---
source: https://jimeh.me/blog/2007/leopard-spaces-bug/
date: 2007-10-31
updatedDate: 2007-12-03
archive: zydev.info
tags:
  - macos
---

# Leopard: Spaces Bug

Unwanted space switching when using cmd+tab application switching.

**\*UPDATE:** If you're using Proteron's
[LiteSwitch X](http://www.proteron.com/liteswitchx/) (dead link) you wont be
effected by this bug. Hopefully Apple will fix this issue in the upcoming 10.5.1
update.\*

**\*UPDATE 2:** I just installed the 10.5.1 update, and it seems like this bug
has been fixed, as far as I can tell so far, I'll update further in a few days
if I still have issues.\*

**\*UPDATE 3:** With quite some delay, I have to say that the issue hasn't been
fixed, just improved a bit, it happens less than half the time when switching to
apps with windows on multiple desktops now, rather than the 80-90%? of the time
it did before.\*

I've been running [Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard](http://www.apple.com/macosx/) (dead
link) now for 3-4 days and surprise surprise, I'm (mostly) loving it :)

One thing that's been annoying me though, is a bug in
[Spaces](http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/spaces.html) (dead link). When
you've got multiple windows from a single application you can get some very
unwanted space switching when using cmd+tab application switching.

If you're running Leopard, try it yourself. You'll need three running
applications, I'll use Safari, TextEdit and Finder for this example. Also note
this bug doesn't seem to happen EVERY time, but at least most of the time the
following steps are done:

1. In space 1, open a Safari, a TextEdit and a Finder window.
2. In space 2 open a new Safari window and switch back to space 1.
3. Click on the Safari window in space 1 making it the active application.
4. Using cmd+tab switch from Safari to Finder, and then back to Safari again the
   same way, then switch from Safari to TextEdit, and back to Safari again.
   Works fine.

5. Now however, switch from Safari to Finder, then from Finder to TextEdit, and
   then from TextEdit to Safari....errr what just happened?

What happened was that you switched back to Safari, but you've also been
automagically transported to space 2, even if you wanted to stay put in space 1.

This happens thanks to a feature of Spaces which obviously isn't working
perfectly as it should. When you switch to an application which is in another
space using the dock or cmd+tab Spaces will automatically switch to that space.

So, simply put, Spaces doesn't always properly detect which is the active window
of an application, and wrongfully switches you to the wrong window on the wrong
desktop.

One more thing...

...which I find annoying, but which I imagine is a feature rather than a bug, is
how Spaces handles the restoration of minimized windows. Lets say you minimize a
window in space 1, and then you move on to space 3 to do some other work. Then
you wanna work on the minimized window in space 3 so you restore it. But this
switches you back to space 1 (where you minimized the window in the first place)
and restores the window there. I can see the logic behind this cause minimizing
is not meant to be a way to move windows between spaces, its merely a way to get
windows you don't need right now out of the way. However, personally I'd like
the window to just pop back up in whatever space I'm in right now.

So my final thoughts of Spaces is that it needs some bug fixing, and more
settings in the Spaces System Preferences pane for customizing a few behaviors.
Oh and a menubar pager like ye ol' Desktop Manager which gives you an overview
of all desktops would be awesome. Its the one thing i miss from Desktop Manager.