Mission Control: Is it basically useless?

sireShonBohn · Aug 1, 2012

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is MC even less functional than CMD+TAB?

I've been trying to learn how to use MC but I just can't find a real use for it other than occasionally organizing spaces. I really wish it did more to find open applications and especially minimized windows.

Am I not using the right mindset when using MC? I see it as a way to switch between applications, but I find it barely fulfills this purpose. Is the purpose of MC really just to drag open windows around to different spaces? (And even that has annoying limitations.)

If there is one thing on my wish list for OSX it's better management of open applications. Even CMD+TAB would work better if when switching to an app it brought up all the minimized windows. This would let you quickly perform the app-expose' gesture to find your window.

dukebound85 · Aug 1, 2012

I like it to select certain windows

I wish though, in using a dual monitor setup that I could drag windows from one to another ala 10.6

Also, which I had a grid for spaces ala 10.6

Honestly, 10.6 functionality with 10.5 expose would be ideal for me!

jav6454 · Aug 1, 2012

For me, Mission Control is beyond idiotic. I like a feature that Leopard brought along, Spaces. I find it is the best feature in OS X when working with multiple applications. Lion made it more useful by just scrolling to that intended desktop space. However the ability to CMD+*insert number here* was also good when switching around.

Exposé! Ah my adored feature after Spaces...

iLog.Genius · Aug 1, 2012

jav6454 said:
For me, Mission Control is beyond idiotic. I like a feature that Leopard brought along, Spaces. I find it is the best feature in OS X when working with multiple applications. Lion made it more useful by just scrolling to that intended desktop space. However the ability to CMD+*insert number here* was also good when switching around.

Exposé! Ah my adored feature after Spaces...

This. Spaces/Expose in Leopard/Snow Leopard was perfect...and then they had to introduce Mission Control that streamlined it way too much. I'll still use it but I hate expanding grouped windows for one application...and I don't see my minimized windows unless I expose that one app. Oh well.

dukebound85 · Aug 1, 2012

jav6454 said:
For me, Mission Control is beyond idiotic. I like a feature that Leopard brought along, Spaces. I find it is the best feature in OS X when working with multiple applications. Lion made it more useful by just scrolling to that intended desktop space. However the ability to CMD+*insert number here* was also good when switching around.

Exposé! Ah my adored feature after Spaces...

I also miss how in SL, that when in expose, clicking the application icon in the dock would bring up application expose. Used that ALL the time

jav6454 · Aug 1, 2012

dukebound85 said:
I also miss how in SL, that when in expose, clicking the application icon in the dock would bring up application expose. Used that ALL the time

YES!! I thought I was the only one! They ruined Expose/Spaces so much and how elegantly Snow Leopard handled Expose...

Small White Car · Aug 1, 2012

sireShonBohn said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is MC even less functional than CMD+TAB?

I'm a little lost here. Since Command-Tab is the greatest thing ever invented, that's not a great yard stick. Yeah, it's less functional than Command Tab. What isn't?

Lvivske · Aug 1, 2012

mission control is one of the reasons i bought a mac. spaces was a great concept but it was crap until MC.

with full screen apps MC is pretty much a necessity. sure, cmd+tab does the same thing in theory but it looks like crap and doesn't include desktops. cmd+tab is only good for going back and forth between 2 spaces, not managing multiple ones.

jav6454 · Aug 1, 2012

Lvivske said:
mission control is one of the reasons i bought a mac. spaces was a great concept but it was crap until MC.

with full screen apps MC is pretty much a necessity. sure, cmd+tab does the same thing in theory but it looks like crap and doesn't include desktops. cmd+tab is only good for going back and forth between 2 spaces, not managing multiple ones.

Clearly, you never used a Mac with Snow Leopard... also, its Mountain Lion, ML... not Mountain Cub, MC... Lol

boomboom2 · Aug 1, 2012

I like it fine enough one one monitor (aka my MBA) but I like Windows' multi monitor management much better. I love the aerosnap feature. Hence I always build my own desktops

Krazy Bill · Aug 1, 2012

iLog.Genius said:
This. Spaces/Expose in Leopard/Snow Leopard was perfect..

