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Open Files with Finder's App Switcher

Say you're in the Finder looking at a file and you want to open it with an application that's already running but which doesn't own that particular document. How? Switch to that app and choose File > Open? Too many steps. Choose Open With from the file's contextual menu? Takes too long, and the app might not be listed. Drag the file to the Dock and drop it onto the app's icon? The icon might be hard to find; worse, you might miss.

In Leopard there's a new solution: use the Command-Tab switcher. Yes, the Command-Tab switcher accepts drag-and-drop! The gesture required is a bit tricky. Start dragging the file in the Finder: move the file, but don't let up on the mouse button. With your other hand, press Command-Tab to summon the switcher, and don't let up on the Command key. Drag the file onto the application's icon in the switcher and let go of the mouse. (Now you can let go of the Command key too.) Extra tip: If you switch to the app beforehand, its icon in the Command-Tab switcher will be easy to find; it will be first (or second).

Visit Take Control of Customizing Leopard

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Published in TidBITS 997.
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Inside TidBITS | 28 Sep 2009 | Print Printer-Friendly Version of This Article

Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk for 28-Sep-09

by Jeff Carlson Send Email to Author

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Scroll Bar missing in MS Word 2008 for Mac -- Really? There's a preference in Word to hide the scrollbars? Huh. (3 messages)


Can't change x-eudora-settings in 6.2.4 Mac -- In trying to determine why Eudora is splitting long messages, readers veer into a discussion of the usefulness of Usenet in today's modern Internet. (6 messages)


FileVault on other than home directories on Mac OS X? FileVault is limited to just the Home directory, but a better option is available: use Disk Utility to create encrypted disk images. (4 messages)


HP printer drivers available thru Apple Software Update -- HP catches up after Apple's early release of Snow Leopard to provide updated printer drivers. (4 messages)


Deleted login keychain -- What's the best way to recover a deleted essential keychain file? (7 messages)


Can't report certain spams using Eudora -- Is it worthwhile to report spammers, or has the volume become so unwieldy that the only solutions are at the server level? (12 messages)


Google Offers Push Gmail and Google Sync to iPhone -- Readers look at whether Gmail set to push messages can work alongside other push-enabled services, like MobileMe, on the iPhone. (4 messages)


Exploring Widespread SuperDrive Problems -- Doug McLean's article about SuperDrive problems leads readers to theorize that today's crop of media drives are fundamentally flawed in some way. (3 messages)


RSS and Mail.app -- What could be causing old messages to appear as unread in Apple Mail's RSS implementation? Bugs in Mail are the top contender. (6 messages)


Help With Sluggish Mac -- One reader's Snow Leopard installation runs too slowly (when compared against a clean install on another drive). A few tips can help speed things up. (7 messages)


Repairing permissions report -- Two suspicious entries appeared while a reader was repairing permissions in Disk Utility. Are they really signs of trouble? Luckily, no. (4 messages)


Help with WDS on Apple Airport Extreme -- A reader looks for assistance trying to extend his AirPort network using the Wireless Distribution System and a Linksys gateway. (2 messages)


Scheduling Downloads on Slow Internet Connection -- Satellite Internet systems often limit downloads except during a window in the middle of the night, making installing system updates inconvenient. What's the best way to schedule updates for a specific time? (4 messages)


Using separate web browsers on the same machine -- Running multiple user accounts seems to be the solution for keeping two people's Web browsing environments separate but on the same machine. (3 messages)

 

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