Spaces & System Preferences

After enabling 'Spaces', System Preferences window instantly became inaccessible. System Preferences and its full menu title bar will display but the actual window isn't there for me to make changes.
How do I make the window to appear or even to disable 'Spaces' again? I don't even want the 'Spaces' again!

your dock preferences are likely corrupt.
delete the file homedirectory/library/preferences/com.apple.dock.plist and log out/in. your dock, spaces and exposé will be reset to the defaults.
but I wouldn't give up on spaces because of this glitch. it should now work fine.

Similar Messages

  • Time Machine, Safari, and Spaces (System Preferences)

    I just notice that, with Spaces enabled when I click on the Time Machine icon in the dock while working on an Space that not have a finder window open, it switches Spaces, but it will not go to Time Machine mode. It does not happens it i click on the menu bar and select Enter Time Machine Now. UPDATE: It seems that the problem only happens when Safari is the active application.
    Message was edited by: allanart

    I thought I had it, but it was not. So after I enable it to open in "every space" the problem is gone. Not sure if I had the same problem before SL.

  • Problems with Spaces and System Preferences

    Hello all. I previously had setup my spaces so that when I opened certain apps, they would open in specific spaces (ex. Safari opened in upper left space, system preferences opened in lower right space etc.). I had spaces setup so that there were 9 spaces. Now somehow my spaces got reset so that I have only 4. Whenever I open system preferences, or even open spaces preferences to change it, it opens, but does not appear, and when I hit the spaces button, there it is, overlapping my spaces, but I cannot click on it to change the settings, only choose a space to go to.
    Heres what it looks like when i hit the spaces button:
    http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5122/picture1bw3.png

    Hey guys i found a fix to this but its basically using System preferences blind, and toggling on and off the radio buttons for Expose and Spaces.
    So to really understand my jumble of words to make you understand my weird train of thought. Its The Master & the Grasshopper Lesson on _'Believing without Seeing.'_
    Young Apple Seed (aka Grasshopper), Just because one can not see what one is doing, does not mean one is doing nothing. This just means that the Mime is miming a mime action to a blind person.
    So if you wish to not be the blind mad and the mime, do as it is written, and as you think. For one who goes down a path they choose they will sure be the Mime. And if you are, then you need an Mime EGO check.
    _TO GET WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE_
    1. If you don't already have SP (System Preferences) running then you will need to start the Application named SP.
    2. When in SP, click on View | *Expose and Spaces*
    +(If your here and saying how the bleep do I do this step. Then you need to Bleepity make sure that right next to the Apple Icon in the top left corner reads+ *System Preferences*, +Mr/Mrs/Ms Mime.)+
    3. Press Tab +(ONE TIME)+
    4. Press *Right --> Arrow* +(ONE TIME)+
    *5. Press ⌘L +(ONE TIME)+
    *6. Press ⌘[ +(ONE TIME)+
    7. Press Tab
    8. Press Tab
    9. Press *Space Bar*
    +(Now if you were doing each step while reading it on the screen then right after you did that last step like magic it appears.)+ The space bar toggled Enable or Disable Check box.
    * These steps really should not be here but I noticed a bug that would make my steps not work correctly if these were not done. Usually when you press tab once in a 2 part option menu for SP its tabbed. And usually when you press the arrow key to go to the next tab, usually the focus is still on the tab for the next tab. But it doesn't and that isn't only on my system, its on many others i tried it on. So you Bug mashers or fixers this has been duped on several other systems that range from non-Intel, PowerMac, PowerPC, iMac, even non apple macs. but focus disappears and even if you pressed tab or the arrow keys nothing would happen and trust me you would be doing my steps over and over and then post something either on my profile that i'm a bleepity bleep bleep or something positive. But i'd like the positive comments, but hey if you want to leave me bleepity bleep bleep bleep bleep bleeps? Then i have one thing to say to you "BLEEP you!!"

  • Cant find expose and spaces in system preferences

    I cant seem ti find "expose and spaces" in system preferences.  Can anybody help please?

    Welcome to the Apple Support Community!
    If you upgraded from Snow Lepoard OS 10.6.x that had Exposé and Space, then those two have been integrated into Mission Control in Lion OS 10.7.x. You can learn more in the Apple KB article Mac 101: Mission Control. Mission Control is in System Preferences. Another source of info about Mission Control, Exposé and Spaces is from the Help menu in the Finder. Just type any one of those elements in the search box and you should get a few articles that are connected to each other.
    HTH

  • Using Spaces (in the System Preferences)

    I have enabled the Spaces from the System Preferences to keep my programs more organized. I am a graphic designer and I use almost every program of the Adobe Suite on a regular basis. I had put the different programs in four different spaces because I often have many windows open each program, so I like to keep them separated. When I move to a different program in my Adobe Suite my toolbars disappear and I have to hit Tab a couple times to get them back. This is very annoying especially when I am in the text tool. I am about to disable the Spaces. But I want to see if anyone out there knows what I can do if anything.

