Is there anything like Winsplit Revolution for Mac OS X?

Question

Is there anything like Winsplit Revolution for Mac OS X?

Answer 1

I doubt it. Between Spaces and Expose, there's not much need for a third-party app to help manage multiple windows.

Answer 2

From the Winsplit website I understand more or less the functionality; in the past I actually used to have my window manager (Waimea) configured to do exactly that in linux.

You may try using Quicksilver to trigger one of a custom set of applescripts; each applescript would resize and move the currently focused window to a predefined location.

See this macosxhints post for inspiration...

Answer 3

Hello Everyone,

What is the WinSplit-like application for Linux (KDE, GNOME)?

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Answer 4

Try these:

• Zooom/2 ($15) has been my favorite since I installed it. Fast, flexible, and minimizes the number of key combinations I need to remember
• Divvy ($15) might soon replace Zoom/2 for me. It's closer to Winsplit. You can arrange windows on a grid, define your own grid arrangements, and define your own shortcuts. It also minimizes the number of keystroke combinations you need to remember.
• SizeUp ($10) mimics various aspects of WinSplit functionality, but it relies on many keystroke combinations that take time to learn. The advantage is quickly moving windows. The drawback is that it uses up a lot of global keyboard shortcuts, and there are so many I couldn't remember them all.
• TwoUp (Free) is the little brother of SizeUp. It's free but not as powerful: it can only tile windows over half the screen
• MercuryMover ($20) is quite powerful and offers fine-grained control. However, there are a lot of different key combinations and, overall, I didn't find it as easy to learn or as elegant as WinSplit. I uninstalled it almost immediately. It struck me as powerful, but inefficient and unwieldy.
• The DIY approach (free) mentioned in another post is to combine some applescripts and bind them to quicksilver triggers. I haven't tried this. But it is a free solution.

I found the weak window management one of the hardest things to cope with when I started using a Mac.

Why go beyond spaces and expose?

Winsplit significantly adds to what spaces and expose can do. I didn't understand the appeal until I actually used it. Before that, I thought virtual desktops (ie, like spaces) was enough. Now I consider it must-have functionality, especially on large monitors and multi-mon setups.

On my Windows machine running 3 monitors, I would rank the importance of these different apps in the following order:

1. Winsplit-like window rearranging
2. Spaces-like virtual desktops
3. Expose-like application switching

On my MacBook, I've learned to approach it the other way.

1. Expose-like application switching
2. Winsplit-like window rearranging
3. Spaces-like virtual desktops

Answer 5

I'm also looking for a solution like this. If I knew how to write software I'd be all over it like a fat kid and a cupcake.... but I don't know how to program. I even contacted the developers at Winsplit and they said none of them know how to program for Mac at the time and don't plan to develop anything for Mac... :(

Spaces and Expose are good, I typically only use Expose, but at work I use spaces sometimes to separate work from personal :P But Winsplit is awesome if you want two windows side by side or something like that. I can't live without it on my Windows machines... and I miss it on my Macs.

Answer 6

Another question on StackOverflow adresses the same issue http://stackoverflow.com/questions/276760/tiling-window-manager-for-os-x

One answer provided links to an app called TwoUP. It's free, and does the job on OSX!

Answer 7

I haven't used Winsplit, so I don't know how it compares, but an app I developed, Optimal Layout, offers very flexible window tiling, as well as moving and resizing from the keyboard:

http://most-advantageous.com/optimal-layout/

Answer 8

It looks like TwoUp is dead, but here are some other options:

• Cinch ($7) is like Aero Snap for Mac.
• Breeze ($8) allows you to save window states and restore them like a template to another window.
• Divvy ($14) shows a grid on the screen where you can select boxes to indicate how you want the window to fill your screen.

Answer 9

Thanks to Dong Hoon's answer, I have developed a hybrid solution. Using the AppleScript Editor, you can create scripts to resize the current window, like this:

tell application "System Events"
  set _everyProcess to every process
  repeat with n from 1 to count of _everyProcess
    set _frontMost to frontmost of item n of _everyProcess
    if _frontMost is true then set _frontMostApp to process n
  end repeat

  set _windowOne to window 1 of _frontMostApp
  set position of _windowOne to {5, 0}
  set size of _windowOne to {1150, 735}
end tell

such a script will work on a 13" MacBook. Using subtle variations of this script saved to /Users/[YourUserNameHere]/Library/Scripts, you can have configure the AppleScript Editor to show itself in the menu bar, where it will allow you to select a script to run.

Using several different scripts, I'm able to resize and reposition any window with only two clicks.

Hope this helps.

Answer 10

You should also try out secondbar. gives you an extra menubar at the second display + re-arrange options. http://mac.softpedia.com/progDownload/SecondBar-Download-63929.html

Answer 11

You can also try Arrange application which features resize and reposition with keyboard shortcuts, on screen menu and by dragging window.