the os x tips thread

[john doe by choice]

You can also drag your applications folder to the dock - saves me some time when I don't already have a finder window open.

[xsic]

im not sure if this one's widely used by i use command+tab alot to switch in between apps

Yes mon, plus you can use command+shift+tab to reverse direction!

if you change the app by command+tab, you can easily get back to the previous app by just pressing command and then the tab-key SHORTLY. then again, and you are switching between the last two apps you´ve choosen. so it´s a memory effect to switch back and forth between two apps.

[SubFunk]

^ yep. also if you have a hell lot of apps open you can open the 'menu' with command+tab and hover with the mouse over it to select, if you then release the command+tab the app will be in front where the mouse was standing at last.

anyone again, how to make a screen shot without opening grab? i forgot that one...

[porfiry]

Just command-shift-3 instead of 4.

[SubFunk]

^^^ thanks!

[stringtapper]

And of course you can do the command+shift+4 and then click drag to make a selection you'd like to take a picture of. But another cool thing is if you do the same command+shift+4 and then hit the space bar it will make the cursor look like a camera and it will take a picture of any window you hover over and only that window.

[SubFunk]

^^^ wow, that one is new to me... THANKS, very handy indeed.

p.s. feeling like getting onto a little Windows vs. OSX war... here, it is still so much fun to do!
come on... pick a fight.

[epiphanius]

>>come on... pick a fight

Ok - in XP I can tell the cursor to jump to the default button a dialog, an option which improves workflow considerably. On a Mac - you have to pay a 3d party developer $20.00, for the same functionality.

Another: I could not find any way to turn off the stupid distracting highlights in Preview. To even change the colour, you have to use the command line: http://web.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/hoard ... ight_color which is pretty arcane.

Also - there's no way to increase the size of screen fonts:
http://macosx.com/tech-support/how-to-i ... /3190.html

Apple is just as arrogant and heavy handed as Microsoft. That said, I am enjoying the new Macbook I bought - but the fanboy stuff can go away.

Sorry for the derail - but there was a challenge!

e.

[SubFunk]

he he, i don't believe someone jumped on it, what a fun!



you made my evening, thanks!

[steko]

In Safari, bookmarks 1-9 (folders don't count) in the bookmarksbar are assigned to cmd-1-9.


If you' re often annoyed by stupid myspace backgrounds drag the colorszapper bookmarklet from the link below to your bookmarksbar (a green plus sign appears) and give it a shorter name like 1CZ (if it's the first one), hit cmd-1 & background is gone.

There is another nice one in the link:


http://www.usingmac.com/2008/6/1/bookma ... mac-safari


steko

[SubFunk]

oh yeah, i like that one, thanks!

[oblique strategies]

Sorry, gonna bend the rules of the thread title here... an awesome non osx audio tip.

SoundSource lets you switch audio hardware from your menu bar and provides quick shortcuts to Audio and MIDI prefs.



http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/

Nice. Do you feel it's safe enough to have running when you do a gig?

[steko]

For Leopard only:

Quicklook-Plugins:

http://sourceforge.jp/projects/fjnwebarchive/ (watch downloaded Safari webarchives with QuickLook)


http://homepage.mac.com/xdd/ (Flash Video FLV Quicklook Plugin)


For FLV Quicklook Plugin you also need Perian (free, open source QuickTime component that adds native support for many popular video formats): http://perian.org/

Before installing read: http://perian.org/#support


Drag the QuickLook Plugins in: Library/QuickLook & restart.


steko

[oblique strategies]

Flip4Mac
http://www.telestream.net/flip4mac-wmv/overview.htm

Play Windows Media files on your Mac using QuickTime Player or Safari Web Browser

[steko]

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

http://www.manytricks.com/namemangler/



http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/

http://www.apple.com/business/theater/

http://www.mactricksandtips.com/


steko