Agree. That's one reason why I'm still on SL.

I hate expanding grouped windows for one application...and I don't see my minimized windows unless I expose that one app. Oh well.

You do know that ML allows you to "ungroup" all your windows now? (Unlike Lion). It's more like old Expose' except as you stated, all minimized windows go in the dock.

MC is too cluttered. And I can't wrap my head around the behavior logic of full screen apps. For some reason they get their own desktop. Apple should make them behave just like any other window and let me chose whether I want them up top in their own space or not. Then it would be like Old Space + Old Expose' but all in one screen.

I have 6 spaces defined in SL right now. It's such a joy to literally fly through dozens of windows at will without removing a hand from the keyboard.

DiamonDecoden · Aug 1, 2012

jav6454 said:
Clearly, you never used a Mac with Snow Leopard... also, its Mountain Lion, ML... not Mountain Cub, MC... Lol

Lol clearly he meant Mission Control (MC).

I think different people have different preferences. So I wish u can switch between MC or the old exposé. I personally like exposé- for I can actually see my minimized apps. Also more than anything, I would like for apple to fix all the bugs that's in ML and make ML more stable cuz right now it feels like a beta.

sireShonBohn · Aug 1, 2012

boomboom2 said:
I like it fine enough one one monitor (aka my MBA) but I like Windows' multi monitor management much better. I love the aerosnap feature. Hence I always build my own desktops

I used aero-peek all the time on my other laptop. It was very useful that you could see previews of tabbed windows either in a minimized browser or Photoshop, Illustrator etc.

I like aero-snap but I didn't like Window's window management. It always felt like the ability to have a resizable window was pointless. (Learning what + did vs Maximize in Windows was hard... lol) In OSX I like that it's successfully more organic, especially in ye olden days of true expose'.

DiamonDecoden · Aug 1, 2012

Krazy Bill said:
Agree. That's one reason why I'm still on SL.

You do know that ML allows you to "ungroup" all your windows now? (Unlike Lion). It's more like old Expose' except as you stated, all minimized windows go in the dock.

MC is too cluttered. And I can't wrap my head around the behavior logic of full screen apps. For some reason they get their own desktop. Apple should make them behave just like any other window and let me chose whether I want them up top in their own space or not. Then it would be like Old Space + Old Expose' but all in one screen.

I have 6 spaces defined in SL right now. It's such a joy to literally fly through dozens of windows at will without removing a hand from the keyboard.

Also, I don't like that with full screen apps, if you have more than one monitor the other monitor is basically grayed out and useless.

sireShonBohn · Aug 1, 2012

Small White Car said:
I'm a little lost here. Since Command-Tab is the greatest thing ever invented, that's not a great yard stick. Yeah, it's less functional than Command Tab. What isn't?

CMD+TAB could still be better if it revealed minimized windows. For instance, press CMD+TAB and each app you highlight shows a little row of minimized windows under it, maybe you can click them or hit the arrow key. Or just reveal all windows when using CMD+TAB as it currently is. Then you can swipe down right after and use app-expose to locate the specific window.

3282868 · Aug 1, 2012

dukebound85 said:
I like it to select certain windows

I wish though, in using a dual monitor setup that I could drag windows from one to another ala 10.6

Also, which I had a grid for spaces ala 10.6

Honestly, 10.6 functionality with 10.5 expose would be ideal for me!

For 10.5/6 "Spaces", developer Stephen Sykes created "ReSpaceApp", which the makers of "TotalFinder", BinaryAge, bought and renamed to "TotalSpaces". It is in beta stage still, so it's free, however I have been helping Stephen debug and improve it for a while and it's prime. It brings everything that "Spaces" was back to 10.7/8. I cut and pasted the features below.

For an "All Windows" 'Exposé", simple uncheck "Group windows by application" in "Mission Control" and presto! You have everything that "Snow Leopard" offered (well, everything that is crucial). The only reason I finally moved up into 10.8 from 10.6 was due to these options and the necessity for iCloud (although I have iCloud functioning 100% in 10.6 with some work).

