Spaces questions

[stanw]

At least I think it is a Spaces question...

I have to windows opened full screen, side by side. I need to open the calculator so I can run some numbers so I search for it and when I open it it completely takes me out of my existing windows and puts me somewhere else.

1. How can I simply open the calculator while having two other applications opened full screen?
2. I enter the mode where it shows the different spaces and I try to drag the calculator app to that space so it is part of it though it doesn't work. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks.

 

[hallux]

When you have 2 apps open using the automatic split screen, it creates a different space for that (so it IS a spaces" issue) as it goes to full-screen mode. The thing is, when you have an app open in that mode (full screen on its own space) you can't have another app open on top of it in that space. As a result, it takes you to a different, non-fullscreen, space to open the app.

 

[KALLT]

You can choose to create the Spaces yourself (in Mission Control) and then expand the application windows. You can configure particular applications to be accessible on every Space by right-clicking on their Dock icon → Options → ‘Assign to All Spaces’. To prevent the automatic jumping between Spaces, you can uncheck the second option in System Preferences → Mission Control. Now you can access Calculator wherever you want.

Apple’s fullscreen implementation on OS X is unfortunately still very limited. Apple actually had to ‘reinvent’ the wheel by adding this ‘Picture-in-Picture’ mode to iOS, before porting this to macOS Sierra. That’s as far as cross-application Spaces have come.

 

[stanw]

1. Why would you not want all of your applications available in every space?
2. After creating a new space, does it always stay on the Mac, even after rebooting?
3. Is the point to have a space for say, web browsers, one for documents, one for adobe CC, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[KALLT]

I suppose it is an implementation question. Given that Apple had to create an entirely new scheme for Picture-in-Picture, I am guessing that the fullscreen mode is technically distinct from Spaces and only marginally integrated into Mission Control.

Spaces stick across reboots. There is no ‘point’ or ideal use case, just do what makes sense to you. You can partition everything into Spaces, or keep it for very specific purposes. That is up to you. There are applications that can serve as a replacement for Split View too. I personally use Window Magnet (from the App Store).

 

[Gregg2]

How can I simply open the calculator while having two other applications opened full screen?

Use the Dashboard's calculator

 

[hallux]

As @KALLT indicated, use them as you see fit. You could have a Chrome instance on multiple spaces, one for work purposes, one for personal. It's all in how your workflow works best for you.

For example - on my work Mac I have a space for Outlook (full-screen mode on an external monitor), one for Chrome (also full-screen, on the laptop display), one for chat clients and one for accessing the desktop icons or working with apps such as the Office suite. In the case of this machine, the spaces are remembered across reboots, even which ones were associated with the external display.

On my personal Mac, I have Messages and Mail open on one space, Chrome on another and a 3rd "free" one for misc. stuff.

To use the calculator when you have an app open full-screen, swipe in from the right with 2 fingers, this opens the notification pane. You can have a calculator pinned there.