Command-tab, screenshot, spaces functions missing.

This occurs in tandem with a menu bar situation where the spotlight and bluetooth icon and one or two icons on the far left appear, but not the time, sound, monitor wireless etc.
Also I have to force quit everything and restart won't work so i have to hlld the power button down to shut the mini off.
Restarting usually helps
I'm running 10.5.6 on a 1.42 mini.

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Expose, Cmd Tab, Screenshot, Spaces all breaking

Not sure what causes this, I thought it was sleeping but apparently not.
All Expose, Cmd Tab, Screenshot and Spaces will all be fine but they theyll stop working and I also cannot reboot or log out, the Mac just wont.
I have to go Terminal -> "sudo reboot" to force a restart.

Couple of possibilities. The first thing I'd try is clearing your launchServices caches.
Launch Terminal and copy & paste this at the command line to rebuild LaunchServices:
Code:
<pre class="alt2" style="margin:0px; padding:3px; border:1px inset; width:640px; height:34px; overflow:auto">/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchSe rvices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user</pre>
Then press return. Wait until terminal returns to the command line. Quit Terminal. After that, log out and back in or restart. Let us know
-mj

Command-Tab macro not functional!

After I upgraded to 10.4.7, the Command-Tab macro is no longer functional, I need to know what is going on. I thought that maybe since I've upgraded to Tiger, I've had to use Tiger Cache Cleaner to clean the system caches in order to make the upgrade functional, that this function was lost in the process. Someone please help! I do not want to have to completely re-install the OS.
Thanks!

I too find myself in a state where Command-Tab doesn't do anything. In addition, the function keys do not activate Dashboard, etc. but only beep.
I've noticed on these occasions that the windowserver.log file contains a line like:
'"loginwindow" (0xf54f) set hot key operating mode to all disabled'
This condition persists until I log out and back in. I haven't yet determined the event that causes the loginwindow process to disable the hot keys.
I only began noticing the problem somewhat recently. My most recent updates include QuickTime 7.1.3, iTunes 7.0.1, and 10.4.8 (using the combo updater).
20-inch G5 iMac, G3 iBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Command-tab Finder + Spaces nuttiness

Hi Folks. New to Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.2) on a Macbook pro, coming from Windows XP. The command-tab switch feature on my Mac sometimes does something strange when Spaces is combined with multiple Finder windows, and I'd love to know how to make it work in a more intuitive manner.
Please tell me if you've experienced this: Sometimes when I switch back and forth from an application (e.g., Firefox) to the Finder with command-tab, the Finder window switched to is different each time - it seems to cycle through each window in each space. The only work-around is to use command-` .
Unfortunately, while writing detailed steps to recreate this, it went away. Drat!
Anyone seen this? Thanks in advance!
matt

Hi Folks. New to Mac OS X Leopard (10.5.2) on a Macbook pro, coming from Windows XP. The command-tab switch feature on my Mac sometimes does something strange when Spaces is combined with multiple Finder windows, and I'd love to know how to make it work in a more intuitive manner.
Please tell me if you've experienced this: Sometimes when I switch back and forth from an application (e.g., Firefox) to the Finder with command-tab, the Finder window switched to is different each time - it seems to cycle through each window in each space. The only work-around is to use command-` .
Unfortunately, while writing detailed steps to recreate this, it went away. Drat!
Anyone seen this? Thanks in advance!
matt

Command+Tab question (coming from Windows XP)

Bought my first mac...a MacBook with Leopard.
I'm having a hard time getting used to the Command+Tab app switching functions, as I'm used to Alt+Tab in Windows. There's one particular scenario that's bugging me...
- Open a TextEdit document window. Menubar shows TextEdit.
- Open a Finder window. Menu shows Finder.
- Click back on the TextEdit window. Minimize that window to the right side of the dock (running apps/windows???).
- Click back on the finder window to make it the active app/window.
- Use Command+Tab to cycle through the open apps and stop on TextEdit. Menubar will show TextEdit, but where's my previous document? It's still in the right side of the dock. Is there any keystroke that can then cycle through the open windows within the current app (minimized or not), so I can find my document?
- I noticed that after that last step, after I've Command+Tabbed into TextEdit with no TE windows open on the desktop, even using Expose won't show me the docked document window. Must I use the mouse to pull that document window out of the dock???
Thanks!
Gary

AFAICT, yes. Either that or select Window->minimized document. I rarely minimize windows, so I don't know if there's a shortcut to unminimize those windows.
Since you're a newcomer to the Mac, peruse
Switching from Windows to Mac OS X,
Basic Tutorials on using a Mac,
MacFixIt Tutorials, and
MacTips Learning Centre.
Additionally, *Texas Mac Man* recommends:
Quick Assist.
Welcome to the Switch To A Mac Guides, and
A guide for switching to a Mac.

