TextEdit always opens new windows on external monitor

[eyedee]

I just updated my MacBook Pro to macOS Sierra from OS X 10.8 mountain lion. I've found quite a few issues, many I've already fixed, but one of the little annoyances I'm left with is an odd issue with TextEdit.

Every new TextEdit window opens on my left hand external monitor. I run 2 external displays but the TextEdit window always opens in the very bottom right corner of the left external monitor. If I drag the window down to the MacBook Pro's retina screen and close it, or manually save and close it, when I next open the file it will open up on the left monitor again.

It's an annoyance rather than a big problem, but it is frustrating when the external monitors are turned off and you just want to quickly check a file using the MacBook Pro screen. Your forced to turn on the external monitors and that takes some time.

Does anyone know of a fix for this little issue please?

 

[m4v3r1ck]

1. Move TextEdit from your left sided monitor to your right sided monitor.
2. Quite TextEdit on your right sided monitor! - important
3. First click and asure yourself to select your right sided monitor, select [cmd]+[space] / Spotlight menu icon and use "Text..." to find TextEdit.
4. TextEdit will now open on your main screen.

So, you have to quit and open any app - on the monitor / in the space - where you need it! Good luck.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

You could try and trash TextEdits plist.

 

[eyedee]

Thanks very much m4v3r1ck. I did as you suggested but the problem persists. :-(

After following the instructions I can get the initial TextEdit screen to open on any screen that I choose. And if I force TextEdit to open on either of the external monitors the program remains on that screen exclusively. So far so good. But as soon as I force TextEdit to open on the MacBook Pro main screen again the problem returns. I can open TextEdit on the main Retina laptop screen but when I click on the 'New Document' button the new window always opens up in the bottom right hand corner of the left external monitor.

Very odd!?
[doublepost=1486469216][/doublepost]Crossed posts! Thanks T'hain Ash Kelch. I'll give that a go now.
[doublepost=1486469703][/doublepost]Unfortunately deleting the Container.plist (User/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Container.plist) didn't change anything.

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Welcome! Do you have any multi-monitor app running?

 

[eyedee]

No multi-monitor app. Just the 2 external monitors plugged in via the 2 x thunderbolt ports and setup in 'preferences' and 'displays'.

Out of interest I just opened Mission Control and it confirms the MacBook Pro screen is desktop 1, the left external monitor is desktop 2, and the right external monitor is desktop 3. So, when I open the TextEdit program the initial screen (that lets you select a file to open or create a new document) opens on Desktop 1, but when you click to create a new document it always opens at the bottom right corner of Desktop 2.

 

[BrianBaughn]

There are other TextEdit plist files that you could experiment with [backup to different location and delete].

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TextEdit.plist

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Data/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.TextEdit.savedState/windows.plist

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Thanks very much m4v3r1ck. I did as you suggested but the problem persists. :-(
[doublepost=1486469216][/doublepost]Crossed posts! Thanks T'hain Ash Kelch. I'll give that a go now.
[doublepost=1486469703][/doublepost]Unfortunately deleting the Container.plist (User/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Container.plist) didn't change anything.

Could you please select the TextEdit icon in dock and right-click to see more options and share a screencap?

 

[eyedee]

There are other TextEdit plist files that you could experiment with [backup to different location and delete].

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TextEdit.plist

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.TextEdit/Data/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.TextEdit.savedState/windows.plist

Thanks, I just tried deleting all those and the problem persists. I deleted evert textedit.plist file but the problem persists unfortunately.
[doublepost=1486492843][/doublepost]

Could you please select the TextEdit icon in dock and right-click to see more options and share a screencap?

Oh, I don't seem to have the 'Assign To' option?!

I've hopefully attached a screen shot of what I have.

 

[m4v3r1ck]

You're most welcome!

These are my settings for Mission Control:

Here you go - SOURCE: MacWorld

1. In the Mission Control preference, set the separate displays option. You will need to log out and back in to have it take effect.
2. If you don’t see the Options > Assign To item in the Dockfor apps you check, launch Mission Control. (Press a dedicated keyboard button, swipe up with three or four fingers on a trackpad, or press Control-Up Arrow on a keyboard.)
3. On the main display, click the + sign at far left. This creates a new Space.
4. Exit Mission Control by pressing Escape.

You should now have Options > Assign To in your contextual Dock app menus.

 

[eyedee]

Mr. m4v3r1ck, I doff my hat to you good sir! That's fixed it.

It's such a small thing but can be so frustrating when the external monitors are turned off.

Thanks very much.

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Mr. m4v3r1ck, I doff my hat to you good sir! That's fixed it.

It's such a small thing but can be so frustrating when the external monitors are turned off.

Thanks very much.

Thank you and good for you, that it solved the issue you were having and glad to be of help of course. Yes, when using multiple monitors it can be a real pita to send the windows into the dark!

I use three monitors with a lot of desktops on each separate monitor, so for me this is a great tweak too to be able to manage (clean desktop policy) all ~20 open applications each day.

Enjoy your new tweak!

Cheers

 

[BrianBaughn]

Mr. m4v3r1ck, I doff my hat to you good sir! That's fixed it.

It's such a small thing but can be so frustrating when the external monitors are turned off.

Thanks very much.

What were your settings?

 

[Ben J.]

Here you go - SOURCE: MacWorld

1. In the Mission Control preference, set the separate displays option. You will need to log out and back in to have it take effect.
2. If you don’t see the Options > Assign To item in the Dockfor apps you check, launch Mission Control. (Press a dedicated keyboard button, swipe up with three or four fingers on a trackpad, or press Control-Up Arrow on a keyboard.)
3. On the main display, click the + sign at far left. This creates a new Space.
4. Exit Mission Control by pressing Escape.You should now have Options > Assign To in your contextual Dock app menus.

THANK YOU!
I've been searching for a solution to this problem for ages, and finally I can have the option to set default display for applications again. I'm on Catalina now, it seems this was less of a problem before. Also, I now have 3 monitors, wich may have conributed to the problem.
Anyway this solution brings back the option in right-click-app-in-dock to set default screen.
Also thanks to the macworld article.