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Qaanol

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 21, 2010
571
11
How do I make it so when I am in one Space, I stay in that space until I manually choose to leave? In particular, how can I have the same folder or file open in more than one Space?

I’m new to using Spaces, never saw a need for it before, but today I thought, “Hey, I’ll create a second Space to run Xcode and program without the clutter of everything else I have open.”

So I pulled up Mission Control, created a second Space, and it came up nice and clean and empty. “Okay, let’s get to work” I thought. I hit ⌘⇧A to bring up the Applications folder—and immediately got thrown back to my first Space where the folder was already open. Not what I wanted.

I went to System Preferences and made sure the “When switching to an application…” box was not checked. There didn’t seem to be any other options that would control jumping between Spaces. I want to make it never jump between Spaces unless I manually choose to.
 

Jess13

Suspended
Nov 3, 2013
461
2,434
You Have To Open a New Finder Window First

In your new space:

Command-N or right-click Finder in the Dock; New Finder Window. Then Command-A for Applications.
 

Qaanol

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 21, 2010
571
11
I open all my folders in a new windows. I keep the sidebar and taskbar hidden. So when I hit ⌘⇧H to open my home folder, that worked because it was not open elsewhere. When I doubleclicked on Applications though, it would normally open a new window but instead it threw me back to a Space where that folder was already open.

I guess that’s just the way it functions? If so I’ll continue to not use Spaces, so no big loss. It could have been useful if the Spaces were actually, you know, separate, but the way it works right now is quite annoying and jarring to me, so I won’t use it.

Thanks anyway.
 

chinajon

macrumors newbie
Feb 16, 2006
26
0
China
I open all my folders in a new windows. I keep the sidebar and taskbar hidden. So when I hit ⌘⇧H to open my home folder, that worked because it was not open elsewhere. When I doubleclicked on Applications though, it would normally open a new window but instead it threw me back to a Space where that folder was already open.

I guess that’s just the way it functions? If so I’ll continue to not use Spaces, so no big loss. It could have been useful if the Spaces were actually, you know, separate, but the way it works right now is quite annoying and jarring to me, so I won’t use it.

Thanks anyway.

Not so fast Qaano. Spaces is a very useful environment. Once they are set up the way you want, you have separate playgrounds for your activities.
You put the Apps folder in a space, and when you called for it, you got it. Seems like you didn't get what you expected, but hey, you did get exactly what you wanted.
Look into Spaces a little and you will find that you can assign given Spaces to whole projects, and when you go to that Space, everything is there waiting for you. You can assign an app to a space, and when you open that app it will open in that Space.
It is way better than just keyed in shortcuts.

Give it a go and save yourself lots more time than you would by not using Spaces! :eek:
 

pickaxe

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2012
760
284
I've been using Spaces for many years and as much as I WANT to love it (because I enjoy the concept of virtual desktops), it currently has many infuriating behaviors:

- If there are no open Finder windows in your current Space, focusing Finder defaults to switching Spaces rather than creating a new window. I think this is a serious usability failure, though one I've begrudgingly learned to accept.

- Finder->Window-> Merge All Windows may decide to first switch to a different Space and THEN merge, even if you have a billion tabs on your current Space. Seriously?

- Full-Screening an app makes it the right-most Space in Mission Control, with no option to change it. For extra frustration, try this: full-Screen an app, change the Space's location on Mission Control, exit Full Screen than full-screen it again. Now it's once the again the right-most Space on Mission Control! WHY?!

- 10.7+ Spaces-changing animation (whole desktop sliding rather just the windows) is both slow and jarring. There's gotta be a better way to implement per-Spaces wallpapers, Apple.

- This has been said a million times, but Spaces+Expose is a better window management tool than Mission Control. This is VERY apparent with Spaces: switching windows between Spaces is a complete chore with Mission Control.

I doubt Spaces received much if any code contributions for the past 5 years or so. At the moment it's pretty good at getting in your way, but that's about it.
 

Cassady

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2012
567
205
Sqornshellous
- This has been said a million times, but Spaces+Expose is a better window management tool than Mission Control. This is VERY apparent with Spaces: switching windows between Spaces is a complete chore with Mission Control.

A few months late... but just curious - why not simply use a 4-finger swipe to jump between Spaces? Or am I missing something? [Sincere question, btw!]
 
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