Command-Tab switcher missing apps

Many, many times every day when I do a Command-Tab to invoke the app switcher, running apps are missing from the list of icons. Usually it's the one I last was in, and want to get to.
This really cramps my productivity. Happens to anyone else? Any fix?
Also, I thought the app icons in the switcher were supposed to be in decending order of last use. At least that seems to be the normal pattern. But very often recent apps appear in the middle or the end of the list.
This has occurred on several Macs, from 10.4.3 to 10.4.5. Is the app switcher just not working right?
Thanks!
Mac OS X (10.4.5)

I have noticed a pattern to the missing icons bug when doing a Command-Tab to bring up the Application Switcher (usually the missing icon annoyingly is the previous app one was in, precisely the app to which one wants to go):
If one does a Command-Tab twice in succession, the second time the missing icon returns.
PowerBook Pismo 500 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Spaces confusing safari windows (on multiple spaces using command-tab)

Wondering if this is happening to anyone else.
I love spaces but something is messed when using safari windows on multiple spaces. Say I have two safari windows open on two different spaces, after command-tabbing to another app when I try to command-tab back to safari it doesn't always go to my last safari window. That is to say that sometimes it goes to the other safari window, and sometimes it doesn't. It's super unpredictable.
Give it a try, open two safari windows on two different spaces and the command tab to another app and then command tab back to safari - and repeat... you'll find that it will just randomly go to the other window, and then back etc.
Can't think of anything more annoying in spaces... that's got to be a bug.
Anyways, let me know if it's happening to you.
Jay.

same issue. i have multiple safari windows with multiple tabs on multiple spaces. let's say one space is a rails space; so it has some terminals, safaris, firefoxes, all perhaps with 2 or more tabs. command-tab does not necessarily go back to the window of the app i was just in. whether it's safari or firefox or whatever. this is horribly un-intuitive. come on apple. that's like your thing, right?

Dock and command tab function

my dock mysteriously has disappeared and will not show up on the bottom of my screen. my command tab function to move between applications does not work either. i just installed the latest update for mac os but it hasn't fixed the problem. any advice?

Start by running the two basic checks provided by Disk Utility's "First Aid" tab to make sure the file system & system permissions are OK. (You can ignore SUID warnings in the permissions check.)
If that doesn't turn up anything, try creating a new user account for testing purposes. If the problem goes away in the new account on its first login, it implies some user preference file is corrupted or an incompatible or corrupted login item is present in your normal account.
If that turns up nothing, try Mac OS X: starting up in Safe Mode, then log into your normal account. If the problem disappears it implies something mentioned here is or was the culprit. (Some problems are fixed by a safe boot, others require more work.)
If any of these steps reveals a problem, don't go to the next one until it is resolved. If you need more help determining what to do about any revealed problem, please post a description of it & list any steps you have already taken that had no effect. If you can resolve the problem, please post a description of what you did as well. (Others will benefit from your experience, good or bad.)

Filemaker Pro 6 Command Tab function in OS X

Hi ~
I'm operating on two computers. I have OS 9 on one and OS X on the other. I have Filemaker Pro 6 operating on both units.
On the OS 9 computer, I can use the command tab function to go back and forth between files in the program. On the OS X machine, command tab switches programs (between Filemaker, Safari, iTunes, or whatever else I have running).
Do you know how I can use the command tab function in OS X and stay within my Filemaker program?
Thanks!
Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Trying the L7700 Series software didn't help me. I tried several things and eventually got it working again by doing the following (it would stall out after printing a couple inches of the 1st page of a print job). I'm not sure if all of the steps were necessary, but I believe so. 1) I "Restored" the driver for the K550 from my Time Maching backup, by opening the window in User--->Library--->Printers (search for that Printers folder if Library is hidden in your User folder), going back a few months to find a driver that hopefully would work.(I could have also found a driver from my Mac OS 10.6 hard disk partition) 2) I added the K550 printer (connected via USB) in System Preferences---->Print & Scan, by clicking on the + button at the bottom of the list of current printers (I have a big list). It should show up in the list of connected or networked printers. 3) Select HP OfficeJet Pro K550 4) Select "Print Using: Select Printer Software 5) Look for and select the name of the HP Officejet Pro K550 dirver in the list of printer drivers (name can be typed in the Filter search field). Click Ok, which brings you back to the "Add Printer" window. Then click Add.
Notes: 1) I also restarted once after I restored the driver from my Time Machine backup. 2) I had first deleted the Officejet Pro K550 printer from my list of printers when this problem first cropped up, thinking I would just reinstall it as I would have done before Lion, with the problem hopefully fixed. I then (re-Adding the K550 before trying the above step) let Lion attempt several times to download the driver from Apple's web site, but it couldn't find the 6 year old printer's driver, which is why I had to resort to this.

