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How to drag a window without using title bar

N

ndebard

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 31, 2004
2
0
Hi, I'm brand new to OS-X and coming from a Linux world of about 10 years. I'm trying to get myself used to this new window manager and one feature I particularly am missing is a way to drag windows without clicking on the window's title bar - I'm lazy. Under Linux, most window managers let you do this with ALT-Left click and then you could drag it.

I'm sure there's a similar feature here but I can't figure it out. It's probably already been answered in the forums but with search words like 'drag' and 'window' there's a lot of flotsam to search through. Any help?

Thanks!
 
Just to followup, for whatever reason I now have a window who's title bar is above the top of the screen - this is something I often did under Linux WManagers in an attempt to move things out of my way. Sure there are better ways to do this but now I need to move this window by clicking somewhere else but on the title bar.

Some guru must know how to do this. :)
 
ndebard said:
Just to followup, for whatever reason I now have a window who's title bar is above the top of the screen - this is something I often did under Linux WManagers in an attempt to move things out of my way. Sure there are better ways to do this but now I need to move this window by clicking somewhere else but on the title bar.

Some guru must know how to do this. :)
Click to expand...


If the window is bordered you can drag from the window sides.
 
Hi ndebard and welcome to *nix Apple-style.

As mentioned above, if the window is bordered you'll be able to grab and drag using the visible edge. However, you'll have to come to terms with the window manager in OS X, which is not going to supply the same style of power-user capabilities as you might be used to in Linux.

The bottom line is that there's no alternate way that I know of to drag a window. However, if your problem is that you've moved a window above the menu bar, first thing is: don't do that. It can be very frustrating and I've "lost" some windows that way in Adobe GoLive (another very frustrating thing, IMHO) and finally resorted to trashing the pref's for that app in order to reset to the default window configuration.

In order to get your window back, click once in the window to select it, then go to Window > Zoom in the menu bar (assuming the application you're using offers this menu). Most apps do.

The Zoom command should reset your window into the visible desktop space, granting you access to the title bar once again.

Enjoy getting to know OS X. There are actually many power-user tips and tricks that you'll learn over time that make OS X kick-*ss, even when considering the window-manager-lite style of it's interface.

My number one suggestion for increasing productivity in OS X, especially for anybody used to *nix or who can type is Launch Bar by Objective Development.

At $20 for a home user license, it's the absolutely most fantastic utility/productivity/efficiency app I've ever used in all my fifteen years on the Mac. If you try it out, make sure to learn how to configure it to set which directories it should index, as well as an appropriate key command for your work style. I can't recommend it highly enough and couldn't imagine working without it.

Best,
Logicat
 
4 years later...

I'm new to mac's and also have this problem now.

Is there a fix for this issue yet? My Eclipse editor window is jutting off screen - no title bar in sight. No 'Zoom' option. I tried killing the application and restarting - it's still off screen! Where are the options for the window position stored - I guess I have to edit the mac equivalent of the registry...? :(

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
There is no Mac equivalent of the registry. If you have Leopard, you can go into the Spaces view (F8) and that should allow you to move an application window from anywhere in the window.
 
it seems that this problem is not solved for 4 years :)

This could be a solution is applicable:
connect your mac to a second monitor, then go to the system preference for Display, go to arrangement, drag the menu bar to another monitor (the one the window does not stay)
 
Several More Months Pass...

This is simple now in Leopard. Activate spaces with F8, go to the space with the offending window, the window's title bar will show allowing you to drag it into position, let go F8 and zoom the window to full screen. Usually works Some Mac software from Google (Picasa comes to mind) does not have a Window menu, and hence no Zoom command. Go figger.
 
If you get the application HyperDock, then you can set it up not to do what it is meant to do, but also to drag and change the size of windows while pressing a (series of) button(s). i do ctrl-option, and the window drags, and ctrl-option-shift, and i can change its size.

I realize I'm about 5 and a half years after the original post, but I hope it's helpful, nonetheless!
 
Better touch tool app. It worked for me when I tried the script editor and it didn't work, there is no zoom option for this application, and my laptop wouldn't let me change the display settings. Great app, and you can set a touchpad option to center a window. Easy peasy and worked like a charm! Oh, and it's free!
 
resolution

change the screen resolution
move window to different location
change back resolution
done!
 
Go to your Library, Preferences, Adobe and find the Adobe Extension Manager folder. Trash it and empty the trash, open your app again and the window will appear in the correct place.
 
Perfect JohnSilver... Free, effective. My Pandora Adobe Air window decided to wander upwards of the menu bar and has been piquing me for days. Free is way better than tools to download and trialware etc.
 
so the answer is there is no answer?

you can't drag a window without clicking on the title bar?...forget about re-sizing, buying software (or downloading free crap), or resetting your software or machine - THOSE ARE NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION!!!
 
ndebard said:
Just to followup, for whatever reason I now have a window who's title bar is above the top of the screen - this is something I often did under Linux WManagers in an attempt to move things out of my way. Sure there are better ways to do this but now I need to move this window by clicking somewhere else but on the title bar.
Click to expand...

You can use the Window Zoom function to reposition and resize the window to the screen.

  1. Make the application the focus by using Command-Tab.
  2. Either use the application Window->Zoom menu, or hit the Window Zoom hotkey.

In older versions of OS X the Window Zoom function had a default keyboard shortcut. In Mountain Lion you need to set up the shortcut yourself. To setup the shortcut, open System Preferences->Keyboard:
  1. Click on "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.
  2. Select "Application Shortcuts"
  3. Under "All Applications" create a hotkey for the menu item "Zoom".
 
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Reactions: muninder
Resurrecting this old thread only because I found it via my own google search for this.

If you have a trackpad, you can enable 3 finger drag in the system prefs.

three-fingers.jpg


Doesn't help you if you not using a trackpad, but it's still nice to know there's at least 1 built in way of doing this.
 
Sorry for bumping this thread once again but it's the first relavant search result in Google, so for educational purposes...

crapthings said:
use BetterTouchTool, very handy:apple:
Click to expand...

That's the answer for me. Thanks! No need to create a gesture, the drag-anywhere functionality is handled specially and configurable in the settings panel:



This little trick helped my laziness reach a new high, I love it :cool:.
 
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