Can you bring a window to you instead of bringing you to a window? (spaces)

[appleguy123]

When I am using spaces and have been getting really annoyed when I click on a running app to see next too (or in a drag and drop scenario) the windows on my current desktop. Instead the OS brings me to the space(as in the virtual desktop) where the window is located. Is there a terminal command,app,or setting that can space the desire window/s come to the space I am in, instead of bringing me to that space?

 

[macrem]

Once in Spaces you can drag windows from space to space so why not simply drag the window into the space you were just in, then reopen that space? Is that what you're looking for?

 

[appleguy123]

Once in Spaces you can drag windows from space to space so why not simply drag the window into the space you were just in, then reopen that space? Is that what you're looking for?

No. I want the window automatically brought to me (that being the space i am in) when I click it's icon in the dock.

 

[Tex-Twil]

Hi,
I was also wondering this. It's just annoying that I have to come back to the other space just to open a new window of an app and then drag it back to the original space.

 

[statofmotion]

This could be what you are looking for. Go into sys pref and go into spaces. You can select a space and have a program or app only be opened in that paritcular space, make sense? Like for example, I have selected Sys Pref only to be open in space 6, so when I click and open Sys Pref in space 1, it will shoot over to space 6. So I guess you can have everything only open in space one or whatever so when you do click on the app, it will shoot or stay in that space. Hopefully this will help.

 

[macrem]

A common Spaces use case is you're working on two different projects in two different workspaces. I don't want to bring a window from another project into my current project's space. In that sense, the current behavior makes more sense...

Just out of curiosity, in which use case is having the application come to your current space preferable? Considering you could only do one, which is more important?

 

[Tex-Twil]

A common Spaces use case is you're working on two different projects in two different workspaces. I don't want to bring a window from another project into my current project's space. In that sense, the current behavior makes more sense...

Yes that's it. If I have 2 spaces, one for work, one for fun. In the "fun" space I have firefox. I'm currently in the "work" space and I need a new firefox window. What I have to do is ot come bacl to the fun space open a new firefox window and then bring it back to the "work" space. This is really not well thought.

Only Finder and Safari has a "New Windows" accessible by right clicking on the Dock icon.

 

[Gregg2]

No. I want the window automatically brought to me (that being the space i am in) when I click it's icon in the dock.

Ok, I think I understand this post. The first one confuses me. I suspect you are not a native English speaker, so I'm not being critical of your writing. (It's much better than I could do in any other language!)

I just did the "click the icon in the dock" for an application that was not in the current space. It took me to the space that the application was opened in. If there are multiple windows open in that application, it will take me to the one that was active when I was last in that space. To have that click bring a particular window to the space I'm in defeats the purpose of Spaces.

Perhaps you can try again to explain, and use specific applications that you're in when you want Spaces to move a window to another space. Just one example is fine.

 

[rockstarjoe]

This is not a solution to your problem per se, but one thing that helps me with spaces is to set a button on your mouse to the "spaces overview" where you see all of the spaces at once. So if I was following your example and wanted a new Firefox window while in my "work" space I would make a new Firefox window from the dock, hit the button on my mouse to view all spaces, drag the window to the "work" space, and then click on the work space. It sounds like a lot of steps but with the button mapped to my mouse it has really become second nature for me and I am very fast at it. Hope that helps in some way.

 

[Tex-Twil]

Perhaps you can try again to explain, and use specific applications that you're in when you want Spaces to move a window to another space. Just one example is fine.

Here is the example

If I have 2 spaces, one for work, one for fun. In the "fun" space I have firefox. I'm currently in the "work" space and I need a new firefox window. What I have to do is ot come back to the fun space open a new firefox window and then bring it back to the "work" space. This is really not well thought.

Only Finder and Safari has a "New Windows" accessible by right clicking on the Dock icon.

 

[ScoobyMcDoo]

Just FYI, the virtual desktop feature in KDE behaves exactly as you wish. Those folks did a hellofalot better job than Apple for that feature.

 

[Gregg2]

If I have 2 spaces, one for work, one for fun. In the "fun" space I have firefox. I'm currently in the "work" space and I need a new firefox window. What I have to do is ot come bacl to the fun space open a new firefox window and then bring it back to the "work" space. This is really not well thought.

Yeah, I get your scenario. You don't have to use Spaces of course. The idea is to separate things to reduce clutter. That's what it's for. If you want layers of windows, turn it off. Or, is it possible to allow an application to show up in only two spaces? I don't really think so. If you can, there's a trick to it, 'cause I tried it in the Spaces pane and it didn't work. I know that you can have 'em show up in all spaces just by not assigning it to a space.

 

[appleguy123]

Ok, I think I understand this post. The first one confuses me. I suspect you are not a native English speaker, so I'm not being critical of your writing. (It's much better than I could do in any other language!)

