MacOS X Tips & Hints

naquaada · #1 01-30-2008, 05:08 AM

Let's share some tips what you found out during working with MacOS X. This should also be for beginners, like key combinations, system software etc.

Finder:

Add the optional field 'Path' in the finder's toolbar. With this you don't have to use 'back' a thousand times if you want to switch a directory deeper.
Press Alt+Shift+G to jump to a specified path. This works also for hidden directories, f.e. /Volumes shows all disks.
If you want a more powerful Finder try Path Finder. It's good for working with invisible files and so on, but it's more complicated.
Remember 'Recent objects' in the Apple menu. You'll also find the last used programs in there, this is very handy sometimes.

System:

The right Alt key (on German keyboards: AltGr) has the same function as the left Alt key. The windows menu key has no function.
To open the onscreen keyboard, get KeyViewer from here: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14995/keyviewer
Hold F12 to eject the first DVD drive, Windows-F12 to eject the second. It's not working with some drives if no disc is inserted.
Hold Ctrl-F12 for the shutdown menu. It's an easy way to shut down the computer: Hold down for a short time Ctrl-F12 and then press Enter.
Alt+Windows+Esc is like a small task manager. It's also the fastest way to exit FrontRow

I'm always starting the Activity Monitor at login (select hide application), with the cpu logging in the Dock. With this you can control/kill every process, not only applications.

Other:

Try Ctrl+Windows+Alt+8... QE/CI needed

Tips:

I'm always clearing any functions (Dashboard, Exposé) from the F-keys 1 to 12, other programs could possibly use them.
My configuration: Spaces in the lower left corner and Exposé (all windows) in the lower right corner. These are positions in which the mouse is not so often during working. On the middle mouse button I'm using 'Show Desktop' cause the middle mouse button isn't used very often in OS X programs.
If your using Spaces, try reducing it to one row. So you don't have to go up and down with cursor selection, Right-Ctrl and Cursor-Left is all you need to easily toggle through all desktops (up to four).
I'm using rather often the Dashboard, it's on F13 (= PrintScreen) on my system. Search the Wigdet 'DevMode', install it into Dashboard and switch it on. Now you can drag Widgets to the Desktop: Hold the mouse button on the widget and leave Dashboard (in my case again pressing F13) - now you have the widget on the screen, laying on top of all other windows. If you want to close it, hover over the widget and hold the windows key, then you can close it with the X. If you want to lay it back on the Dashboard, hold it with the mouse and enter Dashboard again.