Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Windows Software request: tabbing apps? (self.Blind)
submitted by retrolental_morose
Hi all,
Long shot, perhaps, but thought I'd ask.
​
I'm getting to the stage at work where I have multiple apps doing similar things, i.e. Google Chat, Whatsapp for business and Teams all handle communication.
Similarly, I have 4 or5 web-based tools which handle a variety of similar work-related tasks.
The latter set of apps all work in a single browser window and multiple tabs, because they're all $1 they take up a single space on my taskbar, but I can CTRL+Tab (or ctrl+1) between them.
does anyone have any idea of an accessible tool to group top-level app windows into a similar tab structure? I'd ideally like a single alt+tab into my comms suite, then ctrl+tab between them.
​
Posting here because I imagine this can be quite a visual thing, i.e. dragging windows around to places on the screen, so wondered if anyone had come up with something like this.
​
I don't think virtual desktop will work quite the way I want.
Long shot, perhaps, but thought I'd ask.
​
I'm getting to the stage at work where I have multiple apps doing similar things, i.e. Google Chat, Whatsapp for business and Teams all handle communication.
Similarly, I have 4 or5 web-based tools which handle a variety of similar work-related tasks.
The latter set of apps all work in a single browser window and multiple tabs, because they're all $1 they take up a single space on my taskbar, but I can CTRL+Tab (or ctrl+1) between them.
does anyone have any idea of an accessible tool to group top-level app windows into a similar tab structure? I'd ideally like a single alt+tab into my comms suite, then ctrl+tab between them.
​
Posting here because I imagine this can be quite a visual thing, i.e. dragging windows around to places on the screen, so wondered if anyone had come up with something like this.
​
I don't think virtual desktop will work quite the way I want.
modulus 4 points 1y ago
I was about to suggest using multiple desktops. New one with ctrl-win-d, and shifting between them with ctrl-win and left or right arrow, but if that doesn't cover the need, not sure.
MostlyBlindGamer 3 points 1y ago
To be fair, that really is the solution, under Windows.
You can isolate windows in their own desktops so alt tabbing only loves inside a desktop and even isolate them to that desktop's taskbar.
You can isolate windows in their own desktops so alt tabbing only loves inside a desktop and even isolate them to that desktop's taskbar.
retrolental_morose [OP] 4 points 1y ago
I see how multiple desktops tick many of my boxes, I'm just a little sadened that I can't take the great UI of a group of tabs from the web and apply it throughout the OS. it's a feature I never really wanted -until I got frustrated and now I'm really craving it.
MostlyBlindGamer 3 points 1y ago
I understand. There are actually apps that do what you're looking for on macOS, if I'm not mistaken, but that's a whole other conversation in itself.
retrolental_morose [OP] 3 points 1y ago
HMM... I wonder what I can do with an API somewhere? if I can rename and hide a window, can I do something with modal flag and parent window attributes or something...
Maybe a holiday project to tinker with.
Maybe a holiday project to tinker with.
Shadowwynd 2 points 1y ago
My favorite tools for this is AutoHotKey. It is a free scripting language / automation package for Windows. The files it uses are simple text files, editable in Notepad. The nickel answer is that you can set up your own shortcuts to do essentially whatever you want (and I don't say that lightly). For example, you could write a script that:
1) Checks to make sure your communication programs (e.g. ICQ, Teams, Google Chat, Whatsapp, AIM, ... are all running, and if not, open them.
2) When the backtick / tilde key is pressed (the key to the left of "1" on most keyboards, save the current window, cycle to the next messaging app, make its window active. Once you have cycled through the messaging apps, return to the original window.
The only other step would be to put that file in your Shell:Startup folder so it starts whenever you turn your computer on.
In this case, lets say you were in Word and wanted to check all your messaging apps. Tilde --> Switches to Teams --> Tilde --> switches to Google Chat --> tilde --> switches to ICQ --> tilde --> Whatapp --> tilde --> Returns to Word.
In my case, I use AutoHotKey to insert the date in YYYY-MM-DD format, to act as Mute Button when I press Scroll Lock, and to expand common abbreviations, e.g. typing "OM" becomes ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY TRAINING
1) Checks to make sure your communication programs (e.g. ICQ, Teams, Google Chat, Whatsapp, AIM, ... are all running, and if not, open them.
2) When the backtick / tilde key is pressed (the key to the left of "1" on most keyboards, save the current window, cycle to the next messaging app, make its window active. Once you have cycled through the messaging apps, return to the original window.
The only other step would be to put that file in your Shell:Startup folder so it starts whenever you turn your computer on.
In this case, lets say you were in Word and wanted to check all your messaging apps. Tilde --> Switches to Teams --> Tilde --> switches to Google Chat --> tilde --> switches to ICQ --> tilde --> Whatapp --> tilde --> Returns to Word.
In my case, I use AutoHotKey to insert the date in YYYY-MM-DD format, to act as Mute Button when I press Scroll Lock, and to expand common abbreviations, e.g. typing "OM" becomes ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY TRAINING
retrolental_morose [OP] 1 points 1y ago
AHK is brilliant for lots of cool automations, no denying that. But the problem with both AHK and the virtual desktop suggestion is that ... how do I explain?
They break consistency by requiring a different navigation system between apps, if you see what I mean. I'm grateful for both options of course. I just wish Windows had a window manager in the truest sense of the word.
They break consistency by requiring a different navigation system between apps, if you see what I mean. I'm grateful for both options of course. I just wish Windows had a window manager in the truest sense of the word.
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