    I have to press tabs twice occasionally and I don't find that too much of an encumberance for the time being

  • Using Spaces (from the System Preferences)

    I have enabled the Spaces from the System Preferences to keep my programs more organized. I use almost every program of the Adobe Suite on a regular basis. I had put the different programs in four different Spaces because I often have many windows open each program, so I like to keep them separated. When I move to a different program in my Adobe Suite my toolbars disappear and I have to hit Tab a couple times to get them back. This is very annoying especially when I am in the text tool. I am about to disable the Spaces. But I want to see if anyone out there knows what I can do if anything.

    Nothing yet, Tiffany. Nobody has admitted responsibility for that glitch. Probably its just one of those things which has to do with development cycles and timing. CS3 was created and released before Leopard was available. Adobe seems to be on the next version and this issue doesn't really matter to them. Apple keeps changing their system often enough it is hard for the engineers who have to keep up with all the changes. The net result is that problems don't get addressed while new features are prized because they seem more valuable to the marketing department who appears to be dominant at Adobe.

  • How do I turn Exposé/Spaces off, without access to System Preferences because I disabled it's space?

    I accidentally disabled a column of spaces where I had my System Preferences running, in "Exposé and Spaces".
    Now I cannot access my System Preferences at all.
    I can see System Preferences as a running application in the doc and command tabbing though running applications. I can also get to it this way and see the menu bar on the top of my screen and click through the menus and drop down menus, however I cannot see any windows.
    I know that I can open different windows for if the System by selecting something in the drop down menus. Then I see the selected window if I click and hold down on the dock icon of the system preferences. However, as soon as I try to click on the window it disappears.
    I know that my problem would be solved if I could turn off Spaces but how do I do this if   I cannot access it though System Preferences?

    After a long struggle and research I found a solution.
    I discovered Spaces exists in the Utilities folder in Applications.
    When I opened the application from here it gave me the 3 spaces I had assigned, vertically displayed, with the system preference window sitting, outside and fairly large, hovering, partially infront of it all the other screens.  After several tries of grabbing and disappearing it finally let me drag and drop the window into one of the screen.
    I am really relieved now!!

  • HT1624 what if I don't have the view option in the System preferences, how do I activate Spaces?

    ...

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
    When you open , System Preferences, Personal, is there an Exposé & Spaces listed?
    If so, you need to click the blue Spaces button near the top to set preferences, including enabling Spaces and, showing it in the top menu bar if desired. Once enabled, F8 is the default key to enable Spaces, as shown below.

  • When I go to system preferences expose and spaces is not there for me as an option. What can I do to restore it?

    I have tried to fix permissions and restart and that did not help it show back up and I have also deleted the system preferences cache and still nothing. What can I do?

    I also miss the grid layout of spaces.  In fact, I'm considering downgrading back to Snow Leopard just to get it back.  I used to use command+arrow keys to move around in my grid of spaces.  I used to use a hot corner to initiate spaces, then another hot corner to initiate expose while "zoomed out" in spaces.  I used to be able to click any window of any app in any space and move it to any other space.  I used to be able to move an entire space to another location. 
    Now I've upgraded to Lion and I cannot do any of that.  Serious downgrade, serious loss of efficiency.  I've taken the time to learn how Lion handles all this.  I've taken the time to change options to try to make MC more efficient.  Simply put, it's a downgrade that breaks something great from Snow Leopard.
    For example:  Initiate Mission Control while on desktop 1 and I see a window on desktop 2 that I want on desktop 3.  In order to move that, I have to first switch to desktop 2, initiate MC, then move the app.  Not to mention, if that window were under another window, I'd not be able to see it at all! 
    For example:  In SL, to go from space 1 to 9 on a 3x3 layout, I could use command+right, down, down, right.  On Lion, I have to use comand+right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right.  seriously?  Sure, I could use command+9 (if that's even where Lion decided it wanted to keep the app!), but I prefer the efficiency of using 1 hand to do the keyboard shortcut. 
    Tell Apple you want the option of having spaces in a grid again.  Who knows, maybe if enough of us do, they'll bring it back: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html
    Message was edited for grammar by: pistolpete_sf

  • System Preferences / Spaces

    Please can someone on how to solve the problem of the missing Page
    Action 1 click on System preference
    2 Click on Expose & Spaces
    3 Blank Page comes up With only the header
    Also my F7 Key don't work, The Icon will give me Spaces
    I Have completed a system repair which did not help me
    Can some one help me
    Steve

    your dock preferences are likely corrupt.
    delete the file homedirectory/library/preferences/com.apple.dock.plist and log out/in. your dock, spaces and exposé will be reset to the defaults.
    but I wouldn't give up on spaces because of this glitch. it should now work fine.