Dock is missing and unable to command+tab thru programs

Hey there, i'm running a powerPC G5 - and one day my dock just disappeared. Not only that but i found that i am now no longer able to "command+tab" thru the active programs.
Is there a problem w/ my finder?
My current system is 10.4.11
Thanks

Try creating an new admin user account in System Preferences Accounts pane. Log out and log in to the new account. Does the problem also recur under that different account?
If not, there is something wrong in your usual user account.
If it does recur, problem is in your overall system.

How to make a backup of your stuff? and Command+tab question

First of all, is there an alternative to using a different Command+tab button? OR the F3 button to switch between windows? A lot of times I have more than ONE safari window open and I want to Command tab but Command+tab won't show the OTHER safari sites open. I use the F3 button also but is there another way to ALT+tab to DIFFERENT safari/firefox windows like on the Windows OS?
I was just wondering if IN TIME, Mac's will start running slower (like PC's) as you put more programs in. I know from experience, even by just staying on trusted sites, in about 2+ years your windows vista/7 will be a little slower. How do I reformat a Mac (factory reset) and besides backing everything up on a DVD, is there a way to backup my files?
Sorry for these nub questions, I only had this for like a month xD

Welcome to the Mac world!
Mac OS let's you fully customize the keystrokes which you can quickly move between the windows you want. You will find these settings under System Preferences and Expose & Spaces under the personal area.
When you are in here, you can assign a different keys, or secondary key, to active the show all windows (what you are currently using as F3). Under the All Windows selection, you will see the default set to F3. Here you can change it if you would like, say assigning the right or left shift key to open the show all windows feature. In the box to the right which should be empty, you can even assign extra mouse keys (assuming you use an external mouse) to do the exact same thing, which I find makes your work-flow much easier. Play around with the mouse settings to get what you like (I use my mouse to show all windows when I press the scroll wheel). Hopefully this will be a sufficient solution to your needs. Have a look here for more keyboard shortcuts: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343
Regarding your second question, you will find that Mac's do not fall failure to the typical 'OS rot' that you see when using Windows in just a short year or two. The same goes for keeping your computer on for long periods. Where Windows will be noticeably sluggish after even a day or two of continuous use, Mac's can have an uptime of weeks without a drop in performance (a buddy of mine usually only restarts once a month unless the power flashes). You will likely only need to re-install the OS if something happens to the computer and it no longer functions properly. In this case, I recommend using Apple's build in Time Machine application (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427) however you will require an external hard drive. Time Machine takes a backup of your computer whenever you ask it and if you have to re-install the OS, it will restore everything to it's previous state.
Hope this helps!

Command-Tab App Switcher doesn't work (related to corrupt .plist file error?)

