursor
Control-K	Delete from the character in front of the cursor to the end of the line/paragraph
Control-L	Center the cursor/selection in the visible area
Control-N	Move down one line
Control-O	Insert a new line after the cursor
Control-P	Move up one line
Control-T	Transpose the character behind the cursor and the character in front of the cursor
Control-V	Move down one page
Option-Delete	Delete the word that is left of the cursor, as well as any spaces or punctuation after the word
Command-Option-Space bar	Show the Spotlight search results window (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through keyboard layouts and input methods within a script)
Command-Tab	Move forward to the next most recently used application in a list of open applications
Command-Shift-Tab	Move backward through a list of open applications (sorted by recent use)
Shift-Tab	Navigate through controls in a reverse direction
Control-Tab	Move focus to the next grouping of controls in a dialog or the next table (when Tab moves to the next cell)
Shift-Control-Tab	Move focus to the previous grouping of controls
Command-esc	Open Front Row (if installed)
Option-Media Eject (⏏)	Eject from secondary optical media drive (if one is installed)
Fn-Delete	Forward Delete (on a portable Mac's built-in keyboard)
Control-F1	Toggle full keyboard access on or off
Control-F2	Move focus to the menu bar
Control-F3	Move focus to the Dock
Control-F4	Move focus to the active (or next) window
Shift-Control-F4	Move focus to the previously active window
Control-F5	Move focus to the toolbar.
Control-F6	Move focus to the first (or next) panel
Shift-Control-F6	Move focus to the previous panel
Control-F7	Temporarily override the current keyboard access mode in windows and dialogs
Control-F8	Move to the status menus in the menu bar
F9	Tile or untile all open windows
F10	Tile or untile all open windows in the currently active application
F11	Hide or show all open windows
F12	Hide or display Dashboard
Command-Accent (`)	Activate the next open window in the frontmost application
Command-Shift-Accent (`)	Activate the previous open window in the frontmost application
Command-Option-Accent (`)	Move focus to the window drawer
Command-Minus (–)	Decrease the size of the selected item
Command-{	Left-align a selection
Command-}	Right-align a selection
Command-\|	Center-align a selection
Command-Colon (:)	Display the Spelling window
Command-Semicolon (;)	Find misspelled words in the document
Command-Comma (,)	Open the front application's preferences window (if it supports this keyboard shortcut)
Command-Option-Control-Comma (,)	Decrease screen contrast
Command-Option-Control-Period (.)	Increase screen contrast
Command-Question Mark (?)	Open the application's help in Help Viewer
Command-Option-/	Turn font smoothing on or off
Command-Shift-=	Increase the size of the selected item
Command-Shift-3	Capture the screen to a file
Command-Shift-Control-3	Capture the screen to the Clipboard
Command-Shift-4	Capture a selection to a file
Command-Shift-Control-4	Capture a selection to the Clipboard
Command-A	Highlight every item in a document or window, or all characters in a text field
Command-B	Boldface the selected text or toggle boldfaced text on and off
Command-C	Copy the selected data to the Clipboard
Command-Shift-C	Display the Colors window
Command-Option-C	Copy the style of the selected text
Command-Control-C	Copy the formatting settings of the selected item and store on the Clipboard
Command-Option-D	Show or hide the Dock
Command-Control-D	Display the definition of the selected word in the Dictionary application
Command-D	Selects the Desktop folder in Open and Save dialogs or Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in Mac OS X v10.6.8 and earlier
Command-Delete	Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in OS X Lion and Mountain Lion
Command-E	Use the selection for a find
Command-F	Open a Find window
Command-Option-F	Move to the search field control
Command-G	Find the next occurrence of the selection
Command-Shift-G	Find the previous occurrence of the selection
Command-H	Hide the windows of the currently running application
Command-Option-H	Hide the windows of all other running applications
Command-I	Italicize the selected text or toggle italic text on or off
Command-Option-I	Display an inspector window
Command-J	Scroll to a selection
Command-M	Minimize the active window to the Dock
Command-Option-M	Minimize all windows of the active application to the Dock
Command-N	Create a new document in the frontmost application
Command-O	Display a dialog for choosing a document to open in the frontmost application
Command-P	Display the Print dialog
Command-Shift-P	Display a dialog for specifying printing parameters (Page Setup)
Command-Q	Quit the frontmost application
Command-S	Save the active document
Command-Shift-S	Display the Save As dialog
Command-T	Display the Fonts window
Command-Option-T	Show or hide a toolbar
Command-U	Underline the selected text or turn underlining on or off
Command-V	Paste the Clipboard contents at the insertion point
Command-Option-V	Apply the style of one object to the selected object (Paste Style)
Command-Shift-Option-V	Apply the style of the surrounding text to the inserted object (Paste and Match Style)
Command-Control-V	Apply formatting settings to the selected object (Paste Ruler Command)
Command-W	Close the frontmost window
Command-Shift-W	Close a file and its associated windows
Command-Option-W	Close all windows in the application without quitting it
Command-X	Remove the selection and store in the Clipboard
Command-Z	Undo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Undos)
Command-Shift-Z	Redo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Redos)
Control-Right Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Left Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Down Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Up Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Command-Right Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the end of the current line
Command-Left Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the current line
Command-Down Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the end of the document
Command-Up Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the document
Option-Right Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the end of the next word
Option-Left Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the previous word
Command-Shift-Right Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the end of the current line (*)
Command-Shift-Left Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line (*)
Shift-Right Arrow	Extend text selection one character to the right (*)
Shift-Left Arrow	Extend text selection one character to the left (*)
Command-Shift-Up Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document (*)
Command-Shift-Down Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the end of the document (*)
Shift-Up Arrow	Extend text selection to the line above, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
Shift-Down Arrow	Extend text selection to the line below, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
Shift-Option-Right Arrow	Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Left Arrow	Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Down Arrow	Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Up Arrow	Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
Control-Space bar	Toggle between the current and previous input sources
Option-Control-Space bar	Toggle through all enabled input sources
Command-Option-esc	Force Quit
Command-Shift-Option-Esc (hold for three seconds)	Force Quit the front-most application (Mac OS X v10.5 or later)
Command-Left Bracket ([)	Previous browser webpage
Command-Right Bracket (])	Next browser webpage

