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Start > Run in a mac?

Q

qtip919

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 24, 2002
279
0
Hi,

Im new to the mac world, just bought my first powerbook ...despite the potential updates this next month... ;)

anyhoo-

I do something very, very frequently on a pc, and I would like to do the same thing on a mac ...

that is; I like to hit the "windows button" + 'R' which brings up the "run" dialog box...from there, I type the app name of that which I want to run...the reason for doing this is that I do not like to "mouse" my way to apps...I find it tideous. The dock is great and all, but I do not want to clutter it up with the 10 or so random apps that I use on top of all the serious apps that I like (iLife, Word, safari, itunes, etc, etc etc)

So, is there any equivilant in the mac world?

Lately, Ive been just using spotlight and selecting the app from the results...this is close, but still need to mouse to the app and double-click in this scenario...

Thanks in advance!
 
Get a copy of Quicksilver - it's even faster than Start-Run

You hit Ctrl Space, it pops up a box and you start typing. Within a few characters, your app will be listed and off you go. It can also do other clever stuff like creating archives, emailing files to people etc.
 
Perhaps you should have a Terminal window always open and use this. Or put it into your dock and start it when you need something.
 
qtip919 said:
Lately, Ive been just using spotlight and selecting the app from the results...this is close, but still need to mouse to the app and double-click in this scenario...
Click to expand...

Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space), type in the name of the app, then use Cmd + Enter to open the top match on the list of results...
 
Add the 10 or so applications to your login options.
OSX can keep them running in the background with virtually no system performance or stability degradation.
Command-tab to access them.
 
orkle said:
Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space), type in the name of the app, then use Cmd + Enter to open the top match on the list of results...
Click to expand...

This will be your equivalent to Start Run, in case you didn't know, spotlight finds more than just applications, and it a very powerful, and quick desktop search tool.

Also, cmd, stands for command, which is the key with the Apple on it.
 
qtip919 said:
Hi,

Im new to the mac world, just bought my first powerbook ...despite the potential updates this next month... ;)

anyhoo-

I do something very, very frequently on a pc, and I would like to do the same thing on a mac ...

that is; I like to hit the "windows button" + 'R' which brings up the "run" dialog box...from there, I type the app name of that which I want to run...the reason for doing this is that I do not like to "mouse" my way to apps...I find it tideous. The dock is great and all, but I do not want to clutter it up with the 10 or so random apps that I use on top of all the serious apps that I like (iLife, Word, safari, itunes, etc, etc etc)

So, is there any equivilant in the mac world?

Lately, Ive been just using spotlight and selecting the app from the results...this is close, but still need to mouse to the app and double-click in this scenario...

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I suppose that I could make a joke and Windows and the START button, but I won't.

Advice: You have now invested in a Macintosh. You should learn how to use your Macintosh. You are missing out on a lot by trying to transform your Macintosh into a Windows machine. It will take a few days, but you when you get up to speed, you will wonder why you ever used Windows.
 
MisterMe said:
I suppose that I could make a joke and Windows and the START button, but I won't.

Advice: You have now invested in a Macintosh. You should learn how to use your Macintosh. You are missing out on a lot by trying to transform your Macintosh into a Windows machine. It will take a few days, but you when you get up to speed, you will wonder why you ever used Windows.
Click to expand...

I agree only to a point.

qtip919, you should learn how to use the Macintosh in ways that accentuate its strengths, or you are cheating yourself. However, you hardly owe some god of platform orthodoxy a particular pattern of behavior.

Having a key command to call up a "run application" dialogue is a good thing. Apple's provided answer is Spotlight (Command-Space), it's meta-data aware search tool. I would suggest you use that to find files but not as an application launcher. For that (and so much more!) look to Quicksilver. It is free. It's default keybinding is Cntl-Space.

You can find Quicksilver at http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/
 
quidire said:
I agree only to a point.

qtip919, you should learn how to use the Macintosh in ways that accentuate its strengths, or you are cheating yourself. However, you hardly owe some god of platform orthodoxy a particular pattern of behavior.

Having a key command to call up a "run application" dialogue is a good thing. Apple's provided answer is Spotlight (Command-Space), it's meta-data aware search tool. I would suggest you use that to find files but not as an application launcher. For that (and so much more!) look to Quicksilver. It is free. It's default keybinding is Cntl-Space.

You can find Quicksilver at http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/
Click to expand...


Why shouldn't he use spotlight to launch applications?
I do, and it doesn't bother me.
 
Sharewaredemon said:
Why shouldn't he use spotlight to launch applications?
I do, and it doesn't bother me.
Click to expand...

The OP said that he didn't find launching them with Spotlight was what he wanted which is why I suspect Quicksilver has been mentioned.

I tried launching apps via Spotlight but I find Quicksilver more efficient for doing so since you can limit its searches to just the apps and widget folders which means it's quicker than Spotlight which is searching everything.
 
