Application Shortcuts

Pretty much everything that you do on your Mac takes place within an application. (Technically, everything you do takes place within an application because the Finder is considered an app.) You’ll probably have several applications open at the same time. Although Part IV of this book really covers applications in all their glory, this section covers the highlights that should be second nature.

Here’s an easy way to switch applications:

1. Begin by holding down ⌘ and then pressing Tab to bring up a palette listing the currently open applications, with the most recently
   used application automatically selected.
   
2. While holding down ⌘, press Tab repeatedly to move among the application icons until the desired application is selected.
   
   Press ⌘-Shift-Tab to go in reverse order.
   
3. Release ⌘ to bring up the selected application.
   
4. Press Escape to cancel the switch.

The Finder, Safari, and a few other applications all have a command similar to ⌘-Tab. You can use ⌘-~ (tilde) to toggle among the open windows.

Working with many applications and windows has two primary considerations: switching among them and clearing out the clutter. Knowing how to hide current and background applications goes a long way toward creating a neater workspace and giving you peace of mind.

• Use ⌘-H to hide the current application.
  
• Use ⌘-Option-H to hide all the background applications.

Getting fancy with ⌘-Tab

Strange as it might seem, you can also use your mouse (or other input device) in conjunction with ⌘-Tab. After you bring up the palette, you can hover your cursor over an application’s icon to select it and then release the ⌘ key to travel there. You don’t even need to click the mouse for this to work.

This means that you can perform drag-and-drop actions with ⌘-Tab and your mouse or other input device:

1. In an open application, select the text, image, or whatever you want to copy elsewhere.
   
2. Click and hold the selection.
   
3. While continuing to hold your mouse click, drag the selection slightly off in any direction.
   
4. Press ⌘-Tab to bring up the open application’s palette.
   
5. Use either your cursor or Tab to select the destination application (while continuing to hold both the mouse button and the ⌘ key).
   
6. Release the ⌘ key to bring up the destination
   application.
   
7. Position your cursor in the appropriate location in the new application.
   
8. Release the mouse key to complete the move.

This process might seem foreign at first, but it’s remarkably effective and a good alternative to copying and pasting.

Reprinted from Mac OS X Tiger Timesaving Tips for Dummies, copyright 2005, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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