Brainstorm

Shortcut to switch between running applications

Posted on 2010-01-11 23:00 UTC by Tasos F.. Status: Under consideration, Categories: Desktop, System, Programming.

Hello everyone, So I was thinking about how to make the N900 user experience even easier while multitasking. Would it be possible to create a keyboard shortcut that will allow the user to switch between running applications? For example, you have these applications running in the dashboard: 1) Web browser 2) Conversations 3) File manager When clicking CTRL+1 it would go to Web browser. CTRL+2 Conversations etc This shortcut is just an example. Let me know what you think so we can create a brainstorm.

Forum discussion:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=39756

Solutions for this brainstorm

Solution #1: CTRL+BACKSPACE in the task switcher to switch back to the task you used before your last application

Posted on 2010-01-12 15:01 UTC by Helmuth M..

CTRL+BACKSPACE to jump to the Taskmanager and CTRL+BACKSPACE at the Taskmanager to switch to the Application you have used before the last one.

So press CTRL+BACKSPACE twice to get the same functionality like ALT+TAB on desktop PC's.

Comment: The Code already exists. It's only needed to integrate it in a official update. You can test it yourself here: Link to post by Matan

Solution #2: Shortcuts

Posted on 2010-01-12 21:55 UTC by Tasos F..

For example, you have these applications running in the dashboard:
1) Web browser
2) Conversations
3) File manager

When clicking CTRL+1 it would go to Web browser.
CTRL+2 Conversations etc
This shortcut is just an example.

Solution #3: CTRL-left and CTRL-right to switch tasks

Posted on 2010-01-13 14:16 UTC by Marcus Wikström.

I've been thinking about this, and for me a good solution would be to bind CTRL-left and CTRL-right to scroll between applications running. That would be a very fast way to switch tasks without having to go to dashboard. Left would go to newer tasks and right to older. Ideally animated so that the next animation slides in as the previous slides out, as if they were on virtual desktops. Or it would display a thumbnail and you'd be able to scroll through them until you release CTRL, thus jumping to the selected running app.

Solution #4: Alt-Tab-like switching between applications

Posted on 2010-01-18 10:44 UTC by Juha Linnanen.

A very common use case is that one needs to switch between two applications. This is very easy in Windows - quick alt-tab will select the application that was active before. Alt-tab again and you are back.

Having this kind of quick keyboard shortcut would be an improvement on Maemo as well. Going to the dashboard is not the same since you have to visually look where your app is on the grid and press it. When you are switching back and forth constantly, it starts to get annoying.

This could also be extended to work exactly like alt-tab so that it takes you to the dashboard and the app that releasing the keys would choose would be highlighted. Pressing again would move the highlight to the next application.

The actual keykombo could be symbol-enter for example or anything else that would be suitable for this function.

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