Show HN: Tips for a lifetime Windows user switching to Mac

6 hours ago 2

tips for a lifetime windows user switching to mac

  1. To have switching with alt+tab and window previews, install https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/alt-tab. You may need to change in settings alt+tab to Show windows from applications: All apps.
  2. To have fast switching between fullscreen windows: don't fullscreen and just autohide top bar instead. You may also autohide dock. One downside if you move mouse to top bar and click to fast, you will show desktop instead. Threre is some possibility for fast switching with fullscreen windows with https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai but is hacky.
  3. Install https://brew.sh. Disable qurantine with export HOMEBREW_CASK_OPTS=--no-quarantine in ~/.zshrc link. To upgrade packages without asking for root password many times https://github.com/rofrol/dotfiles/blob/master/bin/brew-update. To list brew packages https://github.com/rofrol/dotfiles/blob/master/bin/brew-packages.
  4. Learn Finder shortcuts: enter to rename. cmd+up to go parent dir. cmd+down to go to child dir. cmd+c copies. cmd+v pastes copy. To cut and paste, copy first but paste with cmd+shift+v. Enable status bar. Then you will be able to right-click on bread crumb and choose Services > New Ghostty tab here. To toggle hidden files cmd+shift+, or command defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES. You cannot close Finder (be default). Only close windows with cmd+w. To set association of some file extension with some program: right-click file > Get Info > Open with: select app > Change all.... To search current folder always: Settings > Advanced > When performing a search: Search the Current Folder. Show file extensions: Settings > Advanced > Show all file extensions. To delete file cmd+backspace. To open new tab cmd+tab. To set location cmd+shift+g. To preview file, press space. To add Bin to sidebar ctrl+cmd+t or File > Add to Sidebar.
  5. To open multiple images in fullscreen like slideshow in Preview app: select multiple images in Finder with with cmd or shift. Then press cmd+down. Sometimes it will open them in multiple windows :(.
  6. Text cursor shortcut for: home ctrl+a, end ctrl+e. Like in Emacs. End of file cmd+down. Beggining of file cmd+up.
  7. To maximize window: some apps like Google Chrome support maximizing by double-clicking title bar. If not, double-click corner with option key. Or install https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/rectangle and ctrl+cmd+enter.
  8. https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/stats, https://github.com/pakerwreah/Calendr, https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/pika. Pika > Settings > Color Format > sRGB IEC61966-2.1 for correct colors. https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/atuin.
  9. For transient prompt https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/oh-my-posh and https://github.com/rofrol/dotfiles/blob/master/.config/oh-my-posh/themes/rofrol.omp.json.
  10. To toggle internal display when external connected with shorcut: install https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/betterdisplay (paid app). Then in Keyboard > Keyboard shorcuts > Display connection > Toggle built-in display: shift+cmd+7.
  11. https://sindresorhus.com/menu-bar-spacing https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/406316/can-the-spacing-of-menu-bar-apps-be-modified-in-macos-big-sur-and-later
  12. To add action to finder in Services, for example: https://github.com/rofrol/dotfiles/blob/master/bin/subtitles_encoding_and_line_ending.sh
  13. For advanced shorcuts: https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/karabiner-elements. For example https://github.com/rofrol/dotfiles/blob/16bfc639431b37ec940a9a574863b7db7c42d816/.config/karabiner/karabiner.json#L334
  14. Similar to WinDirStat https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/disk-inventory-x.
  15. Extract archives like rar, 7z https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/the-unarchiver.
  16. Torrents https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/qbittorrent
  17. For playing movies https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/iina.
  18. For subtitles https://qnapi.github.io/. Sometimes file may have txt extension but iina cannot open it. Try to disabling subtitles post-processing in settings for that file. Or the file can have wrong encoding, fileformat. Fix it with subtitles_encoding_and_line_ending.sh from above. You may need to sync subtitles to move with https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/alass alass-cli en.srt pl.srt out.srt. If english subtitles are embeded in mkv file: install https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/mkvtoolnix. Then mkvinfo *.mkv | less and mkvextract tracks *.mkv 3:en.srt. If mkvinfo shows for subtitles: Codec ID: S_HDMV/PGS, change extension to sup and convert to srt with https://pgs-to-srt.com/. If it shows S_VOBSUB: mkvextract tracks file.mkv 3:track3 will produce track3.idx and track3.sub. Convert to srt with https://subtitletools.com. To translate english srt subtitles https://translatesubtitles.co/.
  19. To merge pdf files into one: select them in Finder, right-click and Quick Actions > Create PDF.
  20. Create folder with selected files in Finder: right-click and New Folder with Selection.
  21. Deleting app by dragging it to Bin or cmd+backspace. Or better use brew uninstall.
  22. zsh: to set environment variable for some app like Emacs, you need to put it in ~/.zshrc, not ~/.zprofile.
  23. To install older hp printer driver use https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/pacifist. Example https://github.com/kisswiki/kisswiki/blob/e6c14800a61d3a5d017df3970ae7b7c46c9dcb07/src/os/macos/printer_hp_laserjet_p1102.md?plain=1#L5
  24. To show all apps: pinch with 4 fingers on touchpad.
  25. To make screenshot: whole screen cmd+shift+3, selected rectangle cmd+shift+4, ui cmd+shit+5. To change screenshots location cmd+shift+5 > Options > Select directory.
  26. If macos prevents you opening downloaded app, try right-click > Open.
  27. For terminal, install https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/ghostty. It allows to have different font-size per split. To enter polish characters like ł with alt+l, in ghostty config macos-option-as-alt = left. Also use karabiner to switch right cmd with right option for entering polish chraracters like on Windows.
  28. To have cmd+space search only for apps: Macos > System Settings > Spotlight > Search results > check only Applications.
  29. Games: https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/steam, https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/porting-kit, https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/heroic.
  30. Lighweight docker desktop alternative https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/orbstack (paid).
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