Inadvertently hiding a window

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John Ruggero
Posts: 827
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 am
Finale Version: Finale 25.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by John Ruggero » Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:18 pm

If I have a Preview window and a Finale window open, and the Finale window is in focus, if I forget to select the Preview first and instead click on it directly with the Finale Hand Grabber keyboard short cut, Option-Command, it hides the Finale window. And the opposite is also the case. If the Preview window is in focus and I click on the Finale Window with the Preview Hand Grabber keyboard command, Option-Space bar, it hides the Preview window.

I understand and reluctantly accept that Macs require that one first select a window to bring it into focus before applying a keyboard command. And I can understand that not doing so will produce no result. But I don't understand why this is hiding one of the windows.
2020 M1 Mac mini (OS 12.6) Finale 25.5, Dorico, Affinity Publisher, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard Maestro
www.cantilenapress.com

"The better the composer, the better the notation."


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Peter Thomsen
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Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:38 pm

Try again, but this time hold down only the Option key.

Same result:
The program in front is hidden.

Option-click works in all Mac programs.

This is an old Mac OS trick.
Has been like that for years.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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John Ruggero
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 am
Finale Version: Finale 25.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by John Ruggero » Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:44 pm

Thanks, Peter. I was afraid it was something like that.

But I am not doing an Option click. I am doing an Option-Command or Option-Space bar click. Mac doesn't know the difference? Or does it first process the Option and then add the Command? That would be awful.
2020 M1 Mac mini (OS 12.6) Finale 25.5, Dorico, Affinity Publisher, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard Maestro
www.cantilenapress.com

"The better the composer, the better the notation."

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N Grossingink
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Finale Version: 27.3
Operating System: Mac

Post by N Grossingink » Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:06 pm

If you have a Preview and Finale file both open on the desktop, pressing Command-Tab acts as a toggle between the 2 programs. Worth a try?
N. Grossingink
Educational Band, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble a specialty
Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFF5OeJDeLFGHMRyXrubFqZWXBubErw4/view?usp=share_link


Mac Mini 2014 2.6 Ghz, 8Gb RAM
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Finale 2012c, 25.5, 26.3, 27.3

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John Ruggero
Posts: 827
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 am
Finale Version: Finale 25.5
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Post by John Ruggero » Tue Mar 21, 2023 2:27 am

Thanks, N. It's an interesting idea. If I programmed a button on my mouse to do Command-Tab, it might be a better way to change windows. I'll try it.

I read online that I am not the only one who has been stymied by the Option click behavior.

Just discovered that I can assign the Application Switcher to a mouse button with SteerMouse. Seems pretty good. Time will tell. Thanks again, N.

Time is telling. Just one very small annoyance. The Finder is also listed in the Application Switcher list and can't be removed, according to what I read. So one has to click twice to change between two applications, even if only two are open.
2020 M1 Mac mini (OS 12.6) Finale 25.5, Dorico, Affinity Publisher, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard Maestro
www.cantilenapress.com

"The better the composer, the better the notation."

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John Ruggero
Posts: 827
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 am
Finale Version: Finale 25.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by John Ruggero » Tue Mar 21, 2023 8:13 pm

Continuing this somewhat tedious monologue in case it might be of help to someone. What does work well is to assign the Application Switcher to two buttons on the mouse by means of SteerMouse, one for each application that is being used. This allows switching with one mouse click and without selecting on the screen, which minimizes accidental use of the Hand Grabber before switching.
2020 M1 Mac mini (OS 12.6) Finale 25.5, Dorico, Affinity Publisher, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard Maestro
www.cantilenapress.com

"The better the composer, the better the notation."

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