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Task Switching

30 Responses (Add) | Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 12:01am

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Every power user uses Alt+Tab. In the case of Mac OS X, it’s Command+Tab. Inside of Windows, I knew there had to be a better way to switch between tasks. I found some freeware, that works perfectly. It’s called TaskSwitchXP. If you’re running Windows XP… you really have to use this.

TaskSwitchXP is an advanced task management utility that picks up where the standard Windows Alt+Tab switcher leaves off. It provides the same functionality, and adds visual styles to the dialog and also enhances it by displaying thumbnail preview of the application that will be switched to. TaskSwitchXP also has a powerful process and window management capability that allows you quickly to close/minimize applications and their groups. The unique capabilities of TaskSwitchXP make it useful for tracking down multitudinous windows, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.

You may now be asking yourself what a good equivalent is for Mac OS X? Well, let me show you. When my open programs are minimized into the Dock and I do Command+Tab… it appears to not pop up. It brings the application to the foreground, but not the window itself. I stumbled into something on accident today. If I do Command+Tab to the application I want… and then roll my thumb to the Option button… it will bring the application window up.

With a Mac, you can also try Witch. Witch enables every user to customize the interface, hot keys, and behaviors of Witch, in the system preferences. Witch is also very easy to use. After you have set-up your hot keys, you can start using Witch immediately. Witch runs in the background until you hit your designated hot key. When you do so, a small window will pop up with all of your open applications. This makes is easy to select the window or file that you would like to switch to and continue your work.

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30 Comments

davnes007

February 24th, 2008
at 3:09pm

I now declare you a ‘Power User’.
Congratulations!

k0koro

February 24th, 2008
at 3:18pm

i just use expose.. >_>;

Destinysrage

February 24th, 2008
at 4:25pm

i just added this program and i love it much more useful than the windows default

k0koro

February 24th, 2008
at 4:53pm

whoop de doo
EXPOSÉ

ArchTymeWizard

February 24th, 2008
at 4:59pm

I just installed it, amazing.

kevaughanshiu

February 24th, 2008
at 8:32pm

same… oh well its interesting to watch this anyawys. learn things u might miss XD

CyclonexxxIce

February 24th, 2008
at 8:44pm

has chris ever done radio? he has a wonderful radio voice.

Brandon Paddock

February 25th, 2008
at 1:03am

If you use Vista, definitely check out Switcher (www.insentient.net).

Chris

February 25th, 2008
at 3:21am

There is also LiteSwitchX for OSX, a little bit more powerful than Witch, however its not free.

Bassem B.

February 25th, 2008
at 5:13am

I’ve come across TaskSwitchXP, but one annoyance about it is the “mystery meat” factor that the default XP task switcher also has.

By “mystery meat” I mean the fact that an icon has no text associated with it until it is targeted (same design problem in some websites out there.)

Let’s say you have four folders open, and three Notepad windows. Using TaskSwitchXP (or default switcher), you see four folder icons and three Notepad icons. You can’t tell which is which until you target each of them. So what, if there’s a fancy screenshot? task switching should be quick, taking a second or less.

Personally I use freeware SmartTab. Minimal task switching dialog with icons and their titles right there. It even supports keyboard shortcuts for quick scrolling/activating.

SmartTab: http://www.freewaregenius.com/2007/03/29/smarttab/

(freewaregenius.com is another excellent freeware blog)

k0koro

February 25th, 2008
at 6:46am

you need to get shot.

Jamie

February 25th, 2008
at 7:22am

Hi Chris, thanks for the video, it was really helpful, on the other hand, i was wondering what application would let you zoom in inside windows like OSX/Gnome zoom? i haven´t find it yet does anybody knows?

VOIP

February 25th, 2008
at 8:06am

Task SwitchingClick to Play http://live.pirillo.com - Every power user uses Alt+Tab. In the case of Mac OS X, it’s Command+Tab. Inside of Windows, I knew there had to be a better way to switch between tasks.    Related Content: Task Switching Switching.

samohtstrikes

February 25th, 2008
at 8:13am

i think that task switch xp might work in vista if u right click it and choose properties go to compatibility and choose xp

vahnx1337

February 25th, 2008
at 8:43am

**** need to get shot.

DebianBasedLinuxDist

February 25th, 2008
at 8:44am

I bet, if it works for XP, it works for Vista.

sportsfan89z

February 25th, 2008
at 8:46am

Nah i tried it and it said you need XP

Windows Vista Torrent

February 25th, 2008
at 9:32am

Tech Interviews Windows Freeware Is the HP Blackbird 002 any Good? Technology Jobs in Smaller Communities Tech BlogsTask SwitchingThe Mac vs PC Challenge Windows Mobile vs iPhone Good Business Guidelines Track Your Finances Online for Free (without Software) How to Tweak Mac OS X

kiddsock

February 25th, 2008
at 11:13am

TRy out Expose already built into Mac OS X is system prefs. WIth in an application use Command ~ (Tilde) to switch windows within the app you are on.

Ruud Welten

February 25th, 2008
at 6:00pm

Hey there Chris, I’m definitely going to try the Witch app on my Mac. I just wanted to try the built-in feature you explain with rolling your thumb over to the option button. I just can’t get it to work. I tried several combinations of buttons but nothing seems to work, is this maybe a Leopard-only function since I’m still using Tiger.

Well offcourse you might know the answer to that, if I’m correct I believe you are only running Leopard, but someone else might!

Brandon Tindel

February 27th, 2008
at 2:18am

Thx for the help with task switching!!!

AccordionManiac

February 29th, 2008
at 2:52pm

I think I might have been living under a rock until I saw this video. Just tried TaskSwitchXP Pro 2.0 and it’s really really cool, and its got visual previews of windows too. I am on Win XP btw… Thanks Mr. P

Bobertoq

April 6th, 2008
at 5:15am

I can’t get the command+tab+option thingy to work

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