Filed under: OS, Software, Productivity, TUAW Tips
TUAW Tip: you can rotate windows, too
For
today's TUAW Tip, I thought I'd build on Scott's tip yesterday
(concerning the Application Switcher) with a simple tip about cycling windows, not applications. Many of us know (or
will soon) that using cmd - tab will switch between applications, but plenty of users still haven't discovered the
wonders of cmd - ` (the key right above tab), which allows you to switch between windows within an application. So if
you, for example, have a few documents open in Word, cmd - ` will easily let you switch between just those documents,
without having to bother with any other windows and apps you have open.One catch: this works in most apps such as browsers, iChat and even iPhoto, but not in a select few, such as Photoshop. In fact: if anyone knows how to cycle windows in Photoshop, please sound off in the comments.
Now that you're armed with both cmd - tab and cmd - `, virtually no window is safe from your view. Combine this trick with a little Exposé action and you could obtain the ranking of "OS X window management ninja."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jason said 11:08AM on 1-31-2006
Great tip; combined it's like playing the piano...er, without the music, I guess.
BTW: hope that's not a pic of *your* grubby, bacteria ridden keyboard :P
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Philip said 11:12AM on 1-31-2006
Photoshop window switching is done with ctrl-tab, like in windows. Atleast that's how I do it with CS2 :)
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bt said 11:12AM on 1-31-2006
Control-Tab cycles between Photoshop docs.
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Jumi said 11:12AM on 1-31-2006
Have you tried the free pref pane Witch? It might well solve your Photoshop switching dilemma.
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JJA said 11:13AM on 1-31-2006
You know I've know about this for so long I just don't remember where I learned about it
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RobS said 11:17AM on 1-31-2006
Try a free Pref pane - witch -that allows yo to use ctrl - tab to cycle through all windows of all apps. It has an on screen graphical component, too like cmd - tab.
http://www.petermaurer.de/nasi.php?section=witch&layout=default
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Mac Diva said 11:19AM on 1-31-2006
The name of the top symbol is the 'tilde.' Beneath it is the 'grave accent,' or simply 'grave.'
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esqyre said 11:20AM on 1-31-2006
Is it me? I can't get this to work. Loved the tip about hitting "Q" when cycling through with "cmd-tab" but I get nothing when I hit "cmd- `".
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davetron5000 said 11:22AM on 1-31-2006
I have expose mapped to Cmd-F1, Cmd-F2 and Cmd-F3 for All Windows, App Windows and Desktop, and I find it much easier to use Cmd F2 or Cmd F1 to switch than Alt-Tab or Alt-tilde, since my right hand is on the mouse usually (esp for photoshop and Safari), my left hand triggers it and it's a very quick movement. I never even noticed that Alt-tilde doesn't work for Photoshop!
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Chutneyboy said 11:22AM on 1-31-2006
This is a great tip; one I've desired forever. Unfortunately it doesn't switch between tabs in Safari or Camino. Anyone know how to do that?
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eugene said 11:25AM on 1-31-2006
btw, if you cmd-tab to get the application switch, without taking your hand off cmd and then hit tilde it will cycle backwards in the application switcher too.
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Rob said 11:25AM on 1-31-2006
And here's another tip. The SPACEBAR helps scroll passed common knowledge tips.
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Tim Murtaugh said 11:31AM on 1-31-2006
Cycle through documents in Photoshop: Command-Shift-'
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Boramor said 11:40AM on 1-31-2006
And on Dutch Apple keyboards (QWERTY) it's next to the left shift.
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Will Clark said 11:41AM on 1-31-2006
In Photoshop I use command - shift -` to cycle through my open windows. Didn't know about the control - tab... I almost like that one better!
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davetron5000 said 11:41AM on 1-31-2006
Cycle tabs in Safari: Cmd-Shift-[ and Cmd-Shift-] (Cmd-{ and Cmd-} if you prefer)
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Daniele Nicolucci said 11:45AM on 1-31-2006
On the italian keyboard this is done with cmd-< (< is located between left shift and Z), and can also be done in the reversed order by adding shift.
The problem is that cmd-< in Safari toggles the status bar visibility, and you're forced to use cmd-shift-
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Reid Ellis said 11:51AM on 1-31-2006
To switch between tabs in Safari it's shift-cmd-left/right
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USTommyMC said 11:54AM on 1-31-2006
Well whatta ya know. Many may have known this but I'll be damned if this isn't useful.
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DrWho said 11:59AM on 1-31-2006
To cycle between tabs in Safari use command shift left/right arrow
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