window management on macOS is not good

[9873697]

I use Mac for over a month now and I am turbo satisfied. I have done many things for the college, it is so fun to work on a Mac...

...but one thing is so bad on Mac and that is window management. I use "Magnet" app but still it is prety bad.


I have opened word, opera, finder, mozzila, mail and it looks so sloppy.
Every app is bellow another and I have to drag word app next to the Opera (writing a seminar). Magnet app helps a little bit.

I don't know how but on Windows I manage it much better. It is much faster there and it is much cleaner. I don't have that mess and thus when I click on the "X" program is closed but Mac does not close it. I can't describe how and why but ask someone to give you windows pc and open and close 5 apps, you will see it is faster and better there.

Can I close (not hide) app with an x? X is for closing and this annoys me.
Can I organise windows like on a win pc? I have big mess with dragging open apps and finding them underneath another one.

 

[casperes1996]

cmd+Q quits an app. A program and its window are separate on macOS for many good reasons that you come to appreciate over time. You can for instance close all windows of Safari, yet still press cmd+n to open a brand new window of Safari. X is for closing a window, not an app.

Window management on macOS is, in my opinion, awesome. I hate it on Windows actually. Though Gnome is pretty good too.

Start using spaces, mission control. Cmd+h quickly hides all windows from the app in focus. That one is useful too. Multiple spaces on macOS is brilliantly implemented and allows for superb window managed setups.

I think this is more a case of what you're used to versus a new way of doing things.

 

[9873697]

Aha, I see shortcuts are very useful here like this cmd + h. Thanks for that but there is one more thing.

There is one more important thing. When I open 2 word files and close another one I just can't find it anymore. I used command + n and I couldn't find the open window and now it just appeared. It is a little confusing to me so I made a video.



This is what describes my problem:

[automerge]1572999457[/automerge]

 

[casperes1996]

Aha, I see shortcuts are very useful here like this cmd + h. Thanks for that but there is one more thing.

There is one more important thing. When I open 2 word files and close another one I just can't find it anymore. I used command + n and I couldn't find the open window and now it just appeared. It is a little confusing to me so I made a video.



This is what describes my problem:

[automerge]1572999457[/automerge]

Looks like you minimise the Word window - Now usually minimising a window makes it fly into the Dock (see my attached video). It appears it doesn't do that for you. Don't know if you've changed a setting, if it's Word or something else, but there are still a number of ways of accessing minimised windows. I've attached a video demonstrating a few.

Also note that what I said about cmd+n was for a whole new window, not bringing up an old one. It's for creating a new document or a new Safari page. In Safari (and many other browsers) reopening the last closed window, if it's fully closed, not minimised, is cmd+shift+t. Some also allow cmd+z, reverting the closing.

One way is clicking the minimised view in the Dock (that you don't seem to get in this case)

Another is to use app exposé. This can be invoked a few different ways. ctrl+arrow-down when the app is activated, double tapping the app icon in the dock with two fingers (not clicking, tapping), a downward motion with three fingers on the trackpad (needs to be enabled first in trackpad settings).
Another option is right clicking/control-clicking the app and selecting the window from the top of its list
You can also access it from the menu bar's "window" menu item.

Other unrelated tips:
F11 or an outward pinch with four or five fingers on the trackpad clears all windows temporarily so you can access the desktop (pinch inwards or F11 again to get it all back).
Pinch inwards without first pinching outwards to get to Launchpad
Alt-clicking a dock-icon can perform hide-unhide operations and even the "hide-others" operation.
cmd+m quickly minimises.
ctrl+cmd+f usually is for fullscreening a window. - Sometimes cmd+f alone works, but cmd+ctrl+f is default. If a video is playing in Safari for instance, just hitting f will often fullscreen the video alone, but this depends on the site.
And remember - Pretty much anything can be customised - Do you hide the Dock but want it to appear quicker when you move your mouse to it? It can be done (Google - There's a Terminal command for it)
Want icons to have a linear animation when minimising instead of the Geenie effect? it can be done.
Want to change which keyboard shortcuts do what or how the trackpad behaves, all possible.

And feel free to ask

Video linked through Google Drive:

Google Drive: Sign-in

Access Google Drive with a Google account (for personal use) or Google Workspace account (for business use).

drive.google.com

 

[9873697]

Thank you for comprehensive answer. I asked for permission to look the google drive file, you will see it in your gmail.
I used cmd + shift + t and it opened it from the dock, I didn't know it can do that. I used cmd + t.
Most shortcuts are the same on both systems so I don't have a problem with opening a tab, finding on a page...
Spotlight didn't find the Exposé app but on the store I found WinaSide app which does Windows type management for certain apps.

I managed to right click on the Word an then I saw it finds document:

Thanks for the help. I will wait you to allow me the acces to the google file document.

 

[casperes1996]

Spotlight didn't find the Exposé app but on the store I found WinaSide app which does Windows type management for certain apps.

Thought I made the video public. Apparently didn't. Should be shared now.

Exposé isn't an app, but a system feature not accessed like an app. It's visible in the video.
When an app is active (name in the menu bar). Control+arrow-down activates it. You can also set up the trackpad to access it with a pull down with three fingers.

 

[allan.nyholm]

All of this reminds me of my bit of troubles with the Command+Tab listings. I was previously using the app called HyperSwitch HyperSwitch by bahoom and now I use Witch Witch by Many Tricks

I essentially wanted what I was using with Windows XP back in the day: the program coming forward and activating either hidden or has no available window to present to me when choosing the program - like Microsoft To-do, Mail or Safari or what ever it might be. Witch costs a little but I find it to be the best for managing my windows and apps using macOS. I set up Witch to take over the Command+Tab hotkey so that I am presented with that instead.

Although I am aware of the "tricks" with macOS already fine Command+Tab I want more and I hope you can make use of it too by applying third-party options. Either paid or free. HyperDock by bahoom as linked to above also has a great deal of managing windows, like Magnet and Tiles (Tiles preferences are a bit upsetting as it by default screws up many of macOS fine shortcuts so change those if you use Tiles instead of Magnet) Edit HyperDock probably isn't the best suggestion by me.

Also, putting Mission Control in the Dock(Or using Spotlight/hotkey) might help take some of the stress out of window managing if you also tick the box inside System Preferences that is called(in English) "Group windows by applications"

If I'm out of context then please excuse my ramblings..

 

[9873697]

@casperes1996 thanks, I looked the video. control + arrow down works while I am on the desktop. I found a solution, right click (I turned it in settings instead of double tap) on an app and then it shows all open files. These tabs do no appear as they appear to you in this area after the line but I acces to three files in one app with right click.

Thank you for your time!


@allan.nyholm thanks for telling me for the apps.

I downloaded Hyperswitch and it shows me the preview and I will thing about Witch as both apps do similar job and first one is free.
I alredy use Magnet. It was the first app I downloaded. I turned on Mac and went to the YouTube and searched which programs (its called apps here) to download so basicaly after I unboxed the computer, I had it on. It helps me a lot as I use around 3-4 windows open at a time. It does not work for Outlook but for all other apps it did.

I have mission control in the dock and the rocket (launchpad) so I do things faster.

Also thank you for the time and app suggestion! I alredy use it.