I’ve found a way around the useless full screen implementation in OSX, thanks to Geet Duggal. Here’s a refined version of the procedure, where I’ll have Xcode full screen on one monitor, and terminal and Chrome open on my secondary monitor:
- Arrange the application windows you want to have on your second screen as you would like them. You will not be able to rearrange them once they are there.
- Completely quit the applications you wish to use on your second monitor, e.g. terminal, Chrome.
- Full screen your app (Xcode)
- Using the trackpad, swipe with three fingers a little bit, so that just the edge of the next space is visible (but it won’t switch when you let go)
- Keeping your fingers on the trackpad, hit cmd + space to open Spotlight and type in the name of the program you wish to launch on the second monitor (terminal)
- Hit enter to launch the program, wait for the window to display, then you can take your fingers off the trackpad.
- Repeat steps 4-6 for any other apps you wish to launch!
This solution is far from perfect, but it works reliably so it’s a usable workaround until Apple actually fix this.
Thanks for sharing this Tom. Im getting some strange behaviour with this…
I can get to the point where both screens have apps displayed on a single space just as I wanted them – but cannot interact with the apps at the same time! In my case, I’ve got sublime text on the primary in fullscreen and a browser safari/firefox on the secondary monitor. If I click on the editor and then go back to the browser, I end up on no-mans land in an empty space. CMD+Tabbing back to my editor reveals both apps next to each other again and I can continue to work on the editor. weird.
I tried this with alternatives (itunes, chrome, etc) but keep getting the same results.
| November 19, 2011 @ 12:01 am
Hmm, I’ll check this out when I’m back at my Mac, I didn’t have any problems myself. Are you on the latest version of Lion?
| November 19, 2011 @ 8:06 pm
It actually works! Thanks so much.
| November 19, 2011 @ 7:51 pm
It really works ! Thanks !
| December 29, 2011 @ 1:22 pm
Sounds like something one would have to do with a PC not a mac fgs! Lion seems to be a bit of demented cat at times.
| January 30, 2012 @ 3:55 am
How do Mac users put up with this silly nonsense? This is a trivial operation on every Windows computer made in the last 10 years. My gosh.
| May 22, 2012 @ 12:23 am
Hmm. From what I have read and given the recent updates issued with no attention to this it seems that its one of Apple’s “industry changing” decisions. I’m not holding my breath for a “fix” as it seems Apple don’t believe they broke anything.
| May 31, 2012 @ 1:08 pm
Hi,
This method seems to be working for many people but heres where I am stuck.
After executing the app and getting that new window to appear(step 6), as soon as I let go off the 4-fingers the new app window disappears from the current (full-screen) window, so I can’t drag it!
When I try to locate it through mission control, I find it in the main/default window.
Any suggestions on how I can fix this?
-Hitesh
| September 9, 2012 @ 9:40 pm
I’m not sure I’m afraid. Sometimes it takes a few tries to get this method to work.
| September 10, 2012 @ 9:42 am
This exploit seems to have been patched by apple. I hope they come up with a legit fix soon I feel like i’m wasting my external monitor.
| November 29, 2012 @ 7:19 pm
Also, I would pay for an app that would add this feature to osx.
| November 29, 2012 @ 7:20 pm