Mac OSX Interface

Well the new design job has forced my transition into a mac based platform. I’ve been using it for 2 months now.
I was wondering if anyone would elaborate for me on what would make the ‘window’ style of running software ie. Photoshop, Illustrator and Rhino better than the running of snap windows that you see in windows 7?? Maybe I am just not used to it yet. But I find the window style so sloppy and irritating when I misclick. I feel like I am always having to introduce another click to get back into the software to get back into the top menu’s. Where I wouldn’t need to do this in Windows 7.

Rhino is especially irritating without the snap windows because it leaves about a 3/4" by 9" waste of space on the monitor at all times.

Pet peeves.

-Can’t delete files with the delete key
-I feel like using control v,c, etc is more ergonomic than using command v,c etc.
-The viewer doesn’t let you view other photos in the same folder. You have to open all . command O after dragging and selecting all of the photos.
-When moving files and general actions within mac osx it doesn’t feel as crisp and quick as it does in windows.

I’m not too sure what you mean by this but you can “quick preview” most file types by hitting “spacebar”, a pop up window appears and hitting space again gets rid of it. It can view images pdfs, even .3dm’s. And you can navigate through files using the arrow keys. There shouldn’t be any need to open any files in preview or another app to look at it.

It definitely isn’t Windows, the UI does take getting used to and personally now, if I had to switch back to PC I would struggle as well.

In terms of photoshop and rhino not going full screen ( I think that is what you are saying?) you could always try using “spaces” you need to hit the full screen button in the top right of an application, then you can go back and forth through each space. It essentially creates multiple desktops of single applications which can easily be swiped through. you can get to spaces through Mission Control (Just hit cmd+space to bring up spotlight search then search for mission control).

Hope this helps

Oli

Command+Delete deletes files.

I second using desktops and full screen apps. You’ll get a nice workflow down if you stay organized. Coming from windows 7 is tough, but it is manageable.

F3, my favorite feature of OSX. I just full screen everything and F3 all the time.

As the others have said, it is different and takes getting used to, but a really smooth workflow is definitely as possible in OSX as it is in Win7. When I’m in Windows I’m more oriented around snapping, like you are, but when I’m in OSX it’s much more based on flicking things away and flicking them back.

In OSX it’s like I’ve got a tiny desk, and I’ve laid out all my papers in tidy stacks, and bring things to the top of the pile when I need them. In Windows it’s like I’ve got a giant workbench, and all my papers are strewn about, but I can see it all at once.

Protip on CMD+C: use your thumb, don’t try and make it ergonomically similar to using CTRL.

And spacebar quick look is VITAL.

To be fair, I’m many years into using OSX and I still don’t understand maximize/minimize window behavior.

Also, Shift+F3, Command+F3 are also helpful.

Command shows your desktop
Shift shows the windows open in the active program. Got a pile of PDFs open? Shift+F3 shows all of them at once, and you can select them.

Seconding the thumb-based Cmd+C, Cmd+Z…

Pressing cmd with the thumb feels ergonomically perfect for me on the mac-keyboard. Makes it a lot easier to include alt in shortcuts that use both cmd and alt too (there are a few).

If you never get used to it (or like me get confused by having to switch between Mac and Win) you can always remap the keys. I had to do so on my work pc as I kept my Mac habits. Keyboard shortcuts become second nature, but having two “second natures” just doesn’t work;)

@NURB I have actually set the right alt-key to show all the windows for active application. Works perfectly and I only use the left alt-key for alt anyway :wink:

You just blew my mind.

Just experimented with multiple desktops, seems it could be either really helpful or really confusing, but it’s an easy 4 finger swipe.

Isn’t this available as a standard swipe gesture?
I’ve set up a bunch of swipe gestures with BetterTouchTool, for example swiping between tabs in chrome, closing a tab etc…

The multitouch swiping thing is why I love OSX, 2 years in only… and I mostly run 4-5 desktops with one program on each…

What really gets on my nerves is the Ctrl-Alt-Shift-Space combos in Photoshop and Illustrator. My left hand is on those keys at ALL times, but switching to mac you have to use Cmd instead of Ctrl…

Swipe works well as long as you’re using an Apple trackpad or mouse :wink: