Faster than Command Tab: rcmd utility for switching apps on macOS (+ kidding)
Miscellaneous / / December 02, 2021
Instantly jump to the desired program with one touch.
The standard application switching menu in macOS does its job well. Especially if you know that holding Command displays a list of all open programs, and by pressing Tab and Shift + Tab you can select them, scrolling forward and backward. And yet it takes up valuable time. Especially when you work in several at once.
A small utility called rcmd offers a simple and elegant solution to this problem. It helps you quickly jump to a specific program by pressing the Right Command and one of the assigned keys. It works as follows.
To assign a shortcut to one of your favorite applications, open it, press Command + Option (Alt) to the right of the space bar, and then, without releasing them, the desired key (letter). A notification will then appear in the menu bar. Now, when you press the given combination, macOS will switch to the active application window. And if it is not running yet, it will open it.
The added shortcuts are displayed in the rcmd window in the menu bar. Here you can configure the behavior of the utility, which is subject to simple and clear rules. Programs with assigned keyboard shortcuts are in the Static section, which means they are always bound to buttons.
All other applications that you launch are collected in the Dynamic section - you can also quickly navigate to them using shortcuts. They are assigned automatically based on the first letter of the name, but they can be changed. To make them permanent, click on the green plus sign.
The switch mechanism has two modes - Hide and Cycle. When the program is active, in the first case, pressing the shortcut again will collapse it, and in the second, it will open the previous one (as with Command + Tab). This behavior is configured separately for each application.
Less significant programs can be ignored by pressing the Ignore button. They will move to the corresponding section: they will not interfere with others and will occupy a key in shortcuts. The latter will be useful if there are several applications whose names begin with the same letter.
Overall, the idea and implementation of rcmd is quite interesting. You will have to pay 379 rubles for the utility. But it complements the standard application switching interface well, and thanks to the use of the right Command, it does not conflict with system shortcuts.
Alin panaitiu
Price: 379,00 rubles
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Price: 379,00 rubles
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The developer rcmd provided Lifehacker with 10 promotional codes for free installation. If you want to get one, share this article on social networks and fill out the form below. The winners will be determined at random on Monday, December 6th. Good luck!
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Mechanical engineer, well versed in engineering and technology. I have been using Mac and iPhone for over 10 years, I know everything about the ecosystem and Apple products. I not only write, but also know how and love to work with my hands. I worked as a car mechanic for 3 years, I only fix the car myself. I designed and built a house from scratch with my own hands, accumulating a lot of experience along the way. I love old school video games and comics, I play the guitar.