Multiple Windows opening

[nzhpy3]

I've been using SIGIL for some time on Windows PC, but have just acquired an Apple Mac pro and am experiencing an annoying (and frustrating) phenomenon when using SIGIL on it.
Every time I open a new (or existing) file, a new SIGIL window opens, meaning that I then have two versions of SIGIL running, one with my newly opened file and one empty. I can get round this by closing the unwanted window, but it's really annoying to have to do this every time. Does anyone know if this is a SIGIL issue or one for Apple? Is there a setting somewhere which is causing this?

[rubeus]

Unfortunately, there is is no "single instance" setting

[Notjohn]

It's never happened on my Windows computers (XP and Win 7), so I suspect it's an Apple thing.

I have noticed, though, that it's easy to open a second Sigil window by right-clicking on the taskbar icon (bottom of screen). I sometimes have occasion to do that, when I want to copy some boilerplate from one book to another. Perhaps all softwares do that, but I've never noticed it in most of them. (Word, of course. Also WordStar. Well, maybe it IS all of them, only I've never had occasion to try in most of them.)

[theducks]

The only time I have had that was double clicking (my standard Windows) on a computer set to launch on a single click.

ALL launches, not just a single program.

Some programs (eg. VLC) Have allow single instance. This is only useful because you would NEVER want 2 Movies/MP3's at the same time

[DiapDealer]

That's the way the multiple document interface works on Apple. Same instance of Sigil ... multiple documents open. Most users of Macs are accustomed to this. Just like Windows users are used to separate instances of Sigil ... each with one document open.

[KevinH]

Hi,

DiapDealer is indeed correct. This is standard behaviour on a Mac. This exact same thing happens in all of the Office products for Mac (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) etc. and in most other more complex programs. Both windows are actually being controlled by the same single app and so two copies of the executable are NOT in memory at the same time.

Welcome to using a Mac!

KevinH

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Hi,

DiapDealer is indeed correct. This is standard behaviour on a Mac. This exact same thing happens in all of the Office products for Mac (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) etc. and in most other more complex programs. Both windows are actually being controlled by the same single app and so two copies of the executable are NOT in memory at the same time.

Welcome to using a Mac!

KevinH

Kevin, I read nzhpy3's post as saying - when one file is opened with Sigil or Sigil is started with no file, then they always get two instances of Sigil - the other instance is always empty and must be closed separately. That seems a bit skew-whiff to me - but I'm not a regular OSX user.

For Windows there's at least one free 3rd party tool that can represent multiple instances of the same program in an icon stack with the option to close all instances. Maybe there's something similar for OS/X - if its not built-in.

BTW: there's an add-on for MS Office that does MDI via a tabbed interface, I couldn't live without it, it may work on MS Office for OS/X. I loathe taskbar clutter.

BR

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Kevin, I read nzhpy3's post as saying - when one file is opened with Sigil or Sigil is started with no file, then they always get two instances of Sigil - the other instance is always empty and must be closed separately. That seems a bit skew-whiff to me - but I'm not a regular OSX user.

If that's what's happening; that's indeed not normal behavior. I don't see that on OS X.

I took the OP to mean that

1) Sigil is launched. Sigil opens to a "standard" new document.
2) The user then opens an existing epub using file-->open.
3) The user then has two sigil documents open: the initial new/empty document and the pre-existing epub.

If that's the case, that's indeed expected behavior. The newly opened pre-existing epub doesn't replace the empty epub that Sigil launched with like it does on Windows. This is how Sigil has always worked on OS X.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

If that's what's happening; that's indeed not normal behavior. I don't see that on OS X.

I took the OP to mean that

1) Sigil is launched. Sigil opens to a "standard" new document.
2) The user then opens an existing epub using file-->open.
3) The user then has two sigil documents open: the initial new/empty document and the pre-existing epub.

If that's the case, that's indeed expected behavior. The newly opened pre-existing epub doesn't replace the empty epub that Sigil launched with like it does on Windows. This is how Sigil has always worked on OS X.

@DiapDealer - I suspect you're probably right. In Windows if I start Sigil.exe I get the default empty file, if I then do a File->Open then, as you say, it replaces the default empty file.

But if I open the same file with Sigil from my file manager (say via Open With) then I get a second instance - i.e what Sigil does under OSX.

I always start with the data, by opening files with the program I want from within the context of my file manager, I have my own default empty file - so I never start Sigil from nothing.

I rarely use via File->Open in anything, so I tend to forget most people start programs and then find the data they want. Always seems back to front to me, it's like starting the barbecue and then deciding to have gazpacho soup and a salad

I guess it would be good to have Sigil consistent if that's easily doable.

BR

[nzhpy3]

I'm really grateful for everyone's input to my SIGIL problem. Just to clarify:
1) I open SIGIL, giving me one "empty" SIGIL WINDOW.
2) Within that "window", I than Open an existing EPUB FILE
3) At this point I then have TWO SIGIL windows open, one showing my newly opened EPUB file and one empty SIGIL WINDOW.

Perhaps the solution is to adopt "BetterRed's" method and not open SIGIL first, but open it from the file level.

[DiapDealer]

Well technically, it's not an "empty" SIGIL WINDOW. It's a template epub (with no content) that hasn't been saved yet. It contains an html file, an ncx file and an opf file that are ready to be edited.

If it bugs you, you could launch Sigil by clicking an existing epub (like you mentioned), or you could forget about it until you're done using Sigil and then close all windows.

[nzhpy3]

"Technically" I guess you're right! But whichever way you view it, it's still a SIGIL window (empty or otherwise) which is not required. AND I have now tried opening SIGIL by clicking on an existing EPUB file and the same thing happens, except that in this instance, the "empty" window is on top!
And yes, it does bug me but I guess I'm just going to have to get used to either closing this down each time it happens or (as you say) ignoring it until I've finished using SIGIL.

[exaltedwombat]

And your OTHER reasons for getting a Mac were.... ? :-)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

And your OTHER reasons for getting a Mac were.... ? :-)

To quote myself (late 1980'S): "They are simple enough, A Manager can use one". (The working troops got PC XT clones)

[ignaz wrangel]

I have this same bug on 10.11 - I open a file in Sigil and I get an unwanted untitled.epub in the background