TotalSpaces

Manage your desktops
Display an overview of desktops and drag windows between them.
You can also organise your windows by dragging them from desktop to desktop, and putting them just where you want them.
If you can't see the window you need, just press the space bar, and all the windows will move to visible positions.
If you click on a window it will come to the front, and the space will activate - so it's a quick way to select the window you need to work with.

You can drag windows between desktops when they are exposed like this, and you can cancel this mode by pressing the space bar again.

When dragging a window from one desktop to another (and they are not in exposed mode), you choose to have the system place the window in the same place on the new desktop (as it was in the previous desktop), or to just leave it where you dropped it. This setting is in the General preferences pane.

Multi-monitors
TotalSpaces helps you if you have multiple monitors connected. The layout of your monitors is shown in the overview grid, and you can drag windows between them.
Because the monitor screens are shown together on your main display, you can easily drag windows between each of your monitors.

App assignments
Keep your apps where you want them. Assign apps to desktops.

Hotcorners
Trigger the overview grid just by moving your mouse.

Define your grid
Navigate left, right, up and down between your desktops.

Swipe between desktops
Moving around your grid has never been easier

DiamonDecoden · Aug 1, 2012

sireShonBohn said:
I used aero-peek all the time on my other laptop. It was very useful that you could see previews of tabbed windows either in a minimized browser or Photoshop, Illustrator etc.

I like aero-snap but I didn't like Window's window management. It always felt like the ability to have a resizable window was pointless. (Learning what + did vs Maximize in Windows was hard... lol) In OSX I like that it's successfully more organic, especially in ye olden days of true expose'.

Lol I'm the complete opposite. I LOVE I mean LOVE aero snap. It makes viewing 2 files at the same time a breeze Especially if u only have one monitor. Aero peek not so much bc the preview is so tiny but I like to use it with the windows media player to skip songs or rate songs <3. I just wish osx have jump list like windows 7. I get aero snap from better touch tools. All I need is my jump list where I can pin files to apps. Anyone know how I can get it on osx?

iLog.Genius · Aug 1, 2012

Krazy Bill said:
You do know that ML allows you to "ungroup" all your windows now? (Unlike Lion). It's more like old Expose' except as you stated, all minimized windows go in the dock.

I did not know that! But of course Apple goes half-assed and goes back to Leopard where everything is scattered (which is fine, beats having to expand grouped windows) but couldn't they at least go back to how Snow Leopard organized the windows?

But anyway, NO MORE STUPID GROUPED WINDOWS!

sireShonBohn · Aug 1, 2012

bedifferent said:
For 10.5/6 "Spaces", developer Stephen Sykes created "ReSpaceApp", which the makers of "TotalFinder", BinaryAge, bought and renamed to "TotalSpaces". It is in beta stage still, so it's free, however I have been helping Stephen debug and improve it for a while and it's prime. It brings everything that "Spaces" was back to 10.7/8. I cut and pasted the features below.

For an "All Windows" 'Exposé", simple uncheck "Group windows by application" in "Mission Control" and presto! You have everything that "Snow Leopard" offered (well, everything that is crucial). The only reason I finally moved up into 10.8 from 10.6 was due to these options and the necessity for iCloud (although I have iCloud functioning 100% in 10.6 with some work).

TotalSpaces

Manage your desktops
Display an overview of desktops and drag windows between them.
You can also organise your windows by dragging them from desktop to desktop, and putting them just where you want them.
If you can't see the window you need, just press the space bar, and all the windows will move to visible positions.
If you click on a window it will come to the front, and the space will activate - so it's a quick way to select the window you need to work with.

You can drag windows between desktops when they are exposed like this, and you can cancel this mode by pressing the space bar again.

When dragging a window from one desktop to another (and they are not in exposed mode), you choose to have the system place the window in the same place on the new desktop (as it was in the previous desktop), or to just leave it where you dropped it. This setting is in the General preferences pane.

Multi-monitors
TotalSpaces helps you if you have multiple monitors connected. The layout of your monitors is shown in the overview grid, and you can drag windows between them.
Because the monitor screens are shown together on your main display, you can easily drag windows between each of your monitors.