  • System Preferences Stuck In Spaces

    I was using a 2 column, 3 row layout for Spaces when I accidentally deleted the second column. Now System Preferences, which was assigned to that column, is stuck IN Spaces. Meaning that when I press F8, the 3-window spaces screen pops up with the System Preferences window overlaid on top. The result is that I can't use System Preferences, and can't re-add the second column. What do I do?

    Force-quitting doesn't help -- System Preferences simply reloads in the Spaces page (F8 screen) without assigning itself to another space. And I can't reassign it because the buttons/checkboxes on System Preferences are inaccessible...

  • Help Quickly Please: System Preferences Stuck Between Spaces!

    Please help me people. My system preferences window is stuck between my spaces. I can't chang any setting on my mac now because of this. I'm hoping that I can get help for free from the apple community instead of paying someone who might not be able to fix it! Even when I quit system preferences and restart it still appears there. I even tried restarting my macbook but its still not working!
    Please Help!
    Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36803476@N03/3629972332/

    Never saw this before.
    You probably wouldn't have to do an erase and install but rather an Archive and Install. Try booting from your install disk first.
    Insert the installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
    Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger and later) and launch Disk Utility.
    Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
    Select First Aid in the Main panel.
    (Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)
    Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
    If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
    If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
    When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
    Select your start up disk and click Restart
    If that doesn't help, try deleting this file. com.apple.windowserver.plist
    /Users/YourName/Library/Preferences. Drag that file from the Preferences folder to the Trash, empty the Trash and restart your Mac.
    Carolyn

  • Can't access System Preferences in Spaces

    Quite frequently I find myself unable to access System Preferences.
    I think it may be a Spaces issue and I think it may happen if I close the System Preferences window.
    If I Option-Command-Esc, the window shows System Preferences is running. But force quitting System Preferences has no effect.
    If I Command-Tab, I see System Preferences in the row of icons. However selecting this icon has no effect, the System Preferences window does not come to the front.
    Of course I can't open Spaces to try to resolve the problem because it is a System Preference.
    The only solution I have found is to Logout and log back in.

    Oops, never mind. I have a Wacom tablet connected to my Mac, and turns out that the system prefs window was showing up on that screen instead of my main display.
    For future reference, is there a way to delete a post such as my first one?

  • System Preferences Exposé & Spaces Quit Unexpectedly

    All other preferences work as normal.  (System Preferences > Exposé & Spaces) just shows "Loading Exposé and Spaces..." and nothing comes up.  If I select it again I get a Problem Report for System Preferences.  This menu function was accessed within the last week and was functioning as normal.  As far as this problem goes, I have repaired the disk permissions, cleared the caches at "~/Library/Caches" and the preferences at "~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist".  This removal of the plist hasn't reset the spaces or exposé to default -- they remain as were configured earlier this week.
    Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    May or may not be related to the issue : (although I feel that this may have nothing to do with it)
    This week had to take it to the Apple Store for a trackpad height adjust.  There also was a diagnostic (looked like some kind of os9 window) and they probably reset the pram.  Upon booting at home I had noticed that my settings for my home network were gone, and had to reconfigure.  Also a couple of 3rd party programs needed a reinstall.
    regards,
    shortcut

    MacGunt wrote:
    Ya, I'd say it's likely something in your preferences folder. What you could try is quitting all your apps, moving all of the plist files to a new folder and testing it. If this fixes it then put those plists back 5 or 10 at a time until you've determined which file is casuing the problem.
    This suggestion sounds in the right direction.  I will probably have to do that soon but I am a bit confused about "all of the plist files."  Would I do this to the entire ~/Library/Preferences?
    I also used Pacifist to extract and install Expose.prefPane and I noticed something different for Expose.prefPane.  The Sharing & Permission under Get Info show:  username(Me) /Read & Write, staff / Read only, and everyone / Read only.  The other .prefPane files show: system / Read & Write, wheel / Read only, everyone / Read only.  This may or may not be at fault, but I am wondering if you or anyone else's /System/Library/PreferencePanes shows this to be standard.
    shortcut

  • System preferences' "expose&spaces" problem

    When i go to system preferences then to "expose & spaces," the function does not work and goes to an error report. Happens everytime I click for that function even after several system restarts and shutdowns.
    I don't have a clue what happened because all the other functions like "display," "keyboard," "accounts," etc. do work like it should.
    What is happened? And how can i get it to work normally again?
    I have a MBP15 barely a month old, so this is absolutely unacceptable behavior for a system at this caliber.

    Go to your Users/Library/Preferences and search for a file with
    systempreferences.plist
    and drag it to your desktop and reboot, reset your system preferences and see if that works.
    If your system preferences hold, then trash the dekstop file, it was rebuilt.

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