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switching apps only brings up menu bar

K

Khechog

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2009
7
0
Hi, I'm back on Mac after a hiatus and I'm adjusting to the differences between Spaces and Mission Control. The new way of doing things has me using cmd/TAB to switch apps, or sometimes just using the dock. I'm finding that when I switch to an app that is in a desktop other than the one currently selected, the OS delivers it's menu bar, but not it's currently open windows. To get to the currently open windows I have to switch desktops using Mission Control. The behaviour I'd expect is that on selecting the app I zoom over to the desktop that contains it. I have my apps options set to keep them in particular desktops. Can anyone tell me if it's possible to make OS X behave in the way I'd like it to?

Thanks
 
A bit extra info - some apps do act as expected. I have iTunes set up to be fixed to a certain desktop. If I go to a different desktop and then click on the iTunes dock icon I am moved to the desktop which contains iTunes. Not so for Safari, Mail, Pages... There's disparity between non-Apple apps too. Choosing Photoshop via the dock takes me to the desktop containing Photoshop, but choosing Bridge just calls it's menu bar to whatever desktop I'm currently inhabiting, leaving the window sitting in it's own desktop.

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More info again! Single click on dock icon = call app menu bar to current desktop. Second click = go to app in containing desktop. Also, it doesn't happen all of the time. With PS sometimes I'm taken to the desktop, sometimes it just calls the menu bar. If I use cmd/TAB then I only get the menu bar behaviour or the move desktop behaviour, trying to select the app again using this method having just been given the menu bar does not then move me to the correct desktop.
 
Not sure if this helps sorry but I have just tested.

Desktop 1: Safari open.
Moved to desktop 2. Cmd+Tab to Safari icon.
Screen changes to desktop 1 and the open Safari window.

Using the mouse and clicking on it in the dock from desktop 2 also has the same expected effect as above.

I use multiple desktops a lot and I haven't noticed this problem to be honest.
 
Thanks, that suggests it's specific to my machine, I'll get in touch with Applecare.
 
Have you this selected? :
 

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No, I didn't, and that was the problem. Thank you for taking the time to point it out, I really thought I was at the beginning of a tiring tech support journey.
 
Khechog said:
No, I didn't, and that was the problem. Thank you for taking the time to point it out, I really thought I was at the beginning of a tiring tech support journey.
Click to expand...

No problem. Glad to help. Best of luck with Mountain Lion.
 
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