Spaces makes me cry

[blueExcess]

So far, I've loved pretty much everything about Lion, except SPACES!!!! They totally ruined it. Typically, (in SL), I'll have my main desktop, then mail in another, and iTunes and other random distraction programs in a third. Now, the fullscreen mail program is just nuts (in a bad way) and I haven't been able to get non-fullscreen programs into their own space.

So anyone know a way to get windowed apps into separate spaces? And seriously, what's up with fullscreen mail?? You can't do anything outside of your email window when composing a message! I can't be the only person who references other emails when writing one…. but I'm kinda stuck with it because I want it in its own space. I'd also like it if they'd bring back the old space scheme where you had desktops below and to the sides…. I miss that.

Anyone want to help me out and save my sanity?

 

[gr8tfly]

Well, you probably need to say goodbye to the spacially arranged Desktops.

To assign an app to open in a particular Desktop, right-click (or click-hold) its Dock icon, then > Optionx > Assign to. Select the Desktop number, or "This Desktop".

Can I suggest not running Mail fullscreen? It doesn't seem to fit your needs. (Or mine - I still have it set to Classic view, to give you an idea of my thoughts on Mail. Though, even in Classic, there are some nice Lion features that I do like.)

 

[blueExcess]

When I right click on the dock icon (any dock icon) I only get three items under options > Keep in Dock, Open at Login, Show in Finder. I'm not seeing it in preferences either. I've gotta be missing something (probably something obvious haha)

Switched to classic view in mail though, and you're right, much better

 

[gr8tfly]

When I right click on the dock icon (any dock icon) I only get three items under options > Keep in Dock, Open at Login, Show in Finder. I'm not seeing it in preferences either. I've gotta be missing something (probably something obvious haha)

Switched to classic view in mail though, and you're right, much better

Do you have any Desktops created in Mission Control?

On a separate note, there's an option that arranges Desktops in order of most recently used. If that's enabled (I think it is by default), it might add confusion to trying to assign them (hummm.. Just thinking if enabled, perhaps that why you don't have any Desktop options? Just a thought (it's disabled on my system). The option is in the Mission Control System Pref pane.

 

[samh]

When I right click on the dock icon (any dock icon) I only get three items under options > Keep in Dock, Open at Login, Show in Finder. I'm not seeing it in preferences either. I've gotta be missing something (probably something obvious haha)

I just tested it out and you're right, if you only have the single default desktop then you don't get the Assign To option in the dock icon.

Here's what I did because I was having trouble with this too and just now got around to intentionally trying things out. I really want FileZilla and Dreamweaver CS4 to open in Desktop 3 (it was in Space 3 prior to Lion).

- With no additional desktops, and Dreamweaver closed, I created two (Desktop 2 and Desktop 3).
- Switched to Desktop 3.
- Opened Dreamweaver and let it finish opening.
- Right-click on DW's dock icon and Option > Assign to This Desktop

When I subsequently closed DW and travelled back to the default desktop, then reopened DW, it switched over to Desktop 3 first.

However... If I closed the extra desktops in Mission Control, then launched DW... it opened in the default space again.

I really want to make use of Mission Control but if there's no way for an app to create its own space on open, it's going to be really obnoxious.

 

[gr8tfly]

I just leave a minimum number of Desktops open (all my assigned, plus couple where I temporarily placed a TextEdit doc and left one empty (total of six).

Here's my setup:

Assigned
Desktop 1: Safari
Desktop 2: Mail
Desktop 3: iTunes
Desktop 4: Terminal

Unassigned
Desktop 5: TextEdit document
Desktop 6: Empty​

If I logout or restart, Resume takes care of the Desktop 5 document window.

 

[blueExcess]

I've got my spaces working now (thanks!) but thinking about samh's post, maybe it's something you could do in automator? I've never used it except to get logic 8 to work in lion, but it seems like there should be a way so when you open program x, it would automatically create the spaces and place it in the space you want. I'll post it if I figure it out.