One thing that has really irked me since OS X 10.5 shipped (and even before, for that matter), was that Microsoft Office didn't "understand" Apple's Spaces feature. Invoking Spaces while Word is running would leave document windows and toolbars strewn across different spaces and half-operable. Looks like the latest Mac Office Update, 12.1.4, fixes this.
The scant release notes make no mention of this, but I torture tested Word while moving through Spaces and using the Application Switcher to jump between Spaces and applications. Word remained intact with all toolbars staying put. The update is available via the Microsoft Auto Updater, and downloadable directly via the support page, currently at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx.
After a little time spent
After a little time spent with this update, I've still seen the bad behavior with Spaces, but it does seem lessened. Hopefully, Microsoft can nail this down altogether at some point. I need to send a note to one of my contacts there.
FWIW only Word does this, as
FWIW only Word does this, as I *just* upgraded to 10.5 (yeah... I know) and have only used Excel so far. It seems to behave will with spaces (a feature I like quite a bit BTW.)
--chuck
Thanks for the update.
Thanks for the update. Word's behavior with Spaces drives me a little nuts :-). If you hide Word, or, put Word into the background before switching Spaces, it comes back just fine. I'm curious if this is a Carbon problem. Check this out:
[ /Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Microsoft Word.app/Contents/Frameworks ]$ ls -1
EntourageCore.framework
EntourageLegacy.framework
MSLS3.framework
MSXML.framework
MicrosoftChartPlugin.framework
MicrosoftComponentPlugin.framework
MicrosoftConversionLibrary.framework
MicrosoftOLE.framework
MicrosoftOLEAutomation.framework
MicrosoftOffice.framework
MicrosoftOleo.framework
Netlib.framework
OfficeArt.framework
PowerPlant.framework
PowerPlantCore.framework
SmartArt.framework
StdUrlMoniker.framework
merp.framework
PowerPlant? Really? I imagine MS is maintaining this themselves at this stage. It looks like Word is still a Carbon app altogether:
[ /Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Microsoft Word.app/Contents/MacOS ]$ otool -L Microsoft\ Word
Microsoft Word:
/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Carbon (compatibility version 2.0.0, current version 128.0.0)
(extra items snipped for sanity).
As for Spaces...gah...I've gotten used to it. I've always used virtual pagers under IRIX and Gnome. Up through 10.4, Desktop Manager was handling this for me on OS X. Spaces is just...different.
In any case, Spaces is built-in and official. Developers need to be aware of it and interoperate properly.
Just had the chance to use
Just had the chance to use Excel...it absolutely exhibits this behavior, too. What a mess.