App assignments
Keep your apps where you want them. Assign apps to desktops.

Hotcorners
Trigger the overview grid just by moving your mouse.

Define your grid
Navigate left, right, up and down between your desktops.

Swipe between desktops
Moving around your grid has never been easier

That looks great, how does it run on Retina?

VTECaddict · Aug 1, 2012

iLog.Genius said:
I did not know that! But of course Apple goes half-assed and goes back to Leopard where everything is scattered (which is fine, beats having to expand grouped windows) but couldn't they at least go back to how Snow Leopard organized the windows?

But anyway, NO MORE STUPID GROUPED WINDOWS!

I like Mountain Lion's MC because it brings back Leopard-esque Exposé. I hated how all the windows were the same size in Snow Leopard's Exposé.

dukebound85 said:
I also miss how in SL, that when in expose, clicking the application icon in the dock would bring up application expose. Used that ALL the time

4 finger swipe down while hovering over a dock icon will activate App Exposé for that app.

sireShonBohn · Aug 1, 2012

VTECaddict said:
4 finger swipe down while hovering over a dock icon will activate App Exposé for that app.

App Expose' is cool, but it works differently depending on the app, I don't get that. I guess it's dependent on App makers to get it working right? Makes more sense if it's the case.

----------

concernedone said:
Lol I'm the complete opposite. I LOVE I mean LOVE aero snap. It makes viewing 2 files at the same time a breeze Especially if u only have one monitor. Aero peek not so much bc the preview is so tiny but I like to use it with the windows media player to skip songs or rate songs <3. I just wish osx have jump list like windows 7. I get aero snap from better touch tools. All I need is my jump list where I can pin files to apps. Anyone know how I can get it on osx?

I don't know about pinning files but you could try a smart folder on the dock.

dukebound85 · Aug 1, 2012

VTECaddict said:
I like Mountain Lion's MC because it brings back Leopard-esque Exposé. I hated how all the windows were the same size in Snow Leopard's Exposé.

4 finger swipe down while hovering over a dock icon will activate App Exposé for that app.

There a quick way to do app expose without a trackpad?

RolandNights · Aug 2, 2012

iLog.Genius said:
This. Spaces/Expose in Leopard/Snow Leopard was perfect...and then they had to introduce Mission Control that streamlined it way too much. I'll still use it but I hate expanding grouped windows for one application...and I don't see my minimized windows unless I expose that one app. Oh well.

To prevent grouped windows in ML's MC, go to System Preferences -> Mission Control -> Uncheck "Group windows by application".

----------

dukebound85 said:
There a quick way to do app expose without a trackpad?

You can customize a keyboard shortcut. Aside from that, if you have a Magic Mouse, you can two-finger double-tap on the app's icon in your dock to do exposè for that app.

----------

boomboom2 said:
I like it fine enough one one monitor (aka my MBA) but I like Windows' multi monitor management much better. I love the aerosnap feature. Hence I always build my own desktops

I use BetterSnapTool in lieu of Aerosnap.

Arctix · Aug 2, 2012

dukebound85 said:
There a quick way to do app expose without a trackpad?

Set up a hot corner for it (in Mission Control options).

Small White Car · Aug 2, 2012

sireShonBohn said:
CMD+TAB could still be better if it revealed minimized windows. For instance, press CMD+TAB and each app you highlight shows a little row of minimized windows under it, maybe you can click them or hit the arrow key. Or just reveal all windows when using CMD+TAB as it currently is. Then you can swipe down right after and use app-expose to locate the specific window.

Sorry, but this is sounding more mission-controlly by the word. Hands off Command-Tab!

I don't want it more visual. The entire point is to hit it and have it work faster than you can see it. When I switch between 2 programs I hit it so fast the computer doesn't even put the graphic on screen at all.

It's a much faster, easier version of Apple's current "use full-screen apps and swipe through them with 4 fingers." Yeah, that's a step backwards from what I have right now, and adding more images and mouse-clicks to Command Tab would similarly be a step back.

Mission Control: Is it basically useless?

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