Aqua Taskforce

rickwebb wrote on August 14, 2008, 6:53am

Command+` does this.

polycat33 wrote on August 14, 2008, 7:14am

"Command+` does this."

Uh... no it doens't.

doubleforte wrote on August 14, 2008, 7:48am

Command+` cycles windows *within* the current app. Command+tab switches app. There isn't anything that will cycle through all windows in all apps.

polycat33 wrote on August 14, 2008, 8:41am

Ohh, I was trying command+'. Silly that those keys look so alike.

I wouldn't want to tab between all windows in all apps, if you can tab between apps and tab between windows in the app it seems like all the functionality is already built in.

abitgone wrote on August 14, 2008, 10:10am

You might want to take a look at Witch (http://www.manytricks.com/witch/). It wasn't for me though.

vandlism wrote on August 14, 2008, 5:29pm

Expose? You can use an F-Key, put the app in your dock, map a mouse button, or a screen corner to Expose in order to show all windows.

r3ferrei wrote on August 15, 2008, 12:11am

@vandlism: Im well aware of Expose. The idea is for instantenous switching between two windows, regardless of the application, when work requires you to move between the apps frequently. Expose, while it looks nice and has its uses, is not a speed - oriented way of navigating through multiple windows like Alt-Tab is in Windows.

@abitgone: That does it. Thanks. Unfortunately it costs money. This is something that should be included.

@rickwebb: Like doubleforte said, jumping from windows of two different apps would require i Cmd+Tab from one app to the intended app, then Cmd+` to get to the intended window. It would work, but would require training yourself the steps involved to get you from one apps window to another apps window, as well as remembering the keystrokes required to get you to that particular window, and can quickly be rectified with the introduction of a new keystroke that cycles through all windows. Thats not a very user-friendly way of navigating.

@polycat33: While you wouldnt want to, some might, which is why i introduced this here. I wouldnt want to eliminate the existing Cmd+Tab system, but only augment it with another keystroke that gives you a more traditional window switching.

But my point still stands

zog wrote on August 20, 2008, 8:33pm

The Mac's window paradigm is built on layered applications as well as layered windows. Windows, KDE, etc., on the other hand, are only window-based.

The command-tab key shortcut works *in concert with the layered application paradigm* just fine as is. To create a global key shortcut for cycling through all windows across all applications undermines application layering and introduces an inconsistency, though perhaps one that you would find convenient.

If you think the application layers are a bad idea, then that's okay, but that should be addressed as a far larger interface redesign beyond the scope of the command-tab shortcut in order to preserve consistency.

jasper wrote on September 1, 2008, 10:12pm

Stop living in Windows, start living in Mac. I use Command+Tab a lot - and if you quickly need to switch between two documents for a while (like working on a file while chatting) you can use the switch between applications - because MacOS will keep the frontmost window of an application the frontmost. If you need to switch between more windows, then Exposé is just as usefull as Alt-Tab - you can also trigger it by keys (and even naviagte it by keys) and it's a faster way to acces data (really, looking and clicking is faster then sqeezing your eyes to see the minized version and then going there by tapping Tab). Demoted.

mojo2012 wrote on September 27, 2008, 11:25am

I liked to use witch: cmd-tab switched between apps, alt-tab between windows. That's the optimal solution (for me). But as it costs money, I'm not using it anymore.
I can only repeat myself: make it an option. If people don't want use it, then they shouldn't. On the other side, if there are some people who like to use this, they should be given the chance.

Explorer5 wrote on October 31, 2008, 3:48am

Since Apple is trying to convert so many windows users - why dont they just solve the issue for everyone - create the ability for the user to choose whether Command+Tab switches through all active windows, or active programs.

MS did this for years when they were encouraging people to move to Word from WordPerfect.. After awhile, the wordperfect shortcuts just dropped out of Word - Apple could do the same.