Hi folks,
The other day, Drive Genius 4 reported on a file corruption: ~/Library/Preferences/System Mac.plist file. I tried to find the file but it didn't appear to exist.
Today, a strange phenomenon occurred which I think may be related. Strangest thing. I was using Safari, had several tabs open when, suddenly, I lost all input to any links in Safari and system wide as well, other than the cursor being able to move around the display. This dysfunction also included the Command-Tab App Switcher, though they keyboard text function still worked. I could enter text in fields.
I tried Force Quit Apps but I had to shutdown and reboot using the Power button. The reboot seemed to remedy the situation and most controls and keyboard functions returned except for the Command-Tab App Switcher.
In Safari, I used History/Restore Last Open Page, and when the searched for pages came up, they were blank - I was informed that there was no internet connection. Wi-Fi showed still on but grayed out, which could be logical. Also, this is when I noticed that the key repeat function wasn’t working. In System Prefs, I did manage to change the key repeat rate, which accelerates the backspace erase function but there is no key repeat, itself.
All of this, of course, might be pointing to that system file error. Whether it is that hidden Mac.plist file corruption I don’t know.
In any event, first thing I did was to run Permissions Repair. At one point, about 2/3rds of the way in, the progress bar hung for a few minutes and then finished the last third in a split second. In the Repair Permissions log there was no /Mac.plist file among those repaired.
Additionally in Sys Prefs, I tested for Tab key response by refocusing the radio buttons in the Full Keyboard Access option under Keyboard/Shortcuts panel from "Text boxes and lists only" to "All controls.” The refocus worked because now pressing Tab does move the cursor through every control. But still no Command-Tab App Switcher. In Spotlight, I did find the App Switcher.app but it would not open, because it is “Damaged or Missing.” App Switcher preferences are also not accessible.
In Terminal I changed directories and do see the /Mac.plist file under discussion. I suppose I could -rm the file but I’m reluctant without knowing more about what other anomalies might result. The App Switcher is one of the Mac’s best utilities (thanks to er, Microsoft.) If the /Mac.plist file will refresh from the current status, no problem, I would think.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? Any suggestions? Thanks a whole lot in advance for your time and consideration in this!
All best,
David

First, get rid of the worthless, time-wasting "Drive Genius" according to its developer's instructions. Never install any so-called "utility" again.
Don't waste time repairing permissions again, either, unless you have an indication of a permission error involving system files, which you don't and probably never will.
Never delete any file in the shell (Terminal) for any reason.
There is no built-in application called "App Switcher." There is no built-in file named "System Mac.plist" either.
If command-tab application switching still doesn't work after you get rid of "Drive Genius," see below.
Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Please take this step regardless of the results of Step 1.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of Steps 1 and 2.

Dock not working; command-tab switch between programs not working

The Dock does not work. I have restarted (although the computer will not restart under "Restart", getting stuck at the last part, and needs to be restarted manually). When I change Dock preferences it reverts back to default settings. If I am lucky, the dock will appear and then disappear (poof) without having functioned.
The command tab function for switching between programs stopped working also.
The individual programs work, but I have to go to recent items to switch programs.
Further, I have two Previews open (with different documents in each) even though I have only one Preview program.
A whole lot of bizarre things that may be connected? I would appreciate any help.

You could try removing the .plist file again, but this time, try also removing the com.apple.dock.db file. Then log out and log in again.
Also, it seems as if many people are having similar problems. See [this thread|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9126119].
So, does the problem persist with another user account?
If it were my machine, the next thing I'd try is downloading the combo updater from Apple's website and reinstalling it. 10.5.6 is available [here|http://support.apple.com/downloads/MacOS_X_10-5-6_ComboUpdate].

When I command tab from diablo 3, my mac changes to a non-retina resolution. But when I quit diablo, it comes back. what's happening?

when I command +tab from diablo 3, my macbook pro changes to a non-retina resolution. But when I quit diablo, everything comes back to a full retina resolution. what's happening?
Is this some sort of defense mechanism to save energy or space? I noticed that this only happened after I installed mountain lion. I didn't have this problem before.

I don't think Diablo is the problem. It is retina compatible. Its what happens when I use diablo then go to desktop, or any other application - it (the other application) appears a bit blurred. as if its using the 2011 macbook pro resolution.
It can be fixed by going to system preferences and clicking "display" then use "best for retina", but it wasnt like this before OSX mountain lion...

Command, Tab option not showing all open applications

Hi,
Just upgraded to Mountain Lion and now when using the combination of Command+TAB not all open applications are displayed.
This seems like a bug or am I missing something

I want to add to list as having same issue... Even core Apple programs not showing up (Safari, iPhoto) in Command Tab. But Mail, iCal do show up in Command + Tab. Also noticed that only some applications "minimize window into the application icon", while others get minimized to bottom right of Dock. Additionally no "Show indicator lights for open application" appears for those missing programs. I attempted to select-unselect both of those in the Preferences -> Dock options and restart a few times, with no success.
The same programs missing from Command + Tab are also missing a graphic icon in Dashboard view (only Application Name appears).
Issue is new to OS X Mountion Lion, I did not have that problem before.

Command-tab, screenshot, spaces functions missing.

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