Single Application Mode: My favorite hidden feature of OS X

thought_alarm 13 years ago |

Alternatively, hold Command+Option when switching apps to toggle "single app" mode. I.e., you switch apps and hide all others in a single step. I use it all the time.

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

Thanks! I didn't know about this. Personally, I like Single Application Mode so that I don't have to think about it. I throw every computer I have into Single App Mode when I get it.

bazzargh 13 years ago |

Another alternative approach - fullscreen. Gives me more room on the 13" Macbook, and as the article says, you can just cmd-tab.

This works fine for browsers, terminals, but afaik the OSX builds of emacs don't ship with a fullscreen mode; so you just do M-x server-start, and in a fullscreened terminal run /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/emacsclient -nw

julian37 13 years ago | |

A week ago I finally got myself to patch my Emacs (24.1.1) using the procedure described here:

http://www.sanityinc.com/full-screen-support-for-cocoa-emacs...

Although that post (and the patch) is a bit dated, it worked fine for me (one hunk didn't apply cleanly but after reviewing it I decided it's obsolete, so I just ignored it.)

The result is just what I expected, I can't believe I waited that long before giving it a try. Highly recommended, if like me you prefer native Emacs over one running in a terminal.

(Somehow it even manages to avoid that annoying full-screen animation which so far I didn't manage to completely turn off for iTerm.)

leif 13 years ago | |

There is a working patch somewhere out there that adds lion fullscreen support to emacs.

bazzargh 13 years ago | | |

Yes - in fact there are several. You can even do it with external apps (http://chpwn.com/apps/maximizer.html). But meh, this ancient macbook runs hot if you even ask it to show a flash video, I'm not going to set it on fire by asking it to compile emacs or run more stuff.

chbrown 13 years ago |

Alternatively to the dock / defaults changes, you can just press Command+Alt+H

frou_dh 13 years ago | |

My inkling is that your Hide Others and the basic Hide are seriously underused by OS X users.

Minimizing a window in to the Dock is only worth it if the app has another window(s) that you want to remain visible. If instead you Hide the app, it doesn't take any clicks to get it back, you just Cmd-Tab.

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

Nice find! Thanks chbrown.

cadooo 13 years ago |

This article looks like an edited down version of this http://tidbits.com/article/10624

With no mention or link to the original work.

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

That was my mistake. I must have closed the tab by accident. Updating now. Thanks for catching this, cadooo.

zashapiro 13 years ago | | |

Updated!

powerslave12r 13 years ago |

I usually just go fullscreen. One of the biggest peeves I have is that Chrome doesn't show the Omnibox (nor does it let you type a new url) while in fullscreen mode.

I do love Sublime Text 2's distraction free mode.

dchest 13 years ago | |

Chrome doesn't show the Omnibox

It does:

- View > Enter Full Screen mode -- with Omnibox and tabs.

- View > Enter Presentation mode -- without Omnibox or tabs.

Or click the little button on the right to switch between modes: http://i.imgur.com/GD1LX.png

powerslave12r 13 years ago | | |

Am I crazy or just stupid? I can't find (nor did I know there existed) anything like that.

I'm usually switching between Ubuntu and Windows 7.

I think I need to dig deeper in to the chrome settings.

Edit: Never mind, looks like an OSX only feature.

dchest 13 years ago | | |

Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking about OS X and its recently introduced full screen mode, which Chrome initially supported without showing Omnibox.

grimtrigger 13 years ago |

I use CTR+tab to switch between windows, anything that would work for me?

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

I'm not familiar with single application mode for Windows. Sorry, grim :(

jetako 13 years ago | | |

The question wasn't about Windows. The single-app setting only works when you use the Dock to switch apps, not when you use Command+Tab. I would like to know if there's a way to affect the latter as well.

zashapiro 13 years ago | | |

Let me do some digging. I suspect not. I use Command + Tab to switch apps and then when I want to isolate I pull up my dock and click an icon (my dock is usually hidden).

droelf 13 years ago |

Is there any xmonad alternative for mac?

evanm 13 years ago |

yo zach, you from baltimore? go ravens!

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

We should hang out then! Shoot me an email zack @ zackshapiro.com and let's grab coffee and meet up! Maybe we'll end up watching a Ravens game together in the Fall!

zashapiro 13 years ago | |

I am indeed! Are you? Go Ravens!

evanm 13 years ago | | |

yessir! also live in SF—our apartment is adorned with all sorts ravens paraphernalia.