Really sweet focus trick in the Mac OS X windowing system

placeboplacebo
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
To move or resize a window without making it the top window, hold down command while you resize or move it. This is freaking awesome.



Probably not new, but awesome all the same.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Nice trick.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Works for scrolling too.





    I think this was in Classic also.
  • Reply 3 of 12
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    Works for scrolling too.



    I think this was in Classic also.



    Yup, worked in Classic too, though it's even nicer in OS X. One of my favorite Mac OS features. ; )
  • Reply 4 of 12
    progmacprogmac Posts: 1,850member
    i find all sorts of neat tricks out by just pressing the command or option button while doing every-day things. another one (also left over from classic, i believe), is to hold down option while clicking off a program window (into another program's window or another icon in the dock or onto the desktop) and it will automatically hide the then-active program. very useful for those of us at 1024x768
  • Reply 5 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy



    I think this was in Classic also.



    Yes, at least from OS 9.



    EDIT: I just checked MacOS 8.6 and it is there too. Perhaps it started from MacOS 8.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Since System 7, IIRC. Maybe even earlier.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    Do I hear 6? Anyone... anyone?
  • Reply 8 of 12
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PB

    EDIT: I just checked MacOS 8.6 and it is there too. Perhaps it started from MacOS 8.



    Someone needs an upgrade
  • Reply 9 of 12
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    Works for scrolling too.



    I don't see it working with Finder. I can move the window but scrolling by clicking on scrollbar or using the mouse wheel do not work. Mouse wheel simply does nothing while clicking on scroll bar changes focus on Finder.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    Apparently I can scroll (with scroll wheel) an inactive finder window without any key modifiers as long as I have another finder window active. It doesn't work cross-application.
  • Reply 11 of 12
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    I don't see it working with Finder. I can move the window but scrolling by clicking on scrollbar or using the mouse wheel do not work. Mouse wheel simply does nothing while clicking on scroll bar changes focus on Finder.



    I get everything except trying to click the inactive scrollbar - that does not work, as you say. I can scroll the inactive window though with the wheel. Logitech mouse with USB Overdrive installed.
  • Reply 12 of 12
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by a_greer

    Someone needs an upgrade



    And who's that ?
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