Applespider said:
The OP said that he didn't find launching them with Spotlight was what he wanted which is why I suspect Quicksilver has been mentioned.

I tried launching apps via Spotlight but I find Quicksilver more efficient for doing so since you can limit its searches to just the apps and widget folders which means it's quicker than Spotlight which is searching everything.
Click to expand...

He didn't like spotlight because he thinks it requires a mouse-over.

There are two ways around this.

Cmd+space, search, navigate with arrow keys, Cmd+enter, Cmd+o. It's a few keystrokes but it'll get you there without touching the mouse.

Cmd+option+space search, tab, navigate with arrow keys, Cmd+o.

Ideally you would be able to use Cmd+o from the menu but it doesn't work on my machine. Cmd+return simply shows me the item in the Finder, which still requires Cmd+o to launch.
 
Put an alias (shortcut) to your applications folder in your dock.

Click on it to open it in the finder and type the first few letters of the app you want (to select), then hit cmd+down arrow (to launch).

Alternately, ctrl-click on the alias to see a list of your apps.

This will work with any folder, BTW.
 
Cant you just put the Applications folder in your Dock and right click it and see all the files inside?

Its what I do..
 
command+space. That's how you activate spotlight without touching your mouse; then arrow down to the application.
 
personally I like command+space+bark like a cat and then , after all is said and done, go to the dock.

Hehe...reading this forum is totally geek-talk, it's awesome.
 
gekko513 said:
Why cmd+enter or cmd+o?

I just do

cmd-space, search, arrow-down, enter
Click to expand...


I was going to say that.

Sorry Applespider I didn't catch that from the OP.


Isn't it funny that there are two post that are 1 post apart that say the same thing?

Hmmmmm.
 
MisterMe said:
Advice: You have now invested in a Macintosh. You should learn how to use your Macintosh. You are missing out on a lot by trying to transform your Macintosh into a Windows machine. It will take a few days, but you when you get up to speed, you will wonder why you ever used Windows.
Click to expand...
Y'know ... this is an "suggestion" that I really get tired of around here.

Most Windows power users make heavy use of Win+R to pull up the "Run ..." dialog box and do some tasks quickly and easily. Spotlight works, but it's not as fast for 99% of the tasks that I do with "Run ...".

I've thought about building an OS X native app to emulate Win+R but haven't committed to it. It would be my first OS X app, though, so there's some motivation. :)
 
ChrisBrightwell

If you code up a Win+R solution for the mac, I would be your first customer ;)

Seriously, these are all great suggestions, especially the idea of keeping the application folder on my dock...I didnt know you could do that, and its working great now for me...I can safely minimize the number of dock items...just a personal preference thing, I dont like a cluttered dock -- also, I checked out Quicksilver...this is not exactly what I am looking for...which is, an instant way to launch an app...What would be especially cool is a widget living on my desktop...

Anyways, I think most of y'all are missing the point of the benefit of Win+R...

1. This involves only 2 small steps, which in my opinion is the easiest way to run apps that you use, but do not want running in the background (which is my point)..."a key-combination, and entering the name of the app"

2. In the variant of using spotlight, I still need to do one more step - and, as I alluded to earlier, it is what I am CURRENTLY doing now...

3. Using spotlight as a 'Win+R' solution is very much like using a sledgehammer to tap in a thumb tack...

The point of the 'Win+R' feature is that it is a lightweight, simple app that allows you to not only run an app, but also do things like launch web pages, run commands, etc, etc...

Spotlight is another feature entirely, and was designed for completely differnet tasks...I also assert that just because Macs have their own strengths does not mean that a really useful feature on one platform would not work as well on another. Im sure that this same feature would do wonders on a mac

Think of it this way; (back to my idea of a 'win+r' widget on the desktop...what if you combined the simplicity of the 'Win+R' functionality with automator...allowing you to run 5 step processes and recieve results simply by key'ing in some abstract command...the possibilities for instantly running an app, song, picture viewer, etc should be endless...

want to know the movie times, sure you could use a widget, or you could simply type in the command "movies in seattle at 5:00pm"

want to know the weather in atlanta on thursday? type in forecast: atlanta 7/28/2005

Its all about doing something with as little effort as possible (I know, this sounds lazy)...that is the general idea behind widgets and the many ideas that have preceeded widgets that do basically the same thing: bring information to you instead of going after the information you need...
 
Well, you claimed that you had to mouse to the application and double-click when using Spotlight, which isn't true.

Personally I don't see any advantage win Win+r over Spotlight, and I use them both since I have to work on a Windows computer. I find Spotlight more efficient except for Win+r cmd, because cmd is only three letters. With Spotlight I need only four keys (or less) of the app name, where as with Win+r, I often need to type a lengthy command, like notepad, for instance. Each to his own, I guess.

Edit: Using Spotlight to launch applications is NOT using a sledgehammer to tap in a thumb tack. Spotlight is excellent for launching applications and it was designed to be, why would search results in the Application folder be the first priority if not?
 
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