I actually am a native english speaker. My parents are from Mexico but I am American (adopted) lots of Spanish is spoken in my home so it gets weird because we say things differently in spanish and in English. Anyways, back to the topic. I don't keep spaces for certain activities per sé, I just go to a new space while I am in school for a clean desktop. So when I need to type something and a pages window is in a "cluttered" space that I use for home, my teachers think I am browsing youtube or macrumors or <insert website here>. What I wish would happen is that the pages windows would come to the space that is used for and and is less cluttered. It would be great for a future Mac OS X release for an application window to come to you when you hold a modifier key (i would prefer the option key). But as for now is there a terminal command or third party app that can help me? I hope that was clearer.

A common Spaces use case is you're working on two different projects in two different workspaces. I don't want to bring a window from another project into my current project's space. In that sense, the current behavior makes more sense...

Just out of curiosity, in which use case is having the application come to your current space preferable? Considering you could only do one, which is more important?

Another example would be when I have iTunes in one space and Safari in another. Often I click on links to the iTunes Store, after a few redirects on the browser it takes me to the iTunes space. Then after looking at <insert iTunes Store item here> I have to go back to find the space Safari was in to have browsing again. I have 16 spaces so this is more annoying (I know I can change it but I don't want to).

 

[Tex-Twil]

Just FYI, the virtual desktop feature in KDE behaves exactly as you wish. Those folks did a hellofalot better job than Apple for that feature.

Yes exactly. I want to have the same behavior as on my Linux KDE It looks like it's not possible though.

 

[sidewinder]

Another example would be when I have iTunes in one space and Safari in another. Often I click on links to the iTunes Store, after a few redirects on the browser it takes me to the iTunes space. Then after looking at <insert iTunes Store item here> I have to go back to find the space Safari was in to have browsing again. I have 16 spaces so this is more annoying (I know I can change it but I don't want to).

Why not have the "When switching to an application, switch to a space with open windows for the application" option enabled in Spaces. Then, when you want to get back to Safari, just click on the Safari icon in the Dock. Just like that you will be back in the Safari space.

Not so hard or annoying, is it?

S-

 

[Tex-Twil]

Why not have the "When switching to an application, switch to a space with open windows for the application" option enabled in Spaces.
S-

oh actually for my use case when I disable this option, then I can click on Firefox in a space where Firefox is not opened, and then simply hit cmd + n to open a new window. So is partially what I wanted to achieve.

 

[Gregg2]

What I wish would happen is that the pages windows would come to the space that is used for and and is less cluttered. ... I hope that was clearer.

Clearer except for that sentence. There appears to be a word missing. "...come to the space that is used for and..." ?? You lost me. I often omit a word, or leave one in that should be removed when I go back to re-write something. Hasty editing errors can obscure the meaning.

 

[appleguy123]

Clearer except for that sentence. There appears to be a word missing. "...come to the space that is used for and..." ?? You lost me. I often omit a word, or leave one in that should be removed when I go back to re-write something. Hasty editing errors can obscure the meaning.

As clear as I can make it: I want windows in different spaces to open in the space I am in.

 

[macrem]

AFAIU, KDE is the only exception to the rule that brings you to the app in its workspace. In that sense, KDE is abnormal. It's not only an OS X thing. It has been this way for decades in multiple window managers & desktop environments, many of which have a concept of "sticky windows", meaning you can pin windows to all desktops. OS X can do the same thing with a more sophisticated behavior of putting apps in every space, then those apps follow you around. I use that option for iTunes, which is almost always in mini player mode.

 

[Tex-Twil]

AFAIU, KDE is the only exception to the rule that brings you to the app in its workspace. In that sense, KDE is abnormal. It's not only an OS X thing. It has been this way for decades in multiple window managers & desktop environments

Which for example ? AFAIK, GNOME has the this behaviour as well. KDE & Gnome are the 2 major window managers on Linux. I would reconsider the term of "abnormal"

Tex

 

[Gregg2]

As clear as I can make it: I want windows in different spaces to open in the space I am in.

That's not clear.
"windows in different spaces" is present tense. That says the windows are already open in different spaces.
"I want ... to open in the space I am in" seems to be referring to windows that are not open.

 

[macrem]

Which for example ? AFAIK, GNOME has the this behaviour as well. KDE & Gnome are the 2 major window managers on Linux. I would reconsider the term of "abnormal"

Tex

Gnome (which I'm using right now) doesn't do it by default & I don't see an option to do otherwise, although there's probably a way. When Compiz is running, it takes over some behavior but does the same thing. I also remember CDE didn't, nor did OpenWindows. I have a WM called Fluxbox & it doesn't do it either. I don't think NextStep did either. FVWM, XFCE & all WM's as I recall were following the same standard behavior Perhaps some were also sharing the same virtual screen code.

 

[miles01110]

How many posts do we need to answer the question? It's not currently possible with OS X/Spaces.

 

[sidewinder]

How many posts do we need to answer the question? It's not currently possible with OS X/Spaces.

And I doubt it ever will be.

S-

 

[macrem]

How many posts do we need to answer the question? It's not currently possible with OS X/Spaces.

Are you insinuating something?: