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Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

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Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#41

Hyperdock is one of the best purchases I've ever made. It allows you to assign hot keys to window management - e.g. alt-left-mouse: grab anywhere in window to move option-command-left-mouse: resize window from anywhere in window Hasn't been updated in years but it still works on Monterey though it occasionally requires some kicking. I've looked for alternatives that are more up to date but can never find one that doe…

I love it for the Windows-style peek. I almost can't work without it now.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#42
post #33

You can also move macOS windows by dragging the border along the opposite axis, with no configuration.

Along the opposite axis? Can you elaborate?

If you grab the right-hand edge of a window, you can drag it left or right to resize the window. However, if you instead drag it up or down, you can move the whole window.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#43

Is there similar for windows? I know there was 3rd party solutions with alt+ click

Not exactly the same, but Alt+Space, M (selecting Move from the system menu) also moves the mouse pointer to the title bar so that you can immediately use the mouse to drag from there (or alternatively move the window using the arrow keys, of course).

Slightly related, I always use Alt+Space, C to close windows, as I find that easier to press than Alt+F4.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#44
post #34

You can also move macOS windows by dragging the border along the opposite axis, with no configuration.

Feels really finnicky to get the window moving this way. Does someone actually use this as their workflow?

I don’t use it on purpose, but it happens sometimes by accident and always surprises me.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#45

I use the kinda hidden three finger dragging gesture that you can activate like this: 1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Accessibility. 2. Select Pointer Control in the sidebar. (In earlier versions of macOS, select Mouse & Trackpad.) 3. Click the Trackpad Options button. 4. Select ”Enable dragging,” then choose ”three finger drag” from the menu. 5. Click OK.

That's not the same at all, you can still only drag the move bar – and it focuses the window, bringing it to the front. Moving and resizing background windows can very handy.

> Moving and resizing background windows can very handy.

I didn't notice moving and resizing background windows is enabled by the OP writeup and am not in a place where I can implement changes.

Does

  defaults write -g NSWindowShouldDragOnGesture -bool true
in fact enable manipulation of background windows?

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#46
I've had `OnWindow Mod1 Mouse1 :MacroCmd {Raise} {Focus} {StartMoving}` in my fluxbox keys config for a decade or so? My brain will automatically issue and alt-click on a window in some other OS and I'm always jolted back to the reality that I'm not in my usual window manager. Now if only I could rebind that cmd ctrl on macos to alt.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect as of Big Sur that Apple were intending to release touchscreen Macs, but the changes to the OS in future versions makes me suspect that they then changed their mind.

I think Apple prepares for a lot of eventualities internally and only some things end up being released. Eg. they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch. It's quite possible someone is working on making macOS touch-screen capable, even when they don't have concrete plans for releasing a touch screen Mac.

> they built macOS X on Intel years before they announced the switch.

Not a correction, just adding context: Mac OS X always had Intel builds, even before release. It would be surprising to me if they don’t still maintain Intel macOS builds just in case.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#49

Wish you could change the key combo for this, I've been using a long-abandoned tool called Zooom2 to do this with `fn` (and `fn` + `control` to resize`) and fear losing it on my next Mac if it's an M1.

You can do exactly this with BetterTouchTool. You can also set it up with Hammerspoon.

> You can do exactly this with BetterTouchTool.

Zooom2 allows for moving/resizing of background windows. Last I checked, BetterTouchTool window manipulation required clicking the window which brings it to the front.

Re: Moving a macOS window by clicking anywhere on it

#50

I never figured out how to easily move windows on macOS. How I know why; it's disabled by default and you also need to hold down `Ctrl`.

Personally I use Spectacle [0] and a few handy shortcuts to move and resize windows. For me, it's just enough customization without going over the board with scripting a window manager from scratch. As I just discovered, Spectacle is no longer actively maintained, but it still works just fine. The recommended alternative from their readme is Rectangle [1].

[0] https://github.com/eczarny/spectacle

[1] https://github.com/rxhanson/Rectangle

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