[OS X TeX] how to handle window-mania?

[Jack Kuipers]

All of us have work habits developed around other helpful software. I 
found CTVD to be a very helpful addition. I have six independent 
desktops (up to 100 are possible). One desktop is devoted to TeXShop; 
on it are two TeXShop documents for ONE project, namely, code_file.ltx 
and the compiled_output_file.pdf. Only those two are on the TeXShop 
Desktop (no others). Other auxilliary files are on another desktop and 
readily available at the flick of the mouse. All the other desktops are 
hidden from view ---- in whatever margin you choose bounding your 
screen. If I wish to get a graphic, I merely go to another desktop 
(your TeXShop stuff vanishes in the margin), get your graphic file send 
it to the appropriate desktop. For me, it's now a-piece-of-cake. If you 
want a second TeXShop file also open --- merely open its ltx_file on 
the same original TeXShop desktop, Then drag these new files to a new 
desktop --- if you wish. It's the best $40.00 I ever spent.

Hope this is helpful. I can't speak to Desk Manager (I have it; but 
don't use it --- for reasons, clear to me)
Jack B. Kuipers
Professor  emeritus
Mathematics & Computer Science
Calvin Colleges

On 14 Oct, 2004, at 4:00 PM, Matthew Hills wrote:

> On Oct 14, 2004, at 12:06 PM, Jack Kuipers wrote:
>
>> For those of you who are currently working on several documents at 
>> the same time --- I would strongly suggest you get Virtual Desktop
>
> I'm currently unable to go to codetek's website, so I was wondering 
> what the advantage is over Desktop Manager, which is free ( 
> http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12682 ).  You can run a single 
> copy of TeXShop, but typesetting each document in a separate 
> workspace...  That would reduce clutter, although it wouldn't be 
> really helpful if you wanted to look at two documents at the same 
> time...
>
> To the original poster:  it isn't clear to me what you are trying to 
> do...  I tend to keep my source documents on the left of my screen, 
> and all others to the right.  I look at the console rarely--only after 
> typesetting if an error comes up, and as I prepare final drafts to 
> double-check for any warnings.  The CMD-1 provides a way to quickly 
> switch between the source and typeset documents.  Typically, I have my 
> source documents slightly offset, so that it is easy to switch between 
> them.  If I need to refer to both at the same time, I move them 
> side-by-side...  This isn't something that I do and undo constantly to 
> make it a point of friction in the interface.
>
> So, I guess my question is:  what are you trying to do that causes you 
> friction in locating your windows?  Once identified, it might be 
> pretty easy to write a quick script that will alleviate this...  (eg, 
> if the problem is that you want to repeatedly switch context between 
> different documents, you could try the virtual desktop options or it 
> shouldn't be too hard to write a script that brings up the next 
> document's set of source/console/typeset windows)
>
> BTW, does anyone have a TeXShop script to open included file?  (e.g., 
> hilight the name of a file in an \input or \include statement, run the 
> script, and the document in question is opened?)  I've gotten used to 
> it from programming editors...
>
> Thanks,
> Matt
>
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