Macintosh Application switching to ArchiCAD problem...

[Dwight]

On mac, one switches to an application by clicking on a window of that application.

I find ArchiCAD unresponsive - clicking on an ArchiCAD window does not switch to ArchiCAD.

Am I not alone?

[Anonymous]

That only happens to me when ArchiCAD is (very) busy doing something (this generally just slows it down though), or if it has a modal dialog open and is in the background. The modal dialog disables click response in all other windows. Command-tab or Exposé always work though.

My wee PowerBook also starts to get sluggish and doesn't respond as well to clicking into applications when I have two ArchiCADs, PlotMaker, Photoshop, InDesign, Mail and Safari all open at the same time. Particularly if I am updating drawings and running renderings while checking in on AC-Talk.

[Dwight]

Your "wee" Powerbook?

Meet my "wee" elephant.

Its the modal thingy all right.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Dwight wrote:
Your "wee" Powerbook?

Meet my "wee" elephant.

It's only 1GHz and over a year old. I'm patiently waiting for the dual core G5 PowerBook with 20" screen.

Its the modal thingy all right.

Thanks.

Your welcome. It gave me a bit of a turn when I first ran into it too.

[Dwight]

You are joking? 20 inch portable? Will it come with wheels?
AND cooling fins??

[Anonymous]

Dwight wrote:
You are joking? 20 inch portable? Will it come with wheels?
AND cooling fins??

No, silly, it rolls up and slips in your pocket. If it folded like a map some people would never get it back the way it started.

[Dwight]

Is that a computer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Censor that.

[Ralph Wessel]

Dwight wrote:
I find ArchiCAD unresponsive - clicking on an ArchiCAD window does not switch to ArchiCAD.

Do you get a better response by using command-tab to switch to ArchiCAD rather than clicking on a window?

[Anonymous]

Ralph wrote:

Dwight wrote:
I find ArchiCAD unresponsive - clicking on an ArchiCAD window does not switch to ArchiCAD.

Do you get a better response by using command-tab to switch to ArchiCAD rather than clicking on a window?

I find command-tab to be the best way to switch applications generally. Exposé is cool, but I like it best for picking from many windows in the current projram. Clicking into a window is useful when you want just that window to come forward and keep the other application windows visible.

Clicking in a window can be tricky if there is a dialog open in that application. A modal dialog can completely disable the click response in all other windows within that application.

[Anonymous]

I have had the same problem Dwight experiences, but found if I click the open application in the Dock, it comes forward instantly. I do have to wait for re-build, but otherwise it is reasonably fast, especially considering the file size I have.

I have "trained" myself to be more Dock "savy", and it has helped.

Rip

PS: I too am awaiting the roll-up 2x G-5. maybe it will replace my 7 year old Newton.

Rip Weaver
Town Landscape Architect
The Town of Mt Laurel

Mac OSX Cube 500 mHz
Archicad 8.1/9.0