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This question has been previously discussed here but I can't figure out how to participate/follow-up without answering, so i'm resubmitting as my problem:

I'm a graphic designer using Mac Power PC G5, OS 10.4.11 (system software is up-to-date) & am not using Spaces. (FWIW, before becoming a designer I did Mac tech support for 6 years (back in the OS 7--> OS 10.3 days))

Currently I have 5 applications open (including the Finder). I routinely use cmd+tab to toggle through open apps (i.e. InDesign-->Photoshop-->Mail-->Firefox, etc).

I have no problems switching between applications and their active windows. For example if I cmd+tab from InDesign to Firefox, the active Firefox window comes to the front (even if I have, say, 3 browser windows open).

But when I cmd+tab the Finder no windows come to the front (there are currently 5 finder windows open so i know they're there -- i can see by hiding all the windows or through the method described next).

I have to cmd+tab to the Finder, THEN cmd+tilde (key to the left of the 1 key) to toggle through the open Finder windows.

Per this thread I trashed the Finder prefs (user/library/preferences/com.apple.finder.plist) and it fixed the issue for a few days, but now I'm back to the same problem.

A seemingly minor annoyance but one that really slows me down/irritates the heck out of me.

Help?

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I tried to reproduce this in 10.6.6 and couldn't. Cmd-Tab to Finder always brought the last Finder window in to focus (assuming I hadn't hidden it with Cmd-H). Justification for a new Intel-based Mac, maybe? :) – Ian C. Feb 17 '11 at 16:21
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Ian, I'll send you my boss' email/phone number and I'll let you explain why this is a $3,000 problem :-) – mark Feb 17 '11 at 19:41
Trashing the Finder prefs fixes these issues? Do you use third party preference panes (in system preferences), programs that are constantly running "in the menu bar", Input Managers, "haxies", or programs like TotalFinder? – Daniel Beck Feb 18 '11 at 11:07
@Daniel -Trashing the Finder prefs works --- for a little while. I trashed them after reading the linked article above and it worked for a few days. Then the problem resurfaced, prompting my rant above :) – mark Feb 18 '11 at 15:36
@Daniel - I tend to stay away from 3-party stuff, but i have Adobe Version Cue installed but turned off; Growl installed but turned off. I installed DropBox a few days ago, but this finder/toggle issue has predated that install by MONTHS if not a year.... – mark Feb 18 '11 at 15:40
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closed as too localized by Ivo Flipse♦ Mar 6 '11 at 21:16

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