Sun 30 Mar 2008
I love my Mac and even though this is a blog about work and the brain occasionally I add something about OS X.
OS X is pretty intelegant: simple, intelligent, elegant. I just like my computer to do what I need to get done and Mac does that.
One of the few frustrations I have is how to, after minimizing a document or web page or application, restore that application to full-size.
I love that I can minimize applications and docs with an Cmd-M shortcut; but I got really frustrated that I can’t restore them with the opposite Shift-Cmd-M, which would be really logical and Mac like. Very unusual (and it bugs me) to find such a fundamental gap when just about everything else just works.
Sometimes Cmd-tab (Like ctrl-tab in Windows) and scrolling through the programs seems to work and sometimes it just doesn’t. And it is time consuming and destroys the thought flow to have to relocate the pad pointer and click… grrrrr….
So I use Spotlight.
Spotlight, for non-Mac users, is a super fast search engine for your HD built into Mac OS X. Just press Cmd-Spacebar and it’s there.
Firstly, it makes a superb program launcher: you simply type two or three letters of the name of the application, hit your arrow down button (And if Apps is your top list then you won’t even need to do this), press return and Boom! you’re away. Program launched. No clicking required.
It becomes very instinctive and fast, and just feels quicker. (And easier than, say, Quicksilver).
For restoring minimized apps & docs that you’ve put into the dock just use exactly the same method. Cmd-Spacebar to launch Spotlight, type the first couple of letters of the name of the Application you minimized, press return and you’re done. The app will restore. You can even hold down the shift button when hitting return if you want to see it done in the cool OS X Slow-Mo style….
Nice.
If anyone knows any other way of restoring minimized apps without clicks I’d love to hear about it - otherwise this is fast, easy, and becomes very Zen-like helping the cognitive flow of my work immensely.
April 8th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Excellent! Thanks!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Quicksilver (http://www.blacktree.com/). Any Mac without Quicksilver is broken. Splotlight does about 5% of what Quicksilver can, IMHO.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Burke, I agree, but for me it’s the difference between using text pad and launching M$ Word just to type a quick note…
May 31st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
If this is all you want, you might want to look at a tiny app called Namely.
Apparently spotlight is faster in Leopard, but I’m still on Tiger, and find it not quite quick enough for the quick app-changing you describe. I have also tried quicksilver, periodically, but always end up deciding I don’t need to learn two ways to use my computer… And for just switching, it’s slower than Namely. (Many love it, though.)
http://amarsagoo.info/namely/ is the link.
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:27 am
Cmd-tab to the minimized window - then hold Option when you release the Cmd key.
The quicksilver way might be just as fast though
June 4th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Hej Nik,
Thanks for the comment - great tip - it seems there are three ways to do this but I couldn’t find one that really did the job. I use spotlight to launch programs which is really fast (But then Quicksilver will do that too).
Keep in touch,
John
July 8th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
After going through the very same thing and experiencing frustration, I have found what I believe to be the best approach: Instead of minimizing, try hiding (Cmd+H). It’s quicker, conserves dock space, and when you tab to the app again using Cmd+Tab (or click on its icon in the dock) all* the windows of that app will reappear. And if you have a lot of windows open, you can always navigate between multiple open windows of a given app by using Cmd+~. Give it a try.
* Windows that have been minimized will not automatically maximize when an app is un-hidden. You must hold the Option key before releasing Cmd when using Cmd+Tab to select (OS X 10.5+ only). But of course if you are always hiding instead of minimizing, this isn’t an issue.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I agree and have started using the Hide option more and more.
It’s different from the F11 command that simply reveals the desktop, CTRL H is great.
Having a way of going through open windows in the same program is a good keyboard shortcut. Thanks for this! I can’t seem to get it to work on my Swedish keyboard I know where ~ is, it just doesn’t seem to do the task.
At the moment I have a hot corner set up in system preferences / Exposé, bottom right, that performs an All Windows task that works for this.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. This thread is proving fruitful!
January 4th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Air apps like TweetDeck don’t like restoring properly. I like minimising apps personally but this (and other Air apps I assume) will have to be ‘hidden’ if you wish to restore them without clicking anything. I also love keyboard shortcuts.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Hey
thanks,
though u should fix it to Control-Spacebar and not Cmd-Spacebar.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Only did so as it’s how I have it set up in System Prefs/ Keyboard shortcuts… I find CMD-spacebar to be a shade more instinctive….
February 1st, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I wonder, why the reverse to Command-M (e.g. minimize) shortcut does not exist in MacOSX anyway … Any ideas?
October 17th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Thanks for articulating an irksome issue.
I know I’m late to the thread but I am extremely appreciative to read your post and the high quality of responses.
I’m checking out quicksilver now.
The only challenge I have found with control-H since reading the thread and trying is that when you go from a hidden application to command-tab the order of applications does not update to reflect the order of use.
Not a particularly big deal, but if you’re toggling between two applications and one is at one end of the chorus line and the other application is at the other end, the lack of ordering translates into more keystrokes.
Thanks!
October 24th, 2009 at 10:33 am
The ‘Option’ key only works if you have one instance of the application open. i.e. if you have 2 x FireFox running then the ‘Option’ key does not work properly
January 8th, 2010 at 1:07 am
All useful information, I like the CMD+H option but this doesn’t seem to work with Google’s chrome, nor does the spotlight search, any ideas?
January 8th, 2010 at 8:45 am
That seems like more than a Beta problem as those are basic Mac functions. Do the Google Chrome forums have any suggestions? If you find out Steve please let us know?
February 10th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Thank you so much!
now, if only there was a way to restore the contents of the recycle bin like windows
February 18th, 2010 at 2:05 am
Oiy - I am a former PC (Windows) user and recently bought a MAC laptop. This has been one of my MAJOR frustrations. Who creates an OS where you can easily minimize a window but have to go through hoops to restore it. On a PC it is simple: alt+X or alt/tab and release. I mean really - what is up with making this so cryptic. You have to get 3rd party apps to do a simple function like this? With all due respect …. WTF!
I am trying to like my MAC - but some of the most intuitive operations are non existent or require memorizing multiple key strokes or purchasing or downloading 3rd party apps. How is that PRODUCTIVE?
Seriously, I want to like my MAC. There are many things I DO like about it - but some of the most basic functions that should be intuitive and easy to access are either not there or, as mentioned above, cryptic.
What I liked (like) about Windows, is the freedom to choose405 different ways to do the same thing. But what I am finding with the MAC OS, is I am FORCED (at times) to do it the MAC way )or I have to get a 3rd party app to do it for me).
Sorry for the rant. I do like the cmd/option for this, although it is a bit clumsy. I did figure out the cmd+h to hide BUT if you use the mouse & double-click the title bar and minimize you have to resort to the aforementioned key strokes.
Just seems very sloppy to me.