*Note: If no text is selected, the extension begins at the insertion point. If text is selected by dragging, then the extension begins at the selection boundary. Reversing the direction of the selection deselects the appropriate unit.
Universal Access - VoiceOver keyboard commands For information about VoiceOver key combination differences in Mac OS X v10.6, see this article.

Key combination	What it does
Command-F5 or Fn-Command-F5	Turn VoiceOver on or off
Option-Control-F8 or Fn-Option-Control-F8	Open VoiceOver Utility (if VoiceOver is on)
Option-Control-F7 or Fn-Option-Control-F7	Display VoiceOver menu (if VoiceOver is on)
Option-Control-Semicolon (;)	Enable/disable VoiceOver Control Option-lock
Command-Option-8	Turn Zoom on or off
Command-Option-Plus ➕	Zoom In
Command-Option-Minus (–)	Zoom Out
Command-Option-Control-8	Invert/revert the screen colors (OS X Lion or earlier)
Command-Option-Control-Comma (,)	Reduce contrast (OS X Lion or earlier)
Command-Option-Control-Period (.)	Increase contrast (OS X Lion or earlier)

Note: You may need to enable "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys" in Keyboard preferences for the VoiceOver menu and utility to work.
Full keyboard access Full keyboard access lets you use your keyboard to navigate and interact with items on the screen. Use these shortcuts to select and adjust controls such as text fields and sliders.

Key combination	What it does
Tab	Move to the next control
Shift-Tab	Move to the previous control
Control-Tab	Move to the next control when a text field is selected
Arrow keys	Move to the adjacent item in a list, tab group, or menu or Move sliders and adjusters (vertical up and down arrows used to increase and decrease values)
Control-Arrow keys	Move to a control adjacent to the text field
Space bar	Select the highlighted menu item
Return or Enter	Click the default button or perform the default action
Esc	Click the Cancel button or Close a menu without choosing an item

You can navigate the menus in the menu bar without using a mouse or trackpad. To put the focus in the menu bar, press Control-F2 (Fn-Control-F2 on portable keyboards). Then use the key combinations listed below.

Key combination	What it does
Left Arrow and Right Arrow	Move from menu to menu
Return	Open a selected menu
Up Arrow and Down Arrow	Move to menu items in the selected menu
Type the menu item’s name	Jump to a menu item in the selected menu
Return	Select a menu item

Universal Access - Mouse Keys When Mouse Keys is turned on in Universal Access preferences, you can use the keyboard or numeric keypad keys to move the mouse pointer. If your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad, use the Fn (function) key.

Key combination	What it does
8	Move Up
2	Move Down
4	Move Left
6	Move Right
1	Move Diagonally Bottom Left
3	Move Diagonally Bottom Right
7	Move Diagonally Top Left
9	Move Diagonally Top Right
5	Press Mouse Button
0	Hold Mouse Button
. (Period on number pad)	Release Hold Mouse Button